Kidderminster Harriers in the FA Cup 4th Qualifying round.

oldhillglassboy wrote:

It is very disappointing that we don't appear to be able to sell this out, clearly a temporary stand (as I advocated) would have been a financial disaster, can't help feeling the words 1st round proper rather than 4th qualifying round would have made it a different story.  The silence on how many we've sold and how many are left has been quite telling.

Clearly there are going to be plenty of Kiddy fans - official and unofficial, (don't think I could pay to go in and leave without watching a match),  I have concerns about any flashpoints now particularly if everybody's crammed in the stands if it's chucking it down with rain - which is forecast at the moment.  Will anybody who cheers Kiddy in the home end be removed?

I hope not. We played Halesowen in similar circumstances last season with no problem and I'm not aware of any animosity between us and Kiddie. I'd like to think we're above the sort of tribial idiocy that means league supporters seem to have a pathological terror of being in proximity to the other team's fans.

I guess technically it shouldn't happen in a segregated game, but I'm quite used to opposition fans celebrating a goal right next to me by now!

I'm not convinced we have 1,700 "Stour folk" DA; I suspect the rest are just fans of local league clubs, such as the those who went to Stevenage, who have never been seen at a game since (except perhaps against Halesowen). They don't like watching football at our level, but turn up for the "experience".

And yes, they probably don't realise the FA Cup even has qualifying rounds, such is the derisory coverage afforded to it by media channels. The build up to this game has been absolutely nothing compared to pre Plymouth and yet there's only one league between Plymouth and Kiddy, and Kiddy has the local flavour as well.

stour_boy wrote:I guess technically it shouldn't happen in a segregated game, but I'm quite used to opposition fans celebrating a goal right next to me by now!

I'm not convinced we have 1,700 "Stour folk" DA; I suspect the rest are just fans of local league clubs, such as the those who went to Stevenage, who have never been seen at a game since (except perhaps against Halesowen). They don't like watching football at our level, but turn up for the "experience".

And yes, they probably don't realise the FA Cup even has qualifying rounds, such is the derisory coverage afforded to it by media channels. The build up to this game has been absolutely nothing compared to pre Plymouth and yet there's only one league between Plymouth and Kiddy, and Kiddy has the local flavour as well.

I tend to agree with you there Stour_boy. The 1700 or so Stour 'fans' we have seen over the past 5 or so years at the big cup games and the Halesowen fixtures include quite a large number of folks who are there solely for a day out and an opportunity to get p****d. They have no interest whatsoever in the club or seemingly in football at all for that matter. Obviously it all helps with the bar takings and gate money but is it THAT essential that these folks turn up? They certainly add nothing to the atmosphere.

I can see both sides to this. We need the money, the high profile helps (I'm sure a few members of the FA Cup crowds have been back even if ony occasionally) but in the immortal words of Simon Morris after we'd beaten Plymouth, "That wor like a Stour match".

dave w wrote:I can see both sides to this. We need the money, the high profile helps (I'm sure a few members of the FA Cup crowds have been back even if ony occasionally) but in the immortal words of Simon Morris after we'd beaten Plymouth, "That wor like a Stour match".  

It wasn't - we went 2-0 up and managed not to concede soon after and bring on the inevitable nervy finish

Looks like all the terracing tickets have gone then. Looking forward to tomorrow. Hoping for good weather and a nice atmosphere.

stour_boy wrote:Hoping for good weather and a nice atmosphere.

You've had the nice weather as it's raining. And you forgot to add the word "quiet" in-between nice & atmosphere

COYG

Great performance,great day all round.

A dominant Stour display with Tonks and Broadhurst magnificent in midfield and Hawley playing a pivotal role up front,his movement and ability to hold the ball up caused Kiddie's fragile defence all sorts of problems.

Not a single weak link in the Stourbridge side today and too many excellent performances to go through every one,Lewis Solly's missus will be double delighted seeing as her husband's kit won't need washing!

Kiddie were absolutely pathetic,the worst side to visit Amblecote this season IMO,no question in my mind that they'll get relegated,they'd struggle in the Northern Premier with their present motley crew of loanee's and journeymen.

A word as well about the traveling "unwashed",a contingent of who ( 50 I would estimate ) who were only there looking for trouble.

I mentioned the potential for trouble earlier in this thread once the game was drawn but the general opinion ( and from the club ) is a bit too laid back in my opinion,I think this sharing of the shed end with local rivals is just crazy and a recipe for trouble.

If we are going to continue with this arrangement then proper fenced segregation is needed with a permanent and stronger fence required.

Thought has to be given to the safety of our match stewards,today we asked six blokes to put themselves in the firing line for a maximum fee of £20....what an insult to them.

I thought the police response was scandalously slow,I know for a fact that the senior steward requested they come into the shed five times before they finally sauntered around from the comfort of the church end.

It's time we made the ground upgrades and had a way of safely segregating fans for big matches,we must also "up our game" in terms of numbers of stewards and attendance of local plod for these big matches,we need to be more pragmatic and professional in this regard and strive for a higher standard.

Everyone on here knows how critical I was of the management last season and I stand by a lot of what I said at the time but I do take my hat off to Gary for the way he's turned things around I respect his resolve and determination to prove people like me wrong so well done to everyone behind the scenes.

I'll say once again,now is the time to strengthen the squad whilst we are flying,two or three quality additions could secure promotion,I think Gary deserves the chance to invest and if he asks the board for the finance they should respond to that.

Well done everybody today,players,management,fans and stewards......a fantastic effort by all.

Man of the Match voting was as follows:

LEON BROADHURST 24 Votes

Brian Smikle   4

Tom Tonks. 3

Matt Dodd. 2 each
Kristian Green

Chris Lait
Stuart Pierpoint
Justin Richards   1 each



Wine was won by LES BUTCHER

Thanks to all who took part.

with a cold coming on that was just what the doctor ordered. Great performances all over the pitch, with Kiddy in a similar position - on and off the field  - to Plymouth when we played them I did think we had a good chance but expected a very tough game, they have only been losing games by the odd goal and I said at work "we aren't going to just walk over them" before we preceded to do exactly that!

I can't believe how bad they where especially the goalkeeper, how on earth the first goal crept in, I was waiting for a goal kick! passing the ball from side to side and back to the keeper when your losing 3-0.  I don't think I've seen a worse visiting side since Banbury on Easter Monday two years ago.  For the supporters that must be shattering (no pun intended) watching that, and a disastrous relegation is surely inevitable, find it sad how fall they've fallen in a short space of time, a cautionary tale.

As for the glassboys things couldn't have gone much better early goals, getting the confidence going, everybody had a good game and again Lait and Smikle where to the fore, Broadhurst was also outstanding .  Lait's was a great goal, a Halesowen supporter I know rated him and couldn't believe they let him go, (tonks and green fit that criteria as well!) I've taken a while to be convinced but he has been superb recently.  Plenty of energy and desire from the players, there was none in the harriers camp.  At the end of last season it looked to me like a change of direction was required, well that's been rammed back down my throat and very pleased I am to say so! thanks to the players and management for another memorable day.

I think some trouble in the shed was inevitable and would agree that it probably needs to be just one set of supporters in there for games such as this.

As for the draw, i'll take anybody at home (Didcot would be fine) but there a couple of  biggies I would like, but won't mention them in the hope we may actually pull them out this time, but not Stevenage or Plymouth.  Halesowen in the trophy is in danger of being a sideshow, certainly a lot of games coming up, Market Drayton away I could live without!

A surprisingly easy win against a very poor Kidderminster Harriers whose proud name and history has been let down by recent Boardroom failures and, today, by their team and a few mindless supporters. I could not get over at the complete lack of urgency shown and their performance today is one of the poorest seen at Amblecote for ages.

The above takes absolutely nothing away though from, yet again, a complete team performance where everybody worked their socks off. Can't recall Lewis having to make a safe so solid was our back four, reinforced by our midfield with Leon being far and away the best player on the pitch. The only surprise was that we didn't score more.

Apart from the very small minority of Kiddy fans, the day seemed to go well off the pitch. There always things that can be improved but well done to all of those hardworking officials and helpers.

Our coffers have now benefitted by £27.5k and I trust that funds will continue to be invested wisely. The one slight niggle is that, if either Karl or Justin was to get injured, we seem to have only Chris Knight who is a better defender. However, I'm sure though that Gary needs no reminding.

Summarising, well done to all at SFC for, yet again, another cup run. Where will it end ?

Having seen Kiddy play, you really have to wonder if their new manager new what he was letting himself in for by accepting the job.  They really were shocking and certainly deserve to be bottom of the league.  The only decent player in their team was the keeper, who knew how to put the ball in the net (Just at the wrong end!).

And an excellent atmosphere for once that would have made Russ Abbot proud.  Which just goes to prove the fact that a bit of vocal support helps to motivate the team.

I hope that we will see some of those extra 1000 stour fans return during the season for our league games as well as the cup. And also making the short trip to Halesowen shortly for the Trophy game.

My only criticism about the stewarding in the shed was the fact that nobody was checking our tickets on entry to the stand, after all what's the point in printing tickets specifically for that stand if anyone can get in to it.

The most important thing is we must not let this cup run regardless of how long it continues interfere with our league campaign, and remain 100% fully focused on that.

Great win, the FA Cup certainly seems to bring the best out of Stour,
Thank God for the Twitter feed.....& Richard !
Onwards & upwards...COYG