“Will be about five minutes, I just got up” came the reply after we’d been waiting outside the Savile Park Shayman’s house. Chadders instantly started his stopwatch impatiently on the back seat. “I’m not waiting any longer” he added, “it’s VDT”. Obviously, we didn’t ask any further questions, but it turns out he was referring to Valuable Drinking Time rather than anything medical… Presently the door opened and out rushed our final passenger. No coat, hair not brushed, and his River Island jumper on back to front. Our 184-mile journey south could finally begin.
It’s always good to have a quiz on a long journey, but by the time we’d reached the snow-covered hills of the Black Country, I was still waiting for the correct answer to question one. It was an easy question too, which of the 92 football clubs has the oldest stadium? On the positive side, I wasn’t going to stop for any comfort breaks until they came up with the correct answer. So, shortly before 1.00pm we rolled up into Nailsworth and parked outside the chippy.
Nailsworth is a picture postcard town located within the Cotswolds, it’s full of independent shops and restaurants far too expensive for the likes of us. The tight hilly streets were busy with tourists and shoppers; we even had to park on double yellow lines to buy our lunch. Inside the chippy everything was made fresh, and a reasonable portion of chips was less than £3.00. The servings were carefully managed with the use of a wide brimmed flagon, a bucket for those who aren’t posh. They weren’t the best, but perhaps the best value given the surroundings.
With parking a respectable £15.00, we opted to take our chances on an affluent cul-de-sac near the ground. Soon the curtains were twitching, the neighbourhood WhatsApp was in full swing, and everyone with a dog decided to walk it down past our car, just to check us out. It was at this point that the Savile Park Shayman finally realised his jumper was on back to front, and as he got out of the car to sort him self out, the locals’ scattered. They’d assumed he was our heavy mob and at that point front doors were locked and shutters closed; we wouldn’t be troubled again….
Forest Green treat away fans like royalty when they visit the New Lawn stadium, except for the riffraff that choose the standing on the open terrace, of course. If like us you choose the option of covered seating, you are admitted to what looks at first glance like the most tin-pot of all away stands but is in fact superb. There are only two rows of 50 seats adjacent to the penalty box, perched way above the original terrace, where you have an elevated view of the pitch. It looks just like the Royal Box and Wimbledon where you can easily ask anyone on the open terrace if it’s raining.
Forest Green dominated the first half in terms of possession, but with the Shaymen working their socks off with a solid defence, Johnson had little to do facing the low setting sun. Just before half-time the Shaymen took the lead with almost our first adventure into the opposition box. The 122 travelling fans were delighted, and all the hard work in the half was rewarded.
The second half started as darkness fell and the temperature dropped to around freezing. The home side continued their attempts to break down the resolute Shaymen. Their equaliser came with about 30 minutes remaining and woke up the home fans behind the goal. They grabbed the lead soon after with their goal scorer looking offside from our point of view. Then, with just minutes remaining, Town pushed for an equaliser and scored what looked like a good goal from a corner. The lineman’s flag went up with a defender and goalkeeper on the goal line; it seemed impossible to be offside.
As the travelling Shaymen applauded the team off, everyone was bemused, a well-earned point lost without any clear explanation or logic. Fair enough, Forest Green are a decent team and had the best of the play, but to have a goal chalked off without anyone knowing why is, at best, annoying.
Next up, we are off back down south again with a visit to Eastleigh. Let’s hope everyone is up, dressed, and ready to go this time.
C’mon Shaymen
Miles on the road: 4806. Goals on the road: 17 Points on our travels 16
Read more posts by Rob Brown
