David Barber is The FA's historian and regularly attends matches at all levels of football.
He is fast-approaching 7,000 games and has already seen a handful since the start of the new campaign...
My five games so far in this pre-season period have gone like this: Ethio-London FC 1 Katanga 2, Wembley 3 Bedfont & Feltham 6, North Greenford United 1 Southall 0, Boldmere St Michaels 1 Aston Villa 3 and Aston Villa Ladies 2 Millwall Lionesses 1.
There were nine goals betweeen Wembley and Bedfont
That’s 6,862 games altogether now.
I was up in the Birmingham area with the family at the weekend just gone and three of us went to the Friday night friendly between Boldmere St Michaels, who play in the Midland Football League’s Premier Division, and a young Aston Villa side.
It was a 25-minute drive from my sister’s house in Bearwood, avoiding the city centre.
On a balmy evening I would have said the attendance was well over 500. I’m not very good at estimating crowds unless I can count people individually – which I have never tried to do at The FA Cup Final!
Villa dominated possession and took an early lead but The Mikes’ No.9 rifled home a superb equaliser from just outside the box to delight the home fans.
Saturday was spent with the family. The only game I had my eye on, Nuneaton Town v Coventry City, finished goalless.
The Barber saw FA WSL action between Aston Villa and Millwall Lionesses
After seeing Mum at her care home on Sunday morning, I took the train from Five Ways to Sutton Coldfield, a 23-minute journey, for Aston Villa Ladies’ FA WSL 2 fixture with Millwall Lionesses. That had a 2pm kick-off and the crowd was, I think, a little under 200.
Villa scored after about half-an-hour on a hot afternoon. Millwall battled hard for an equaliser in the second half but there were no goals until the last minute.
Then Villa made it 2-0 and in the last seconds the visitors poked the ball in from close range following a corner on the left.
I got a train back to Birmingham New Street and within seven minutes I was on a nearly empty train hurtling towards London.
I was back at the hotel by 6.45. Next weekend, all being well, I should see five games.
You can follow the Barber on Twitter @thebarberfan
