Match: v Tamworth - Nationwide Football Conference

Date: Saturday, September 30th 2006

Result: Tamworth 0 Cambridge United 1

The Journey

Departure Time: 10am

Arrival at Ground: The problems we had encountered securing access for match commentary last season had left a few scars, so I thought it best to get there even earlier than usual. As a result, we parked in the car park at the ground at about 12.30pm.

Of course, having built in a large safety margin, the contingency time was not needed and everyone we came across at Tamworth - from the car park attendant onwards - couldn't have been more helpful or friendly.

Having got there with more than plenty of time to spare, we were surprised to find that we weren't the earliest United arrivals. A people-carrier of U's fans had, they claimed, been there since just after 10am. Fortunately for them, they were enthusiastically encouraged to avail themselves of the facilities in the Supporters Club.

At The Ground

The Ground: While some grounds in the Conference wouldn't look out of place at a higher level, others are a sobering reminder of our current non-League status. The Lamb Ground fell firmly into the latter category.

The Main (only) Stand ran from level with the edge of the penalty area at one end to a similar position at the other. Six seats deep, this may have only been a low stand, but it was certainly adequate for Tamworth's needs and was very comfortable, with a decent amount of legroom.

For reasons I still don't understand, this is the only ground I have ever worked in where the commentators for the visiting radio station are not allowed in the press area because 'it is in a home section of the ground'. As a result, as last season, I was allotted a seat at the end of the stand in the back row of seats allocated to United fans. Although its distance from the halfway line meant the view wasn't ideal, it was not unduly inconvenient and was actually quite a nice area in which to work.

Other than a couple of blocks of seats at the end of this stand, United fans were allocated a terrace behind the goal to the left of the Main Stand. The central area of this was a brick built, covered terrace. Strangely, a number of stepped, brick walls separated the back three quarters of this area into seven distinct sections and as the early arrivals sat on the steps of this terrace to read the programme, it looked for all the world as though they were waiting for a bus. Uncovered terrace was on either side. It was from here that you could pay to transfer into the seats so you could wait somewhere more comfortable if your bus looked like being late.

Covered terracing ran the length of the remaining side of the pitch. In the style of a stretched tin shed, dugouts positioned in front of it certainly lived up to their name. Because the club didn't want the roofs of the dugouts to stand proud of the advertising boards at the front of the terrace, serious excavation work had to be undertaken to given anyone enough headroom to use them.

This stand accentuated the slope of the pitch and plunged downhill to an open area of terrace behind the other goal. Backed by an imposing red metal fence, the back 'step' of the terrace was wide enough to drive cars along... and that's just what happened before the match as it led to a small car park.

The clubhouse and tea bar were in the corner between these two terraces, as was a biscuit tin with barred windows that proudly proclaimed itself to be the Souvenir Shop... although the souvenirs would have to be very small unless it had TARDIS-like properties. No wonder the Tamworth 50/50 ticket seller we spoke to before the game had been so impressed with the mighty 'Megastore' Portakabin at the Abbey!

United Fans: Generated some good noise throughout, and were particularly impressive when Tamworth set up camp around the United penalty area in the second half - the more the pressure was building on the defence, the louder they got.

View from Away End: Although the terrace was quite low, the view was decent enough.

Home Fans: Fairly quiet, unless they were expressing an opinion of the referee who, for some unaccountable reason, they had taken a dislike to. They also didn't like the linesman or the entire United bench, but they fully approved of the Tamworth manager kicking the water bottles in frustration; an act he carried out in the exaggerated style of a pantomime villain, despite not having a moustache to twirl.

Police/Stewards: With no police to be seen, one steward attracted the attention of the United fans who suggested that Jamie Oliver might not approve of his breakfast menu. Mr Oliver might also have a word or two to say about the ball boys being sponsored by a well know fast food chain.

Programme: Printed in the smaller A5 size, you got 44 pages for your £2. The manager was particularly outspoken about recent performances in his article, but there wasn't too much else to read among the myriad adverts - one of which raised a eyebrow or two as it was advertising 'dedicated football funerals' and suggested that you might chose to be buried in a red coffin beneath a headstone bearing the Tamworth FC crest. While it may 'provide the ultimate tribute to a true football fan', I'm not sure too many churchyards would be thrilled at the prospect.

Food/Drink: Served from a large burger van which, unusually, was still open - and busy - long after the game, there was plenty on offer including mushy peas, chips and hot dogs. While these were all tasty, according to various 'volunteer' tasters, the pre-match bacon rolls could have done with being cooked on the day they were served.

State of Toilets: Inadequate for the number of supporters in all areas of the ground, they were clean enough - even if they did have an idiosyncratic aroma after the match.

The Numbers

Mileage: 221.0 miles

Total Distance for Season: 1,353.9 miles

Mark Johnson, with additional reporting by David Gray, Paul Johnson, Ryan Johnson and Gordon McMillan

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