The Diary

14 September 2003: Ipswich Town, Down? No Chance!

It might be me, but this somewhat negative assessment of The Tractor Boys? capabilities puzzled me a little. You can say a great deal about Ipswich and their shortcomings, but of one thing I?m sure: on yesterday?s showing, they certainly don?t deserve to be holding up the rest of the First Division table, which they are at present. For the most part of yesterday?s game, their players seemed quite adept at both passing and moving the ball ? not to mention keeping it! - on the ground, and this style of play may not have won too many plaudits from the ?hoof-it-and-hope-for-the-best? brigade, but it sure as hell was good to watch. It?s a shame that defending was their downfall. In my opinion ? and remember, football?s all about opinions, be they positive or negative; argued constructively, all have equal validity. Theoretically, at least, it?s still a free country, and some might care to remember that ? yesterday?s scoreline flattered us a little. Ipswich supporters (a look at their recent history suggests they have more in common with us than one would first suppose) might be feeling somewhat depressed on seeing their parlous League position today, but they should take comfort in the thought that their stay in the drop-zone should only be a brief one. Come the final reckoning in May 2004, whoever plunges over the precipice, it sure as hell won?t be them.

Today?s weather being an action replay of yesterday?s, instead of tucking into the usual roast-and-two-veg routine this lunchtime, for a change we headed on out to Sandwell Park farm, a quiet stroll around the yard, a look at the various animals housed there, into the kitchen garden, then a slap-up feed in their excellent restaurant adjacent to the main building. Sounds good, doesn?t it? Well, it would have been, but Fate ordained otherwise. On turning into Salters Lane from the main drag, we were greeted by an array of parked cars of matchday proportions, almost. Just what the hell was going on? Around two hundred yards further down the road, all was finally revealed; a horse-show (or something very similar) was going full-blast in the nearby fields, and the event attracted hundreds, all revelling in the golden early-autumn sunshine. Good to see lots and lots of folkies wearing Albion shirts, as well; yet more proof we are rapidly becoming ? here I go with that vulgar word again! ? ?sexy??

To be sure, the horses, their brilliantly-colourful paraphernalia, and their riders, many of whom were dressed in Victorian costume, were splendid, but this wasn?t getting us fed, so we hungrily descended on the nosherie, only to find half the population of the borough seemingly engaged on the same quest! We did try queueing for a while, but the words, ?There?ll be a 30-minute wait for meals!? proved a strong incentive to look elsewhere, which, at this late stage in the game, meant ?home?. I hadn?t planned to end up plating salads in our own kitchen, but that?s precisely what happened around 15 minutes later. Oh, well ? at least we saved ourselves a few bob; our parsimonious co-editor-cum-treasurer, Mean Steve, would have approved wholeheartedly!

While I was trolling around various publications etc. this afternoon, some little snippets happened to catch my beady eye good and proper, and the first of these were some glowing reports from Kiddy concerning a certain Lloyd Dyer, late of our favourite football club, and now a temporary member of the Aggborough persuasion. From what I?ve read about this young man since he left our club for pastures new, he?s rapidly becoming a hit with their faithful. I suppose this is one of the times when a loan spell at another club can really enrich a player?s career. When with our reserves, I?d always highly-rated Lloyd and tipped him for better things; at Third Division level, his talents are now being given the recognition they deserve, he?s blossoming as a result, and rightly so. I?d like to think that at the end of his loan spell, Kiddy will feel constrained to offer him something of a more lasting nature; if they do, not only will they have an asset, they?ll bag a bloody good bargain in the process.

The second item about an ex-Baggie concerned young Chris Adamson. Not from newspapers this time, but from the Net. As you?ll be aware, Chris left The Shrine recently to seek a career elsewhere, and his final resting-place proved to be St. Patrick?s Athletic, who play in the Eircom League. It now appears that Chris?s talents between the sticks have come to the attention of the eircom/Soccer Writers Association Of Ireland, who have just voted the lad player of the month. Four clean-sheets in four weeks isn?t bad going by anyone?s standards, and according to the blurb I saw, his goalkeeping performances were instrumental in keeping his side in some crucial games at times when they were really under the cosh. As St. Pat?s are currently near the top of the eircom League, are League Cup holders, and in the last eight of the FAI Cup ? Chris?s performances played no small part in their current good fortunes ? it?s beginning to look as though yet another Albion Old Boy is destined to finally make good. I?m really pleased for Chris as he was one of the nicest fellows you could ever hope to meet; whatever the time of day, whenever I happened to bump into him, he always had a pleasant word for me, and invariably coupled with that beaming grin of his. I really do wish him well for the future.

The third little snippet of note concerns ex-Albionite Shaun Murphy. Sad news this time, I?m afraid. Shaun was at Sheffield United, of course, but recently, his wife contracted breast cancer, consequently The Blades released the lad from his contract so his family could return to their native Australia once more. On arrival, because Shaun needed some sort of an income coming in, he signed for Perth Glory, who are roughly Down Under?s answer to Man Urinal, and is now a regular in their Aussie league side. As this sad news came via the Sheffield United fanzine people, I don?t know any more details than that, but I?m sure everyone reading this will be rooting for both him and his wife during these troubled times.

More pleasant stuff now ? and what about The Dingles? I suppose we?re all on a bit of a conditioned reflex now to automatically titter when the words ?Wolverhampton Wanderers nil?..? emerge from Albion DJ Matthew?s trusty microphone at half-time. It sure seems they?re learning about The Prem the hard way; am I right in thinking that by this time last season, for all our failings, we?d actually managed to chalk up six points? Interesting to note they were also lamenting loudly about refereeing standards after yesterday?s game - and from what I?ve read and heard about it, it would seem for once they might have a case. By all accounts, Mr. Rennie most certainly did not give anyone connected with the visitors express relief. He also managed to upset the home supporters as well, which is quite an achievement by anyone?s lights. It?s not that often I advocate a show of sympathy for our insalubrious neighbours, but in this instance, I might just discard the habits of a lifetime and do so. Oh ? and a big ?well done? to Man City, who gave Deadly Doug?s lot one hell of a hiding with that 4-1 stonking today. Mind you, if their supporters think the current power-struggle will result in the removal of their elderly leader from the throne, they?d better think again. The only way our pompous friend will give up the trappings of power there will be as a result of its surgical extraction from his ample body. Under heavy anaesthesia. If he?s lucky.

And that?s about it, folks. More tomorrow about Tuesday?s opponents, Wigan, and whatever other scraps of scuttlebutt I can glean from my various ?little birds?. Have fun.

 - Glynis Wright

Contact the Author

Diary Index