Station Park, SPFL League 2, 4/11/23
Me still 296, Wee Man 165
Forfar Athletic Football Club
Founded – 1885
Nickname – The Loons
Honours – Scottish Second Division– 1983/84. Scottish Third Division -1994/95. Scottish Midlands Qualifying Cup – 1946/47. Forfarshire Cup -1905/06, 1907/08, 1930/31, 1978/79, 1983/84, 1990/91, 1994/95, 1995/96 and 2014/15
Random Fact – The nickname comes from the formation of the club coming when the second string (youth team) of Angus FC, who were the main team in Forfar at the time broke away to form the current Forfar Athletic. As they were the youth team and younger than the Angus firsts the name ” the Loons” stuck.
A couple of weeks ago I asked Wee man if he finally wanted to break his Hampden duck. His reply was to check the fixtures for the day leading to him telling me “Forfar v Stenny will be good”. As in bollocks to Hampden. It was fine by me as as long as he is happy he can chose where he wants to go and sometimes he chooses a favourite of mine, which Station Park absolutely is. I was quite excited in all honest as I had not been for a good few years.
Pre-game we swung in past Eassie Church to see the 8th century Pictish stone on display. A fair old piece of work in size with the carving a lot clearer than a lot of Pictish carvings I have seen in the past. From here I asked what Wee Man fancied doing, “get a drink” was his answer so to the fan bar at Station Park we headed. A friendly wee place it was too. The bar staff were really nice and the the punters that spoke were affable too. Plus it was only three quid a beer. Also a bonus.
As we headed round to the gate I realised that the cash in my wallet didn’t have the entrance/bridie ratio required for the day so we had to nip into town to find a cash machine. This due to me forgetting I spent hard cash at Spain Park the previous night. Google maps looked to help and sent us two minutes down the road to a local shoppie. As we turned up the place looked like it had been abandoned a long time ago despite still being stocked and the alarm was wailing while no passers by seemed to give a shit. A strange scenario. But most importantly the hole in the wall was off too. Again this pointing at it being abandoned a while back. With time not on our side, Plan B sent us a jog further into town where we had a success at Tesco. But shaved off a chunk of time off of our pre-match kick about. As it turns out there is not much of a scope for a kick about at Station Park anyway so it was not much of loss. Obviously the first port of call for a visit to the Loons is to get a bridie. Or two in my case. Or none in Wee Man’s as being such a boy of routine he opted for his usual steak pie. With the sun at a horrid blinding angle we chose to stand in the South Terrace. The only place I hadn’t plonked myself in the past. Going into it I was expecting a Warriors win given Forfar had one league win all season. But in the early stages I was quite surprised by Forfar. They were the better team. They had the first big chance of the match when Mutale beat his man well and picked out Robson who saw his effort saved wide. A big chance spurned by the hosts. But they were soon in the lead when from the resulting corner Stenny keeper Jamieson saw a punch fall to Nditi whose effort was blocked but the effort on the rebound from Loons skipper Morrison found its way through a group of bodies and in. One nil Forfar and going by the first ten minutes of action. Deserved too. As the coffees are little here I headed for a second and given a some amusement when awaiting my change. A coffee and a Twix cost me £2.30 so I handed over £3. The girl just stood looking at me then had to ask a colleague what change was needed. The colleague looked at me and burst out laughing in a “really?” kind of manner. After getting my 70p back eventually, it was back to Wee Man and the game. Stenhousemuir were unlucky not to be on level terms just as I got back. Maybe I am doing a disservice to Forfar as it was great goal keeping/defending but I do think the visitors should have scored. Yates initially thumped a shot at McCallum who got down brilliantly to stop, the rebound fell to Michael Anderson who delayed for a split second getting his effort away this allowing Thomas Brindley time to block the shot with his body. Stenhousemuir were coming more into it with Euan O’Reilly the chief tormentor with his direct runs. It was that man who helped get his team off the mark in the dying minutes of the half. Bilham overhit his cross from the left which made its way beyond the back post where O’Reilly ran in to control and cross in. The Loons defender swung at it connecting well only to see his attempted clearance ricochet off ex Forfar man Matty Aitken to put the sides in level at half time. A sickener for the Loons.
HT 1 v 1
With the lack of kick about potential, half time was taken up by a game of something I have probably not played since I was Jakes age. Wally and it went on for the majority of the break before nipping into the club shop to get a badge for my brother. This leading to “can I get a scarf”. A can of worms has been opened with that. I think is has stemmed from our current Highland League book project which includes a scarf from all the grounds, now Wee Man just thinks its every random ground. I cant really complain as his interest in fitba is pretty much insatiable and if this adds to it it then hey ho. The teams were out as we exited the shop and it wasn’t long before we had another goal and it was for the Warriors. This after getting in behind and Aitken and O’Reilly doing the business between them with a one-two and my man of the match O’Reilly finishing off the move. Then as quick as it was two it was three when the Warriors were given a pen. Opposite end from us but I saw a handball so I am sure it was the correct call. Of course it was Aitken who stepped up to grab a brace versus his ex-employers. From here Forfar fell completely out of the match. The team seemed to lose all fight, every second ball was maroon, the heads were clearly down and this worked its way into the terraces and shouts for manager Ray McKinnon’s head were more than audible and plentiful. Up until the third goal Forfar were playing well but confidence is a brutal thing and if you have a lack of it and a lack of points on the board games like these will go against you. In amongst the shouts for the gaffers head, there was a more amusing shout. “we need three goals to win, fucking hell, going by the season so far, I just want three shots on target”. Also among the murmurings on the terraces there seemed to be a lot of bitching about lack of local boys playing. Maybe I am wrong but is Angus a hotbed of football talent. I wouldn’t have thought so and I would have expected more incomers than not on the Loons books. I’ll easily stand corrected and maybe I am wrong on that, but it just seemed a strange thing- to moan about. On personnel it was good to see Josh Skelly has stepped up a level. A goal machine we had seen previously play for Broughty Athletic not too long ago. I am a big fan of teams taking a chance on players like this. Back to the game and Stenhousemuir cruised to the win deservedly so and as the the darkness descended and Aitken was substituted to booos and a shout of “you are fucking scum” the final whistle went and I had a chuffed wee boy next to me. He loved the ground, he was interested in the game but he was clearly ecstatic with his afternoon. Brilliant to see. In the car on the way home, he asked if we could go to Stirling Albion next. Of course we can dude. Of course we can.
Going back to Wee Man’s choices for games, I love it and as time passes I love heading to these places even more, I don’t care if I have been before. He is mad for it and I am mad for that. Missing a semi final including my own team to watch the 4th tier for my own “loon”, I would choose that every single time. Call me a softie but, your kid’s chuffed wee face trumps everything. If that means the Loons, the Binos, the Galabankies over the Dons. I am all for it
Entrance – Me £14, Wee Man £5
Attendance – 347 (official)
Pie – £10.90, Bridie x 2, Pie, Coffee, juice
Pint – £3, Tennents, Fan Lounge
Score Predictions – Me 0 v 2, Wee Man 0 v 1
Season Score Prediction Totals – Me 0 v 0 Wee Man
FITBAWBAG 