A foray behind enemy lines
Friday 18th March 2011 - nPower League 2
at the b2net Stadium, Chesterfield
Chesterfield (3) 5
(Dean Holden 25, Craig Davies 30, Jack Lester 44, 80, 82)
Rotherham United (0) 0
Admission FREE, Programme £3 (purchased by my sidekick)
Attendance 10,089 (sold out - capacity crowd) 2072 away fans
at the b2net Stadium, Chesterfield
Chesterfield (3) 5
(Dean Holden 25, Craig Davies 30, Jack Lester 44, 80, 82)
Rotherham United (0) 0
Admission FREE, Programme £3 (purchased by my sidekick)Attendance 10,089 (sold out - capacity crowd) 2072 away fans
Bad moon rising - for the MillersI wouldn't have been able to visit all 92 league grounds in England for some time to come, because of my stubborn refusal to ever give Chesterfield FC a penny of my money, unless Mansfield Town, Heart of Midlothian or Worksop Town were actually playing there.
However, a compromise presented itself.
And due to the generosity of one of the b2net Stadium's sponsors (and his boss Lisa), who provided a pair of ex gratis tickets for myself and my good lady, I could leave all my moral baggage in the Rose & Crown pub across the road from the ground and make my first ever visit to the Spireites swanky new pad, with a completely clear conscience.
However, a compromise presented itself.
And due to the generosity of one of the b2net Stadium's sponsors (and his boss Lisa), who provided a pair of ex gratis tickets for myself and my good lady, I could leave all my moral baggage in the Rose & Crown pub across the road from the ground and make my first ever visit to the Spireites swanky new pad, with a completely clear conscience.
However it's still frequented by people from Chesterfield (I had a bath in Dettol when I got home), but the stadium itself is very impressive and there is room for further expansion too, if the home side progress higher up the Football League pyramid.
Against Rotherham, they took a massive step up in the right direction, towards the next level :-(
Their promotion is both inevitable and imminent.
Ouch!!!
Tonight, in essence, was the Jack Lester show.
The Spireites striker is far too good to be plying his trade in the basement division. "He'll play you all night and make you look shite" sang the home fans around us.
Truth is, Andy Warrington in the Millers goal didn't play that badly, the scoreline reflects the home sides dominance rather than any flaws in his performance.
This thrashing marked the end of the line for Rotherham's manager Ronnie Moore, who relinquished his job in the aftermath of the game.
Moore has been a Rotherham United legend on so many levels over the years, this one sided humiliation was a real kick in the teeth for him as goodbyes go.
Against Rotherham, they took a massive step up in the right direction, towards the next level :-(
Their promotion is both inevitable and imminent.
Ouch!!!
Tonight, in essence, was the Jack Lester show.The Spireites striker is far too good to be plying his trade in the basement division. "He'll play you all night and make you look shite" sang the home fans around us.
Truth is, Andy Warrington in the Millers goal didn't play that badly, the scoreline reflects the home sides dominance rather than any flaws in his performance.
This thrashing marked the end of the line for Rotherham's manager Ronnie Moore, who relinquished his job in the aftermath of the game.
Moore has been a Rotherham United legend on so many levels over the years, this one sided humiliation was a real kick in the teeth for him as goodbyes go.
Away fansAfter the game, as we walked backed to the little side street where I'd parked the car, we realised a largish group of fed up looking Rotherham fans were following us.
A taxi slowed down alongside us, the driver lowered his window and assuming we were at the front of the grim procession shouted "F*ck off back to Yorkshire you losers!"
The pedestrian crossing light ahead turned to red, the car in front of the taxi screeched to an abrupt halt, there was a near collision with the taxi and as we used the stoppage as an excuse to nip over the road, the taxi was surrounded by irate Yorkshire-men wanting to prolong their dialogue with the driver.
Ha ha, you reap what you sow!
A taxi slowed down alongside us, the driver lowered his window and assuming we were at the front of the grim procession shouted "F*ck off back to Yorkshire you losers!"
The pedestrian crossing light ahead turned to red, the car in front of the taxi screeched to an abrupt halt, there was a near collision with the taxi and as we used the stoppage as an excuse to nip over the road, the taxi was surrounded by irate Yorkshire-men wanting to prolong their dialogue with the driver.
Ha ha, you reap what you sow!
