Fyvie Park, Aberdeenshire AFA Division One East, 25/3/23
Me 267
Fyvie Football Club
Founded – Re-founded in 2018
Nickname – N/A
Honours – None after the move to The AAFA
Random Fact – I saw Fyvie have three men sent off in around a minute earlier in the season. This after possibly the worst refereeing performance I have witnessed in all my days watching live fitba
With Wee Man having a school disco between 2 and 4 I needed to find somewhere that would allow me to drop off and pick up. Somewhere close enough to allow this. That place was a place I have driven past hundreds of times but never took in a game. The place of my old dears birth . A wee town of around 500 inhabitants and a castle (built by William the Lion, King of Scots 1165-1214 ). That place Fyvie, seven miles down the A947 from my Meldrum abode. This meaning on “Non-League day” I was dipping into the second tier of the Aberdeenshire Amateurs. Not that an excuse is ever needed to watch non-league fitba. Why not watch Scotland? Because International fitba doesn’t interest me in the slightest. A hindrance on real fitba.
On arrival I had a spare twelve minutes so decided to have a pint in the Vale next door to the ground. What an experience that was. It has character that’s for sure. I walked in an genuinely thought it was a squat given how much stuff was lying about this as a I was constantly accosted by friendly Huskies who wanted to give me bosies that were almost human like. But it was open to my surprise.(I gather they are renovating). A pint of Ossain and a pleasant chat with the landlord about the fitba team and his days following Aberdeen under Fergie seemed to fly by before I had to dash.
From the Vale, I nipped round the corner to the game, not before seeing an old pill box on the street corner. Something I have never seen before despite passing it hundreds of times in the past. I’m not sure the Panzers would ever have made it as far North as Fyvie and I cant see any reason why Hitler would have a beef with the town. As I walked through the car park the game kicked off in the warm spring sun (it was not to last) . The first port of call was to get a coffee and a pie which was to act as lunch. Here I was met by the lovely Karen (mum of three players) who ran the place. She told me a bit about things and how she ended up following them. I added a club fairy cake to the order not before being told that Fyvie are “the best and friendliest club around”. With that welcomes I had received in the pub (human and canine) and getting a pie I think friendliness is just a Fyvie thing in general.
The game wont be filed away in the classic’s drawer but I have seen much worse. It was tight, stuffy but it did have chances. The first of which fell to Fyvie’s Tommy Gillan who glanced his header where a bit more ooomph would have seen the net rustle. Gillan had it set up on a plate a couple of minutes later after Barbosa did well out wide to get a cross in, unfortunately for the Fyvie man the Glendale custodian Fox-Gibb did very well to scramble across and stop the effort. The visitors weren’t without their own chances and a quick thinking freekick routine qt the edge of the box saw Fyvie caught cold but after the initial effort ricocheted of numerous players the final touch off Willox went agonizingly wide.The last decent chance of the half brought another very good save out of Fox-Gibb when after surely being blinded by the clutch of bodies in front of him, he got down brilliantly to stop a Callum Reid shot. Referee Rusniack was called into the action before the half ended when the Glendale sideline were twice warned for their conduct towards her. Clearly looking to make it clear that she does not appreciate sideline shite.
HT 0 v 0
Half time saw a conversation with Connor who is one of the main men at Fyvie. A good blether about the side, a ridiculous situation stemming from a recent game v Bervie Caledonian, the 3 reds in a minute at St Marnans Wee Man and I witnessed earlier in the season. A sound dude who handed me an Easter egg for Wee Man as he missed proceedings. This generous act plus supplying the team lines for both teams definitely placed him on the good guy list.
Fyvie made a half time sub with Marcin Stelmach coming on. A great move this was to become as early on in the half he shimmied past a couple of Dale players and arrowed a perfect half length defence splitting ball towards Brodi Smith. But did Smith, who was in front of the keeper touch it or let it pass him to trick the keeper. However it went down, the ball found its way into the Glendale net and the hosts were up 1 v 0. Truth be told, I would have expected Smith to celebrate more if he touched it. With the darkening skies(looked snowy), dropping temperature and constant rumble of 35 busses heading to and from my home town the game continued in the same vain as the first half. But the big chances fell to the home side. Stemlach should have doubled his tally(I’m giving the goal to him) but he inexcusably put the ball wide from close range. Rafa Barbosa had a huge chance when with only the keeper to beat he chose not to lob the onrushing keeper on a bouncing ball, but as he rounded Fox-Gibb he seemed to tangle his feet and run the ball out for a goal kick. Barbosa then didn’t tangle himself up when his fleet feet skinned a couple of Dale defenders on the by line and crossed to Devon Duguid who fizzed an effort just wide. Glendale’s biggest chance from a free kick from 20 yards. Number 9 (Craig someone, Glendale’s team lines are almost ineligible) bent it round the wall pulling a decent save out of McKinnon in the Fyvie goal. The Aberdeen side were put down to 10 men when what looked like after mouthing off at the referee, Mark Robb continued after being warned leading to the red from an official who although inconsistent with some things was consistent all game with taking no shit. A daft red card if you ask me. As the temperature continued to plummet, so did the action and Fyvie went on to take all three points, and took themselves up to 9th in the league with a bit of breathing space from Continental in bottom spot with games in hand too.
A quality experience, fine folk, a superb surface for this level, the quirks of the pub, the fairy cake, dog hugs and more ammo to say fitba doesn’t need multi million pound mercenaries and half and half scarves to entertain. Second tier amateurs 7 miles from home suits me fine.
Entrance – Free
Attendance – 38
Pie – £4, Pie, Coffee, Cake
Pint – £4, Ossian, The Vale
FITBAWBAG 