AWAY AT BADSHOT LEA

Printed in the friendly away to Badshot Lea July 3^rd 2021. We won 5-2

Supported the club for how long?

My first match was age 11 with my dad watching Slough take on Liverpool in the FA Youth Cup Final - so that's over 40 years watching the Rebels. I moved to Brighton over 25 years ago and fell out of love with the game, but one Saturday seeing football fans on their way to a match I got the urge again and it just had to be Slough Town. 

Why Slough Town?

It's where I was born

How many games per season to you go to on average?

Not too many last season! Not as many as I would like over past couple of years but I reckon at least 20. Thanks to my eldest I’ve also got a Brighton season ticket so have to juggle watching two teams as well as supporting local lower league clubs when I can’t get to either. He’s getting old enough to want to go with his mates rather than me so I can revert back to watching the Rebels full time. 

Best time supporting the club?

Its up there with the best now but when I was growing up we were a very successful Isthmian League side. Travelling round the country in my early twenties watching us in the Conference was always an experience!

Worst time supporting the club?

15 years ago when we were facing relegation to County league football. We were homeless, rudderless and going bust playing village clubs who regular beat us while blowing raspberries in our faces. Still, as our support dwindled to a few hundred, over half still travelling to away games, we still managed a laugh – it’s just the day was so often spoilt by the 90 minutes on the pitch. But it’s made these times so much sweeter.

Favourite player of all time and why?

Darron Wilkinson embodied everything you want in a player. He wasn’t the most skillful but he gave everything, cared about the club, and took over as manager when no one else would touch us with a barge-pole. I remember turning up at Chelmsford when he told us another 5 players had left and that Rebel supporters might have to pull on their boots. 

Favourite game attended involving Slough Town?

That's a really hard one. Scoring two injury time goals against Reading in the FA Cup to make it 3-3 and earn a replay was pretty insane, but I'd say in recent times our play-off victory over Kettering. It was May 2014 and we were stuck in an endless play-off loop and looking like we were heading for another defeat. 2-0 down at half time and you couldn't see where a goal was coming from (mainly because it was so packed it was hard to see anything). Then we go and score 3 and finally win promotion. As for the scenes back at the Herschel Arms later with players, officials and supporters celebrating together. Let's just say many of us didn't make it to work the next day.

How frustrating have the past couple of seasons been Covid Wise?

I think we all have more of an appreciation of the things we enjoy, hanging out with friends and having a laugh are essential for our well being. Football is the perfect pick-me-up tonic.

I understand Slough Town were fined £8,000 for not fulfilling their fixtures last season - what were your thoughts on that?

Don’t think you could print them. At one point Slough had the second highest covid rate in the country, the money National League sides were promised never came, there was no testing for our part time players so I totally backed the clubs decision to stop playing. For the league to then pull out the rule book during a pandemic is pathetic and petty; what is fining us really going to achieve ?

Today’s game against Badshot Lea is possibly the first game Slough fans have the opportunity of seeing you play in some while? Do you know anything about us?

Nothing if im honest. It’s the sort of fixture I love Slough to get in the early rounds of the FACup. Not having seen the club play 16 months will probably mean I will spend more time chatting to everyone than watching the game. I reckon there will be a fair few of us here today. Make sure the bar is well stocked.

Your under 23 Academy side appear to have had a really successful first season – this must be a massive positive for the club to bring through players isn’t it?

Where we are now is thanks to our former chairman Steve Easterbrook who steadied the ship without splashing the cash and whose determination finally saw us move back home to Slough five seasons back. Its fantastic to see Steve’s legacy being built on with our under 23 side. We don’t have any big backers, the council own our ground, so its essential we nuture our own players.

What news has there been this pre-season? Any signings?

Our joint managers never make wholesale changes, but a few highly rated players have joined, and a couple of favourites have come back - one for the third time - which says a lot about the atmosphere our joint managers have created where people want to play for the club.

What are your realistic aspirations for this year? Is the club good enough to challenge?

Never underestimate our joint managers who are miracle workers. Being committee run we aren’t exactly awash with cash, but they sign players who will run through a brick wall for the club. I reckon we will be at least hovering around the play offs but I would really like us to reach the 3^rd round of the FA Cup for the first time ever. We currently hold the world record of the team who has lost the most times in the second round. Be nice to stick that record in the bin.

Which clubs in your division do you think will be there or thereabouts this season?

Unfortunately those with the most cash. Dorking Wanderers who really get on my wick and seem to have more money than sense. Havant and Waterloogedville, Dartford, Maidstone.

What’s your local derby?

No one in our league

Favourite away ground in the league campaign?

Dartford gave us stadium envy – its so impressive and shows what can be done when a local council fully backs a club. Dulwich is like going to a carnival rather than a football match and you just feel cultured when you go to Bath (less so on the train on the way home). But we travel well, are really noisy and every away game is an adventure.

So what’s the positives about supporting The Rebels?

Like one big family. Not the sort you’d invite round for Christmas dinner but people you’re happy to meet up with, have a beer and a sing-song on the terraces.

And the negatives?!

Every bloody game is miles away for me (well apart from Eastbourne. Mind you last time I went there, I had to get the supporters coach back to Slough for a mates stag do)

Sell me a trip to Arbour Park, what’s the ground like, facilities etc?

It’s a new-ish ground with a fantastic stand where you can enjoy a pint and watch the football. The terraces are a bit to shallow for my liking but we have cover behind both goals. And If you love curries then I can recommend Slough.