Members’ Newsletter – March 2021
It’s now just over a year since we were last allowed in to the ground to watch the lads play, and what a treat we’re missing – the current squad is one of the best ever and we’re consistently at the highest position that we’ve ever been in. At least we have iFollow to let us see the action, but I’ve never been a fan of watching footie on telly, and I bet most other folk would rather see the real thing too!
Still, there’s no point grumbling about it, we’re all in the same position, and, who knows? things might get better by Autumn. Anyway, even though there’s no ‘news’ for the newsletter, we’ve had a couple of free treats recently, with more to come, and the first two are included here: the full recordings of when Andy and David Burgess agreed to do a Zoom Q&A, and also when John and Jimmy did the same. There will be another Q&A with members of the playing squad, so watch this space!
Contact: editor@onstanleyon.com
Here’s OASST Chair, Peter Leatham’s, thoughts:
12 months on…
Little did we expect when we left the Wham Stadium after a disappointing 2-1 defeat to lowly Tranmere Rovers that it would be the last time we would set foot in our stadium for over 12 months.
As we trudged home on a dank grey March evening thoughts were turning to the away trip to Portsmouth and not a global pandemic.
Events really picked up pace in the following week with the Arsenal manager, they had played Pompey in a cup game a few days earlier, being diagnosed with COVID and the numbers worldwide began to spiral upwards and seemingly out of control.
It was against this background that Stanley had already decided they would not send our team to the South coast, prior to any EFL decision, and we cancelled our planned supporters coach.
Fortunately the EFL followed Stanley’s lead and curtailed the fixtures for the week and effectively the season was over, apart from some protests from interested parties around the top or bottom of the leagues, but it remained done.
Lockdowns came and went and hopes of a return in October briefly flared before being extinguished by another rise in the virus cases.
In such a situation football is relatively unimportant but the survival of our community clubs is paramount and, fortunately and due to prudent financial controls, Accrington Stanley will emerge relatively unscathed from the ashes of the virus.
We have been able to sate some of our football appetite but the EFL ifollow offering, whilst being perfectly serviceable, is a poor substitute for being “there”. There at the game, there with friends, there with acquaintances, there with fellow fans embracing the match day experience, the cut and thrust, the general ineptitude of the officials but most of all just being “there” .
We all long for the day when we are once again safe to enter the Wham Stadium and watch our team in action and hopefully there is now a glimmer of hope that may allow us to once again dream of being “there”.
Andy Holt and David Burgess Q&A
The full, unedited, video of the Zoom meeting
John Coleman and Jimmy Bell Q&A
The full, unedited, video of the Zoom meeting
Q&A with The Lads
Don’t miss this great opportunity to have your question put to four of our top players as they participate in the third of our brilliant Spring Q&A events, live on Zoom. Complete and submit the form and you will be invited to join in free of charge on Thursday 25th March at 19:30 GMT
Club1968 – March Draw
The draw was made on Saturday 6th March and the winners are below; congratulations to them all. If you would like to be included in the April Draw (and every monthly draw), then go to the Club 1968 page and register your interest.
Billy Kee Alert!!
Charity football match at AFC Darwen
Calling all football fans!
Charity Football Match for Rosemere Cancer Foundation
Join us in the stands at AFC Darwen to cheer on a team of eager Rosemere amateurs vs. a squad of local footballing legends, and help us raise funds to support cancer services across Lancashire and the South Lakes! Gates open at 6.00pm, K.O 7.30pm
On Friday 16 July 2021 at 7:30 PM to 9:30 PM
LOCATION
AFC Darwen
The Anchor Ground, Anchor Road, Darwen, Lancashire BB3 0BB
We can start to confirm our Ex Pros XI…. Here are our first 3! –
Billy Kee
AFC Darwen
The Anchor Ground, Anchor Road, Darwen, Lancashire BB3 0BB
Jamie Speare
Don’t forget to see these in action purchase your tickets now!
Book before 1st July to benefit from the special early bird prices – any bookings after this date will rise to £8.00 for regular tickets, £5.00 for concessions, or £3.00 for under 16s.
Gates open at 6.00pm, K.O 7.30pm. There will be an auction anmd raffle on the night, plus live music.
This event is organised by regular supporter and volunteer Ian Crowther, in aid of Rosemere.
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Here’s Peter again, this time looking at refereeing:
“Don’t get me started…
It certainly doesn’t get any easier being a Stanley fan these days, mainly caused by the inconsistencies of the refereeing fraternity.
We all know it’s not easy, they see it once and in real timebut they really don’t help
themselves at times as recent events have shown.
How can we expect referees at League One level to get more decisions right than wrong when Premier League referees with the benefits of 30 plus VAR cameras still make obvious errors.
Ask Lee Mason.
He effectively had an on pitch meltdown when disallowing, allowing then disallowing the Brighton free-kick at West Brom.
Ironically he’s now removed from the line of fire with a convenient injury, get well soon.
That’s just one example but most games seem to kick up controversy around the VAR system which leaves most football supporters, and commentators, scratching their collective heads.
It’s therefore wholly understandable that Coley is left bemused and frustrated by some of the decisions which have massively influenced the final outcome of recent games. It’s fine that the referees’ chief admits that his men got it wrong but its little consolation to all of us sat watching on iFollow.
The rule is that these things balance themselves out over the course of a season, in which case we should be unbeaten for the rest of the current campaign, such is our current luck deficit!
Peter J Leatham
Chairman
OASST
And that’s all until May when we will – hopefully – be able to look back on the strangest season football has ever seen with a sigh of relief…but it’s not over until the fat referee blows her whistle…