One Game at a Time:
Port Vale (A) May 7th
And so, as the referee brought the whistle to his lips, we could at last enjoy the dulcet tones as she let rip the first notes of a celebratory anthem.
Suddenly the agony of the final home fixture of last season was replaced with the ecstasy of the outpouring of relief as a creditably stubborn Burton Albion were finally put to the sword just before half time by the resurgent Niall Ennis (via a deflection, just for the benefit of our five oâ clock shadow, Ipswich Town) and Argyle are once again able to refer to themselves as a Championship club. Sounds like the first song on the Fat Ladyâs play list will be Circle of Life.
Football is undoubtedly part of the entertainment industry, although the agony of a game where not even twenty plus shots with almost non-stop one-way traffic, ever felt like a comfortable day out for the Green Army. They commendably kept up a constant barrage of supportive noise. That they were rewarded with a âWickedâ deflection that leaves the club âDefying Gravityâ only makes the Ipswich fans âChorus of Disapprovalâ on TWTD even more amusing.
Elsewhere the biggest club in the history of the third tier got even biggerer, as an Exeter team arrived intent on doing their Devon neighbours the huge favour of barely turning up, and therefore ensuring we would make sure of the success being not beholden to anyone elseâs contribution. The Town faithful were soon singing the Blues as ironically City turned in a performance that was totally lacking in conviction. Over to you then, Jevani. The only consolation for Gary Woods, the keeper making his sixth appearance and shipping six goals was that his supporters in the crowd could still keep count of both totals on their hands, and not have to take their shoes and socks off.
The win for Ipswich keeps them close on the heels of Argyle as we head towards the final match of the season, in what becomes a Championship deciding weekend. Both are now promoted, and the Paul Mariner derby will once again be keenly contested next season.
It is hard not to feel a twinge of sorrow for the Wendies, who did what they had to do and turned up at Shrewsbury, pulled on the garish pink strip some marketing genius decided would be perfect for extra sales, and walloped the Shrews three zip. Michael Smith could be forgiven for not collecting the match ball after scoring the most pointless football hat-trick since Denis Law scored six in an abandoned FA Cup Tie at Luton in 1961, and still ended up on the losing side, despite scoring in the rearranged game as well.
Ninety-three points, with a possibility of extending that to ninety-six for Wednesday, which last season would have been enough to be Champions of the division, is a superb achievement, and in many ways, it was the relentlessness of all three clubs that drove the total on (and to a lesser extent the recent form of Barnsley), but someone was always going to miss out. In the end Wednesdayâs Rocky Horror Picture Show which started at Barnsley and took in touring dates in Nailsworth and Cheltenham left them with too much to do. Just as last season it is the âTime Warpâ of the play-offs, against one of Barnsley Bolton and either Derby or Peterborough. I hope they win.
Argyle end their season at the Wembley of the North, Port Vale, so it is probably just as well the deal has been sealed because their trip to the Wembley of the South didnât end so well. No De Lorean trip to play Bolton at the National Stadium thank goodness.
Last game Championship deciders have not been kind to Argyle in the past, and on the Royal weekend to beat them all it seems like with Ipswich at Fleetwood, who will be missing Stockley for the manly crime of hair pulling, Argyle will be hoping for a performance similar to the one the last time Argyle went up to Championship level, when they won 5-1 at Vale Park. History shows Vale Park as the 99th best ground for Argyle to visit (out of 109), so it could be an afternoon of Coronation Chicken for the over three thousand greens, off to celebrate the best season for so so long.
The EFL Trophy chopper will hover between the Potteries and the Lancashire coast, no doubt. It is noteworthy that Saxon Earley will be picking up medals from both Stevenage and Argyle, thus putting his league medal collection two ahead of Harry Kane (burglars who recently broke into Kaneâs trophy room at home escaped with a kettle and a toaster).
Whatever the outcome, this has been a season to savour. This is the final One Game at a Time, partly through emotional exhaustion, and partly because I shall be watching the game from Cape Verde, am determinedly not taking a laptop away with me, and am not going to text a version in.
Football fans are a superstitious lot, so whatever your pre match ritual is I hope you enjoy the summer freed from obligation to wear the same lucky pants, walk anticlockwise round the ground to your gate even though it is much further, or simply watch through your fingers as Hotdog strolls up to take a penalty.
Next season the glamour returns. Itâs Luton, Coventry, Watford, Cardiff and Huddersfield. Maybe Rotherham too if we are lucky.
Until then we make do with watching the play-offs without having to panic, scour the papers and Pasoti for transfer rumours, signings, re-signings, departures and michief making posters, and get ready to do it all again.
One. Game. At. A. Time.
I canât wait.
COYCG!!!!!
Port Vale (A) May 7th
And so, as the referee brought the whistle to his lips, we could at last enjoy the dulcet tones as she let rip the first notes of a celebratory anthem.
Suddenly the agony of the final home fixture of last season was replaced with the ecstasy of the outpouring of relief as a creditably stubborn Burton Albion were finally put to the sword just before half time by the resurgent Niall Ennis (via a deflection, just for the benefit of our five oâ clock shadow, Ipswich Town) and Argyle are once again able to refer to themselves as a Championship club. Sounds like the first song on the Fat Ladyâs play list will be Circle of Life.
Football is undoubtedly part of the entertainment industry, although the agony of a game where not even twenty plus shots with almost non-stop one-way traffic, ever felt like a comfortable day out for the Green Army. They commendably kept up a constant barrage of supportive noise. That they were rewarded with a âWickedâ deflection that leaves the club âDefying Gravityâ only makes the Ipswich fans âChorus of Disapprovalâ on TWTD even more amusing.
Elsewhere the biggest club in the history of the third tier got even biggerer, as an Exeter team arrived intent on doing their Devon neighbours the huge favour of barely turning up, and therefore ensuring we would make sure of the success being not beholden to anyone elseâs contribution. The Town faithful were soon singing the Blues as ironically City turned in a performance that was totally lacking in conviction. Over to you then, Jevani. The only consolation for Gary Woods, the keeper making his sixth appearance and shipping six goals was that his supporters in the crowd could still keep count of both totals on their hands, and not have to take their shoes and socks off.
The win for Ipswich keeps them close on the heels of Argyle as we head towards the final match of the season, in what becomes a Championship deciding weekend. Both are now promoted, and the Paul Mariner derby will once again be keenly contested next season.
It is hard not to feel a twinge of sorrow for the Wendies, who did what they had to do and turned up at Shrewsbury, pulled on the garish pink strip some marketing genius decided would be perfect for extra sales, and walloped the Shrews three zip. Michael Smith could be forgiven for not collecting the match ball after scoring the most pointless football hat-trick since Denis Law scored six in an abandoned FA Cup Tie at Luton in 1961, and still ended up on the losing side, despite scoring in the rearranged game as well.
Ninety-three points, with a possibility of extending that to ninety-six for Wednesday, which last season would have been enough to be Champions of the division, is a superb achievement, and in many ways, it was the relentlessness of all three clubs that drove the total on (and to a lesser extent the recent form of Barnsley), but someone was always going to miss out. In the end Wednesdayâs Rocky Horror Picture Show which started at Barnsley and took in touring dates in Nailsworth and Cheltenham left them with too much to do. Just as last season it is the âTime Warpâ of the play-offs, against one of Barnsley Bolton and either Derby or Peterborough. I hope they win.
Argyle end their season at the Wembley of the North, Port Vale, so it is probably just as well the deal has been sealed because their trip to the Wembley of the South didnât end so well. No De Lorean trip to play Bolton at the National Stadium thank goodness.
Last game Championship deciders have not been kind to Argyle in the past, and on the Royal weekend to beat them all it seems like with Ipswich at Fleetwood, who will be missing Stockley for the manly crime of hair pulling, Argyle will be hoping for a performance similar to the one the last time Argyle went up to Championship level, when they won 5-1 at Vale Park. History shows Vale Park as the 99th best ground for Argyle to visit (out of 109), so it could be an afternoon of Coronation Chicken for the over three thousand greens, off to celebrate the best season for so so long.
The EFL Trophy chopper will hover between the Potteries and the Lancashire coast, no doubt. It is noteworthy that Saxon Earley will be picking up medals from both Stevenage and Argyle, thus putting his league medal collection two ahead of Harry Kane (burglars who recently broke into Kaneâs trophy room at home escaped with a kettle and a toaster).
Whatever the outcome, this has been a season to savour. This is the final One Game at a Time, partly through emotional exhaustion, and partly because I shall be watching the game from Cape Verde, am determinedly not taking a laptop away with me, and am not going to text a version in.
Football fans are a superstitious lot, so whatever your pre match ritual is I hope you enjoy the summer freed from obligation to wear the same lucky pants, walk anticlockwise round the ground to your gate even though it is much further, or simply watch through your fingers as Hotdog strolls up to take a penalty.
Next season the glamour returns. Itâs Luton, Coventry, Watford, Cardiff and Huddersfield. Maybe Rotherham too if we are lucky.
Until then we make do with watching the play-offs without having to panic, scour the papers and Pasoti for transfer rumours, signings, re-signings, departures and michief making posters, and get ready to do it all again.
One. Game. At. A. Time.
I canât wait.
COYCG!!!!!
