The Storming Of The Old Stand

Every Game An Away Game by Bluebeard

(first published in the May 2010 Athlone Town programme)

Well, we’ve played the youngest team in the league in Cork FORAS, and now we play the oldest here at home tonight. Sadly, Athlone have been through the mill since their glory days in the ’70s and ’80s when they were the all conquering heroes, taking three League Cups, winning the League title twice, and most famously embarrassing Milan on and off the field. It has been graveyard of football for the Midlanders since the mid ’90s, but they have kept things going, despite a scare about dropping out of senior football completely. In recent years, off the field developments brought them in 2007 to Athlone Town Stadium, or Lissywollen as it more usually called.

The move from St. Mel’s Park, or Smells Park as it was better known, is good news for the club and for the league. Even though there is only the one stand there, it is a fine example with a 2500 capacity, and a grand little hidey hole beneath dispensing all kinds of half time salvations for the chilly attendees.

The development of the new ground is a reminder of our move from our spiritual home at Kilcohan Park to the RSC back in the close season before 1993/1994. It was a shock to the system. Only a couple of freight containers for changing, and little more besides. It was another few years before there was a stand – in contrast with Athlone’s excellent example of how to move.

It reminds me of the odd things about following a team from great distance. After our move to the RSC, I was exiled in Dublin, only catching games with the teams in or near to Dublin, occasionally a home match when money or work permitted travel. Consequently, much of what I “remember” comes from the various fans’ websites and reminiscences, so I have a rather warped view of some seasons. Promotion in 2002/2003 is all about the match we lost 5-1 to Dublin City – the only game I could get to. Another season recalls the mysterious sacking, non-sacking and subsequent resignation of Paul Power, while Jimmy McGeough taking the reins is a blur.

One of my most vivid memories of a game that I was not at, is from March 1996, when our first stand was unofficially opened against Home Farm-Everton. I recall nothing about the official opening but the unofficial one lingers in my memory, despite missing it. Those there will remember another miserable game with the usual miserable weather. March in Ireland is grand unless you follow the league of Ireland, in which case you tend to get the worst weather available in Europe that particular Friday night. Well, eventually the blizzard overcame those concerned and someone suggested going into the stand, occupied only by a few club officials charged with ensuring that it remained otherwise unoccupied. As the crowd massed and moved towards it Milo Corcoran, then chairman, and realising the Health and Safety and insurance implications, asked people to stay the course and stoically stay where they were. The crowd, realising the implications of hypothermia without a goal to warm them carefully listened to what Milo had to say and duly ignored him. The Blues won 1-0, and everybody was happy and very few died.

But in my mind’s eye, I see it differently. The crowds are in rags, starving; they surge forward like the French or Russian Revolutions, storming the barricades, clamouring for the future of civilisation – a covered stand. And standing in the way, Milo on the mic: the sole voice, a modern King Canute shouting “Go back waves!”, crying at people to halt and obey his command before the illusions of power are lifted from his eyes, just as the packed snow was clapped from the shoulders of the fans to fall onto the seatless terracing. It is an opening in a legendary style, in a very real way.

The game tonight is yet another I will miss. I’ll be on the net or scanning text messages for updates, and looking out for reports tonight and in the morning. I hope to be hearing that the already near legendary Kev Murray and his defence are more successful in holding back the tide of Athlone attacks, than Milo was back in 1996.