We know all about ‘The Magic of The Cup’ but what about ‘The Magic of The Trophy’?!
Gosport Borough, the Hampshire side currently propping up the Conference South, had crowds of 261 and 290 for their last two home fixtures before the weekend.
On Saturday they drew 2,901 to Privett Park for a momentous FA Trophy Semi-Final second leg that has now taken them to Wembley.
My personal interest in The Boro’ comes from the fact my grandparents lived in Gosport in the ‘60s and ‘70s and the family would holiday down there in the summer and also at Christmas and Easter. Grandad would be at Privett Park every week – first team one week, reserves the next – with the ground only a five-minute walk from their brand new home in House Farm Road.
I saw Boro’ play teams like Andover, Basingstoke, Fareham, Swaythling (now Eastleigh) and Waterlooville in the Hampshire League.
On Saturday, 53 years after my first game there, I travelled down on the train from Waterloo for the biggest game in the club’s 70-year history. A ‘Winter Sale’ allowed me to buy a day return for £10, a welcome bonus.
From Portsmouth Harbour station it’s a four-minute ferry ride to Gosport – the ferry company’s slogan is ‘It’s shorter by water’ – and then a substantial walk to the ground.
I was one of the first through the turnstiles at 1.15pm and sat in the second row of the Main Stand. It turned out to be such a popular game, particularly bearing in mind that Portsmouth were playing Scunthorpe away, that the kick-off had to be delayed for 15 minutes.
With so much at stake it was pretty tense in the first half. It seemed certain to be goalless until Gosport’s Tim Sills scored with a simple header from a right-wing corner in stoppage time. I immediately thought they were on their way to Wembley.
Then there was drama as the same player, who has already been to Wembley, made it 2-0 and his skipper, Brett Poate, was sent off with about half-an-hour of the contest still to go.
It could have been difficult, with Havant &Waterlooville several places above them in the Conference South, but an inspired Boro’ were superb all round the team and kept their two-goal advantage until the end.
I wish Grandad had been there in his yellow and blue bobble hat.
After all that excitement it was back to Regent’s Park on Sunday morning for Grantchester Road v Heroes of Waterloo on Pitch 9. ‘Heroes’ came back from 0-2 down to draw 2-2 and the game was watched by species in equal numbers, i.e. two men and two dogs.
I saw Camden Town Ladies draw 1-1 with Regents Park Rangers in the afternoon and was reminded how much fun it is to stand out in a freezing gale for four hours.
Games this season = 132
Games in total = 6,597
Twitter: @thebarberfan
