DAYS LIKE THESE

 

To be printed in the FA Cup 1st round v Altrincham Saturday 1st November 2025

Photo by Scott McNeish

There’s moments in football you wish you could bottle up and keep. To sip from when times are bad. There’s pictures that capture a moment in time. To look at after some heavy defeat miles from home. 

As the goal flew in deep into injury time Arbour Park erupted, cue pandemonium on the terraces. Followed by smiles and ‘we’ve done it’ to everyone who stayed afters for drinks. An amazing day in a town that needs more days like these.

Trying to explain to someone what you love about watching football. Like a first date? The best concert you’ve ever been too? But it’s also much more than that, because football can often be a slog. But those terrible away defeats, freezing cold on terraces, those hard miles and rail replacements; they all make the magical moments even more special.

Yes we lost to Salisbury but I got to drink in a place built in 1330 called the Haunch of Venison, which has to be up there with the best named pub ever. It even had a mummified hand behind a metal grill, apparently the remains of a card cheat killed in the pub around 1820. We were just glad no one had been killed for adultery. We also found ourselves in another boozer that instead of a sign for the men's urinal just said - ‘God Save the King’. Was I meant to bow as I had a wee?

We’ve had 50% of our first team out injured for six weeks or more. And that squad is made up of just 15 senior players – the rest are from our Elite Development Squad (EDS). In any situation that is going to affect performances. So that win against Enfield was even sweeter – and after the game Scotty Davies said it was one of his best moments in football in part because of so many missing personal.

There was some grumbles after the Maidstone game – no one likes to lose 4-1 at home – but as our legendary Kitman Trent posted on the Supporters Trust page (which I suggest you all join) “I don't often comment on wins or losses but i do need to after last night and Saturday, I did not hear 1 negative comment from any of our fans at either game which i think speaks volumes for the fact that we have some of the best fans in the non league game. Imagine Wenga, Pep, Fergie dealing with this as well as Scotty!”

And so too today. We’ve got no players, Altrincham don’t have a manager. Slough hold the world record of being in the second round proper (eight since you ask) without ever reaching the Third round. Altrincham hold the record for the most victories against football league opponents of any non league club. Infact they were known as the Manchester United of non league in the 70’s and 80’s and if the English Football League wasn’t such a closed shop in those days, they would have been a football league club.

Altrincham have a Lionel Richie song ‘Once, twice, three times to Wembley.’ We’ve got MarsBars, Thunderbirds and Zebra crossings. With bins, trumpets and other instruments to liven things up.

The FA Cup has delivered so much for Slough Town over the years and this game is massive. As Scott said “a huge chance for the club to make some much needed finances, for us to create some memories for players, staff and supporters.” So let’s get behind the goals and make Arbour Park a cauldron before the players even step onto the pitch. Win this and who knows what could happen.

Let’s get Slough the Town dreaming.