RADIO HEAD

Printed in the Southern League Premier Division game v Dorchester Town Tuesday 25th October 2016. We won 2-1 in front of 589 and stay second.

For those of us on Slough's outer limits and unable to get to every game Slough Towns very own Rebels Radio has become essential listening.

I spoke to the man behind the mic Adrian Gomm to find out a bit more.

Q How long have you been supporting Slough

“About 35 years catching games whenever work allowed, then in 2000 started to go to as many games home and away as possible. Don't think I've missed more than 3 games a season in 16 years.”

Q How long have you been actively involved

“About six years now, I started as a steward, then covered the turnstiles when needed. Done a couple of end of season walks and have been helping with the Supporters Trust for about 18 months. This summer I was even the keeper in a 'Beat the keeper' stall. With the radio I started in April 2014. A couple of weeks back I was invited to join the Operations Committee with the club as I've been heavily involved with the set up on matchdays, including setting up the bar, moving the goalposts and doing the opposite after each game.”

Q How did you get involved in Rebels Radio

“Although I don't have any media background I used to do a few minutes match reports for Time 106.6FM which was a local radio station for Windsor, Slough and Maidenhead.

I'd spoken to John Porter who started the radio, the first ever broadcast was on the 3rd Feb 2014 at home against Aylesbury My first commentary was against Barton Rovers in our promotion season.

Rebels Radio was the brainchild of MYFC Chairman Mick Newton, the aim was to provide a service as most of their members aren't local but still wanted a way of feeling in touch with Slough Town. MYFC funded the equipment - laptop, mixer desk and internet hub - and there is a monthly data allowance which is now covered by MYFC and the Supporters Trust and they cover the cost of any replacement accessories. I receive no fee!

As I said the service is for fans who can't make the game to get the action as best they can. Many fans no longer live in Slough but still have the club in their minds as this helps fulfil this need. Is it important? Not really but in this age of social media it is a good option, and I get told by many fans, including players relatives, who appreciate it. I will continue as long as work allows and people still listen and as long as the club wants it to no matter if MYFC are around or not.”

Q When you're not on the radio, you're quite a vocal supporter – how do you manage to keep a lid on it when your broadcasting?

“As you said I have been quite vocal before but after maybe being a bit biased at first, I realised that what people want is to hear the game, not to listen to me waffle on, this came more to fruit when I did my first solo commentary. Now I just describe what goes on but, like all fans, certain decisions/actions make my blood boil. Last season away to Hungerford the referee was allowing them to time waste at every opportunity, so I turned the mic off and shouted, rather loudly ' Get on with it you bloody twat' much to the amusement of Ryan Hope who saw me move the mic back and then carry on.

There was one occasion against Rugby at home, which led to a complaint. We had beaten them at their ground 4-0 and the centre back that day had a nightmare. I was behind the goal that game as the radio hadn’t started, and I kept calling him a 'donkey', so much so that I looked up the local donkey sanctuary on my phone and told him I'd booked him in for Monday. When we did the commentary of that return game at home I said that Slough fans had called him a 'donkey' and the player then proceeded to hit a free kick out of the ground from 25 yards out. Someone from Rugby complained so from then on I bite my tongue.”

Q How do you see the club progressing now we are back in town? After so many years in the doldrums its an exciting time to be a Rebel

“It's absolutely fantastic especially as it's happening both on and off the field, and I see it first hand seeing the amount of work that goes on each game, but as the club progresses it also needs to build both internally and externally. We need to keep the club in the focus of Slough residents, broaden our horizons so we can broaden their experience; but we also need volunteers to help out whenever they can rather than the same people doing all the jobs. I started by giving up half an hour, at the end of the first and second half and I'm now doing 7/8 hours on a Saturday, although I wouldn't change it at all as I enjoy doing it.”

Q Non League grounds aren't always set up for twitter let alone radio transmissions – how do you cope?

“There have been many teething problems. At North Greenford, there was no where to set up so we pushed two rubbish bins together to make a flat area to use, unfortunately the bins were pitch side and every time a team attacked down that side, every fan lent forward and we couldn't see a thing, the same happened at AFC Hayes but this time I'd brought a small table but was still the same situation.

Away to Merthyr in the FA Trophy, they had an old TV gantry that was 35 foot high. John decided this was a great place to broadcast from but I'm not good with heights, every time the ball went below us I couldn't see as I was rooted to the spot.

But the funniest story was actually before a commentary game. John and Mick were going to do the commentary at Truro, so I had a day off from chatting but went to see if needed anything. The commentary position was another gantry but only 15 feet high and had no seats, and Mick being slightly big needed one. John was already in the gantry so I left Mick to climb up while I fetched a chair from the press office. Twenty minutes later I returned with the chair only to find Mick stuck up a ladder, apparently he has a greater fear of heights than me, Mick was 2 steps from the top but wouldn't move up or down, he was frozen stuck. Another 20 minutes later he hadn't moved, much to my amusement as I was now sat on the chair watching and laughing. Finally John dragged Mick in and I passed up the chair, then watched us win 2-1, but forgot to try to help Mick back down. He could have been there for a week for all I knew. Gary House has a great picture of me sat in the chair, with Mick in the background stuck up the ladder.”

Cheers Ade, and if anyone fancies helping the club on match-days the Supporters Trust have helpfully drawn up a to do list which you can find on their website http://www.sloughtownsupporterstrust.co.uk/arbour-park/4593072075

* Thanks to Gary House for use of photographs. You can see more of his Slough Town match photos here