Shout To The Top

I just think that by quarter to five we could have been in a position where it didn’t matter anyway. It was desperately disappointing to only get a draw out of a match which we looked to have in the bag in the first half. There were times when we played attractive football and had the run of the park.

My mate had a fiver on at 100-1 that we would win 5-0 and at half time he was clutching the ticket and just hoping against hope that we didn’t score even more than five. Even in the second half we looked good going forward and Graves and Brough both produced excellent stuff at times. Scott Brough’s performance when he unexpectedly got the chance was a real plus point. But it was not to be and concentration has to be the key. We need to see teams off when we have the chances.

We need to develop what in chess they call an end game, to put the opposition out of their misery, wrap things up. In the final fifteen minutes we would all expect to see Laws and Beagrie ordering players about. But what about Tommy Evans, Mark Jackson, Torps and Martin Carruthers – they should all be shouting. Anything just to make sure we keep our focus. And us? We should be screaming our heads off like we all stood to win £500.

Anyway, aside from Saturday’s depression I notice that this very website is offering people the chance to buy John Staff’s Centenary History of the club. I had my money in early doors so have my name printed in the back along with all the other pre-publication subscribers. It is an excellent book and well worth having. After all it’s not as if we supported Man Utd and buying every book about the club would bankrupt you. It’s probably the only book now available about the club - I only have five books about the Iron in total. This book is a thing of beauty and will be a joy forever. If you don’t buy it now the day will come when your children will angrily turn on you demanding to know why there is no copy amongst the other family heirlooms (Two Kylie videos and a Ker-Plunk with half the marbles missing). At that point the decision will be taken to put you in a home rather than splash out on converting the garage into a granny flat. You have been warned.

So Tino Asprilla will not be turning out for Darlington after all, much to their Chairman’s understandable disgust. He was paraded before the crowd at a home game recently and gave every impression that he was keen. He said a few words to the assembled faithful in Spanish and although no-one knew what he was saying he looked like he meant it. Apparently they have now had his words translated and what he was actually saying in Spanish as he gazed around at Feethams was ‘I’m a Celebrity, get me out of here’

Up the Iron Down the A15