LOVE IT, HATE IT

Printed in the National League South game v Truro City Tuesday 11^th December 2018. We lost 2-1 in front of 416 people.

One of those annoying football sayings is 'We go again' – but what if you don't want too for a while? What if you want to wallow? And how do you pick yourself up after that? The picture of Scott Davies looking totally dejected after the final whistle perfectly summed up my mood. I haven't felt that deflated after a game of football for a very long time as I kept asking myself how did we not get anything? I could sort of could handle losing to Rochdale but to dominate Gillingham, full timers playing three leagues higher than us, and not even get a draw. It just sucked. The second round of the FA Cup is becoming a proper wind up.

I was 13 when I went to my first ever away game which just so happened to be against Carshalton Athletic in the FA Cup 1978. I remember it being sunny so it must have been an earlier round and I also remember my dad telling Chris Sliski there better be no trouble and to look after me and my school mate Wise. I remember Slough fans singing about not being very nice to Robins but that's about as rowdy as it got. I also wished i'd gone to Southall away in the next round to see their old ground before it went the way of so many London non league stadiums.

I darent of told my parents what happened at Yeovil's slanty old Huish ground although they would have seen it on Match of the Day as we fought out a 2^nd round tie on the pitch, terraces and around the town. I was 14 but that sound when they scored in the last few minutes still haunts me nearly forty years later. Protected by older Yeovil fans who told us to take off our scarves to stop us getting thumped. We watched more fighting in the clubhouse before going home to the news they had drawn Norwich in the 3^rd round. I still look out for Yeovils scores each week, hoping they've lost and wishing the grown men who spat at kids an eternity of listening to the Wurzels.

Being homeless and potless, the FA Cup brought us perhaps our most unlikely of victories at Windsor's Stag Meadow. Paul Merson had told his family to bet their homes on his Walsall team winning, but in the end we gave the ex Arsenal player 'the worst day of his footballing career' as we won 2-1. Walsall fans were gracious in defeat joining in with our red card protest to encourage the council to help us find a home back in Slough. Then in Round 2 we lost to poxy Yeading. The next day hearing the news that they had drawn Newcastle at home in the 3^rd round and suddenly their 100 supporters became thousands for the day.

I missed us beating Millwall at Wexham Park, were we strategically left rubble and half bricks on the terracing that was being built around the ground. Local lad Gary Attrell netted the winner near the end and Millwall fans reacted with dignity and restraint. In the second round we lost 4-1 at home to Bishops Stortford.

If we are honest we were deflated before a ball had even been kicked before the Rochdale game as we heard the news that the winners would get rewarded with a trip to Doncaster. If a trip to Doncaster could ever be described as a reward.

I remember being on the terraces of Brisbane Road as we went 2-0 up against Orient at half time before they pulled two goals back. We lost the replay 3-2 which also happened to be the first game for our legendary physio SuperKev McGoldrick who stayed with the club for an incredible 32 years before sadly losing his battle with cancer earlier this year.

The greatest Slough Town FA Cup come back game ever must have been against Reading. 3-1 down on 90 minutes before equalizing in nine minutes of injury time! The night in the Wheatsheaf afterwards was one to be remembered.

I missed the Swansea and Birmingham games but was at Hertford, Wroxham and Erith when we were knocked out by lower league opposition.

Maybe I'm being greedy. Slough have a fantastic pedigree in the FA Cup compared to many non league sides but I think our managers, our volunteers, the supporters that stuck with the club when we were pants, deserved this time to go one better. And just to rub it in Matty Stevens was recalled by Peterborough. The lad has a promising football league career ahead of him and I think I can speak for all Slough fans and say thank you for your time at our club.

I love the FA Cup but I bloody hate it as well.