Category: Football

Frank Sinclair said it best with these words – “We have achieved the unachievable”.

I rarely talk about Colwyn Bay FC, the claret and blue coloured love of my life, on this here blog. Usually when I show my passions with it then I rant on here (it’s a personal blog, I’m allowed). The last rant was back in January, whereby I bemoaned the “Crisis” at the club. In short, I wrongly stated a few things, which were:-

• Nobody gave Lee Williams the chance.
• The players weren’t taking responsibility.
• Frank Sinclair would never become manager of Colwyn Bay Football Club.

Fast forward a week after that post and:-

• Lee Williams was rightly sacked, he had too long in the job anyway.
• The players were taking responsibility.
• And Frank Sinclair was the new manager of Colwyn Bay Football Club.

At first, it was roses and petals and everything was lovely. Two great draws away at promotion chasing Guiseley and Altrincham, followed by a wins against Corby Town and Harrogate Town saw Colwyn Bay edge closer and closer to safety, but a defeat at Histon (that still annoys me to this day, hence why I struggle to write about it on You’re Supposed To Be At Home saw the season unravel. Chance after chance was spurned, and then following a defeat to already relegated Droylsden, many fans saw that as the end, as with six games to go – it looked bleak, as although we had 3 games in hand over third from bottom Corby Town, a dramatic upturn in form was needed to escape.

And, lo and behold, a lifeline was thrown.

Colwyn Bay scraped a win against Gainsborough Trinity. I remember following the game on the Bay forum like a ridiculously hungover stalker on the train home from BrightonSEO, shaking in a combination of nerves and acute alcohol poisoning, and it sounded like we weren’t going to win. Gainsborough were all over us, and we were defending too deep, and they were certain to score. Not so, albeit it took a 95th minute wonder save from Chris Sanna to claim all 3 points. People said our season turned on that save. I’m inclined to agree. 3 points in the bag and 6 points with three games in hand due to Corby’s loss with Workington meant that the table all of a sudden didn’t look too bad.

Fast forward to a Tuesday night, and a cobbled together night out at #Mancdigibowl. I still wasn’t convinced that we’d get out of it, so for the first time in a while I had my phone switched off as Colwyn Bay made the long away trip to Brackley Town, a promotion chasing side that if they won would guarantee a spot in the playoffs with games to spare. Take a draw and the dream is still on.

Half time, we were 3-0 up. Brackley pulled one back but all of a sudden we were now 3 points behind Corby with two games in hand. Oxford City at home was next up, two days after and this game I was locked in my room – refreshing the forum and checking Twitter like a madman, as a win would put us ahead of Corby on goal difference. After we were drawing at half time, it was looking unlikely, before two quick goals early in the second half saw us win 3-1, and a gap that 8 days before had seemed substansial was now gone:-

Corby taking the place in the relegation zone, and displayed a class that you don’t see higher up the league system:-
https://twitter.com/steelmendotcom/status/324986939814051841

Credit to @ColwynBayFC though. It goes to show that points on the board mean bugger all #steelmen

— Jon Dunham (@JonDunhamGB) April 18, 2013

The work, and the games didn’t stop though. Workington away on the Saturday was next up, and we were afforded the luxury of BBC Radio Cumbria who were covering the game. Another 1-1 at half time was converted into a 2-1 after 90 minutes, and could’ve been more when Workington inexplicably brought their keeper up for the final corner of the game to try and salvage a draw. Following a clearance, Shelton Payne was unlucky to score right at the death. A small niggle in a fantastic performance (especially as Shelton’s performance towards the end of the season has been phenomenal). Due to Corby’s win at Gloucester and Histon’s draw to Boston United meant a trip two days after that to Bradford Park Avenue would see a win take us nearly safe, and definitely safe should results go our way on the Tuesday. This happened:-

Another 2-1 win, the fifth win in nine days, saw us nearly safe. Histon grabbed a draw against Solihull Moors the day after, which meant that a win or a draw against Gloucester City on the final day would see us definitely safe.

By now, people were starting to take up and notice the achievements of the Bay, and the gate for the game swelled to a massive (for us) 633. The town were finally proud in their football club, and many fans (myself included) took to fancy dress to celebrate the occasion.

But would a celebration be premature?

Gloucester City were spirited, with a team struggling for players, and the City faithful were a good laugh, but Colwyn Bay completed their amazing turnaround in form by winning 1-0, to finish 5 points clear of the drop. For once the result didn’t matter, but not that you’d notice with the pitch invasion right at the end. With all due respects to the achievements of last season, this season felt something a little more special.

I cannot describe how dejected I was with my football club in mid April, with trips to Skelmersdale United, rather than Stockport County on the cards. In short I wanted the season to end. Now, I can’t wait for the new one to start. Hopefully this has been the shot in the arm the Bay needs, and the town begin to get behind their team more.

And to all my friends, I apologise profusely, to Cass, Shane and Alex, as well as my housemates, who have seen the brunt of my “OMFGWTFHAVEWEDONE!” in the last 2 weeks. Not one of them cares a single bit about football (well, Shane did quite enjoy his trip to Vauxhall Motors on Boxing Day). Think of this blog post as my final say on the matter, as now I’ll bloody shut up about it.

In short, we achieved something as a football club incredible.

You see, very few teams in a season go on a six-game winning streak. Very few teams begin that winning streak from 20th in the table. To win six games from 20th in the league in 15 days is unheard of*. Players showed a monumental effort to play these games, with cases of players having to stop on the drive home to vomit out of the window as they were so banged up, it is unheard of. This isn’t the Premier League, where players can be rested, it was largely the same 11 players throughout the run (with possibly one or two changes, due to suspensions). Furthermore, the players are all part time, meaning that many after arriving home at 2am, would be up the next day to earn a living.

Just incredible really. I’m so proud of what they have achieved, and am proud to say that my post in January was wrong, dead wrong. Bring on next season, as I would say we completed The Great Escape, but even then, Steve McQueen didn’t quite jump over the fence.

We did.

Header Image Credit: @Wayheyland

* Through reddit I did a bit of research, and managed to find that towards the end of the 2000/01 season Canvey Island played 7 games in 14 days, winning 4.

In the last few years, I’ve taken a more “official” capacity at my local football club (Colwyn Bay FC) becoming an operative on one of the official channels (@ColwynBayFC). What I’m about to say is my own opinion, rather than anything associated with the club.

In case you’ve missed the mental breakdown of fans on the Colwyn Bay forum, let me summerise exactly where we stand. After two back-to-back promotions that took us from the Evostik Division 1 North to the Blue Square North, Colwyn Bay survived on the last day of the season to confirm their place in the Blue Square North for a second season. The manager at the time – Jon Newby (who is held in high regard by many of the Colwyn Bay faithful due to scoring the winner against FC United to put us into the Blue Square North) – was agreed to be kept on for the 2012-13 season. After a tough start, results began to go against us, and after a 4-2 loss at home to Vauxhall Motors on January 1st, Jon Newby was sacked, in what many believe to be less than auspicious circumstances – it was widely reported he was sacked at half time.

His replacement was brought in immediately – Lee Williams who managed Bangor a fair few years ago. After a few friendly wins against League of Wales opposition, defeats against Solihull and Workington has caused the club to be third from bottom in the Blue Square North, in the relegation zone (though, if you look at past form with the AGM Cup, and the fact we’re entering the end of the financial year, I wouldn’t be surprised if – providing we’ve balanced the books – we get reprieved even if we finish 20th).

If you read the Colwyn Bay forum, the place seems to be in complete and utter meltdown. People are demanding things of the club, a lot of this is funded by myths and fallacy. These main demands are listed below, as well as what I would do and where the blame for me lies.

Three Counter-Productive Demands

1. Drop Ticket Prices & Get More People In

I can’t see this happening, nor do I want to.

It’s usually the same people that bring this up time and again, and those who bring this up are often the ones who do little or nothing for the club on a personal capacity. Nobody becomes a football team’s fan because the team is cheap, the same way nobody becomes a smoker due to a pack of cheap fags from the airport, the only people this serves okay is existing fans.

I’m lucky, I must admit – a good job and few commitments means it’s quite easy for me to get to games financially.

2. Appoint A New Manager

According to two very helpful “through the grapevine” comments, the club has sacked their manager and are looking for a new manager. Lee Williams has only been in the job for a month and from the one game I saw them play under him (a friendly via Rhyl) we played some nice football. Nevertheless, fans aren’t happy and two names that have cropped up whenever this is mentioned is ex manager Jon Newby and defender Frank Sinclair.

Jon Newby I don’t believe is a right fit. Yes he is a nice guy, and a credit to the club, and a club legend, and missed by the club, and if he was sacked the way it was reported it wasn’t the right way to do it. However I don’t believe it is the step forward we are chasing if we hire him back. It frustrates me as people who are clamouring for Newby to return are largely the same that a month ago were calling for his head.

Frank Sinclair would be interesting but I don’t think he would take it. He plays for us inbetween broadcasting stints for Chelsea TV. Do I think his media commitments would allow him to be an effective manager? Probably not.

One thing that is said time and again is that Lee Williams isn’t up for the job due to his lack of experience at Blue Square North level. He has the same amount of Blue Square North experience as both of the above should they take the role.

I’m not saying he’s the right man for the job, just feel that these comments are counter productive.

3. The Club is Dropping Through The Leagues Deliberately To Join The League of Wales

Please? Really?

We have no affiliation with the League of Wales. Those of us over a certain age would remember the battle we took to keep out of the League of Wales. Many of those people are still shareholders.

If we were doing this: why the heck did we work so hard to raise £70,000 to build a stand last season? Surely it’d be easier to resign from the league then?

Three Areas Where The Blame Lies

1. Promote The Club

Linked to the previous number one, those who are clamouring for the football club to drop their prices are often the same ones who barely lift a finger. Clubs our size can be successful (I’m friendly with loads of the Gloucester City bunch, and they seem to have a great setup with everybody pulling in the right direction), but it requires everybody to be on the same page.

At the moment those who are actually getting off their arses and doing something are getting hounded for being lazy and thoughtless by those who don’t. This isn’t on, and I see the same names refusing to lift a finger for the club they claim to love, yet are happy to want to cut off a vital revenue stream.

If the club had a larger fan base, then they could get a larger revenue stream, sign better players, and maybe even drop prices. That requires promotion.

One issue that has been done to death and never gets done is putting up posters in the town. This should be one of the first and easiest ways to promote the club in town. I think I’ve seen one poster up around town (in a launderette in Old Colwyn). If those who truly loved the club would help promote it, then maybe their ideas will be better received.

I’ve found the board to be rather approachable and open to ideas, but it needs people to drive them. If you suggest ideas yet aren’t willing to implement them, then that’s like complaining about the government when you don’t vote.

Those who know me, know that I’m quite an emotional fella. I take every little pop at the club personally. I shouldn’t, but I do. I’ve got a couple of updates to the Facebook and Twitter stream that I’ve not done due to the backlash I know will happen. Too many pops and snide remarks at those who actually get off their arses and do stuff and they’d walk away from the club. What happens when everybody walks away? Who runs the club then?

2. Players Need To Take Responsibility

I believe a lot of players who play for the club have gotten off lightly recently.

The team from a few years ago are held in higher regards than a lot of other players who come in, and it frustrates me whenever players turn up and don’t play to the level that I know they are capable of. They have gotten off lightly in my opinion, seemingly turning up, collecting a paycheck, and then disappearing.

This does begin at management level and I think that needs to be addressed. One rumour that is going around is that the team haven’t trained in a month. If that is the case, then that is inexcusable from the club’s management level. But that I’ve heard is a rumour.

Update: It is reported that the lack of training is true, but more than this than meets the eye. The current training facilities in Chester are out of action, and it’s been nigh on impossible finding new facilities due to the snow.

3. We’re Punching Above Our Weight

When I told a non-league fan of the issues at the club, he turned to me and told me that I should just enjoy the ride. Look at Nuneaton Town fans: they are likely to be relegated at the end of the season from the Conference. Do they care? Not really. They’re enjoying their time in the highest level of non league football. We are punching above our weight, and as I said last season to a friend of mine we’re probably somewhere between tenth in the Blue Square North and tenth in the Evostik League Premier on average. We were a sleeping giant for years, now we’re where we should be. Lets just enjoy the ride. I almost had a nervous breakdown when we nearly got relegated last year, it’s not healthy this negativity.

Even if we do go down, so what? As things stand I think we’re in a stronger position than where we were five years ago, and I’m confident we’re not going to the wall.

I have rambled on too long. It’s a beer job this post, and I apologise. I just think that the club is going back from where it came from, and the fans need to take some responsibility. Dissension in the ranks has led to a lot of clubs going bump (ask any Hucknall or Eastwood Town fan this), and I don’t want it done to my beloved club.

COME ON THE BAY!