AN ALTOGETHER MORE SPLENDID KIND OF LIFE - 2017/18

23 Seasons watching Maidenhead United

Epilogue: The last twelve months

When promotion started to become a reality last season, I was often asked how worried I was about playing in a national division. My reply was one of uninterest. What mattered was enjoying the glory of winning the title. Anything that came as a result would be sorted out in due course.

Thus the day I stepped onto an open topped bus to tour the streets of Maidenhead with the champions will live long in the memory. It was a day to enjoy the moment of being associated with the best, made complete by the return of Dave Tarpey, fresh from turning down a move to Coventry City.

This summer of celebration continued into the following pre season by winning the Berks & Bucks Cup in July.

In the meantime there had been two important additions made to the squad in centre back Jake Goodman and prodigious midfielder Harold Odametey. Also striking options were strengthened by the return of Adrian Clifton and Jake Hyde.

Off the pitch almost five hundred season tickets were sold, more than the total opening day attendance of the previous season. The ground was augmented by the Devonshire hospitality suite, and new food and drink outlets, including one for the new away end in front of the Maidenhead Advertiser office.

The publication of the fixture list brought home the nature of United’s brave new world as the season started with a run of matches against former Football League clubs.

Many were reticent about our chances and were keen to peddle a survival narrative but I was confident of a mid table finish as the team carried through their title winning momentum.

That the club now had a higher media profile became clear as I sat on a beach in Costa Rica and tuned into live commentary of the first home game against Wrexham. Then, on my return to the UK I had to get to the next game at York Road a little earlier than usual as BT Sport had chosen the match against Hartlepool for their lunchtime live broadcast.

Fortunately, after a stuttering start, my arrival coincided with the match the Magpies season clicked into gear, comfortably beating Hartlepool with Tarpey announcing himself on the National League stage with two goals. The following Tuesday, Tarpey hit four at Fylde and he was hot property again. A deadline day move to Barnet for a club record fee again saw the doom mongers out in force but in the next match United won at table toppers Sutton to firmly dispel any thoughts that they were a one man team.

Now nicely settled in mid table the season became a fantastic journey, with wins, defeats and draws in equal measure as the Magpies visited hitherto unknown parts of the country.

Memories were made most matchdays, even if it was for peripheral highlights such as the Three Pigeons pub in Halifax, or the time the supporters made it to Torquay way ahead of the team after the coach driver refused to avoid a traffic jam.

A home match against Aldershot, saw six goals shared in a thrilling draw and proved to be a swansong for terrace hero Dean Inman as he came off the bench to equalise before accepting the non league deal of a lifetime to sign for Billericay.

One aspect of higher status was only having to play one FA Cup qualifier although a very late winner was required from Ryan Upward to set up a first round trip to Coventry, an occasion when James Comley commanded the stage only for the team to slip to a defeat.

Although the squad’s talent wasn’t in question, this was a league of fine margins with no easy rides as Eastleigh showed when they retrieved a two goal deficit with minutes remaining in November.

With the matches coming thick and fast there were chances for fringe players such as Sam Barratt, Remy Clerima, Max Kilman, Christian Smith to establish themselves, with fellow midfielder Upward also coming to the fore.

An epic trip to the north east two days before Christmas saw the double completed over Hartlepool courtesy of the masked assassin Sean Marks.

The New Year started with the promise of a Trophy run but despite a triumphant return to Halifax, in the last sixteen Stockport went one better than Eastleigh as the Magpies let slip a 2-0 lead at Edgeley Park to lose the replay in extra time.

Despite the mid table position being maintained, doubts once again started to creep in about sliding league form, the erection of anachronistic fences on the Bell Street terraces, a visual symbol of the less attractive aspects of the National League.

Eventual champions Macclesfield were pushed all the way into stoppage time at Moss Rose before they finally finished ahead against United who had held their nerve for over three hours against the division’s best team.

Everything came crashing down though at Gateshead as I had the displeasure of describing every goal of a 7-1 humbling to BBC Berkshire listeners. However just when the season threatened to get interesting at the wrong end of the table, Alan conjured up the spirit of the champions to win three home matches in eight days against Woking, Dover and Sutton before ending the away campaign perfectly on Tuesday night by beating Orient to guarantee a top half finish.

All in all a perfect end to this series and a true measure of the contributions of Peter Griffin off the pitch and Alan Devonshire on it, and one totally inconceivable way back in 1994.

Over the summer there will be improvements to floodlights, the pitch and hospitality facilities, but as the club is required by the league to show gradual progress towards developing a 6,000 capacity stadium with 2,000 seats, challenges on a whole new scale will present themselves.

In twelve months time the question of whether to go full time will become ever more insistent, perhaps a pivotal moment in the club’s long and proud history.

In another twenty three seasons time will I  view this as a high water mark or the start of the next volume of memoirs? Only time will tell but whatever happens I’m sure it will remain an altogether more splendid kind of life supporting the Magpies.

With thanks to Mark Smith’s book One For Sorrow Two For Joy for the statistical content of this series.

To read more about this season visit www.mufcheritage.com

AN ALTOGETHER MORE SPLENDID KIND OF LIFE - 2016/17

23 Seasons watching Maidenhead United

Part 23: 2016/17

“We were able not only to get back on top, but to have enough character, enough desire, to still want to win, We got to two minutes from the end. They looked OK. They had every reason to think they were OK. We got a free kick which I knocked into the box… Alfie nipped in, and bang! Goal! GOAL!... To get out of a situation like that and get a result you have a have a special quality: character, belief, desire.”

EAMON DUNPHY (1976), Only A Game 

Character, belief, desire. Dunphy’s marks of a team bound for glory, demonstrated time and time again by the Magpies last season. Welling United (A), Hungerford Town (H), Ebbsfleet United (A), Poole Town (H), Whitehawk (H), Eastbourne Borough (H). Points earned when all seemed lost. The difference between champions and play off contenders.

Title winning squads are made not born. They are the product of an intricate web of relationships between players, all selected by the manager because they are deemed to be able to fulfil a particular role, and subscribe to those virtues of character, belief and desire. United they prove an irresistible force, enabling each other to achieve hitherto unexpected feats, inspiring support which only serves to drive them on further.

The scale of the achievement in Maidenhead United’s season of seasons lies in statistics. From forty two matches: thirty wins, four defeats, ninety three goals scored, twenty nine conceded, ninety eight points. First place. Two million pounds lost in the failed pursuit by the runners up.

The story of the achievement lies in those tests of character passed with flying colours time after time.

Many a manager when interviewed will talk about being a player or two away from a title challenge. In the summer of 2016, Alan Devonshire had a rock solid defence martialled imperiously by his leader on the pitch Alan Massey. The permanent signing of ball playing svengali James Comley completed the midfield. A centre forward named Sean Marks proved to be the missing piece required to solve the United promotion puzzle. He was the one new player who would go on to make the final eleven in terms of total starting appearances at the end of the season. His seventeen goals justified his place alone. His wholehearted performances always played with a smile on his face, lifted teammates and fans alike. His best supporting striker role lifted his little mate Dave Tarpey into the ranks of Magpie immortals.

A clutch of squad members also played important cameo roles along the way, whilst the mid season introduction of new signings Remy Clerima and Joe Parkinson provided important stimuli. Above all though the first choice eleven with its sound defensive base, incessant midfield engine and lethal attack led the way from start to finish.

In August a perfect opening day win at home to Gosport was followed by a midweek setback at Poole. The response was five consecutive wins (and ten goals for divisional player of the month Tarpey) to take United to the top of the table by the August bank holiday, a position which they rarely left until the title was confirmed at the final whistle in April.

Every time a challenger laid down the gauntlet, the Magpies simply raised their game. First up was a trip to Hampton in October. Despite showing much spirit the Beavers were beaten 3-2. In November it was time to visit the pre season title favourites Ebbsfleet. With all eyes on freescoring Tarpey, Marks scored a hat trick to win his own player of the month award as again Maidenhead won 3-2.

As Christmas approached Dartford arrived at York Road having won eight of their previous nine league games. Maidenhead responded with their best performance of the season. Marks departed early with an injury, but his replacement Jordan Cox maintained the supply line, as Tarpey scored his third hat trick of the campaign by half time, and his second four goal haul by the final whistle. His second of the four, saw him become a global youtube sensation, “el sensacional talento goleador”.  

With half the season now gone, what had been a firm hope at Concord in August when United went top of the table, now in my mind became a certainty. Barring an unforeseen injury crisis, this team would fulfil its destiny to become  champions.

This was encapsulated in Tarpey’s first goal, initiated by a crunching challenge by Christian Smith. A tackle replete with character, belief and desire.

Points dropped over Christmas and into the New Year, briefly saw Ebbsfleet take over at the top but two games won in four days in February at York Road in Dunphyesque last minute fashion against Whitehawk and Eastbourne restored United to their rightful place at the top of the tree.

Two draws followed against promotion contenders Hampton and Hungerford which prompted some to raise questions ahead of a Monday night trip to a third successive opponent with ambitions to go up. In the end Chelmsford proved to be the fourth and final major test of United’s title credentials. They fought as hard as they could to take something from the game, but they couldn’t best the Magpies. This was Comley’s night, dubbed “the non league N’Kante” by the home fans at Melbourne Park, he drove the team on as Chelmsford huffed and puffed but could not force United into blowing their lead.

This was the first of nine successive victories, all but one other won by a margin of two or more goals as the Magpies kicked for home.

On Easter Monday, fans travelled by planes, trains and automobiles to Truro, as for the first time an opportunity to seal the title presented itself. It didn’t quite happen mathematically speaking, but now only one win was required from the two remaining matches to make certain.

The first saw Ebbsfleet make their final bid to unseat the champions elect. They won that battle but seven days later Maidenhead won the war at bottom club Margate. On the way to the furthest corner of Kent, those of us on the train passed through Ebbsfleet, where the league in their wisdom had elected to take the championship trophy. Never mind. An inflatable would suffice when the goals arrived. We knew our players had character, belief and desire. We knew our manager would send his team out to finish the perfect season for him and for all of us.

Thank you Alan.

    

With thanks to Mark Smith’s book One For Sorrow Two For Joy for the statistical content of this series.

To read more about this season visit www.mufcheritage.com

AN ALTOGETHER MORE SPLENDID KIND OF LIFE - 2015/16

23 Seasons watching Maidenhead United

Part 22: 2015/16

“We need a plan B”, was my response to Peter Griffin’s news that he was making an approach to Alan Devonshire about a return to the manager’s post he’d left in 2003. The intervening years had seen Alan go on to great success at the highest levels of non league football with firstly Hampton and then Braintree so I was sure that his announcement that he planned to leave Cressing Road at the end of his contract in May 2015 would lead to a string of suitors from the professional ranks. Indeed the resulting press release about his departure did lead to the Devonshire hashtag trending on Twitter but with comments such as “unfinished business” and “going home”, Alan was true to his word and arrived at York Road in mid May,

Having assessed the current squad, he deemed only six worthy of retention, namely Mark Nisbet, Sam Barratt, Ryan Upward, Harry Pritchard, Dave Tarpey and Adrian Clifton, although the latter opted for a lucrative move to Havant.

A whole new defence was imported in the shape of Carl Pentney, Ryan Peters, new captain Alan Massey, Dean Inman and Rene Steer. There were new midfield options in Josh Huggins, Kieran Forbes and James Mulley, with Ben Wright and Jake Reid the new strikeforce.

With virtually all of the new signings possessing substantial experience at a higher level there was a real sense of intent about the new set up, that this was a team that would deliver on its potential and establish the Magpies in the top half of the Conference South.

This was backed up by a super start to the season, winning at Eastbourne on the opening day despite a much delayed coach journey, and following this up with a comfortable win at York Road against Bishops Stortford on the first Tuesday. By the end of August only one match had been lost of the first seven fixtures, to get the Devonshire Era part two off and running.

Three defeats followed including a disastrous reverse at Whitehawk in a match where the Magpies led 2-0 with well over half the game gone.

The FA Cup revived fortunes but only after a last minute equaliser at Winchester from substitute Gavin James had avoided an embarrassing defeat for a United team weakened by the early dismissal of Dave Tarpey. This red card was overturned on appeal as the Magpies won the replay then edged past Blackfield and Langley in the next round to set up a final qualifying stage tie at home to Woking.

This was the match when Devonshire’s team came of age. For the first time in the club’s history, home supporters saw a national league team defeated at York Road, Forbes early opening strike stunned the Cards, and in the second half goals from Tarpey and Pritchard sealed a comfortable win and a first round tie at Port Vale.

It was Pritchard who best summed up the immediate impact of Devonshire’s return, winning the divisional player of the month award as the Cup wins were accompanied by four consecutive league wins, the final one over Basingstoke containing a Tarpey hat trick.

Pritchard had joined the club in the spring of 2012, as a highly touted local prospect. Yet despite displaying much potential as an attacking left sided midfielder, he had struggled for a regular place in the starting eleven, never making more than 30 starts in any one season.

Responding perfectly to his manager extolling the virtues of hard work and following instructions to the letter, he accepted the challenge of starting the season at left back whilst Steer achieved match fitness. He impressed to the extent that Steer’s belated debut saw him continue in midfield, finishing the season with 48 starts and the supporters’ player of the year award.

Over four hundred Magpies made their way to the Potteries for the FA Cup tie, and in a thrilling match, United held onto the coattails of the impressive League One outfit, conceding just the one goal. The stoppage time equaliser by Mulley saw him run the length of the pitch to celebrate at the away end, his boundless energy reflecting the never say die attitude of the Magpies supported by Devonshire’s focus on fitness which time and again paid dividends with late goals.

The replay was selected for live coverage by BT Sport with tickets selling out quickly, and despite the eventual 3-1 defeat, the stimulus of hope injected by Massey’s opening goal, made it a night to remember.

That the cup glory would inspire further feats in the league seemed likely following a stunning win at Maidstone on a chilly Tuesday in December. Stand in captain Mulley, was a tour de force in midfield against a team bound for promotion and one of just three teams to take three points from York Road all season.

However what followed was a run of ten league games without a win as well as revenge for Woking with a 6-1 win at Kingfield to end United’s interest in the FA Trophy. Five of the ten matches returned a point, including an amazing, and long, day out to Truro to share eight goals, half of them being scored by player of the month Tarpey.

A neutral onlooker may have considered the season as conforming to the usual pattern of a promising start, then a Cup run before faltering in the league but this was a pattern that was to be broken once and for all.

A recruit for the long term had been made in November when Christian Smith had arrived, but it was a second signing in February, initially on loan, that spurred a late season push for the play offs.

James Comley’s creative ability in the centre of midfield was a welcome complement to the work ethic already present throughout the team, and it helped to spark a run of nine games with only one defeat. This spell of good form built to a crescendo at York Road over the Easter Weekend. At the instigation of the manager, the match against Bath City was brought forward to Good Friday. On a beautiful sunny day, the public of Maidenhead, tempted by a cup run and solid home form, at last came out in their droves to support the town’s team. With no incentive but the increasingly popular York Road experience a crowd of 899 turned out to see the Magpies first ever league win over Bath. This was followed on Easter Monday by the “away” match against tenants Hayes, the ensuing 5-2 win leaving Maidenhead lying in the final play off place of fifth with six games left to play in the final month of the season.

A Jake Reid hat trick won the next home match against Whitehawk but this proved to be the only three point return as the season petered out to a seventh placed finish, still the highest for eight seasons.

More importantly though, crowds had risen again to their highest for over forty years as good home form at last matched the many years of hard work off the pitch to build the new stand, grow the Junior Magpies membership, and engage the local community.

With everything at the club now working in harmony, the challenge was to continue to meet raised expectations.

With thanks to Mark Smith’s book One For Sorrow Two For Joy for the statistical content of this series.

To read more about this season visit www.mufcheritage.com

AN ALTOGETHER MORE SPLENDID KIND OF LIFE - 2002-03

23 Seasons watching Maidenhead United

Part 9: 2002-03

Change was in the air, not only at York Road but across the non league scene as a process began which would drastically alter the fortunes of Maidenhead United in particular and the aspirations of middling non league clubs in general.

At the start of the season, husband and wife team Roger and Jean Coombs, who had effectively led the club through the Devonshire era as chairman and treasurer respectively, announced their intention to stand down from their roles the following May.

Their decision enabled the club to engage in a proper process of succession planning, with Jon Swan installed as chairman elect, whilst the finances were lined up for Paul Carney to take over.

This coincided with plans for two new regional divisions to be created to feed into the Conference, to reduce some of the promotion bottleneck whereby only the champions of the current feeder leagues could move up to the pinnacle of the non league pyramid.

Thus much discussion, particularly following the turn of the year when it became clear that relegation was not on the agenda, focused on the plans for the following pivotal season.

On the pitch, Alan Devonshire’s team were now very much at home in the Isthmian League Premier Division, eventually finishing tenth, but the virtual impossibility of a title challenge meant that once again the season had a feeling of marking time.

Thus much hope for the season was invested in the Cup competitions, initial failure generating much ire before an ultimate silver lining.

The squad was freshened up in the summer with a triple signing from Northwood. Prolific striker Lawrence Yaku arrived alongside midfielders Andy Cook and Ryan Ashe. The addition of classy young sweeper Chris Elsegood led to a refashioned team that was exciting to watch, its potential realised in a 5-0 demolition of Chesham United in the first week of the season.

Having won five and losing just three of the opening eleven league matches, including a win at recently relegated Hayes, hopes were high that the Magpies would at last have a run in the FA Cup.

Such was the desire for Cup glory an understrength team was sent out to play Hitchin on the Tuesday prior  to the initial tie against Welling. The sacrifice of points looked to be worthwhile with Maidenhead beating the Wings as injury time loomed. An amazing turnaround in the dying minutes though saw the Kent team leave York Road as winners and unprecedented criticism of the Magpies from Chairman Coombs in the local press.

An injury to goalkeeper Richie Barnard, who had been virtually ever present since his debut in August 2000, coincided with a drop in form which saw only one win in fourteen matches.

Barnard’s absence at least allowed Trevor Roffey a swansong in the number one jersey in a unforgettable 4-4 draw against Kingstonian.

Interest in the FA Trophy ended on a gloomy afternoon in Tonbridge, which at least provided the opportunity to sample the many pubs lining the long walk from the station to Longmead.

The nadir was reached in a 4-0 defeat at home to Ford United, with former Chelsea Champions League star Mark Nicholls filling in between the sticks for Maidenhead in the second half. Following the defeat Alan Devonshire issued a sincere apology and league form immediately perked up with ten points taken from the next four games.

The last of these was a super 3-1 win at promotion chasing St. Albans City, in the last match of 2002, and after the turn of the year the team never looked back, finishing the season in a best ever finish of tenth.

The league form was accompanied by County Cup wins over Slough and Windsor to reach another final in defence Devonshire’s favourite trophy.

However as the end of the season drew near he decided that it was time to seek pastures new, announcing that he would resign after the County Cup Final.

Following his announcement his team saw him out in style winning their final three league games before delivering the perfect send off with a 4-1 win in the County Cup Final against Aylesbury United at Chesham.

Yaku’s final hat trick, celebrated with trademark back flip (pictured above), saw him finish the season as Devonshire’s best ever marksman with 28 goals, as the trophy was lifted for the fourth time in six seasons.

Thus the end of the season was absolutely the end of an era, as Alan Devonshire celebrated seven and a bit seasons in charge which placed him in the pantheon of the all time top three Maidenhead United managers, and arguably the top one. Simultaneously Roger and Jean Coombs took their bow at the summer AGM, receiving a standing ovation for their equally important role in maintaining the structure for Devonshire’s success. Although it was certainly heartfelt at the time, the fondness for these seven seasons has only grown with age, helped by its status as a belle epoque when contrasted with the four seasons of upheaval which followed.

With thanks to Mark Smith’s book One For Sorrow Two For Joy for the statistical content of this series.

To read more about this season visit www.mufcheritage.com

AN ALTOGETHER MORE SPLENDID KIND OF LIFE - 2000-01

23 Seasons watching Maidenhead United

Part 7: 2000-01

Life in the Isthmian Premier Division seemed a piece of cake for the newly promoted Magpies as they trounced Harrow Borough 4-1 on a sunny opening day of the season at York Road. The loss of striker Chuk Agudosi to Croydon and goalkeeper Garath Ormshaw to retirement was shrugged off as debutants defender Andy Morley and midfielder Matty Glynn started their Maidenhead career with a goal.

A third summer signing, Richard Barnard, proved to be a more than adequate replacement for Ormshaw but it took eight matches for him to keep a clean sheet as United struggled to adjust to playing at a higher level.

Only three days after their opening day triumph, the Magpies were taught a footballing lesson at Billericay, one of four consecutive defeats before fellow strugglers Dulwich Hamlet were beaten by the odd goal in five, the highlight being  a trademark strike from distance by Billy Cove.

A second win on the road in September at Croydon was much enjoyed. Not only as another defeat of the previous season’s champions but also as a first clean sheet shutting out Agudosi.

However this win barely stopped the rot. A cup tie at Hitchin which saw a goal from substitute Lee Channell, ended in acrimony with assistant manager Carl Taylor upbraiding fans for their lack of support for the striker who had replaced Agudosi. Hitchin were beaten on penalties in the replay at York Road which set up a somewhat exotic trip to Nottinghamshire in the next round which ended in defeat at Hucknall.

By the time Christmas had arrived there were just two more wins, one in the FA Trophy at Hampton and three points earned at home to Basingstoke, but the tide turned with a Boxing Day derby win over Slough. Despite the freezing conditions, there was an electric atmosphere at York Road with an Obi Ulasi goal the difference between the two teams.

Seasonal weather looked likely to halt the revival but a sterling effort by HItchin supporters to clear the Top Field pitch of snow four days later, allowed the Magpies to claim another three points. A week later I joined in the operation to make the York Road pitch playable for the visit of Aldershot, the title favourites being trounced 3-0 in front of a season’s best crowd of 1,213, the win capped by an absolutely stunning individual goal by Adrian Allen.

Having made some headway in the fight against relegation, United were entitled to be distracted by the FA Trophy, two wins in a week over Enfield and Braintree setting up an unforgettable trip to Blyth Spartans. Matt Glynn’s early goal at Croft Park was worthy of winning the tie, but Spartans prevailed with a late winner, leaving the supporters to enjoy the delights of Whitley Bay, later that evening.

Progress was also made in the County Cup as Slough left York Road with nothing again, followed by Reading and Windsor to see the Magpies reach the final once more. Whether this would be a consolation prize following relegation, or a party to celebrate staying up remained in the balance with the wet winter combining with cup runs to create the by now traditional fixture backlog.

Twelve matches were still to be played with twenty six days of the season remaining, with the league firm in their insistence that the full programme be completed by May 5th. This left the threat that the final day might see some teams play twice but the results were such that this was not necessary leaving a curious final table with four clubs short of the 42 game mark.

The outlook was starting to look bleak  for the Magpies when they lost the Easter Monday return derby against fellow strugglers Slough. Another defeat at eventual runners up Canvey Island two days later meant just four points had been earned from five fixtures in April with the following weekend bringing two games over the two days.

The first at home to Purfleet provided the ideal opportunity to for a much needed win, as the opposition were so short of personnel that they had to put an outfield player in goal for the whole match. Maidenhead were unable to take advantage though and lost 2-1. Only 24 hours later, hopes rose with a hard fought 1-0 win at Gravesend & Northfleet. Reading loan striker Nathan Tyson giving the Magpies an early lead which they hung onto.

Completing the double over bottom markers Dulwich set up a match on the final Tuesday of the season against Carshalton, who were also battling to stay up. Two goals from Glynn made sure that yet again Maidenhead fans were celebrating at York Road in May as the three points meant the Magpies had made it into a second season in the Isthmian League Premier Division. Carshalton were relegated alongside Dulwich and Slough, although the Rebels Wexham Park curse over the Magpies held good to the end, as United lost the Berks & Bucks Cup Final to Chesham in their last appearance at the ground.

With thanks to Mark Smith’s book One For Sorrow Two For Joy for the statistical content of this series.

To read more about this season visit www.mufcheritage.com

AN ALTOGETHER MORE SPLENDID KIND OF LIFE - 1999-2000

23 Seasons watching Maidenhead United

Part 6: 1999-2000

“There was something in the air that night, you scored, so right, Ferdinando”

Elation was coursing through my veins as I vaulted the fence at the Bell Street end at the final whistle of the promotion clinching match against champions Croydon. This turned to panic as I realised I was first on, only to be carried forward by the crowd and into the arms of Ferdy.

This season, where for the only time I witnessed every single Maidenhead United match, satisfied the cliche of marathon rather than sprint, as a feat of endurance equal to last season’s title. The sense of relief surrounding York Road was palpable. Alan Devonshire’s men had succeeded in reaching the promised land of the Isthmian Premier Division despite facing an even bigger fixture pile up than the near miss of two years previously, with one game spare to boot.

New signing Chris Ferdinand had marked his debut on the opening day of the season with a goal. That day it was in vain as Leyton Pennant responded by romping to a 3-1 win, but when Ferdy scored the final Maidenhead United goal of the season to win promotion he made it a night when Magpie men became Magpie gods.

Determined to take the club into the Premier Division for the first time, manager Alan Devonshire made a slew of other signings to upgrade the squad. Goalkeeper Garath Ormshaw was signed permanently, Joining Ferdinand in midfield was Rolls-Royce playmaker Barry Rake. Maidonian centre back Steve Croxford returned to his alma mater to create a formidable defensive bulwark with Tim Cook and Brian Connor, whilst upfront Chuk Agudosi would now be partnered by Boy’s Own Centre Forward Billy Cove. Youngster Craig Webster had impressed as a combative midfielder towards the end of the previous campaign, and would now be Obi Ulasi’s opposite wing back on the right flank. The promotion team was completed in October with the arrival of iron man midfielder Tom Hickey, with the remaining squad providing strength in depth.

United shrugged off the opening day defeat to go unbeaten until the leaves started to fall in October. A 3-1 win over eventual runners up Grays Athletic in August served notice that the Magpies were stepping up to the challenge of maintaining a promotion bid.

Early promise was shown in the FA Cup before United again exited in the 3rd Qualifying Round thanks to a fluke goal from opponents Salisbury. Significantly all the cup competitions were over by January bar the League Cup. The focus on the league was therefore sharper this time around and by the turn of the year there were only two addition to the “L” column of the table.

The first two matches of the new millennium demonstrated the team’s best aspect, it’s indefatigable spirit,  a deep well from which to be drawn when the pressure was on. A home match against Braintree saw the Magpies bogged down on very wet pitch, only for Croxford to literally dig his team out of the mire with two late goals to secure a win by the odd goal in seven. This was followed by the Battle of the Yeading, an away trip to the Warren which saw the home team finish the game with only four of the players who started it.

Agudosi had given United the lead in a game which Mick Creighton doubled midway into the second half. As United again attacked through Agudosi, the gangly striker found himself stopped in his tracks illegally by a defender. Agudosi reacted to this angrily and a confrontation ensued. Then as Brian Connor described to me years later “Ferdy did his Bruce Lee impression” and all hell broke loose as an unsightly melee broke out involving every single player and eventually both benches. It was the most extraordinary spectacle I have ever seen on a football pitch, and once the dust had settled the referee sent off five players: Agudosi, Ferdinand and three from Yeading.

Remarkably Yeading managed to halve the deficit but then found themselves down to seven players following another red card, causing the result to be threatened by an abandonment but it finally finished 2-1 to Maidenhead, and if ever a match summed up the all for one, one for all ethos of the Magpies that season, it was this one.

In the short term, four games without a win followed and on a Tuesday night in February at York Road United were trailing again. Once again though they turned it round in the latter stages of the match to beat Bromley 3-2, the first of six straight wins, the last of which at Wealdstone seeing Rake acting as a matador with the finest example of his keep the ball in the corner routine to wind down the clock.

This run included League Cup wins to set up a semi-final against Billericay Town. The first leg in Essex was drawn 1-1 thanks to a thumping strike from distance by Cove. A key figure in this performance was Reading loan signing defender Adam Lockwood. He went off injured in a goalless second leg which meant a penalty shoot out  where Ormshaw did his bit in goal before scoring the winning kick at the Bell Street End, my enduring memory being Lockwood waving his crutches at us as we celebrated another cup final appearance.

Off the pitch the Canal End was soon to be out of bounds as it was resurfaced and capped with a roof. To support the fundraising for the new structure, 28 supporters including Chairman Roger Coombs walked the fourteen miles to the match at Staines on April Fools’ Day, raising £2,000 for the British Heart Foundation at the same time.

As well as the League Cup run, wet weather had created a late season fixture pile up and with eighteen days of the season left, United still had to play seven league fixtures and the League Cup Final. This provided three games in hand of the Magpies’ closest rivals for promotion but the worry was that once again it would be a case of one game too many.

Eight points were taken from the four matches played in April, the last ending as a jittery draw at Whyteleafe when despite late season signing Adrian Allen’s goal looking to have given the Magpies the three points, a late equaliser led to panic in the United ranks.

This set up a tumultuous last week of the season with the final four matches to be played on the first six days of May, starting with the League Cup Final on the May Day Bank Holiday against Premier Division Farnborough at Basingstoke.

This ended in the worst of all circumstances. Ormshaw’s season ended following injury, whilst with his opposite number Stuart McKenzie in outstanding form, the match went to extra time, only for Keith Dublin to score the winning goal for the Hampshire side just two minutes into the additional period.

Now able to focus solely on the league the task was clear. Six points from the three matches, all to be played at York Road over four days. The first hurdle was easily negotiated as on Wednesday lowly Romford were thrashed 4-0, however 24 hours later champions Croydon were the opposition whilst on the final Saturday it could be a case of winner takes all against the only team able to pip the Magpies for the final promotion spot, Thame United.

A dank Thursday night began with the Maidenhead players forming a guard of honour as Croydon received the Division One Championship Trophy from League Chairman Alan Turvey.

From the kick off The Trams showed no sign that they would give the Magpies an easy ride, and almost took the lead with an early effort being cleared off the line by Ferdinand. They also made sure deputy keeper Kieron Drake was properly tested from the outset.

Then in the 25th minute, Maidenhead struck. A long ball forward from Croydon was intercepted by Connor. The loose ball was picked up Hickey who found Ferdinand in the centre of the pitch. A tackle saw the ball return to Hickey. This time he fed Agudosi on the right, who travelled cross pitch to deliver the ball to Ulasi on the left. He drove goalwards laying the ball off to Rake who tacked left again, sending a cross over to the far post from the edge of the box. Ferdinand met the ball with his chest and it rebounded into the back of the net in front of the empty Canal End, still being rebuilt. Rushing off to celebrate with the fans temporarily gathered in front of the railway embankment, the team now had something to hold onto.

As darkness descended the 300 crowd felt like 3,000 as they moved into the Bell Street End and roared the team on through the second half. With one last effort required, the Magpies managed the game perfectly, conserving energy to see the result through to full time and avoid the need to take anything from the final match.

Eventually the final whistle sounded, emotion took over. Elation at the achievement, relief at laying the ghost of 1998. Magpie men became Magpie gods. Later in Stripes Alan Devonshire quoted Churchill to me “this is not the end, this is the end of the beginning”. With hindsight, how right he was.  

With thanks to Mark Smith’s book One For Sorrow Two For Joy for the statistical content of this series.

To read more about this season visit www.mufcheritage.com

AN ALTOGETHER MORE SPLENDID KIND OF LIFE - 1998-99

23 Seasons watching Maidenhead United

Part 5: 1998-99

Having come tantalisingly close to promotion a few months earlier, the mood around York Road definitely had an air of “one more heave”. The squad had been strengthened by the signing of prolific striker Michael Banton and a brace on his debut in a 4-0 opening day victory at Canvey Island, clearly stated the Magpies’ ambition. The scale of the win was helped by an early injury to Canvey goalkeeper Brian Horne, but it was the bad back of his opposite number Trevor Roffey which was to have a lasting impact on United’s fate this season, which ended with the Islanders as champions.

Since signing for the club in December 1992, Roffey had been the undisputed number 1 at York Road, missing only one match since Alan Devonshire took over sole control of the team in March 1997. Club captain, Roffey had hoisted the Magpies’ first silverware in a generation, but suddenly his career was all but over.

A replacement was sourced by new assistant manager Carl Taylor in the form of Michael Bolger but the hapless youngster couldn’t make the grade, and most of Banton’s goals were in vain as United slumped to five defeats by the end of September.

Solace was sought in a promising FA Cup run which included a thumping 5-0 win at Uxbridge which was much enjoyed by the United players following the ungracious way the Reds had celebrated a league victory at York Road in August. This brought Conference opposition to York Road for the first time in the shape of Kingstonian. In front of a bumper crowd of 717 the Magpies went toe to toe early on exchanging goals with the Ks, before West Ham bound Gavin Holligan inspired his team to stretch the gap and see them run out 4-2 winners.

Bolger’s last appearance in the green jersey was a Full Members Cup defeat at Worthing, where he sustained an injury which saw veteran outfield player Dave Harrison taking over in goal for the next match against Yate in the FA Trophy.  

By now helping out Alan Devonshire on the coaching side “Harry” assured his legend status at the club by playing every minute of the Trophy tie which was won with a Peter Terry goal in the final minute of extra time in the replay on a very wet night in Gloucestershire.

This provided the time to sign a replacement for Bolger, and the services of Garath Ormshaw were secured on a loan basis from Crystal Palace. Considered by many to be the best Maidenhead goalkeeper of the era, Ormshaw’s arrival coincided with an upturn in form with only two of his eleven appearances ending in defeat. Unfortunately his first match was also Banton’s last as, like Roffey, the ageing striker succumbed to injury having scored sixteen goals in nineteen appearances, and although new signing Freddie Domingos marked his debut with a goal, it was the only time his acrobatic celebration was put on display.

Ormshaw’s stand out performance was at Wealdstone on New Year’s Day. Chuk Agudosi and Mick Creighton had given United a comfortable half time lead at the Stones then home of Edgware. Following the restart though, the Stones threw absolutely everything at Ormshaw who pulled off a series of spectacular saves to keep a clean sheet against an equally spectacular backdrop of a thunderstorm complete with lightning bolts. This was also the first meeting of Maidenhead and Wealdstone fans who after breaking the ice post match in the White Hart pub have got on famously ever since.

Due to the terms of his loan, Ormshaw could not play in the FA Trophy, but his long term replacement Kieron Drake kept a clean sheet on his debut at York Road in a 1-0 win over Clevedon Town to ensure the annual visit to Aldershot continued as they were drawn out of the hat in the next round. In a tight game, Drake was only beaten by a Garry Abbott free kick, but in a season of league disappointment, this was not to be the last chance Cup glory.

The key problem which persisted in the league was home form. The travelling support was rewarded with one of the best away records in the division but only a few home league games ended in victory, two in early autumn and a final one in February against eventual runners up Hitchin Town. To say the league season petered out was something of an understatement. United did finish just above halfway in eleventh place but in April the Magpie faithful suffered back to back goalless draws against Croydon played out in front of a grand total of 188 spectators over the two matches. In between just 83 turned up at York Road to watch a defeat to Yeading, with those staying in rewarded with the live coverage of Manchester United’s awesome comeback in Turin en route to winning the Champions League.

Fortunately Alan Devonshire’s ability to produce Cup runs meant there was much to cheer in the latter half of the season. Following enjoyable runs in the FA Competitions, the Magpies made it all the way to the Isthmian League Cup semi-final. Michael Banton was required to come off the bench to fire United to an extra time win against lowly Lewes at York Road in September, with the next minnows Croydon Athletic comfortably despatched in South London in November. This set up a belter of a tie with Slough Town coming to York Road in February. Slough were then in the Premier Division, with serious intentions to recover their Conference place lost the previous summer due to ground grading. New chairman Martyn Deaner had repeated his trick at Newbury by signing a string of ex Reading players, but on the night it was Slough resident Mick Creighton’s two goals which were the difference between the clubs in a 4-2 win for the Magpies.

This brought Sutton United back to York Road, and as with the 1997 Full Members Cup Semi-final they left defeated, this time by the odd goal in a nine in an absolutely thrilling tie, Agudosi celebrating the extra time winner by dropping his shorts.

The semi-final against a Boreham Wood team featuring Kerry Dixon was a two legged affair, and after a 3-2 win at York Road in the first leg, Wood completed the job at Meadow Park with a 1-0.

Still the Magpies were left with the defence of the County Cup. Progress to the semi-final at Windsor was smooth but a stormy night at Stag Meadow ensued with Maidenhead’s 3-1 win being tainted by accusations that a  Magpie player had racially abused a home player to spark an incident which turned the game in United’s favour. All this meant that once again the season would end with a cup final. This time Chesham was the venue, and Wycombe the opponents. With the score level at ninety minutes, extra time was required. Throughout the afternoon the Chairboys fans vocally suggested Garry Attrell should be drawing his pension, but the winger had the last laugh in extra time, inspiring United to a 4-1 win, whilst taunting the Wanderers’ fans by slapping his head.

Thus another exciting season under Alan Devonshire ended with me invading the pitch to celebrate more silverware, this time it being Tim Cook’s turn to hoist the Cup. A grand day out but promotion remained the ultimate goal.      

With thanks to Mark Smith’s book One For Sorrow Two For Joy for the statistical content of this series.

To read more about this season visit www.mufcheritage.com