Magpie Miscellany Part 16
Bad Light Stops Play
A wonder of the modern game is the ability to play at night using floodlights at no detriment to the quality of the play. The availability and cost of lighting technology means that this is now universal, even down to five a side football, yet it is a relatively recent phenomenon.
The Magpies were early adopters, buying a set from Yiewsley for £1,000 in 1961. The lights were inaugurated with a match against Reading on November 20th. The Biscuitmen sent an team “almost up to league strength”, attracting a crowd of 2,150 to what was described as “the best game York Road has seen this season”. The match was drawn with a goal either side of half time. Reading’s Ralph Norton gave them the lead before Peter Lowen equalised for the Magpies.
The general lack of lights in non league football meant leagues remained small in size until the mid seventies. This allowed a full campaign to be completed on Saturdays and public holidays, weather permitting. To make commercial use of the lights, competitions were created for those clubs able to enter such as the Wycombe Floodlit League Cup, the Premier Midweek Floodlight League, and the Mithras Cup named after the Persian God, (later adopted by the Greeks and Romans), of “the shining light that beholds everything”.
The advent of ground grading as the pyramid took shape in the 70s and 80s made it harder for clubs to put off installing floodlights, but there were still many without lights competing in the early rounds of the FA Cup from the lower level county leagues.
This led to a fortuitous escape from a cup shock for the Magpies in December 1991, thirty years later after they had installed the first set at York Road. The season had promised much following the record breaking promotion from the Isthmian League Division Two South in May. However the sudden departure of manager Martyn Spong on the eve of the new campaign had led to the hasty appointment of Gary Goodwin. By the end of November, United had sunk to second bottom of the Isthmian League Division One with just three wins, although they had several games in hand thanks to some decent Cup results, especially in the FA Cup. One such result was a 7-0 thrashing of Beaconsfield United in the Berks & Bucks Senior Cup, which had set up a second qualifying round tie on the first Saturday of December at Abingdon United.
The County FA had clung onto their status by insisting ties took precedence over league fixtures. This enabled clubs without floodlights such as Abingdon United to enter the competition, although the time of year meant the match would kick off at 2 pm. Goodwin warned that “it's not going to be an easy game as they’re no mugs when it comes to cup games”.
His caution proved to be wise as Abingdon soaked up the pressure of Maidenhead attacks and took the tie into extra time. Two minutes into the added half an hour, the home team took the lead. Despite a gap of three divisions between the two clubs, the Magpies could not find a way back into the game and looked on the verge of an embarrassing exit. However in the winter gloom, with the time approaching 4:30, the referee decided it had got too dark to continue and abandoned the game with seven minutes remaining. Goodwin admitted that “we got out of jail, on a cowpat of a pitch”.
Competition rules meant the tie would now be replayed at York Road. A brace of goals from Dean Bailey meant the Magpies went through with a 2-1 victory, the winner ironically coming seven minutes from time. This meant that Maidenhead would play at Aylesbury United in the first round proper in the New Year. The Ducks were riding high in the Isthmian League Premier Division, and were suitably stung by Stuart Muir giving the Magpies the lead to go on and win the match 5-1 with a hat trick from Darren Collins and two goals from Cliff Hercules.
United’s continuing league struggles saw Goodwin sacked in February, replaced by former player John Clements who led the club to the relative safety of sixteenth by the end of the season.
Sources:
One for Sorrow, Two for Joy, Mark Smith, 2011
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