Sorry that was last Sunday but we will be alright this weekend as the reserve team fixture was called off last night and the 1st team are away. The phone goes at about 9.15am and somehow you sense it is about football. Maybe the pitch at Sherwood is not fit – no it is the personable RD asking if I would mind going to open up the pavilion to save him an unnecessary journey. I am not dressed yet so the genial RD tries to contact the Reserve team Manager only to find that he has disappeared off to play at Thirsk for a game with a couple of reserve team players. Back comes RD very apologetic but how can you refuse such an affable character and as the players are due to met at 9.45am I get dressed and make my way to the Pavilion. Their preparation is important and we don’t want them to be left out in the cold for too long. When I arrive there they are doing their warm up exercises which together with a bit of group therapy shows their enthusiasm for the forthcoming fixture which is only 70 minutes way from kick off.
Obviously the dirt on my windscreen had caused some malfunction with my vision as outside stands CK with fag in hand and AL. In we go and do a quick check on the team sheet to see who is missing but then start again as it is easier to establish who is playing. We know there is no goalie as AH is at the Vets, JD is away and OB is so much in love. RM arrives with eyes like the proverbial … holes in the snow and volunteers to go and pick up BC – this is probably a bonus as he will probably drop to sleep if he sits down – we know we have four players now. Nobody has a key to the kit cupboard so it is the laundry room to see what we can find that is dry. CK comes across a kit – it looks like the reserve team strip – we will take that now all we need is the medical bag and some balls. IP has arrived since and notices his son’s bag in the dressing room – he is going straight there from Harrogate along with DW – just another kit to take along with all the other stuff but we now have six or is it seven players!!! Back to the team sheet and a call to RD – PE and BM are going straight there and the Manager has got JBR to go along, SM has back worded and who the hell is JS? What about JP – he is reliable but we have not got his mobile – I’ll ring our lass and by a circuitous route we contact JP – he is child minding but so am I states CK so I’ll look after them and run the line. AL in the meantime has set off with the kit and CK rings his mum to get his kids dressed, picks up JB and its off to Sherwood. Unfortunately JB, known in the Military circles as ‘space cadet’ has gone to B’Bridge to play, there are no shorts and socks with the kit, CK has to play, IP runs the line and the charismatic Christine is left ‘holding the babies’. RD is elbowed off the ball, probably concussed, but it is a victory and now all I need is the paperwork which after a raft of telephone calls is sneaked into my letter box by SP in the middle of Monday morning. I just love Sundays.
