FL2: Rotherham v Torquay 7 May 2011

ha ha del,you make laugh mate,the mrs aked did you have a gud time,oh yeah mate PLAY OFFS woo hoo

I've been to a lot better games Simon. Met up with Chris and actually got him to buy me a couple of beers!!!!!!!

At the end of the day though we got the result we wanted...The Play-Offs!

Love to your lovely missus.

It doesn't matter what part of the country you come from the Stadium/Arena should NOT be used for any sport other than running and jumping, the stewards and organisation was probably the worst I have seen for many years and their idea of controlling fans by using a rope!! was laughable.

On arrival the stewards didn't have a clue. Are they not used to dealing with more than a dozen away fans?? Perhaps those that have been unfortunate to visit before also vow never to return and you only expect a few away fans? We were told to go through the turnstiles with the group we wanted to sit with as we would be allocated tickets upon entry. This was as organised as left turnstile was lower section and right turnstile upper section and then they allocated you seats (When I say allocated I mean just gave you the next one in their pile). The first lot of stewards tried to make us sit in our allocated seats, but to be honest after a long drive I would imagine they were given the same response that was given by those around me?

Once seated it was time to locate the pitch, not an easy task as its ‘miles’ away from where you are sitting. Although when we arrived we thought that the Rotherham players (training at the far end from us) were either miles away/or all small, but it turned out to be some kids have a training session. The view of the game is awful, particularly when the action is at the far end. Mind you the saving grace was that the game itself was awful so probably better to be watched where you can’t really see what is going on.

As I mentioned before their idea of crowd control was to get a long rope out, we thought that maybe their was a tug-of-war competition at the end. At the first sight of a pitch invasion the stewards ran to the rope and tried to form a barrier. You used country yokels as a reference a couple of times in your post, well I don’t think you can get much more ‘country yokel’ if you tried with that antiquated system of crowd control, very 1500’s. Laughable in fact, just like your running arena/pop concert venue.

At the end instead of letting us out the gates we came in we were made to walk half way around the ground then turn back on ourselves to eventually get back to the place we got in. What’s that all about?? Surely not crowd control?? Not with 600 odd away fans, pretty well summed up your pathetic running track.

I also hope never to return to it. Unfortunately both of my daughters can’t say the same as they are returning for an Arctic Monkeys concert next month, says it all about your arena (can’t really call that a stadium to be honest. In fact it shouldn't be allowed by the football league as a football stadium, because its not. It's an athletics track and may well be fit for purpose, for athletics, but not for football. Maybe you should also get a dog track as well as it would be ideal for greyhound racing.

Well, what can you say about yesterday.

We started off at just after 7.30an on route to meet Stu who picked us up and then went via Coventry to pick his lad up and off to Rotherham, oop North. We arrived at our favourite restaurant to find it very busy (was this an omen for a full house at the ground). Stu had a word with the Maitre D and we were seated and fed quickly. Many thanks to McDonalds for that.

The car was then parked close to the ground (Industrial Estate) and we had time for a couple of pints and it was nice to meet Register and off to the ground we went.

Now we warned that the away section was not the best for viewing and how right they were. What a souless ground - designed by Architects, my arse. Designed by a blind man in a bad mood more like. Shan't return in a hurry.

Would this be like that Colchester game when so many permutation's could give us the result we wanted or didn't?

We lined up as expected with Oastler and Lathrope in the midfield.

The one 'good thing' sitting up in the heavens was that you could see the weakness in the formations easier. I think the Rotherham manager had been watching Zulu recently as their attack plan followed the Zulu attack on Rourkes Drift to the letter. First they went down the left flank and their winger skinned Mansell time and time again. Where was Stanley Baker and Michael Caine when you needed them. Then they switched to the left. Both wingers went to the by-line time and time again putting in crosses to the meat of the defence to their forward line who turned Branston and Robbo inside out and back again.

It was from one of these attacks that Bevan spilled the ball back to the Rotherham player who in his best Arthur Askey impression said "I thank you" and tapped the ball into the net. Not sure if the Rotherham fans applauded but I'm sure they did. One of the quietest home crowds I've heard or not as the case may be.

This then started the what are Bury and Chesterfield doing through out the game.

Thought Rotherham had a decent shout for a penalty in the first half.

From a Rotherham attack we countered and Robinson put the ball through to Zebs and in off the post it went 1 - 1. Before you could say mushy peas Rotherham had got another goal from another Bevan spill and 2 - 1 it was.

Thought the fans (650+) sang their hearts out but why or why do they sing the "Get into them and F*** them up" chant along with the Sheffield Sh*t hole chant. Anybody know where the drum was?

Thought at half-time that they had sold out of pies but they hadn't

Kee came on in the second half but on the wing and long with Stevens and Ellis who had a hand in giving them their third goal. We certainly missed Stanley and a big target man up front which must be one of Buck's targets for next year (along with a right back cover). Thought Zebs played well, Kee is wasted on the right and Tomlin had a poor game.

By the time the final whistle went we knew we were in the play offs and cue the Pitch invasion stopped with a big rope by the Rotherham stewards. However, they failed in time honoured panto fashion to "Look behind you" as the pre-school pitch invasion took place.

Still we are in the play offs for the 3rd time in 4 years which when all considered is a great achievement for a team with poor home support and tucked in at the arse end of the country. Well done Mr B. We will have to play a lot better to beat Shrewsbury over two matches.

As we were walking back to the car a Rotherham fans wished us all the best which was nice.

Time for a spot of dinner in Coventry and dropped off at the house at 10.15. Many thanks to Jon and Stu for their driving in some really bad weather, well done.

Top Amercian architects eh? Who says that American don't have a sense of humour? Because it's a slice of East Germany in 1985 without the crowd control, the live ammunition and the snarling rabid police dogs. Crystal Palace Athletics stadium has more charm and that area compares quite favourable to Attercliffe!

The view from the Erich Mielke stand as an away supporter is a disgrace. Even Bevan looked like a midget, the "bar" is just like having a beer in the reception at Dyrons in Newton Abbot and the outside artictecture of the stadium seems to have been copied from Newton Abbot Multistory car park, which was inspired by meccano, a lot of booze and a picutre of the San Siro.

You own fans call it the Stadium of Shite. Best not to be proud of it.
Sophisticated people oop north? Are they the ones with shoes on their feet and don't have a chin thats been smacked back an inch or two with a spade?

I can only assume that puts them out of the running for the Pie League!

Three types of Pukka Pie available including the chicken balti one. Not award winning.