The Mowdog On The Road...: AFC WIMBLEDON 2-0 PLYMOUTH ARGYLE: FINDING MY WAY TO WEMBLEY...

AFC Wimbledon 2-0 Plymouth Argyle:

Pre-match happenings…

I travelled by train from Solihull, via Banbury to Wembley station, for having helped Argyle’s Steve Hill with live internet commentaries at away games during the Paul Sturrock era, when Argyle were promoted from the lowest tier of the English League and having had my own page in Argyle’s programme during that time, it only seemed right to make the journey to see this Play-off Final. I had been unable to attend Argyle’s previous appearance at Wembley, albeit the old version of the hallowed stadium, due to rather difficult personal circumstances at that time and thus I had missed Ronnie ‘He’s Got A Gun’ Mauge’s winning goal against Darlington. I had kept abreast of that goal and the subsequent victory from a Birmingham side street via the car radio, but that is another story. I had pondered whether Ronnie would be at the 2016 game, then a Tweet I saw confirmed it: Ronnie ‘He’s Got A Ticket’ Mauge would be at Wembley…

OFF THE TRAIN NOW...

THE BODGING SEES WEMBLEY FOR THE THIRD TIME:
PREVIOUSLY HE SAW COALVILLE TOWN IN AN FA VASE FINAL AND THE KANSAS CITY CHIEFS BEAT THE DETROIT LIONS IN AN NFL GAME LAST NOVEMBER...

I watch non-league football these days and the first season of my new venture, 2008-9, included watching Truro City’s fine promotion from the Southern League, South-West Division, which was really exciting, with ex-Argyle players to the fore. I even saw Ian Stonebridge play in a pre-season game against Arnold Town at Treyew Road. Stewart Yetton banged in goals, Marcus Martin was strong in midfield and other ex-Pilgrims were in evidence too.

MUCH GREEN...

Anyway, back to the Play-Off Final… Arriving at Banbury, the connection was due to depart from platform 3 but with no audible instructions available, a couple of Wimbledon fans and a few Plymouth supporters suddenly realised that a train languishing at platform 4, was the one it was necessary to board for Wembley. I joined the throng rushing to this throbbing piece of transport, which lacked both heating and lighting, so grim that beneath one tunnel, some people took out mobile phones to offer a glimmer of vision in the extreme darkness. At least the lights were switched on later…

A Womble clambered aboard at one station, which meant that fellow travellers clamoured to have their photos taken with the rather large specimen but at Wembley the fairly packed train unloaded, as a station announcement advised which queue to join for which destination after the game, something one could barely make out above the general hubbub of soccer fans plodding towards the stadium’s environs into rather a cold wind on a very cloudy morning.

Obviously there were more Argyle fans about, having travelled further and thus arrived earlier. Some wore face paint, others brandished flags of various kinds, one bunch of guys sported rather natty green, pilgrims’ hats and Argyle shirts from many eras were also evident. Eating in ‘Pret’ proved a fine viewing point to observe characters passing by, as well as oddballs and also local residents, who were simply going about their normal Bank Holiday business of acquiring bargains at the nearby retail outlets, whilst their kids utilised the children’s fan-zone facilities.

MORE & MORE GREEN...

The atmosphere seemed friendly enough however, I bought a match programme, which seemed decent value at £6 and then a light jacket from the ‘Replay’ outlet, for that wind wasn’t too warm. I was impressed by a young girl’s fancy dress too, a Wimbledon fan of about 11 years, who carried a flag and wore a long dress with a diagonal sash which read ‘Wombelle’. Clever, I thought and she would certainly go on to enjoy her day out with the family…

WOMBELLE...

The area around the entrances to the stadium became more and more crowded, many people were photographed in front of the Bobby Moore statue but my entrance was ‘G’, behind a Rugby League statue, which resembled a World War 1 memorial. Inside the ground, it was clear that although a good number of Wimbledon fans would arrive later, Plymouth had sold many more tickets and already, the green end of Wembley was filling up quickly and the warming up Wimbledon players must have sensed the disparity.

GETTING BUSIER...

WHERE I WENT IN...

The atmosphere was building, the teams were introduced, the spectators drowned out the singer during the national anthem, with their own splendid rendition and after much hand-shaking, the game was ready to begin, as the Green Army infantry bellowed their presence and the Wombles fans yelled for their underdogs…

No sign of Ronnie Mauge, however...