McVitee FC - WorldNet '98
N.B. There are links to the picture gallery throughout the report.
Be Warned that most of the piccys are 100-200k in size (approx 1-2min on a 28.8k modem)
but well worth the effort as they are of very high quality and add much to the tale of the weekend....
Friday 17th July
19.30
20.00
20.00 - 21.30
21.30
22.00
22.45
Saturday 18th July
23.30-06.00
08.30
09.30
This definately was the hardest group in the tournament with Bradford champions from last seasons tournament, and Villa
having already won a couple of tournaments this season. We had to get a win from this match if we had any chance
to make the second day. We started well having most of the possession and scored after 10 minutes through Andy Bird - cracking
shot into the bottom left corner from outside the penalty area. After watching Man City let 1-0 leads slip all season,
we needed that second to save
the remaining nails on my fingers. This should have come mid second-half when Scott broke through with only the keeper to beat - any other time he would have
scored but scuffed it straight at the keeper. With only a minute remaining, a mistake in defence left their striker
with an easy shot to beat the keeper.
Final score: 1-1
10.30
Since we both wore blue strips, we volunteered to wear our tops inside out (actually looks more like the kit of old).
The match started very even with Chelsea proving to be a strong team
- their strikers and midfielders were quick and skilful. After 8 minutes, Scott made up for his miss in the
first game by collecting the ball on the right side, rounding the keeper and slotting the ball home. Chelsea came back
strong but couldn't break down our defence. Near the end of the first half, their striker had their only chance of the
game so far as he broke through and would have
equalised but for our keeper's cracking point-blank save. After Huddersfield's late equaliser, we had to get that second which
came from Dave Brunt's left foot midway through the second half.
Final score: 2-0 Man City
12.30
Even with 2 matches to go, a win here would have seen us through to the next day as definate runners-up in the group.
With winning the game against Chelsea with our shirts inside-out, we decided that had to be an omen and kept them that way. Villa
had 2 very good strikers with pace and were difficult to handle. However on their various attacking runs, the defence
managed to keep up well and stop them from creating scoring attempts on goal. This allowed us to break early on in the
first half for Scott to score and give us the lead. We went into the half-time break 1-0 up and a place in the second
day beckoning.
The second-half started just as well as the first and they didn't break us down until 5 minutes to go.
Their striker broke from the right side leaving the defence split. Brookfield tracks him from the right with
Barker coming from the left. They all meet in the middle with Barker the more physical and the striker hits the floor in the penalty area. The ref
didn't have a good view of the incident and gave the penalty which they convert. If it had stayed this way
we would have only needed a draw in the next match to still go through. However, with 3 minutes to go, a Chelsea player
having a kick-around on the side of the pitch kicked the ball onto our keepers area, who quickly runs and kicks it clear,
but at the same time the Villa striker hoofed the ball over our keeper and scored with the ref none the wiser. And in
true Man City fashion, they scored a third. If only we'd have turned out socks inside out and wore our pants in
front of our shorts we could have won....
Final score: 3-1 Villa
14.00
Our only way to reach the second day was if we beat the defending champions Bradford and hope Chelsea beat Villa (sound familier?).
The task proved too much for our tired and injury ravaged squad, conceding two goals early in the first half. Scott gave us
a lifeline with a goal early in the second-half, but we never looked like scoring another and the match finished 2-1 to
Bradford.
14.30
16.30
17.00
Our first shootout is against Swindon which we win with a penalty to spare.
In the next round we meet, here we go again, Villa. Yep, they knock us out of this too. We'll be looking to play these
boys in a league match early next season..... (rumours the penalty taking was aimed at the keeper deliberately because
we were hungry and after a beer are strongly denied!)
18.30
19.30
Sunday 19th July
23.30 - 03.00
One of our boys, who I will now refer to as Casanova by his order, managed to score in the night-club
(well he never managed it on the pitch did he). After chatting up one of the barmaids in the Reading Rugby club,
she met up with us with a friend of hers in the Alley Cat. However things didn't quite go to plan. As he was showing us
his skiing style, manager bloke (yep the same guy still causing chaos - not finished yet though) slipped his wallet out of
his back pocket, then completely forgot about it). As we all left, Cassie gets in a taxi with his girl waving us off with
a 'see you tomorrow boys' smirk on his face - gets to the destination, with Cassie offering to pay for the taxi, knows how to treat a girl this lad does.
However he now realises he's got no wallet to pay for the taxi, and if he's got no wallet, that means he's got no.....argghhhhh.......
03.30
03.45
.....meanwhile somewhere across town
03.00 - 04.00
Reaching the Rugby Club all is surprisingly quiet..... will the two unnamed souls who barracaded West Brom into their sleeping
quarters please step forward..... I guess not! Martin, Steve & Colin decide to take up the two lads from Doncaster Rovers
"generous offer" of helping them finish the crate of Latvian Beer & bottle of "Brandy" (just what was that stuff?) sat on
the bench in front of them and settle in to wait for the remainder of the crew to return.
4am trundles around. Martin and Colin give up waiting Col muttering something about Latvian Beer and "Who's stupid idea was....",
Steve heads off to sleep in his car and earns the wise man of the night award.
04.30
05.00
08.00
10.00
15.00 - 20.00
21.00
Dave Barker
The 8 lads travelling by minibus are all rounded up and toast their departure with a swift jar in the Nags Head.
Well there's nothing like getting an early start.....
Before leaving Manchester, a car has run into a lampost and the owner is looking despondent chatting to the police.
We give them all a cheer, the owner smiles and the police study the bunch of scalies hanging out of the minibus
waving MCFC flags.
A big hole is created in the 2 crates of alcohol provided to ease the pain of a long journey to Reading.
Martin is definitely looking a little green with envy having to drive. Time for a rest stop.
Whilst buying food at the service station....
Woman at till - 'Yes please'
Spenner - 'I've not asked you yet'
Woman goes red, babbles and can't speak properly
Spenner - 'Come on then, you've not told me your name yet'
Lads - 'It's on her badge, lad'
Spenner goes red, babbles and can't speak properly - very smooth.
The minibus screeches to a halt on the hard shoulder with 7 Man City fans screaming for a toilet break.
We finally reach Reading headquarters after bombing down several country lanes and pile into the social club
for a couple of jars with rival supporters. By this time we were suitably merry (to say the least).
All the lads get their bags out of the bus, go into their tents and get a good nights kip.
The manager however decides to set a good example and run off with his bags and join the Rangers boys
for a kick around on a pitch, mingle with the Derby group and anyone else on the campsite who still
haven't gone to bed. In his drunken state he can't find his Man City base camp and wakes up at 6am
in the weather cover of someone's tent, clothes strewn across the surrounding area. Who were you?
After scrambling to his feet, he clambers into a Man City tent and joins Spenner under his double duvet
(head to toe of course) for some warmth and a little kip.
8.30am : Time to get up for a hard days football. Breakfast in the social club followed by meeting up with the other
City lads making their own way. Manager however now cannot find the bags he ran off with to play Rangers -
his kit was inside resulting in borrowing his team mates spares...Alan Ball would never have behaved in such a manner...
First match against Huddersfield:
John Warrington
Jamie Goode
Andy Brookfield
Kevin Fenton
Colin Surrey
Stephen Marshall
Andy Bird
Spenner Grady
Mark Cohen
Dave Brunt
Scott More
Second match against Chelsea:
Richard Savage
Dave Barker
Andy Brookfield
Kevin Fenton
Colin Surrey
Gavin Hodge
Andy Bird
Spenner Grady
Stephen Marshall
Dave Brunt
Scott More
Third match agaist Villa:
Richard Savage
Dave Barker
Andy Brookfield
Kevin Fenton
Colin Surrey
Gavin Hodge
Andy Bird
Spenner Grady
Stephen Marshall
Dave Brunt
Scott More
Final match against Bradford:
John Warrington
Martin Ford
Andy Brookfield
Spenner Grady
Mike Doherty
Richard Savage
Andy Bird
Gavin Hodge
Jamie Goode
Dave Brunt
Scott More
We are out of the WorldNet tournament, but definately not disgraced. We played well against strong opposition and were
unlucky not to make the next day. Our squad is only 3 months old, and with the experience of this tournament behind
us, we show good promise to do well in next seasons league and tournaments.
Manager gets his bags back from the Rangers lads which he lost the night before - turns out he gave them Dave Brunt's
rucksack too.....
We take part in the penalty competition. Our selected kickers are Spenner Grady, Gavin Hodge, Lee Grime, Stephen Marshall and Kevin Feeney.
That's the football out of the way, it's time for Dave, Andy, Colin and Richard to head to McDonalds for a nutritional
order of 6 big-macs, 3 chicken sandwiches, 3 quarter pounders, 9 Nuggets and lots of fries, coke and milk shakes, all
supplied to Colin & Dave in a very large box to the amusement of the Reading public.
We join the fans from other football teams for a bar-b-que and a round of team banter and singing in the social club. There
is a football quiz, with Man City the defending champions from last year. However, we didn't retain it and it went to
Doncaster Rovers (although 4th is not to be sniffed at).
The players head into Reading to the Alley Cat night-club. Mr X (who wishes to remain anonymous in
an attempt to preserve his own life!) and Lee manage to convice 2 local girls that we were indeed the Man City reserves
(not very bright girls). Andy and Colin were gay, Martin was the physio and Spenner was the shite midfielder who ain't
gonna make it - Martin a physio, don't make me laugh.....
Barker, Brookfield and Grime climb into a taxi and decide they must have a kebab and get the taxi to stop
outside the best in Reading. While Lee waits, Dave and Andy order the 3 chicken kebabs. Andy believes his luck is in when
he meets the girl of his dreams.....but then we find out a little secret she holds close to her chest......
The taxi has now waited outside for 15 minutes with the meter ticking over and a worried Lee comes in the shop. We offer
to let the girls have our taxi, which they gratefully take - and our 15 minutes waiting cost - Result! We get another
taxi and head back to the tents.
Surrey, Ford, Hodge and Marshall also search for a taxi. Two locals thinking their luck is in decide to jump the ordered
taxi and incur the "Wrath of Gavin". Watching Gav go nose to chin (and Gav was stood on the pavement!) with the gezzer was
one of the sites of the weekend and it was with some restraint that everyone got in the taxi in one peice.
Lee gets to bed, but Andy and Dave decide they must collapse one of the tents
currently holding 4 city players (and it turns out one of the Donny Rovers players too). They quietly work their way around
the tent pulling out the pegs - well put up by the local Reading scout group. After the final peg they ceremoniously stand
either side of the tent and push it over, and run to the cover of the local cars and watch, laughing quietly - steadily, the boys awake
from their drunken sleep to see the stars overhead - Martin lets us know exactly what he thought and Colin didn't see the
funny side until he had a full cooked breakfast the morning after. Two of the lads didn't even wake up for another few
hours.
An impromptue football kickabout takes place between Andy, Dave, Martin and Colin..... Well what else is there to be doing at
5am on a glorious morning? The manager unsurprisingly leaves his coat behind. (retrieved successfully early afternoon)
Cassie storms into Dave's tent demanding his wallet because he's got to pay for the taxi he's just returned in. I think he
saw the funny side though......I think.
Man City show what sports they really are by cheering on the Villa boys through the knockout stages, which see them beat
Stockport in a penalty shoutout, Rangers in a penalty shoutout and after a wonder goal by their striker (who we dubbed as
Dowie with his bleach-blonde hair), they knocked out Arsenal for a place in the final against QPR. However, we had to leave so we couldn't support them
in the final which was why they got beat 2-0 - if we'd have been there heckling and jostling they would have won easily.
The Man City boys are on their way, back to Manchester with a stop in Nottingham to drop Mark off. By now we're all
very tired after the long weekend. This picture can pretty much sum up the entire weekend.....I decided to let Lee keep
the bucket.
After a weekend of mischief, losing his possessions and having a brilliant time with a great bunch of lads, and also the
great fans from all the other 36 football teams who came to Reading, manager finally gets some kip and dreams of
winning next years tournament.......
