What might have been

[CorkedHat]

What do these teams have in common?
Luton, Oxford, Rushden, York, Mansfield, Cambridge United, Wrexham, Barrow, Chester and Gateshead?
They were all once proud members of the Football League but are now scratching around in the Conference. Chester who are currently bottom of the pile will sink even further.
So what? So it wasn't that long ago it looked like Fulham were about to join them which illustrates just how thankful to MAF we all should be.
Now own up? Who would prefer to see us playing Ebbsfleet as opposed to Man United and Juventus?

[Logicalman]

If Ebbsfleet were in the Prem, I would - sounds like an easier 3 pointer to me!!  :005:

[HatterDon]

Thanks, Mr. Hat. I really needed a "Luton are in the depths of the crapper" reference today.  :031:


Sigh.

[CorkedHat]

Thanks, Mr. Hat. I really needed a "Luton are in the depths of the crapper" reference today.  :031:


Sigh.

Although it looks as though my second team Stevenage Borough will be automatically promoted I rather think that your second team may be joining them.
Of course Luton will have to go through the play-offs but my money is on them to go up.
There do you feel better now? :011:

[HatterDon]

didn't know you were a Stevenage supporter, Mr. Hat. I have good friends in the City of Endless Roundabouts.


And, yes, I do feel better now.  :003:

[Lighthouse]

Those were the days. Fulham v Barrow and their like. Full of hope for tomorrow and joy for the first light of day instead of clinging to the protection of the dark. The Earth was flat and man never pretended to land on th Moon.

No not really. Life was as pointless then as it is now but now Fulham gain more points at the top level. What ever happens at Fulham I always remember that without Mr Al Fayed we would be nothing. The greatest day in Fulhams History, although I had grave doubts (of coarse I did) at the time. Big AL walking on the pitch at an empty Cottage and the media looking on in open mouthed shock.

[CorkedHat]

didn't know you were a Stevenage supporter, Mr. Hat. I have good friends in the City of Endless Roundabouts.


And, yes, I do feel better now.  :003:

My two daughters, my grandson and former wife all live in Stevenage (the old part not the new part as they are always quick to tell me) and that's where I stayed when I was last in the UK.
When Stevenage last won the Conference they were not allowed to join the League because their ground wasn't up to scratch so they went about doing something about it.
Ashley Young of Aston Villa and Lewis Hamilton both come from Stevenage but it seems to be a hotbed for Arsenal and Spurs fans.

[Rupert]

When Stevenage last won the Conference a lot of people in the SW6 area were absolutely delighted that they would not be allowed into the league because at one point it looked like one of this season's Europa League semi-finalists might be the team they would have replaced.

We played a pre-season friendly there a couple of years later and I had a good long chat with some of their fans about that whole business. The story I was told was they had needed a portacabin with facilities for the police, ambulance, etc to use, an emergency control centre type thing. They had failed to install this, hence no promotion. Their fans were a bit miffed because, a couple of years on, they still hadn't put the thing in place, and they seemed to think their chairman was being awkward on purpose and he was responsible for their predicament.

[leonffc]

didn't know you were a Stevenage supporter, Mr. Hat. I have good friends in the City of Endless Roundabouts.


And, yes, I do feel better now.  :003:

My two daughters, my grandson and former wife all live in Stevenage (the old part not the new part as they are always quick to tell me) and that's where I stayed when I was last in the UK.
When Stevenage last won the Conference they were not allowed to join the League because their ground wasn't up to scratch so they went about doing something about it.
Ashley Young of Aston Villa and Lewis Hamilton both come from Stevenage but it seems to be a hotbed for Arsenal and Spurs fans.

well bugger me Corky. I live in Hitchin, about 3 miles from there. It does mean that I dont like Stevenage FC but if you give me their address I can pop £3.10 round for that pint I owe you  :dft010:

[CorkedHat]

didn't know you were a Stevenage supporter, Mr. Hat. I have good friends in the City of Endless Roundabouts.


And, yes, I do feel better now.  :003:

My two daughters, my grandson and former wife all live in Stevenage (the old part not the new part as they are always quick to tell me) and that's where I stayed when I was last in the UK.
When Stevenage last won the Conference they were not allowed to join the League because their ground wasn't up to scratch so they went about doing something about it.
Ashley Young of Aston Villa and Lewis Hamilton both come from Stevenage but it seems to be a hotbed for Arsenal and Spurs fans.

well bugger me Corky. I live in Hitchin, about 3 miles from there. It does mean that I dont like Stevenage FC but if you give me their address I can pop £3.10 round for that pint I owe you  :dft010:

Settle down Leon - as I understand it Hitchin and Nidgers don't actually get on with each other. Can I trust you not to throw the pint over my son-in-law's head?

[Vinnieffc]

I used to live in Letchworth and now work in Stevenage 1 day a week. Good pint to be had in the Marquis of Lorne in the Old Town.

[leonffc]

Dont worry Corky, I'm not a violent fella.

And Vinny, I quite like the preverbial pub half way down the high st

[CorkedHat]

I used to live in Letchworth and now work in Stevenage 1 day a week. Good pint to be had in the Marquis of Lorne in the Old Town.

Vinnie when I was over there I spent half my time in the Marquis of Lorne - sometimes in the bar on the right and sometimes in the bar on the left.
The other half of my time was spent in the Proverbial which Leon mentions and just along there is one of the best curry restaurants I have been to.
One night I went in there after a few pints in the Proverbial and the restaurant was quite dark. I sat on what I thought was a bench seat only to find myself flat on my arse with my legs in the air.
There is another curry restaurant on the opposite side of the street and that one isn't bad either. It's not a bad place  - Stevenage.

[Pata]

Used to watch Southport a bit in the late 90s when they were up near the top of the Conference with the likes of Macclesfield, Woking and Stevenage. Remember seeing a couple of decent against at Haig Avenue against Stevenage with one Barry Hayles in their ranks.

[Airfix]

I remember our Division Two (league One.. whatever it's called) play-off double header against the mighty Grimsby in May 98, wishing I could swap places with them when they went through to the final.

I don't wish that now!!