Tuesday 17 September 2013

A visit to the catherdral




"Whoever's up for it today get off the bus now!"


As the sun was rising in Mansfield, another away day loomed -York city away.
Two separate buses setting off at separate times from different locations in order to gain access to the city centre.

Here lie the accounts from the two sets on this albeit non violent (not for lack of trying) yet very eventful day.

09:00am Order of the day;
-Breakfast
-Beer
-Invasion

As per, the young up and comers of Mansfield are out in force dressed in their finery.
With a lot of talk from the minster men this week about our upcoming fixture the young guns were relishing the chance to head out on their own and get a result.
So with good numbers, they met early doors to sample a few of the towns finest slurps and they set sail north to see what the York Nomad Society had to offer.



"The lights turned red, so I put the call out, whoever wants it today, off the bus now!"
The bus emptied of 30 of Mansfield's finest young casuals,
Now these boys weren't just happy on setting up in one pub and getting rounded up by Old Bill.
Like dogs unleashed they searched for the YNS pub after pub but no sign of York,
The comments of an "easy day" made by the newly named "York No Show Society" had certainly got the backs up of more than a few of these young delinquents.
More pubs were searched, refusing to serve the young set as when they entered every establishment the mood suddenly changed - the people of York certainly knew they were there, even if the No Show Society weren't happy to make an appearance.


After a while, the hunt got boring, the message boards went quiet and with no word from York, the lads  -untouched by the police - headed to the Burton stone for a few of York's finest beverages, the young guns can certainly count this as a small victory.
Went in undetected. Took the piss. Came out unscathed.
Needless to say, I expect the YNS excuses to be rife and to be believed, about as much as Liverpool fans think they're going to win the premiership this season.





And as for the other bus you may ask ....

"Walked straight into the home end, lasted about three minutes, apparently not paying is frowned upon?"
Again another early meet, in fact very fucking early, the kind of early drinking George Best would have been proud of.
This mixed bunch of old and young ne'er-do-wells from Mansfield's surrounding areas didn't have the luck of going in undetected and were rounded up pretty much as soon as their feet touched the ground in York.
That's not to say they didn't have a good time of it.

Setting off early and getting put in a pub meant the lads had plenty of time to put away a few gallons of York's finest ales, Well lubricated and many without tickets, the lads had hatched a plan to get amongst the locals and head for the home stand.
In threes and fours they drifted in until north Yorkshire police got wise and swiftly moved in to escort them out, with no tickets it was back to the pub for more debauched fun and games.

Not wanting to head straight home, Barnsley was the destination, and again, although no action to speak of, the boys made it count, and relieved one kind landlord of a number of his beers for no charge, such a nice fella.

Back on their travels and one last piss stop in store, could their luck be in?
Two buses of Arsenal travelling back from Sunderland, the lads quickly on their toes went to greet our southern friends with many a friendly gesture on their way in...... as you can well imagine.

Only the lads who rushed over soon returned rather embarrassed as this was the special supporters bus from London....

I imagine a few felt like this young chap on the left.




Match report.



With the Mansfield team bus being held up on the M1 and the boys in yellow and blue arriving later than planned, our slow start was maybe to be expected.
Conceding in the third minute, however, probably was not in Mr Cox's plans.

Soon after, however, normal service resumed and as we have so many times taken control of the game and started playing our kind of football, An uncharacteristic burst into the box from James Jennings won the penalty which the ginger wizard kindly stepped up to, and despatched with the venom of a heat seeking missile into the back of the York city goalkeepers net.



This sending the travelling Mansfield fans into raptures, the constant beat of the drum and song after song really got the team going and we continued the pressure.






At the half, Coxy made what turned out to be a tactical master stroke, bringing on Lindon Meikle and Oliver Palmer who both contributed to our decisive winning goal.

The second half started equally with both teams pushing for the the advantage and it was Mansfield who struck.
Some great link up play from Meikle and Clucas gave the Chesney Battersby (or whatever he's now called ) look-a-like an opportunity to fire in another left footed rocket which was met by Ollie Palmer who deftly flicked the ball past the out stretched York keeper. His words were "I definitely meant to do it.."

Whether he meant it or not, who cares? A winning goal is a winning goal, and he's a centre forward so of course he's going to claim it.

All that remained of the game was the biggest off in York that day between Martin Riley and some cretin trying to have a pop, not bitter at all then....
Anyway this resulted in two red cards and Mr Riley being banned for the game against the Spireite bastards.

Other news.




Came across this on twitter today, Mr Cox has been keeping an eye on Greeny and hoping for a loan return, with our recent form and a proven goalscorer up top, this season could turn out to be a dramatic one,
Is it to soon to say the 'P' word?
...Unbeaten in 6, lets keep it that way.


Keep it casual

 MSE






Sunday 8 September 2013

Old heads corner

                 


*Please note all names have been changed to protect the identities of old boys in this post.

The year was 2001, Atomic kitten topped the pop charts, The UK and United states were busy bombing Baghdad, and Stuart Pearce playing for West Ham United was named February's player of the month when a group of, now older and wiser Casuals from Mansfield, piled in the back of a hired transit van and made their way north to Hartlepool.



As the February snow had set in up north a small number of what I will now call "more experienced" casuals made their merry way up the A1 to Hartlepool to see what the infamous blue division had to offer.
With beer crates as make shift seats and dressed to thrill looking for a night out in Mansfield on their return,
Would wearing loafers be a wise decision in these near Arctic conditions?

The small Mansfield set managed to go in under the radar and set up camp in one of the monkey hangers main pubs, with no sign of the Blue order, was this a small victory for Mansfield to be in Hartlepool town centre unscathed and unopposed?

The game passed by resulting in a 1-1 draw with ex stag Tony Lormor stealing a late point for the home side.

Spirits weren't dampened by the result as the lads still had a night out in Limo's to get back to, cheap beer and even cheaper women.

One major problem - word had gotten out that the MSE had travelled north, and this was not taken lightly by the local hordes.

The rented transit van was parked in a car park surrounded by northern monkeys looking for some action, An agreement was made to meet the blue order on route back to the vehicle.
Heavily outnumbered but game as always, the Mansfield boys hatched a "plan"...

"Right then George, you can take at least two, Henry you can take two as well, Fuck it lads we can all handle two a piece can't we? Just stand and swing like" 

As Mansfield made the move, the Cleveland police went in heavy handed and had the Blue order on their toes. A free pass back to Mansfield for the boys then? Only time would tell.

As the lads get back into the van with a stolen gas heater in to warm up the cockles, the destination was Mansfield, Back on the dark cold street of Hartlepool it seemed the old bill had had enough of the weather and packed in for the day, The same couldn't be said for the Blue order, they knew the only way the boys could get out of their town, and waited around for the "inconspicuous" van emblazoned with Mansfield Van hire down the side to come crawling passed.

As the traffic lights turned to red it was on, the van had been spotted and ambushed by the Blue Order, Heavily outnumbered, there was only one option and that was to fight their way out. The side door opened and the windows opened, as line after line of Rogues donned in Stone island and Burberry kept coming, Police style coshes were wielded out of the window cracking a few northern skulls, the make shift seats had also come in as handy tools being launched into the attacking firm. As the Blue Order were being barraged by the vans contents, the lads from Mansfield decided getting out would be a great idea until their shoes turned into skis and chasing the order could have turned into a night in A&E with a broken leg rather than a broken nose.

The lights turned green and the MSE - outnumbered - had more than held their own against a very experienced Hartlepool firm.

Needless to say every service station on the return was raided by the boys. Pockets full of whatever they could get their hands on and headed back to Mansfield - Pride and bones still in tact.



MSE
















Y daith hir i Gasnewydd (The Long trip to Newport)


As Saturday called, I found myself living the life of an armchair supporter, Stuck at work and watching the scores coming in, I must say "This isn't what Saturdays are made for".

Early doors, and a small number of fine young casuals make the start of their long journey to the valleys of Newport.

"Pretty much as soon as we got to Newport we were rounded up by the bill and put in a poxy little boozer near the ground"

So after a small wander around gets cut short by the local Heddlu, the day for travelling rapscallions is all but over.

                               

Reports suggest that due to last seasons festivities the Local constabulary were hot on their heels for any sign of travelling rogues.
No sign of the natives, however, I'm not prepared to comment on this as they have proved they are a game bunch when drawn away from their livestock.


Match report


"Sam Clucas' equaliser earned Mansfield Town a point in this full blooded clash with Newport County at Rodney Parade"

The view from the terraces -
A very heated game with challenges flying in that would have matched Roy Keane in his Alfe-Inge Haaland phase.
Late on in the first half, Newport struck first with a close range header from a dubious corner with the ball spotted half a yard outside of the corner arc. Needless to say, poor defending by our boys but I thought the low level officiating was left behind in the newly named Skrill Premier...
Mansfield then came on strong like we have done so often this season around the half time mark missing three clear cut chances.
The second half began with some very scrappy football being played by both teams,
The stags got their breakthrough with a corner whipped in by Ben Hutchinson who for me is showing some of his former champions league class, flicked on by the man mountain Matt Rhead to be turned in by the head of Sam Clucas for the second game consecutively, to send the 200+ travelling fans into raptures.

The equalising goal got the backs up of both home players and fans alike, again the challenges got more robust and a deserved red card was given to Lee Minsull for a blatant elbow to the face of Martin Riley.
Shortly after, talismanic Mansfield striker Matt Rhead - after a lot of provocation from the newport faithful - received his second bookable offence for a "late challenge" even though no contact was actually made.
It's well documented that the officials have a hard time of it west of the border and yet another has crumbled to the welsh pressure and lost his bottle resulting in Matt Rhead being banned for our game against York City.
Both teams went on to have chances but neither side could seal the game with a winning goal.
A fair result maybe? an unfair Mansfield dismissal definitely.

Mansfield young casuals man of the match goes to Chris Clements.




MSE 














Wednesday 4 September 2013

Another no show from the south...




So yet again the youth of Mansfield are to be tested by any rogues from league 2,
I don't think anybody expected anything from the Daggers but as Saturday calls, a young set of Mansfield go on the hunt for beer, drugs and football violence only to be let down once again....





So with no southern shandy drinkers fancying a travel to the East Midlands, what can only be described as a debauched afternoon and evening session took place.

Highlights for me include
-The crashing and potentially ruining a hen party/wedding on the back of the swan
-And a character with a rather large nose hijacking the decks of a pretty empty Market having a tiff with the local door staff and getting thrown out on his ear.

So a pretty non de script afternoon for the Casual scene but a good ol' knees up and a stinking hangover all Sunday.


Match report




With the opening half hour passing by un-memorably filled with head tennis and big boot football, many could have believed we were still in the lower regions of the conference playing the likes of Braintree again.
Around the half hour the stags started to play football and unlocked the daggers defence, a glancing header from the ginger wizard Sam Clucas saw the stags go in at the half time whistle with a one goal advantage.

Half time - Beer Banter and a sneaky fag in the facilities of the QLE!

As the second half started, the boys in blue and yellow started as they meant to go on playing dominant football and decisively put the second between the posts.
A 25 yard half volley from Jamie Mcguire caught the nervy opposing keeper off guard leaving the young lad embarrassed sat head in hands in front of the Quarry Lane faithful.

The Game changer for me was the introduction of "The Beast" that is Matt Rhead.
Yet again he was unplayable, winning every header and deservedly got off the mark for the season after a cheeky back heel from Calvin Andrew left Rheady with an empty net from only yards out to graciously open his account.

Other than the fantastic football played in the second half my highlight of the game had to be a known young rogue coming very close to pocketing £850 from Mr Joe Coral.

Last week 2-2 Ben Hutchinson to score first won this up and comer a steady £160

This Saturdays bet - Sam Clucas to score first Mansfield to win 4-0....
Nerve biting chances went a miss for Mansfield as said lads finger nails got shorter.

Ah well better luck next time Young Mansfield.





So...who next
Saturday coming is Newport away and another trip to Rodney Parade.

And with last years antics I'm sure there may be a few looking to make the trip to the valleys and give the leek munchers another good going over.

If you plan on travelling west keep your wits about you, as these Daffodil wearing sheep shaggers are by no means an easy feat.


York away


So now we know where Ben Mitchell has been relocated since leaving Eastenders - its here fronting the York City Nomads.
And When the 14th rolls around I think he might wish he was Still in the Queen Vic, or Ian Beale's greasy spoon...

With a mere 74 miles to travel north towards the cathedral I can see this York city set having their hands very full.

I think one or two of them may wish they'd stuck to watching the big screen garbage such as green street.

Stick to chasing rings, Frodo!



Not Much to talk about this week so lets hope for some action in the very near future,

Keep it casual

MSE