Train £12-40
Tea at Piccadilly £1
Entry £4
Tea at ground £1
Programme £1-50
Bovril £1
Total £20-90
As I write this blog on Tuesday 3rd May, Leicester have just won the league. Words can't do justice to this achievement but no doubt journalists will do their best over the coming days and weeks. Unbelievable, ridiculous, incredible.
For me this past weekend has also been significant. On Saturday my visit to Litherland REMYCA marked the final North West ground I needed to see (down to step 6 of the pyramid). The air was chilly but the sky was bright as I set off from South Yorkshire.
Appropriately I changed trains at Liverpool South Parkway - not only near my old stomping ground as a student but also formerly home to South Liverpool FC. From there it was a half hour ride through the city to Seaforth and Litherland. This was a bit of a trip down memory lane, as I had cycled through here on visits to Burscough, Formby and Crosby all those years ago. And I discovered that Litherland's ground is very close to Bootle's Delta Taxis stadium.
Litherland joined the NWCFL only last season, and are based at a sports centre in the area. It all seemed quite quiet for a Saturday afternoon, as I located the entrance and parted with £4 for entry. The set up reminded me of Wigan Robin Park, who I'd seen in the sunshine of July 2014. The chap on the entrance to the ground gave a friendly scouse welcome, and pointed out the seating area in the distance. 'You might need your binoculars.. ' he chuckled. The pitch was surrounded by an athletics track and a grassy embankment on the far side, and the seats were indeed a bit of a walk. Although the sun was shining an icy wind was cutting through the exposed ground.
For all my nostalgia, there was something hinging on today. Litherland lay a point behind the visitors Holker, and needed a win to nudge them into the play off zone. Several teams had games in hand but 3 points today would give them a chance.
Remy took the lead early on when 9 headed in with the keeper only able to claw desperately at the ball as it went in. Very soon after KO, I noticed a plan go overhead carrying a sign reading 'Time to go Roberto', presumably heading to Goodison. On the pitch, 11 went clean through, having his effort saved by the keeper's legs. He then drew the same response from a corner. Holker showed some tenacity to create something, h7 foiled by a great tackle and 3 deflected wide. But then the home side (who I was secretly supporting today!) doubled their lead when 10 slotted in from 9s pass. 10 then forced the Holker keeper into another save with his legs - maybe he was a specialist at this.
In the second half the teams cancelled each other out for long periods. A rare chance for Holker fell to 9 who could only fire over when clean through. There was then a bizarre incident when the away physio asked for ice from the home side and received a bag of frozen onions! Litherland were less active in the forward areas, with 4s free kick flying over. Then after a clash in midfield and a short pause in play, Holkers 17 was handed a straight red. He must have done something off the ball as I couldn't see a reason for it (and the away bench were incredulous to say the least). They also berated the linesman - one player pointed at him and said 'shouldn't you be in the West Lancs or summat?' The period after the red card was actually Holker's best of the game. Their 4 had two pile drivers fly inches over, and they had plenty of possession in the final third. But Litherland stayed strong and hung on for a crucial win. Whether they make the playoffs remains to be seen but they have done well to finish so high after only 2 seasons at this level.
The train connections back worked out perfectly, with my train from Seaforth synchronising with the South Parkway service to Sheffield. All was calm until we reached Stockport where the Red Army of Doncaster boarded - they had been relegated from League One along with Crewe today. A beery eyed Rovers fan started to chat with me on the way back, and it caused some confusion when I explained what I'd done today. It wasn't quite the time or place to explain the significance of the ground today. That as they say is for another day.
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