Rollercoaster engineers who are conducting a field study into the emotions brought about by their handywork would do no worse than to spend a season following Cheadle Town FC.
To paraphrase David Brent from The Office, Cheadle's seasons seem to be a series of peaks and troughs; we don't know when we're in a trough until we're climbing out, or on a peak until we're coming down...we never know what's around the corner. But it's all good. If you want the rainbow you've got to put up with the rain. You know which philosopher said that? Dolly Parton. And some say she's just a big pair of tits.
I digress. In my personal review of last season I mentioned "a good cup run" as part of my wishlist for this season. Although it - nor the media hype - may not have matched that of Kirkham and Wesham, our cup exploits this season fed us more than our diet would usually allow. It was the "cup month" of September 2007 that would provide me with my personal high- and low-points of the season.
There were plenty of highs this season, but none of them could really surpass the 5-2 away win at Div 1's Atherton Collieries in the 1st Qualifying Round. Everything went right for us that day in a match that just goes to show what we can do when the mood (and luck) suits us!
Lows? Plenty of those and all, but the stand-out is the 1-2 defeat at Dinnington Town in the following Qualifying Round. This was the worst, most uncomfortable away-day I've ever had following Cheadle Town and living proof that with big crowds comes the increased probability of a small minority of complete and utter f*cking dickheads. An FA Cup day ruined.
Cups apart, the league business was its usual melange of mirth and merriment. We got off to a fair-if-not-illustrious start and actually didn't lose a home league match until the end of October. In fact, our record at home in the league wasn't that bad this term; thank God, as our away form has let us down horrendously where league matches have been concerned. League performance of the season for me was the 2-0 home victory against Ashton Town in January where we were down to our absolute bare bones squadwise.
Then something strange happened as March loomed into view. Our 2-0 home victory over Daisy Hill heralded utter chaos: unmitigated pannings away at Blackpool Mechs, Oldham Town, Kirkham & Wesham, Ashton Athletic and Bootle...key away victories at Ashton Town and Castleton Gabriels...the goal-riddled mayhem of the home matches versus Darwen and Eccleshall...Norton United away....
With this being my second full-season following Cheadle there was always the danger of the novelty value wearing off or not having learnt anything new. Far from it. The novelty is still as strong as ever - how else would you explain the excitement that surrounds an away trip to Leek CSOB - and some small, but significant lessons have been learnt: I'll miss going to New Mills; if you want a sensible chat about football with opposing fans you talk to the elders as it's a waste of time talking to anybody under 35; the M6 is really crap; Polardin has more optimistic faith than me; always stand next to the Cheadle bench at away matches and not amongst the locals; there's no accounting for common sense....
They say "if you don't ask, you don't get", so I'm going to be bold and push forward another personal wishlist for next season:
* to not get soaked at Chadderton
* to have a normal, uneventful day away to Norton United
* to see the return of white-black-black as the club's colours
* to finally get to an Ashton Town away match
* a top-ten finish and finally...
* a win away at Holker Old Boys as it's a long 200-mile round-trip when you come away from there with a defeat!
So bring it on, 2008-2009, I'll be ready and waiting as ever....
