A short history

A View From The Halfway Line or VFTHWL started some seasons ago when I got fed up with the lack of content in the pages of the official match day programme. The original editor Ian and latterly Adrian, have been kind enough to publish my occasionally libellous and insane rantings ever since!
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Originally published in the programme for the Wellington game 14/8/07


"Here we are again, Happy as can be, All good friends, and jolly good company!"
Yes, you’re right, after all these years it’s getting more and more difficult to think of an original opening to the first View From the Halfway Line of the season. But in case you haven’t noticed this is the first competitive home first team game of 2007/08 and we start for the second consecutive season with a new manager. The previous gaffer Paul Hammond found it necessary to resign in the close season for "family reasons", although whether this was his personal or football family remains shrouded in mystery. Paul had made quite an impression in the season he was here and anyone who puts choccies out at Christmas and happily chats to travelling supporters minutes after a game couldn’t have been that bad! Having said that, we all have to move on and wish Royston all the best for the season.
Anyway, before we peer into the next eight months, which will culminate with Euro 2008, I’d like to take a look back at the end of last season. The board of the Western League managed to annoy me so much that I ended up putting pen to paper (OK, I sent an e-mail) with regard to their fixture list policy. To recap, both the Bees and Backwell were forced to honour fixtures in lieu of a £1,000 fine. In Backwell’s case they were required to make a mid week trek to Truro. With a team that included youth players and committee members, they fell to a 15-0 defeat. Bridport meanwhile were required to make a 6.30 kick-off at Portishead due to the hosts’ lack of floodlights. To add insult to injury the game was reduced to two 40-minute halves with a five-minute break. I’m reliably informed that heavy rain had left the pitch in a condition that might have invoked a postponement in mid season. In my opinion neither of these games enhanced the reputation of the League. So, as a fan, I wrote to the League President. He acknowledged receipt of the e-mail and said he‘d pass it on to the Chairman. When I got no reply after a fortnight’s grace, I gently enquired as to whether or not I’d receive a response. This was in May. I’m still waiting. If you want to see a copy of the letter let me know, but on reflection it probably wasn’t that smart to suggest that the League create a space on the Board for a fan. Or a Director of Common Sense.
You compete in this league expecting to travel some distances, but the costs are getting out of hand. I take no pleasure in reporting that since my e-mail winged its way through cyber space both Torrington and Biddestone have resigned from the League, citing finance as the major factor in their decision.
The Bees and the local community may have struck lucky with the exciting news that a grant of £172,000 has been awarded to assist in the replacement of possibly the worst changing and hospitality facilities in the League. But as important and welcome as this off the pitch news is, it’s the results on the field that count. So now would be as good a time as any for the club to decide where it wants to be in five years time.
Based, as we are on the Jurassic Coast (complete with some Jurassic residents) vast improvements to the ground or even relocation, which anything more than two promotions would require, seem a complete non-starter. That doesn’t mean the club shouldn’t be ambitious however. The new gaffer has stated that he wants to stop the gradual slide down the Western League that we’ve experienced in the last few years.
With mega-bucks club Truro safely promoted a degree of normality may return to the League making progress a real possibility. But clubs are clamouring to get into the Western League family and the addition of the romantically named Roman Glass St George and the frankly sinister monikered Oldland Abbotonians presumably isn’t because the clubs enjoy endless coach trips out of Bristol.
So it’s a new season and a new beginning. Again. Which only leaves today’s question. Which new leader has the hardest job, Royston Davies or Gordon Brown? Discuss.
Jon