Good morning, fledglings. We’ve brought up our half-century, can you believe it?!
You join us having already been crowned Conference League champions. Welcome along as I play out our final league games and have a first date with Wembley for our Newton Heath Heroes!
Saturday 21st April, Conference, Bromley
We are on the road at Bromley, another club based on the periphery of the devil that is the M25. We get stuck in traffic joining from the M40 and just make it Hayes Lane in time.
No time for a team talk; the starting XI is pinned on the whiteboard and out the lads trot.
Danny boy gets the party started on 19 minutes after Burkart is scythed down by Johnny Mullins when through on goal. Mullins gets his marching orders and Danny boy doesn’t miss from 12 yards.
Rowe doubles the lead on the stroke of halftime to ensure the second half can be played at pedestrian pace. Bromley do it like I can, and hit back through that man Sam Smith. He must have goal scoring bonuses on his mind, because he’s done the double on us, as promised. It’s against the run of play. Burkart limps off on 65 minutes – that’s what you get for dancing with a stranger. The lads are too good at goodbyes, so shrug off the interruption. Bromley can’t fight fire with fire, so we see the game out, 2-1 victors.
That’s enough Sam Smithery, someone lay me down..
Saturday 28th April, Conference, Leyton Orient
It’s our last league game of the season and Leyton Orient are struggling in the bottom half of the table. The traditional Man Utd way is to have young players and/or fringe players feature on the final day if nothing left to play for, (see Fergie’s 5-5 draw with West Brom in 2013, or Ryan Giggs’ 1-1 draw with Southampton in 2014). I want to keep momentum ahead of our cup game, so opt for full-stength!
With seven day’s rest, Burkart is able to shrug off his knock and is in the side on the right. DJ playing behind Danny boy. It mean Rodrigo Possebon misses out, with Rothwell squeezed central.
After an early San Marino-esque scare in the opening seconds, it’s a day for hattricks. The lads destroy the O’s in front of 1271 of the Fledglings faithful. We may have found Burkarts calling, as he’s unplayable down the right. Danny Rowe, in lethal form, also scores three. A rare goal from substitute David Fox completes a 7-1 rout.
The final league table confirms our place on top. We scored the most goals and conceded the least, which can only mean one thing – title winners in the making!
Tranmere Rovers and local rivals Salford are the other teams promoted who will join us in the football league next season.
Saturday 13th May, Wembley Stadium, FA Trophy Final, Stourbridge.
Stourbridge Town – the Glassboys – are the current holders of the FA Trophy, rising from the Northern Premier League to knock us out in last year’s semi final. We are the team in form, and playing in a league above, but Stourbridge have Wembley experience.
We have had a two-week break after the league campaign was wrapped up. After convincing display against the O’s, how can I mess with that team? It’s tough on Possebon and the lads who have featured heavily in the FA Trophy this season, like SEB and Daniels. I have to do it – for the trophy cabinet! It’s an unchanged side in front of a large 16715 crowd!
The Fledglings faithful are in dreamland after only 2 minutes. Right back Alex Hickman is robbed by Matty Willock on the left, and his runs to the byline. With central defenders coming wide, Willock rolls the ball across the penalty area. There is space for Danny boy to side foot in – 1-0!!
It settles early nerves as McCullough and Thorpe marshal the back line well and ensure we go in the halftime changeover one-up.
Stourbridge come out biting in the second half and get their reward through an Alex Simmons equalizer on 68 minutes.
The goal wakes us back up and DJ Buffonge responds immediately – restoring our 2-1 lead. HOLD ON LADS!
It’s a nervy finish as Thorpedo hobbles off in the final minute and we are forced to defend deep with ten men.. The whistle goes – SILVERWARE!
The team are dancing on the coach all the way to Manchester.
Danny boy gets the end-of-season accolades – deservedly so.
The board need to invest £1.1m to get us compliant with Football League rules for next season. It’s a big hit to our finances.
As the season draws to a close and the players clear their lockers ready for summer holidays I have two players knock on my door to say they will be hanging up their boots.
Both Eckersley and Fox have been back up players for the majority of the season. We wish them all the best.
Finally, we wave goodbye to a loyal servant and our Thorpedo, Tom Thorpe. The offer of £1million is too good to refuse as we need to pay for the stadium enhancements. It’ll give us some money in the pot for the coming season.
Thanks as always to Dave Black for hosting, and to the #blogsquad for keeping motivation going through COVID and especially during the CLM Cup. Finally, thanks to Wayne Barton for the support with the ex-players list early on!
Until next time fledglings. We’ll be playing league football! Here’s to another 50 episodes!
CM01/02 Blogs 