Below is an article I wrote for the official matchday prrogramme v Warrington Rylands in the FA Cup on Saturday 21st August....enjoy!.
I stand in the rain in the second half at Barnoldswick Town on Saturday, we are 3-0 down, the rain drips into my Guinness my hood is up and I'm soon running to the clubhouse for shelter but I'm thinking, 'god I've missed this so much', from the match day pie, the banter and even constantly accidentally knocking a beer over during the ninety minutes, something I'm guilty off! I wouldn't be anywhere else. Covid has taken so much away from so many people and to feel the great atmosphere that was at the game last Saturday left us buzzing despite our 3-1 reversal.
Pre-season saw a couple of belting away days at Glossop and Penistone re acquainting myself with everyone after the pandemic some great laughs that included three of our away day crew paying £16.50 for 3 small glasses of port in Glossop and Gary Glynn and the Pukka pie incident at Penistone, but these were friendly matches and we went to Barnoldswick knowing now for us, this is the big time as we play our third game and first away game in the Northern Counties Premier League, the highest level the club has ever played at.
It's well documented that the Counties had a re shuffle and with our consistency over the last two fragmented seasons our time was now, this was real, gone were familiar away days at Nelson (god I really miss you the Lord Nelson pub!) Chadderton and the mission that was to get to Cleator Moor Celtic in place we have new expeditions to places like Winsford, Congleton and Northwich giving us chance to extend our non-league grounds visited portfolio.
It is true that as well as the players adapting to life at a higher level, so do we as fans having been used to being amongst the fancied runners and riders for promotion in recent times to now having to sit down re set the train of thought and prepare for something as totally different as we have experienced for some time.
At the time of writing (before Macclesfield Tuesday night) we have lost the first three games but a quick look at the table shows these teams take up three of the top four places in the table, oh and Macclesfield are fifth!
The truth of it is we have a smaller budget than several teams in the division and we realistically are in a league within a league, and the league we are involved in does not include your Northwich Victorias and your Macclesfield's of the world and we need to look at this season with a true sense of perspective of where we are maximising points against the teams around us and look for a season of consolidation in a difficult league.
Today we welcome Northern Premier League Division one side Warrington Rylands to Adie Moran Park who won last season's FA Vase and this will complete a run of six very difficult games for us but we go into this one having hopefully another bumper crowd again as we did in the last round beating Litherland 3-1 and you never know do you?, crowds are back and home advantage can be vital.
Indeed, attendances have massively increased at home games this season with many new faces in the crowd and most encouraging of all I have noticed a big increase in our younger supporters, kids with mums and dads. This is vital for the future of the club and the early signs this season are very encouraging.
2021-22 will be a rollercoaster and at times bumpy ride (a bit like the bus journey back from Barnoldswick to Burnley last Saturday!) and some unfamiliar territory but we can look forward to some great games, away days and most of all just being thankful that we can be in our 'happy place' at Prestwich Heys.