The last ever game at Kingsmeadow

I will be the first to admit that Kingstonian has never been a big part of my life but, even so, this was a sad occasion.

Kingstonian had got into financial troubles some years ago and thanks to an opportunist businessman managed to lose the ground that was built for them. They managed to stay on while the new owners, AFC Wimbledon, let them ground share but then Wimbledon found the home back in Wimbledon that they always wanted, the ground was sold and Kingstonian were forced to move out.

There was a double party that day as the K's fans were saying farewell to the ground and their opponents had hopes of winning the league, a draw would do it for them.

The sunny day helped the party atmosphere as did the game. It finished a scoreless draw but was actually a good game to watch and was a fitting end to the K's time at Kingsmeadow. We all went on to the pitch afterwards and did some chanting because that was absolutely the right thing to do.

A few beers were consumed before, during and after the game and it definitely felt like the end of an era. It remains to be seen whether I'll be tempted down to Leatherhead next season but that has to be unlikely. The hunt for a ground closer to home continues and I hope that they do make it back to Kingston before too long.

London Broncos 28 - 42 Leeds Rhinos

Various things have conspired against me seeing Leeds Rhinos playing in recent years, mostly the London's only team, the Broncos, moving away from Twickenham (a comfortable walking distance) to Enfield (I have no idea how to get there) and then being relegated so that they had no regular fixture against Rhinos.

Then Rhinos helped by having a terrible start to the season so that they played in the end of season Qualifiers rather than the Super 8s and the Broncos helped by moving to Ealing which I can get to on one bus.

Well, normally it would be one bus but a road closure meant that three buses or, as it turned out, one long walk to Richmond and then the rerouted 65. I had planned to walk from Ealing Station to the ground but I had done enough walking by then so I took the 297 bus. It was good to see a few other people in various Leeds Rhinos shirts get on the bus with me. None of us had been to the ground before so we all used our phones to work out the route and mine threw me off the bus the stop before everybody else, it was not a long walk from there to the ground but I suspect that everybody else took the better option.

First impressions of Ealing Trailfinders was good. Two sides of the ground were little more than basic but, at one end, had a reasonable amount of covered seating and along one side was the main building with grandstand, bar, shop and dressing rooms. Judging by the noise coming from there that is where all the Broncos fans were; they had to be somewhere as the rest of the ground was packed with Rhinos fans.

The game itself was patchy with Leeds Rhinos dominating the possession and territory for large sections of the game, enabling them to run in an impressive eight tries, but they also lost concentration a few times to allow Broncos to run in five tries themselves, including the first one and the last two. Several of the Rhino's tries came from wide play with winger Tom Briscoe getting three, and with the gusting wind several conversions were missed which also made the score closer than it could have been. The final score flattered Broncos somewhat and I had hoped for something like the 12-58 win I had seen a couple of years ago.

Still, a win is a win and I was happy with that and with the chance to see Leeds Rhinos in the flesh again.

And I was so buoyed by the win that I walked all the way back to Ealing before taking the 65 back to Teddington where I found a pub to celebrate in.

RWC2015: Wales v Australia at Twickenham

I was bought a tickets for Wales v Australia in the Rugby World Cup 2015 by my elder son Howard. He bought himself one too. Feeling generous myself I returned the favour and bought us both new Wales shirts for the game.

Just a few days before the game my sister, Mandy, announced that she had managed to get a couple of tickets too and was going with her son Joseph. They came up for the day and stayed with us overnight.

Originally when we got the tickets we thought that the final game against Australia would be one that we would have to win to get out of the group but with England losing twice both sides were through and so the match was something of a celebration too. The result still mattered as the winners would be facing Scotland next rather than South Africa.

My sister got here at lunchtime and we went to the Bistro on Ham Parade for some serious stocking up on food before the beer onslaught.

The beer started at the White Cross on the riverside at Richmond, one of my favourite pubs. It was already packed and while there were plenty of yellow shirts as well as red ones it was the Welsh who won the singing contest and I joined in a little with Bread of Heaven, Delilah and Sloop John B (!?!). Next stop was the Eel Pie near to the river in Twickenham and finally The Albany next to the railway at Twickenham. This had the advantage of a large car park and we all stood out there to drink.

Howard and I were in Block L21 Row 37 Seats 61/62, and this is the excellent view that we had. The price seems to have been £175 which is as much as I have ever paid for anything, including Glyndebourne.

The weather was fine and stayed dry despite the threatening clouds at times. The beer was a limited choice so I had a Heineken followed by a Murphy's. The game was pretty good too, apart from the result.

The final score was 15 - 6 to Australia but Wales should have had a try in the second half when they were camped on the Australia line for a long period, and they missed a fairly straightforward penalty too. It would not have needed much of a change of fortune to conjure a 15 - 16 win. Let's hope we get some of that luck against South Africa.

Disappointed but not distraught we headed home via the Tide End at Teddington where we had some more beers and something to eat. The veggie burger was quite nice if not that original.

We got home around 10pm, about nine hours after we left, and I quickly decided that staying in was a better bet than trying another pub, even though I knew that people would be down the Fox and Duck.

It was a busy and atmospheric day, and a good opportunity to spend some time with some of the family in gentle preparation for our holiday together later this year. It was just a shame about the result.

Kingstonian rue missed chances

I am not exactly a regular visitor to Kingsmeadow to see Kingstonian play but when a good run of results took them to second in the Ryman Isthmian Premier Division, 11 points behind automatically promoted Wealdstone, and in to the payoffs then I was told by friends that I had to be there to see it. And I was.

The four teams in the playoffs finished within two points of each other and so it was always going to be close. Sadly it was close but close the wrong way with AFC Hornchurch (in yellow) winning 1 - 0, somewhat against the run of play.

Kingstonian comfortably won the first half on points with several half-chances not taken. This was a worry to us all in the half-time break and so it proved. The second half was scrappy and even and a simple goal from a corner won it for the away team.

We were all miserable after the game but time soon heals wounds and we are starting to feel optimistic about next season. I might even go to a game.

A new shirt for a new season

The new Rugby League season is upon us and Leeds Rhinos have a very different away strip this year. I last bought one two years ago and that was very bright with its pink and blue hoops. Last year's away shirt was much the same, possibly even pinker.

This year they have gone for white, which I love, not least because that is the home colour of Leeds United (Leeds Rhinos wear blue and yellow at home). It is also a colour that is easier to match with other things.

It is a short-sleeved shirt, as was the last one, so I think that I'll keep wearing the other rugby shirts that I have, Leeds Carnegie and Wales, for a while.

It should be warm enough to wear it on Saturday 16 August when the Rhinos are due to play the London Broncos at their new ground, The Hive in Edgware.

London Broncos 18 - 30 Leeds Rhinos

Leeds Rhinos only play one a game a season near me in London so I made the effort again this year to get there even though the match was moved to a Thursday evening and I was working away that week.

For some reason they closed the North Stand (on the right here) where I sat last year. I sat in the East Stand because that was were most of the Rhinos fans seemed to be though, to be honest, there seemed to be far more Rhinos fans than Broncos fans everywhere.

The weather was kind. It has been blistering hot but by 8pm it was down to warm and, more importantly, it kept dry.

The result went Rhinos' way but it was more of a struggle than it should have been against the team at the bottom of the league. Rhinos lacked penetration and only broke through the Broncos line a few times. Too often handing errors conceded possession and at times they looked lethargic, as if they knew that they were going to win anyway and so did not need to try too hard.

While the game was not a great spectacle being there was a great experience.

Firstly it was Sir Kev's 500th game so that made the evening special. He was on form, as always, and kicked 5 from 5.

Secondly just being among so many Rhinos fans was wonderful, even if most of them put me to shame for wearing last season's away shirt by wearing this year's shirts.

I am going to have to buy myself a new shirt.

Rugby League attracts a family crown these days and it was good to see so many children and women there, they easily out numbered us middle-aged men.

Friendly crowds have friendly rituals and I joined in with the chanting of "Yorkshire" (pronounced York-shur), the clapping of good play and the standing cheers for every Rhinos' try.

The camaraderie continued after the game too as I joined the crowd heading for Twickenham Station. Many of them were travelling a long way from there whereas I was able to catch a 281 bus back to Teddngton from where it was a short walk home, via The Anglers. A fitting end to a good day.

Watching the Rhinos

I watch Leeds Rhinos playing Rugby League on TV whenever I can and I make special trips to the pub to do so but I had never seen them play live until now.

There is one London fixture each year, away to London Broncos/Harlequins who play at the Stoop in Twickenham, which is all but next door to the international stadium.

Thanks to the river and railways it is a convoluted route there for me by public transport (the best option is to go into Richmond and then out again) so I walked. It is only three miles or so and that takes me much less than an hour.

The Stoop is quite an impressive stadium with covered seating on all sides.

Leeds were assigned to the North Stand (I bought my ticket from the Leeds Rhinos shop) and this is the view from the seat that I chose.

The home fans choose to sit at the side so we faced an empty South Stand.

Rugby League claims to be a family game and this was born out by the mix of fans around me, especially the number of women proudly wearing Leeds colours.

The game itself was a strange affair.

In a game of four quarters Leeds were only top in two of them yet ran out clear winners.

There was no score until the 22nd minute when Broncos went over to take the lead. And they deserved it having had all the possession and all the territory.

The few times that Leeds approached their fans in attack the passing was slow and predictable and they never really threatened to score.

The Broncos' try seemed to wake Leeds up and they score their first try just a few minutes later with a quick series of moves staring in their own half. It was the speed and the urgency that got the try and it got Leeds three more before half-time and they went in 24-6 up.

Perhaps Leeds came out in the second half thinking that the job was done but they had lost their urgency and the second half became a repeat of the first. Broncos scored a try soon after the restart (picking a loose ball up and literally walking over the line with it) and followed that with twenty minutes of pressure in front of the Leeds fans who clapped every defensive tackle enthusiastically.

Then in to the final quarter Leeds shook of their lethargy and ran in six tries to win by an unexpected 58-12 (Sir Kevin actually missed one of the conversions).

I shall be looking at next year's fixtures as soon as they are announced and making sure that the next London date for Leeds goes in to my diary. Until then it is back to watching them in the pub.

New shirts from Leeds and Wales

A recent splurge in spending has provided me with a few more shirts to wear and the chance to demonstrate some of my sporting loyalties.

I like traditional cotton rugby shirts  but the Liberty ones I bought twenty years ago are dead or dying.

The first new addition is a Leeds Carnegie (Rugby Union) home shirt.

I normally buy away shirts on the grounds that I no longer live in Leeds but that is only available with short sleeves so I went for the home shirt instead.

The away shirt, which is mostly white like the magnificent Leeds United, is still on my wish list and may appear here once Spring comes.

This shirt should get its first official outing at London Welsh v Leeds Carnegie in Richmond on 25 February.

I already own a Welsh rugby shirt but a recent display of patriotism at Welsh Water in Cardiff, where everybody (and I mean everybody) wore a rugby shirt to work ahead of a World Cup game, showed just how old mine is.

It is so old that it does not even have a sponsor's name on it. I like it a lot though and am wearing it now as this is a Six Nations weekend.

The new shirt is much flashier that the old simply-red one with its tailored cut and white features.

It is also made of modern materials (i.e. some sort of plastic) so it is not as warm as the others which should make it a Spring/Autumn shirt but Wales are playing Ireland tomorrow so I'll give it a go. Who cares about a cold snap?

Oddly, I will also be wearing this shirt on 25 February as England are playing Wales at Twickenham after the Leeds Carnegie game.

The first game I'll see at the ground and the second in a pub in Richmond. In both cases I'll be wearing the away shirt so it could be fun!

The final shirt is the best.

I am a fan of Leeds Rhinos (Rugby League) and have wanted a shirt for some time but the blue and yellow colours of the home shirt do not suite me.

So I've bought the new away shirt instead.

This comes in three variants, authentic (i.e what the players wear), replica (like the authentic but not as tight fitting) and cotton.

I've gone for the cotton one for the comfort and warmth.

It will get worn before then but it's official debut should be at London Harlequins v Leeds Rhinos on 30 June.

All three shirts are very welcome additions to my wardrobe and make something of a change from the usual rock band black t-shirts.

Sutton 2 - 4 Kingstonian

I had not been to see local team Kingstonian play since early in the previous season but the triple whammy of playing our local rivals Sutton United in the Isthmian League Play-off Semi final on a warm sunny evening was simply irresistible.

I have been to the Sutton ground a few times but all my previous visits were to see bands playing in the social club so going in to the stadium was a new experience for me.

So too was the journey by ThamesLink from St Pancras to West Sutton via such unknown outposts of South London as Tulse Hill, Tooting, Wimbledon Chase, Morden and St Helier. It's not a very direct route by any means and it took a leisurely hour to just creep in to Zone 5. Another good reason for not living in Sutton!

The ground is pretty basic, as you would expect for the Isthmian League, but it claims a capacity of over 7,000 so there was plenty of space for the 1,401 of us who braved the sunshine to get there.

I met a few friends, some planned and some unexpected, and with the many fans in red and white hooped tops it felt much like a home match.

There is a covered terrace at one end only and we spent the first half there waiting for the stream of Kingstonian goals.

We did not have long to wait and were up 0 - 1 after little more than ten minutes.

Then things rather fell apart. The Ks looked unthreatening coming forward with long balls punted to the lone striker and his four markers. Defending looked hard too and Sutton often looked like doing scoring. They managed to do so twice and the first half ended at 2 - 1.

We made the long walk to the other end of the ground and starting talking about overtime and penalties and whether the Ks could still come back from a 3 - 1 deficit.

How wrong we were! The game of two halves proved to be a game of two halves with Ks vibrant, aggressive, purposeful and threatening throughout.

A firm shot from the edge of the box made it 2 - 2, a powerful header from almost the same spot made it 2 - 3 and some clever dribbling round the last defender and then the goalkeeper made it 2 - 4 and a convincing win.

The play-off final is on Saturday against Borehamwood and even though I have no idea where that is I shall probably go carrying with me high hopes of another win and expectations of watching Ks play in the Blue Square South next season. Sadly not against Weymouth as they have just been relegated from there.

Emirates Airline London Sevens

A friend bought a number of tickets for the recent Emirates Airline London Sevens at Twickenham so I went to the first day to see what the fuss was all about.

We were in row 24 on the lower level on the west side which gave us a good view of the games, as this photo taken without any zoom shows. Only the lower level was open so I guess that there were around 15,000 people there, most of whom seemed to be wearing either the country's club colours or bizarre fancy dress. For some reason Kenya seemed to have attracted the most supporters, it certainly had the most enthusiastic ones.

The tournament started with a group stage with some unusual countries (from a rugby perspective) making up the numbers, I never expected to see Germany play for instance. This, combined with the open play that makes sevens attractive, led to some of the games being rather pointless and scores of 40 - 0 or worse were not uncommon.

That said, the rugby proved to be entertaining enough and we were all duly occupied for some eight hours. We arrived later than some and left earlier than a few but we were there longer than most. It seems that the opening day was something that most people were happy to sample just a bit of, particularly if they had children with them.


While the day was billed as a rugby tournament a serious amount of effort was put into trying to entertain us between the games. This included cheer leaders (here getting ready to welcome the England team on to the pitch) and various competitions that involved the cameras picking somebody out in the crowd who was acting madly when instructed to do so. You will not be surprised to hear that I did not join in any of these, nor did I join in with any of the Mexican waves or singing Macarena. For me all the entertainment was a distraction from what I thought was the main event, the rugby.

The other attraction for us gents was the bar. The beer was OK but came in plastic and cost an unreasonable £3.70 thanks to the bar's monopoly. The food was little better and somehow even managed to make chips look unappetising. I was surprised, and very pleased, to find a decent veggie burger at one of the stalls that ringed the outer boundary of the stadium.


From the outside, Twickenham Stadium does nothing to hide its concrete and steel construction and it looked reassuringly strong with the afternoon sunlight full on the west stand. Unfortunately it looked almost as industrial inside too with the concrete terraces only slightly softened by rows of hard plastic seats. But the worst bit is the no-man's-land between the inside and the outside where absolutely nothing has been done to soften the concrete underpasses. Some paint would do.

All told it was an entertaining day out but not quite entertaining enough for me to rush to do it again.

Leeds dismiss manager McAllister

Leeds dismiss manager McAllister may not be the biggest shock of the week but I hope that it is good news. I was not that enthusiastic when he was appointed last year as I felt that he had not proved himself as a manager. I hate to be proved right and I seriously hope that our next manager can turn things around and get us promoted this year.

Beer, rugby and more beers

For reasons that are too complicated to go to here, I found myself watching the recent rugby internationals in an Australian pub in Covent Garden, London wearing a Wales rugby shirt.

I was with a friend of mine from my time working in Prague around 15 years ago and a group of twenty other people who were tempted by the prospect of beers and rugby. It proved to be a good mix!

The pub had free wi-fi so I was able to email friends in South Africa and Australia at half-time to crow and again at full-time to bemoan the local team's bad luck as, on the day, England, Scotland and Ireland all lost to southern hemisphere opponents. At least Wales had beated Canada the day before :-)

Kingstonian 1 - 1 Metropolitan Police

I am only an occasional visitor to Kingsmeadow these days but I was tempted by the fine weather, a midweek game on a day that I had nothing else on, and the ridicule of some friends for my extended absence to go and see Kingstonian play Metropolitan Police in the Isthmian League Division One South on Monday night.

I started my football life watching Weymouth play in various minor leagues and I like the atmosphere of these games where the crowd almost know each other as well as the players do. I also like being able to stand to watch the game, rather than the enforced seating in higher leagues, and walking from one end of the ground to the other at half time to be behind the goal that my team is playing towards.

Kingstonian are currently top of the league and so a draw at home against the team currently fifth was a little disappointing. More disappointing was the way that they played with a very slow midfield that seemed incapable of playing forward quickly and imaginatively and equally incapable of stopping the opposition from doing just that.

My friends claimed that the lethargy was due to a hard game just two days previously but I had not been there to see that so have to take their word for it!

The result and the lethargy apart, it was not a bad night out and if the favourable circumstances repeat themselves I could go again :-)

Leeds still rules the world (of Rugby League)

Excellent news!!

Leeds Rhinos ensured the World Club Challenge trophy stayed in England for a fifth successive year with a tense victory over Melbourne Storm.

This good result has set Leeds up well for what, even at this early stage, looks like being a good season with Leeds being the only unbeaten team in the Super League after 4 games and already having a 4 point gap to the second place team.

England 19 - 26 Wales

I was brought up on Welsh rugby in the 70's when the large Welsh flag was brought out of the garage and draped over the TV and we warmed up for the games by listening to Max Boyce. In those days Wales usually won and always played attractive running rugby. Since then times have been a little lean but I always wear my replica shirt on match days. So I wore it yesterday and sat down to watch the game with little hope and no expectation. The rest is history.

In a glorious 40 minutes in the second half, Wales came from 16 - 6 down to win convincing 19 -26, the first win at Twickenham for ten years and a sweet revenge for the 62 - 5 mauling also at Twickenham just five months ago.

There are other hard games to come and this may not be the start of a great season for Wales but that does not matter, we beat England.

Come on Leeds (United, Rhinos and Tykes)!

It's crunch time for Leeds United in their efforts to remain in the football Championship and, like all good supporters, I am still confident that we can do it; and get promoted back to the Premiership where we belong next season.

But while there is still some concern over Leeds United the other Leeds teams are both top of their leagues.

Leeds Rhinos beat the previous league leaders, Bradford, last night to go top of the Super League.

Leeds Tykes are top of the English National League 1 and should be promoted back to the Premiership, though we do still have to play Earth Titans.