BY THE FUNKY CHICKEN 

It dawned on me at last this week that Borough Park is safe, safe at last. The realisation hit me like a bolt from the blue,

I've been walking around for the best part of ten years or so, worrying about us losing The Old Lady.

Her reprieve didn't come with a sudden, definite decision being made - no cork popping champagne moment - more with the gradual fizzling out of support for The Super Stadium.

I feel like a weight's been lifted off my shoulders, a nagging sense of dread has gone, and it's been achieved without me having to glue myself to The Mayor, or The leader of The County Council, or Les Smallwood, or anyone else.

I suppose what's brought home the fact that we've won the battle to save our Beautiful Home, is  that the plans for the new grandstand ,and how to fund it, have been in the press a lot recently.

With a couple of bars and  function rooms we can have fun deciding who they should be named after - maybe one of the Heroes  in Red from when I first started supporting Wukiton -Mike Rogan, John Ogilvie, Tommy Spratt, Jimmy Goodfellow, Tony Geidimintis, Dave Helliwell, Johnny Martin (who would get my vote), Brian Wood, Ronnie Walker, Joe Wilson -names that trip off the tongue without me having to look them up - ingrained on my brain even though I'd struggle to tell you who was playing number eight today.

Or perhaps we could take a leaf out of my student days, when at Newcastle Poly (1984ish), the student union decided it should name the bar and a vote was held. The winner was the marvellous (and entirely predictable) Mandela Bar. I'm not sure if the news filtered though to Robben Island - I very much doubt it - and equally doubt if our fraternal message of solidarity with the ANC leader had the impact we pompously (but well intentioned) expected in  helping to bring down apartheid.

So maybe one day in our lovely new grandstand we might name one of the rooms after a political hero - The Scargill Suite say, or Lenin's Lounge - got a nice ring to it that last one.

The build up to this Saturday’s game has all been about what a six pointer it was and how a win was vital if the Reds were really going to be able to make a push for a play off place.

The league table, which was already intriguing from a Reds point of view, has become even more so thanks to Farsley going bust and their points being expunged.

Going into the game we were just five points off  fifth place, with two games in hand, and Corby sitting one spot and two points above us.

When Barra got promoted a couple of seasons ago, did they not make a very late push into the play offs after being stuck in a mid table berth?

First thing to say,  Borough Park is absolutely swamped in amongst the roadworks/building/construction that's going on for the new bridge.

The road comes beyond halfway up the bank at the back of the Town End, and the old turnstiles have gone. Think of all the thousands of fans who've trooped in through there over the years, and where Ezra played for hours on end when he was little and I took him.

Nonetheless the sacrifice is obviously in a good cause (although how beneficial it will be I'm not sure, traffic-wise) so I'm not really bothered.

I also understand that the Reds are in for a bit of compen where that's concerned, if not because we own the land (Allerdale do) then surely in respect of disruption of business or whatever.
Today's game kicked off with the Reds playing towards the Derwent End. In truth it was a scruffy game with both teams struggling to get going or get any kind of fluency.

The Reds were playing with allegedly three upfront, which in reality meant Jonny Wright as centre forward with Arnison and Bowman (both centre forwards) effectively on the left and right wing respectively. It didn't work really, and they struggled, effectively playing out of position.

Corby scored after just seven minutes after what could best, diplomatically be called, hesitation in our defence - and this was after a first minute chance for Arnison, put through on goal and scuffing his shot wide of the Corby custodian. He should have given us an early lead.

Quite honestly we didn't really come anywhere near troubling their keeper seriously, for the rest of the opening half.

In the crowd of 470 was me, Jonesy, Sarah, Steely, Stav.

Corby had the distinction of having three or four players who were noticeably chubby - if not downright fat -in terms of playing semi professional football. Probably the 'chunkiest' of the lot was their number nine.

Imagine the Popular Side's delight when he collapsed right in front of where we stand, trying to make out he'd been the victim of a high challenge. He flopped to the ground clutching his chest and rolled about.

"Fatty's had a heart attack!!" we screeched for a couple of minutes, and then when he eventually got to his feet we booed and  booed and booed. It was the funniest thing. Even Sarah was laughing along at him.

Steely said it was the best bit of booing he'd been involved in for years-and well worth ten pound of anyone's money. It had to be seen to be believed really. I've not laughed as much for yonks. Everyone was wetting themselves laughing and the player looked humiliated.

For the rest of the game we amused ourselves shouting "Fatso" indiscriminately at all their players, regardless of their build.

The second half continued in much the same vein, and you couldn't really say that anyone was playing well. We just kept booting the ball hard and long all the time, it was very frustrating.

Nonetheless, the game was lifted after about 70 minutes or so when the ball found it's way to Arnie, loitering on the left wing, about 30 yards out, we were right behind him when he sent a glorious, inch-perfect, curling screamer into the net.

We were perfectly placed to see it bend right into the back of the net. It was a moment of individual brilliance that lit up a pretty poor game, and got us a share of the spoils which we undoubtedly deserved.

On our way out we went behind the Town End goal, hoping to suck one in, but had to content ourselves with shouting "Fatso" at their (quite thin) keeper.

You couldn't fault our commitment our effort, but it just didn't click today.

Six games away now in a row - how can that be right?

Up The Reds.

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