LIVING LIFE IN THE SLOUGH LANE

To be printed in the friendly against Arsenal XI Tuesday 10th August 2021

Well it’s only been 18 months since I last saw Slough kick a ball – unless you count that play off defeat we all watched in the Wheatsheaf or sat Billy-no-mates style in my darkened office with a drink.

I mean, I really got so near. The first friendly of the season, catch up with people over a few beers as a warm up to the England game. A proper football Saturday like I hadn’t had for such a long time. But in a taxi outside the Badshot Lea ground the covid call came. ‘The test is positive. You better come home.’

This wasn’t quite the ‘Coming Home’ song I was hoping to hear later in the pub, but the crap covid delta-mix version that was ripping through schools.

As the dawn of isolation began to cloud my mind, any worries of just how ill my eldest was, was quickly dismissed when he appeared in a mask laughing and coughing that I couldn't go to the pub to watch England. Anyone want to adopt a 15 year old?

Next up was a planned trip home against Hayes, but the plague put paid too that fixture so I planted some climbing French beans instead.

During all this chaos a new listening National League decided to throw the rule book at us and a number of other clubs who refused to play on when covid was through the roof; there was no vaccine, no testing for our part-time players and no cash for us to play on. But for having the audacity to say no more, we've been fined for not playing games that would later be null and voided by the same organisation dishing out the fines! Hello. Rules are rules are rules are rules right? Well what about League Rule 8.39 which allows clubs not to fulfil a fixture if they have 'just cause.'? You'd have thought a global pandemic and the resulting financial problems for clubs was exactly that.

Amidst all this, one highlight has been watching the development of a very successful U23 squad. I can see many of them getting some ping-tastic opportunities this season they might not normally have had. Let's hope none of them get any ideas to introduce infected blankets to force the issue. 

So my prediction for this season is to expect the unexpected, but as Slough fans we’ve had plenty of ups and downs over the years, football roller-coasters we can take in our stride.

So let’s raise a glass to those supporters who unfortunately wont see the new season, raise our voices on the terraces, start to enjoy life a little again while meeting up with our football family; because you never know what’s round the corner.

Fasten your seat belts everyone and get ready to enjoy another season of Living Life in the Slough Lane.