Wind Taken Out of The Sails

Fairly typical of life as a footy fan. I think to myself one day, "I know, I'll go back to keeping an account of life at Chesham via blog". OK, so I thought that because things were going well on the pitch. A poor start, we were in the play-offs now though, only lost one game since Christmas.

That very afternoon we go and throw away three points, at home, to a side that we had beaten a week barely a fortnight previous. Fair do's, Rushall Olympic are anything, but a poor side, which made the fact that we gave them a two goal lead within the first six minutes all the more disappointing. For the rest of the game, particularly second-half, we looked by far the better team, but could not come back and ended up losing 1-3. Adam Parker, suspended, was sorely missed, but Eugene Ofori continues to impress scoring his 7th goal in 6 games for the club.

The defeat saw us slip out of a play-off place, not out of reach, but so frustrating to be droppingso many points at home (33 of our 55 points thus far have come away from home). However, it is good to still have something to play for at this stage in the season, and we still have the Berks & Bucks Senior Cup Final to come in May, against Wycombe Wanderers.

Off the field we are approaching the stage of the season where finances run very tight and you are faced with the temptation of uploading the budget to push for that play-off spot, but how far do you push without stretching beyond your means? Fortunately, for another year, we have a Chairman that is prepared to make up the shortfall personally, but is that the way for the club to move forward? The simple answer is no, and certainly that is the belief of Mr Manchester and we need to wake up to this fact sooner rather than later.

Over the past 2 years the club has changed beyond recognition, financially more accountable, better on the field and certain areas treated more professionally and more honestly. These changes were intentional, and they were intended to help make the club more self-funding through local businesses and local income. The intention was never for the Chairman to step in and constantly pour money in to cover up the cracks that exist. Maybe, for the future that we all believe we have a right to, we do need a Chairman that is prepared to invest vast sums of their personal wealth for little return, but I can't see where he is coming from, can you?

What we must avoid, at all costs, is over stretching ourselves and kidding supporters that we can cope with higher financial demands, but in reality, simply build up a huge debt that will one day come back and kill the club, be it debt to a single individual or any trade creditors. Let's not forget, the club is still carrying around a mortgage sized debt that is a drain on resources and every bit of income we generate to get us through a season, a sizeable percentage of that goes towards paying a bank loan that effectively subsidised some of the good times enjoyed in the past......albeit a distant past.

On Saturday we - snow permitting! - travel to Berkhamsted for a league game, that will hopefully act as a morale booster. 1 of Berko's 7 points this season came at The Meadow, a relic of our poor start to the season and frustrating home form. Being a local derby wee cannot assume it will be an easy win, Rushall Olympic needed a penalty to win there 1-0 in the week.

I hope the game is on, a few lads are arranging a beery day. I haven't cleared it with the wife yet, but I'm planning to walk to the game along the canal (I live in Boxmoor, near the Hemel end of the canal) and participate in a couple of jovial beverages. I think we could all do with a moral lift as a couple off field inconveniences take their toll - no need for great details, but let's just say that there is a price to pay for having youngsters at home games, particularly when they have a bit of a mouth on them and have just moved into the teenage attitude age bracket.

Chesham United Travels Re-Revisited

Why bother?
As the years have passed not only has family taken over as a priority (well, I do have to say that), so has technology. The days of waiting to the end of the season to publish my memoirs as life as a Chesham fan are gone, the internet and the worlwide web have taken over the way football supporters communicate. The fanzine is dead, long live the Blog!

So what is Chesham United Travels all about? Well, I could go on for days answering that one, but the reality is that I now have kids screaming in my ear wanting to get on to the computer which restricts my time, which, in itself, answers the question. The whole idea is to keep a recollection of events as a Chesham supporters as they happen. Seasons and memories tend to blend into one. If we get into the play-offs this year people will forget how we felt early season, losing the first three league games and challenging Malvern Town and Berkhamsted for bottom place.....even giving Berko one of their 7 points at The Meadow.
Travels is a very personal view of life watching football.

The difference today, compared to 15 years ago when I first started, is that today I carry the responsibility of being a Director of Chesham United Association Football Club as opposed to being a frustrated supporter with very strong views of how the club, not the team, should perform. With that responsibility comes an expected etiquette, and where I used to enjoy pondering the issues and speculating over the current issues, today I'm in the know.....and that knowledge can be dangerous!

Chesham United Travels was also about fun, going out enjoying a few beers at football matches and rolling home at unearthly hours in a manner that I can never remember the following morning. Back then it might have been dangerous if we had a website forum, but such a thing never existed, hence I used to publish my memoirs at the end of the season in the form of a fanzine style book. Today, I still enjoy my beer and from time to settle down with a bottle of wine in front of the computer having my own little rant, getting more and more personal as the wine flows. Predominantly I keep these as emails directed at people who understand my frustrations and the meaning behind my words. Occasionally I have been known to start a rant on the forum, but stopped short of hitting the "post" button........

.......Let's see now if I can use this blog to release those thoughts in a contained, yet interesting, manner....