Tuesday, 18 February 2025

Birmingham City 2 v Bradford City 1 - EFL (Vertu) Trophy Semi-Final

BLOG LINKCLICK HERE 
Tue 18.2.25 - Game 98
EFL (Vertu) Trophy Semi Final 
Birmingham City (1) 2
Jay Stansfield 45+3
Lyndon Dykes 88
Bradford City (0) 1
Bobby Pointon 52
Attendance: 27,066 inc 2,332 away fans





Sunday, 16 February 2025

Birmingham City 1 v Charlton Athletic 0 - EFL League 1

Blog link: CLICK HERE
Saturday 15th February 2025
EFL League 1
Birmingham City
Jay Stansfield 23
Charlton Athletic
Attendance: 25,542 inc. 1,977 away fans.

Saturday, 15 February 2025

THE66POW Goes Forth 2024-25

Forthcoming games I'll be attending:
Dates and times listed below are all subject to change.
Sat 22 Feb - Charlton Athletic v Exeter City - EFL League 1 - 3pm
Tue 25 Feb - Birmingham City v Leyton Orient - EFL League 1 - 7.45pm
Fri 28 Feb - Ramsbottom United v FC St Helens - NWCL Prem - 7.45pm
Sat 1 Mar -  Stockport Georgians v Sandbach Town - NWCL Div 1 South - 11am
Stockport Town v Cheadle Town - NWCL Prem - 1.45pm
New Mills v Cheadle Heath Nomads -  NWCL Div 1 South - 4.45pm
Glossop North End v West Didsbury & Charlton - NWCL Prem - 7.30pm
Sun 2 Mar - Abbey Hey v Prestwich Heys - NWCL Prem - 11.30am 
Droylsden v Darwen FC - NWCL Div 1 North - 2.30pm
Tue 4 Mar - Bolton Wanderers v Birmingham City - EFL League 1 - 7.45pm
Sat 8 Mar - Stockport County v Charlton Athletic - EFL League 1 - 12.30pm
Tue 11 Mar - Birmingham City v Stevenage - EFL League 1 - 7.45pm
Sat 15 Mar - Charlton Athletic v Wigan Athletic - EFL League 1 - 7.45pm
Sat 22 Mar - Peterborough United v Charlton Athletic - EFL League 1 - 3pm
Sat 29 Mar - TBC
Tue 1 Apr - Mansfield Town v Charlton Athletic - EFL League 1 -7.45pm
Sat 5 Apr - Birmingham City v Barnsley - EFL League 1 -3pm
Tue 8 Apr - Peterborough United v Birmingham City - EFL League 1 - 7.45pm
More games to be added in due course.

Thursday, 13 February 2025

Charlton Athletic 2 v Peterborough United 1 - EFL League 1

BLOG LINK: CLICK HERE
Tuesday 11.2.25 Game 96

EFL League 1
Charlton Athletic 2
Matt Godden 54 pen
Macaulay Gillesphey 89
Peterborough United 1
Malik Mothersille 63 pen
Attendance:

11,653 inc. 714 away fans




Monday, 10 February 2025

Birmingham City 2 v Newcastle United 3 - FA Cup R4

Blog link: CLICK HERE
All about:
Saturday 8.2.25 - Game 95
FA Cup Fourth Round
BIRMINGHAM CITY 2
Ethan Laird 42 seconds
Tomoki Iwata 40 minutes
NEWCASTLE UNITED 3
Joe Willock 21, 82
Callum Wilson 26
Attendance: 27,194

Saturday, 8 February 2025

HANG UP YOUR HANG UPS: Twisting my Watermelon Man.

HANG UP YOUR HANG UPS

Twisting my Watermelon Man

An appreciation of Herbie Hancock
Blog link: CLICK HERE

Thursday, 6 February 2025

Stevenage 0 Birmingham City 1 - EFL (Vertu )Trophy QF


Blog link: CLICK HERE
Tuesday 4.2.25
Vertu Trophy QF 🏆
Game 94
Stevenage (0) 0
Birmingham City (0) 1
Jay Stansfield 83
Attendance 2812
inc 1267 away fans

Tuesday, 4 February 2025

Birmingham City 2 v Rotherham United 1 - EFL League 1

Blog link: CLICK HERE
Saturday 1.2.25 Game 93
EFL League 1
Birmingham City (0) 2
Jay Stansfield 54, 81pen
Rotherham United (1) 1
Sam Nombe 44
Attendance: 24,393 inc. 518 away fans.

Monday, 3 February 2025

Huddersfield Town 0 v Birmingham City 1 - EFL League 1

Blog link: CLICK HERE
Tuesday 28.1.25 
EFL League 1
Huddersfield Town 0
Birmingham City 1
Att: 19,130 inc 2,336 away fan
s

Manchester City v Club Brugge - UEFA Champions League - League Stage

Blog Link: CLICK HERE
Wednesday 29.1.25 Game 92
UEFA Champions League - League Stage
Manchester City (0) 3
Club Brugge (1) 1
Attendance 51,327

Friday, 31 January 2025

Bucket List 2024-25


Before the season began I compiled a shortlist of grounds that I was hoping to visit over the course of this term.. As things stand it is looking as though some of these will have to be carried over until next season. Click here to read a few words I put together on my Substack account on this subject.
Bucket List 2024-25
Arlesey Town
Bakewell Town
Biggleswade Town
Biggleswade United 
Brentford
Boston Town
Brighton & Hove Albion
Bromley
Chadderton
Chorley
Clitheroe
Cromford & Wirksworth Town
Friar Lane & Epworth
Glossop North End
Huntingdon Town
Mayfield
New Mills
Nuneaton Griff
Pinchbeck United
Sandy
St Albans City
St Neots Town
Stockport Georgians
Stockport Town
Wirksworth Ivanoe
Wisbech Town

Monday, 27 January 2025

Wrexham 1 v Birmingham City 1 - EFL League 1

Thursday 23.1.25 EFL League 1 Wrexham 1 v Birmingham City 1 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🇺🇸
Blog Link: CLICK HERE 

Wednesday, 22 January 2025

Athletic Support

Athletic Support:
To peruse my rather lengthy blog post, about joining up with my Charlton supporting mates, to watch three away games with them in the space of eight days:
Tue Jan 14 - Preston North End 2 v Charlton Athletic 1 - FA Cup Third Round
Sat Jan 18 - Rotherham United 4 v Charlton Athletic 2 - EFL League 1
Tue Jan 21 - Bolton Wanderers 1 v Charlton Athletic 2 - EFL League 1

Sunday, 12 January 2025

Birmingham City 2 v Lincoln City 1 - FA Cup Third Round

Blog link: 11.1.25 Click Here
Pertaining to:
Saturday 11th January 2025
FA Cup Third Round
Birmingham City (1) 2
Ayumu Yokoyama 33 seconds
Lyndon Dykes 78
Lincoln City (0) 1
Jovon Makama 90+1 pen
Attendance: 17,032

Tuesday, 10 December 2024

Charlton 0 v Leyton Orient 2 - EFL Trophy (Round of 32)

Tuesday December 10th 2024
EFL (Vertu) Trophy - Round of 32
At The Valley
Charlton Athletic (0) 0
Leyton Orient (0) 2
Charlie Kelman 90+3, 
Dan Agyei 90+5
Attendance: 1,336 (inc. 328 away fans)
Charlton Athletic: 
Maynard-Brewer, Laqeretabua, Edmonds-Green, Potts (Gillesphey 79), Dixon (T.Campbell 59), Docherty (C) (A.Campbell 73) , Berry (Taylor 73), Edun, Small; Leaburn, Godden (Kanu 73)
Unused subs - Asiimwe, Hylton
Leyton Orient: 
Hemming, Simpson, Cooper, Currie, Donley, Pratley (c) (Brown 76), Perkins (Agyei 76), Galbraith, Kelman, Jaiyesimi (O’Neill 77), Obiero
Unused subs - Phillips, Sweeney, Warrington, Beckles
And to think, the Valley faithful were under the impression that the home defeat against Crawley Town last week was a complete shit show (it was, by the way). 
Well, b, b, b, baby, you just ain't seen n, n, n, nothing yet! 
The dominant visitors racked up an impressive total of twenty-six attempts on the beleaguered Addicks goal, but had to wait until the 93rd and 95th minute until Charlie Kelman and Dan Agyei finally put the game to bed and avoided the need to settle the game via means of the penalty shoot-out that appeared to be imminent.
Aussie Keeper (though he was actually born in Dunstable) Ashley Maynard-Brewer, has been turning in some decent performances for Charlton of late and was one of very few of the hosts players to emerge from this below-par outing with any kind of credit tonight. 
In actual fact, at times it was only the custodians tenacity that had kept Richie Wellens' side at bay until their late, late show in stoppage time.
Nathan Jones made nine changes to the side that had ground out a goalless draw at Lincoln City on Saturday, but the O's similarly kicked off tonight with just two of the starting line-up from the weekend's win at Wigan Athletic, as they ultimately took the game to their Valley hosts and emerged with a much deserved fourth win on the bounce.
Jones handed a first start to the young Jamaican international Kaheim Dixon, who appears to be the next star of the future to emerge from the club's much renowned and highly impressive Sparrows Lane production line.
Alas that fertile crop of youthful hopefuls no longer turn out in the red of Charlton while competing in the game's upper echelons, like they would've done in the not-so-distant past.
Instead, strut their stuff elsewhere at clubs vying at a higher level and even on the international stage too. Two current England players Ezri Konsa and Joe Gomez both graduated from the Charlton Academy. So now you know, eh!?
Dixon's debut has been eagerly awaited among the Addicks fan base. He will have picked up some much-needed valuable experience tonight from the sixty minutes he was afforded, inasmuch as: he made all of the right runs and will have taken on board when to execute and when to anticipate those runs just a fraction later/sooner to utilise his talents bettter.
Not that you could say much more about his overall input tonight given the abundance of the stray passes and mishit crosses that were aimed in his (sort of) general direction, instead of actually to him, or even into his path so he could run onto the ball and show what he is obviously capable of.
Charlton were very poor and deserved nothing from this game, whereas Orient were on the front foot pretty much from the off and seemed to want it more. Good for them.
The Addicks can take some minuscule kind of consolation from this result, but only because there were no actual league points at stake because that is where they really need to kick-start their season pronto.
Nigel Clough's Mansfield Town are the next visitors to the Valley, for a League 1 fixture this coming weekend. Having started the season well the Stags are experiencing a bit of a slump of late and will relish another below-par performance from Charlton, as they look to get their own campaign back on track.
If Nathan Jones charges are anywhere near as awful as they were on this grim night in front of barely 1,000+ Addicks fans who could be bothered to turn out, it could be a fruitful afternoon in the capital for the Nottinghamshire side.
FT; Charlton Athletic 0 v Leyton Orient 2

Tuesday, 17 September 2024

Brentford 3 v Leyton Orient 1 - EFL League Cup - Round 3

Tuesday 17h September 2024
At Brentford (Gtech) Community Stadium
EFL League Cup Third Round
Brentford (3) 3
Fabio Carvello 17
Mikkel Damsgaard 26
Christian Norgaard 45
Leyton Orient (1) 1
Brandon Cooper 11
Attendance: 13,634
Brentford: Valdimarsson; Roerslev, van den Berg (Ji-soo 76), Mee, Meghoma (Yogane 84); Nørgaard (Konak 62), Trevitt (Mbeumo 76), Yarmoliuk; Damsgaard (Lewis-Potter 76), Carvalho; Schade
Unused subs - Cox, Pinnock, Collins, Janelt
Leyton Orient: Keeley; James, Simpson, Cooper, Sweeney; Warrington; Donley (Agyei 72), Ball (Pratley 71), Obiero (Beckles 72), Jaiyesimi (Galbraith 54); Perkins (Kelman 54)
Unused subs - Hemming, Graham, O’Neill, Clare
It's four years (and nineteen days) since Brentford played their first ever game at the newly built Community Stadium, hosting Oxford United in a pre-season friendly, which they drew 2-2.
Five days later, the first 'competitive' fixture here saw Wycombe Wanderers visit the Bees in an EFL League Cup first-round tie. Once again, Brentford drew, 1-1, but they progressed to the second round by virtue of winning the resultant penalty shoot-out (4-2).
Fast-forward to September 19th, 2020. Thomas Frank's side beat Huddersfield Town 3-0 in the inaugural football league (Championship) fixture at this new stadium, following their relocation from Griffin Park, which had served as the club's home ground since 1904.
Hallelujah! There was no need for me to unnecessarily join an expensive membership scheme, that I wouldn't ever use more than once, for this was a cheap and cheerful on general sale ticket night, in the West London suburban borough of Hounslow this fine autumnal evening, with bargains galore to be had.
League One's plucky representatives: Leyton Orient, traversed sixteen miles (give or take) across the city of London, from East to West, to take on Premier League side Brentford FC, in this League Cup Third Round tie.
My ticket thriftiness was offset somewhat when I entered the Express Tavern (near Kew Bridge station) and spotted a choice beverage I was willing to break my teetotal abstinence for... just this once, you understand. 
"How much!!?? Seriously!?" Christ on a bike! Is that really the going rate for a pint of goodly ale these days? Enjoyable as it was... that's me (and my bank balance) back on the wagon again.
If you should ever alight at Kew Bridge, with a bit of a thirst on, unless you called into the Nat-West en route, brandishing a sawn-off and wearing a stocking over your head, then there is a Sainsbury's across the road from the station and plenty of pleasant and ambient spots to sit beside the nearby River Thames and consume your liquid refreshments, at your leisure. 
It's probably not such a desirable option when the weather isn't as agreeable as it was around 6pm today, but the riverbank appeared to be the preferred choice for numerous cheery souls, on this balmy evening, whereas the public house, quaint as it was, was never unduly busy.
The Community Stadium is literally right next to Kew Bridge station, up the exit steps (or lift), turn left and there it is. The Express is immediately right as you leave the station.
There are other routes you can use to reach the (Gtech) Community Stadium, from my starting point in the capital: Kings Cross, including taking the tube to Gunnersbury and walking fifteen minutes to the ground (or hopping on a bus for the final stretch), but I chose to get the underground to Vauxhall, then switch to the adjacent South Western Railway line, where trains run frequently to and from Kew Bridge. Simplicity itself. Anything for an easy life IMHO.
Whereas Griffin Park was famed for having a pub on all four corners (back in the day when beer was still an affordable commodity), the Community Stadium has it's own quirk, inasmuch as it sits inside a triangle of railway lines. This kind of ubiquitous space-filling trivia is all the rage don't you know? You'll all be thanking me when this crops up in your next pub quiz and you've got a massive advantage and head-start over the plebs that haven't been keeping abreast of this blog (or it's Substack variant). 
I'd imagine that it would be fairly problematic to increase the stadium capacity of 17,250 by very much, given the tucked-away nature of this asymmetrically-shaped arena. For the record, though that seems rather low by Premier League standards, that figure is roughly 4,750 more than Brentford's previous home used to hold at the time it was vacated. 
Although back in the days of yore, Griffin Park had housed considerably more spectators than that, in fact, a record crowd of 38,678 once watched a FA Cup sixth round tie there, played on February 24 1949, against Leicester City. 
Apparently, the gate receipts from that cup-tie were very similar to what it would have cost to buy a round of drinks in the Express tonight. You live and learn, eh?
The non-uniform multi-coloured seating around the ground was apparently installed that way to create a trick on the eye, for purposes of hoodwinking spectators watching televised games; whereby if the seats were all red and there were gaps in the crowd then they would be clearly visible, but the mosaic of differently shaded seats would disguise this and create the illusion that there wasn't a below capacity crowd present. 
The irony of this is that Brentford are now a firmly established Premier League team (with 11,370 season ticket holders and numerous additional club members) who seldom have many seats remaining unsold on any given top-flight match day. 
Orient came out the blocks like some modern day re-enactment of the Charge of the Light Brigade. Alas, their attention to recreating every single precise detail of the Battle of Balaclava (contested in October 1854, during the Crimean War) was immaculate... and we all know how that particular suicidal mission ended.
Buoyed on by some early gains into enemy terrain and boosted still further when Jamie Donley saw his shot deflect narrowly wide off of Christian Norgaard's outstretched leg, the O's took the lead in the eleventh minute when Diallang Jaiyesimi cut in from the right flank and struck a shot that was blocked, but the loose ball fell kindly to Tom James on the touchline, who looked up and saw Brandon Cooper lurking with intent, just beyond the back post, on the edge of the six-yard box (obviously Brentford hadn't spotted him though, maybe they thought he was sky-blue coloured seat), the right back promptly delivered a precision cross and the unmarked Cooper gleefully accepted the simplest of tasks and stroked the ball into the back of the net.
Strains of: "We're the famous Leyton Orient and we're going to Wembley!", emanated from the corner occupied by the jubilant away supporters. 
I pondered who they might be going to see there, Taylor Swift maybe?
But hey! You could forgive them their (very) temporary state of over-exuberance, in light of the fact that the visitors have made a stuttering start to the season and currently occupy a fairly uninspiring twenty-second place in the League One table. Make hay while the sun shines n' all that.
Was there a giant-killing in the offing? 
Would you actually call Brentford giants? 
Well, although they aren't actually one of the blue-chip fat-cats of English football, at this present moment in time, they're a fairly plump one. 
Either way, these plucky underdogs would have to buzz off with their temporarily heightened cup final aspirations, because they were about to get stung by their hosts and suffer considerable losses in a swiftly and neatly executed pincers movement, as the home side swarmed all over them and made a Bee-line for their goal for the remainder of the half.
My profuse apologies, the pun-filter on this antiquated piece of crap laptop is currently out of date and kaputt.
Ooh! Look, there's Brandon Cooper (6) lurking with intent.
Brentford have recently signed Fabio Carvalho from Liverpool in a transfer that could cost them up to £27.5 million in time, including add-on clauses, following an initial outlay £22.5m million. 
Bloomin' heck! That's a whole lot of money to be chucking about, for a club who have of late been the envy of many as they demonstrated how to empire build on solid foundations of financially sustainable growth. 
But taking into consideration the fee paid for Carvalho is only a fraction of the combined money received from Al Ahli and Arsenal for Ivan Toney and David Raya respectively, you'd have to applaud tonight's hosts for continuing their ethos of good-housekeeping, albeit on a far grander scale than anybody might have envisaged they would be indulging in just a short few years ago. 
Hmm, just maybe, they are a big club after all, even though they still maintain a humble and homely charm.
Anyway, I digress, so let's quickly get back to the the action on the pitch, without further ado. 
The Orient lead lasted just six minutes and by half-time they were effectively chasing the game, as Brentford punished them severely for adopting such an open approach. 
It was lively and decent enough effort from the visitors all told, but the Bees had far too much finesse and class for Richie Wellens' side to put them to the sword, as the home side emphatically stamped their authority on proceedings, with three well taken goals before the break.
Carvalho demonstrated why Brentford were prepared to pay so much for him, with a sublime opening goal (his first for the club), when Kevin Schade looked odds on to score, but had his effort blocked by Josh Keeley's leg, the ball ricocheted upwards and instinctively the Portuguese Under 21 striker acrobatically twisted in the air and fired home an overhead kick. Wow! Pick that one out.
Carvello weighed in with an assist for the Bees second, looping a dipping cross towards Mikel Damsgaard, who firmly planted his header beyond the reach of Keeley.
On the stroke of half-time, with Orient stretched all over the place just outside their area, Christian Norgaard thumped an unstoppable diagonal pile-driver of a shot into the right hand corner of the visitors goal, at which point Keeley was perhaps entitled to ask his teammates if any of them had actually been assigned any defensive duties tonight. 
Though to be fair, there was no blame to be apportioned, because Brentford had been irresistible to watch and almost unplayable for the the last thirty minutes of the half, which had turned into a complete mismatch... and that is why they had built a commanding lead. 
The visitors had started off on the front foot, but their early endeavors now seemed akin to having paid the price for antagonizing a Bees nest.
Pun limit overload reached.
Orient huffed and puffed during the second-half, but their efforts were all in vain. Alas, they were further inconvenienced when Jack Simpson was dismissed for a second yellow card offence, in the sixty-ninth minute, after he tangled with Schade and the remainder of the game became a damage limitation exercise for them... well, if it wasn't already.
The Bees saw the game out comfortably and will subsequently entertain Championship side Sheffield Wednesday in the next round.
A fair result all told and it was very polite of Brentford not to completely turn the screw after the break and inflict a top-heavy and humiliating result upon a fellow likable London team.
FT: Brentford 3 v Leyton Orient 1
Sadly, tonight's programme was one of those pointless fold-out A5 poster efforts, with virtually zero content to read. I'm glad to report, this isn't the Bees usual publication format.
A fool and his money are soon parted and I must confess that I'm daft as a brush as regards purchasing crap in my pursuit of  following various levels of the beautiful game. 
Thus ends my first ever (and possibly even last) visit to the (Gtech) Community Stadium. 
It's neat, tidy, comfortable, functional and accessible enough, the views of the pitch are good and the toilets are very posh. Overall the experience was agreeable and left a good impression on me. However, traditionalist that I am, I'd have to say that I preferred visiting Griffin Park. 
Each to their own, innit!?