My debut at Clarence Park over 12 months ago involved a pre-season friendly and 12 months later, as a result of a late addition to current pre-season fixtures it was the same start for Mum and step dad TLF (MSD-TLF). An act of (the footballing kind of) God meant that the fixture tied in with their planned weekend visit and BOSH, the weekend family entertainment schedule was complete. Pre-match pub lunch and pint, pre match clubhouse drink and post match BBQ (courtesy of Mr Stay-at-home TLF) and late birthday drink celebrations…..I mean late because my birthday was in May; not that we stayed up drinking late. Perish the thought.
Like last year Clarence Park and the climate were doing their best Qatar 2022 impression, which successfully added to that friendly game torpor, where it’s all a bit polite, no one does a right lot of chanting and you know you are more likely to get red in the face because you forgot the factor 50 than because you are really angry with the ref/opposition/your own players (delete as applicable).
Unlike last year when I watched men v boys as the mighty Saints took on a teenage MK Dons side, for MSD-TLF, the red (and yellow) carpet had been rolled out and Championship side Watford were in da house (innit). That meant a crowd of 1600 plus (as opposed to about 32 last year), and with Watford being a local team the home fans were seriously outnumbered. It also meant a bit of a drubbing for the mighty Saints (technically men v men or perhaps full time pampered men v part time fitting in their football with a real job men).
Not really a surprise result and so I would like to assure the overly pleased middle life crisis Hornets fans who stood behind me that beating a Conference South team 5-0 is not “like when Germany beat Brazil”, and does not guarantee promotion.
Swallows and summer gentlemen, swallows and summer.
Match stats St Albans 5 Watford 0
Attendance 1668
TLF family Pre match snack consumption 2 cheese & pickle, 1 goats cheese and roast veg sarnies. Plus chips (bacon fries off the menu due to vegetarian tendencies of MSD-TLF)
Pints consumed A heady mixture of Stella, cider, some very hefty porter ale.
Losing golden tickets 3
Flattering comments received by my 70 year old mum 2 (step forward Knocky and Lee…..you smoothies…NO not the fruit drink variety)
Family Fox