WUPBlog

It feels like we’ve left non-league football behind already and are now in a proper league with proper stadia with the downside being segregation i.e being stuck in the shittiest part of the ground and not able to move round at half time with local hick police monitoring our every move.

For 7 years we’ve had to put up with the egos of Withdean, Walton and hersham, Eastleigh, Bromley and the like but for every one of those clubs there are 10 others where we were welcomed with open arms and not just because of the money we brought in but because most non-league folk do it for the love of their clubs and were genuinely pleased to accomodate us even if if it meant going way beyond the call of duty(think Angie Payne at Staines last year).

I can still recall with astonishment our 6th league game ever against Southall at Chalfont St Peter hearing some of the opposition players warming up before the game near us talking about what arrogant tossers we were, talk about judging us before we had barely played a game!! It seems we ruffled a few feathers in the cosy, smug world of non-league football where Darlogate proved beyong doubt you were supposed to put up and shut up however ridiculous the ruling because they had their way of doing things and how dare we object to it.

My first ever game was Wimbledon-Telford in September 1971 and non-league football was the norm for me in my formative years as it was for many others no doubt so we did object to being told we didn’t know what it was all about as we’d been there albeit some years previously and knew about FA Cup qualifying rounds and FA trophy ties.It’ll all be different from next season and although we’ll look back and probably romanticise the first 7 years(remember when Uxbridge did us a favour and knocked us out of the Trophy in the pissing rain? and such like)it feels like we’re back as a club. Charlie Koppel, Sam Hamman, various Norwegians, MK scum, you tried to kill us and make us watch Fulham but we refused.Wise men say etc……….

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