Well it finally happened, season 2012/13 is up and running.
Just 3 days after the draw for the 1st round of the Cup and 3 managers on from the start of pre season, Bury have broken the seemingly never ending winless run that formed the worst start in living memory and has cut the Gigg Lane core support back to pre-Dobson era levels.
Having said all that the Blackwell era so far has been nicely positive, lots of enthusiasm and a return to siege mentality that the club thrives on in times of (so called) crisis. The influx of loanees has been a mostly improving feature yet on Tuesday it was the returning faces that cheered my evening.
Arriving into the ground at 7.30ish it was clear to see it was going to be a lonely old evening, Brian on the Mic was treating us to his early 90's playlist and it seemed slightly surreal to be singing 'Tony, Tony Tony, Tony Tony Rigby' along to Too Unlimited's original at a relegation 6 pointer in October. However as kick off approached there were some welcome returns. Efe Sodje was back in the team, complete with bandana, tights and gloves and (some of) the boys behnd me were back too.
When we chose our seats in the South Stand in 1997 we had no idea who we would sit near, but faces have become friends, some have come and gone, others now cheer on the lads from the grandstand in the sky sending celestial positive vibes. Others have joined our little posse of H Block protesters and the return of these guys cheered my evening on Tuesday. Always entertaining, these guy's views of the game are well worth a listen and the banter that accompanies it has educated my Mum over the last couple of years immensely, I'll leave it there. I heard Nick Hornby discussing his move from Highbury to the Emirates a few days ago, he said they had carefully moved their 'eco system' of matchday friends lock stock an barrell when they transplanted thier club, I would hope our similar network may stay together should we ever be uprooted.
Anyway, Tuesday evening was a lovely return to normal service. The boys behind discussed the chicken balti pie with an enthusiasm usually reserved for Paul Hollywood and Mary Berry dissecting the results of the technical challenge on GBBO. I had to agree that the morsel under discussion had a great flake, but the filling seemed stingy and it certainly had a soggy bottom. We moved onto our opponents, who would be in the 'your boys took a hell of a beating' rant should the first win happen tonight against Hartlepool? Jeff Stelling (obviously) topped the list, Captain Cook was suggested, H'Angus the monkey came the offer from the Bramhall Whites section of our area but beyond that we were stumped.
Of course there was a game going on but I was enjoying the evening too. The Shakers taking the lead raised spirits, and also started the checking of watches towards half, then full time. Worrall's glorious second was eclipsed by a wonder goal only seconds later leaving the slenderest of leads again. Efe was performing heroics, I asked the boys behind if removing his bandana would be a bookable offence? In a style that Kendo Nagasaki had to wear his mask, would Sodje be able to function if a Mick McManusesque opponent tried to remove his talisman? Suggestions came that the bandana covers the wires and robotics of a terminator style cyborg who would keep going even as his functions expired one by one, then the penalty came.
The law of Sod says that if it can happen, it'll happen to Bury (especially this season). However for once the stonewall pen was blasted against the bar, Efe resisted again in the dying seconds (as did the woodwork for a 2nd time) and even 5 minutes of injury time couldn't spoil the evening.
I set off home happy, equilibrium starting to return to the matchday experience.
Welcome back to WWYATS?
The last printed Where were you at the Shay? was a celebration edition following Stan Ternent's championship in 1997. It was never meant to be the last one, it just sort of happened that way. We'd laughed and moaned through several seasons and when all of a sudden you've been to Wembley and then had two consecutive promotions it seemed a little churlish to keep complaining.
Of course if we'd known what was to follow we'd have probably kept going, two seasons in the (real) 2nd division - now the Championship to those of you under 15 - the fall of Hugh Eaves, SOS, administration, BASE (remember them?), relegations, not to mention the combined mismanagement of Messers Warnock, Preece, Barrow and Casper have all gone without the barbed but considered comment of WWYATS?
In the world of the internet it is difficult, if not verging on the impossible, to produce a football fanzine that is reactive to current issues and come up with a different view, as dozens of people will have posted their thoughts on the message board(s) of their choosing within moments of them becoming common knowledge.
Hopefully this blog will allow the old team to sharpen its claws again, without the need to stand outside Gigg Lane in all weathers working out if we've broken even on the latest edition, and maybe even allow a new contributor or two to raise their head and have a say. The old favourites will be resurrected and a few new ones developed, and there'll be an opportunity for some WWYATS? gold with some classics from the old fanzines posted up for your enjoyment again.
Thanks for visiting, please pop back regularly and enjoy the blog.
Up The Shakers.
Of course if we'd known what was to follow we'd have probably kept going, two seasons in the (real) 2nd division - now the Championship to those of you under 15 - the fall of Hugh Eaves, SOS, administration, BASE (remember them?), relegations, not to mention the combined mismanagement of Messers Warnock, Preece, Barrow and Casper have all gone without the barbed but considered comment of WWYATS?
In the world of the internet it is difficult, if not verging on the impossible, to produce a football fanzine that is reactive to current issues and come up with a different view, as dozens of people will have posted their thoughts on the message board(s) of their choosing within moments of them becoming common knowledge.
Hopefully this blog will allow the old team to sharpen its claws again, without the need to stand outside Gigg Lane in all weathers working out if we've broken even on the latest edition, and maybe even allow a new contributor or two to raise their head and have a say. The old favourites will be resurrected and a few new ones developed, and there'll be an opportunity for some WWYATS? gold with some classics from the old fanzines posted up for your enjoyment again.
Thanks for visiting, please pop back regularly and enjoy the blog.
Up The Shakers.
Friday 26 October 2012
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