DIARY OF A GROUND HOPPER
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 10TH CHATHAM TOWN 2 MARGATE 1
PLAN A is to take in Highworth Town’s FA Vase match but The Fox and I agree that the likelihood of Town’s game against Great Wakering Rovers is about as likely as me dating Nadiya Bychkova from Strictly Come Dancing so we set about formulating Plan B.
The Fox quickly comes up with Chatham Town, of the Isthmian League Premier Division, on their Plastic Fantastic playing surface. Today’s game is against Margate, so there should be a healthy crowd for this local derby. Traffic is very heavy on the journey south but I always leave plenty of time for such eventualities. As I pull up outside The Bauvill Stadium the rainstorm at the end of The Doors’ amazing Riders on the Storm is just fading out on my car stereo. Perfect timing!
I pay £12 to the friendly gateman (Concessions £8 & £3) and another £2.50 for the glossy programme. Even though it’s only just gone 1.00pm, food is ready for the many Margate fans turning up early. There’s also a tuck shop and small bar here, including lots of fresh fruit on offer. A club shop is incorporated into this area where people can buy the ‘world famous’ Chatham traffic cone hats (I can see one or two being worn around the terraces).
I take a stroll around the ground before eating. There’s a Girls v Boys match taking place on the 3G, which is quite entertaining. I really like the stadium, it is full of character. Fans enter in one corner of the ground. There’s a long clubhouse stretching behind the goal, complete with very comfortable chairs under an overhang in front of the club. The rest of that end is taken up with a raised terrace.
The teabar and main stand can be found along the touchline to the right of the turnstile, with a covered terrace on the opposite side. There’s another burger bar behind the far goal, as well as a new build (not sure what it will be used for) and Academy building. There’s a fine array of Indie music blaring out from the PA, including the best football anthem ever (no arguments!); World in Motion by New Order (we’ll ignore John Barnes ‘rapping’, though).
By kick-off, there’s a healthy crowd gathered in the stadium, including several Hoppers who have converged on the Bauvill from matches near and far that have fallen foul of the weather. A woman from Margate is creating more atmosphere on her own with her drum than 60,000 Tottenham fans at the FA Cup tie against Burnley I witnessed in early January! Respect!
After blagging a colour teamsheet from the helpful announcer, I take up my place in the stand on the opposite touchline to the main stand. Whereas at St. Albans it was the wind threatening to demolish the roof, here at Chatham it was the ear-splitting music nearly rattling the structure to bits. Several fans came into the stand to shelter from the rain but had to leave again or risk serious hearing loss!
The first half sees some decent football and some hard-but-fair challenges between these two rivals. The opening goal is a peach of a shot from the super cool Jamie Yila. I am standing right behind his shot and watch it curl in beautifully past the helpless Harry Seaden. The ball was in as soon as it left Yila’s boot – and both the striker and keeper knew it! I Just Can’t get Enough blasts out after the ball hits the back of the net. It almost makes me wish this is the only goal of the game! Almost…
Margate equalise in the second half thanks to a lovely goal by Tyrone Sterling. Travelling fans go mad but their celebrations are cut short by a second for Chatham. And that’s how it stays: no more plink-plonky rubbish from Depeche Mode!
My drive home is made a misery when I am held up on the M1 by a vehicle fire. It adds an hour to my journey time but it gives me time to mull over my visit to The Bauvill. I can recommend a visit to The Chats if you haven’t been. It’s a friendly club with a quietly efficient team of club officials and volunteers on hand to help.
PRE-MATCH INFO: 9.5, WELCOME: 9.5, FACILITIES: 8, FOOD: 6, CHARM: 7, PROGRAMME: 5.5, HOME FANS: 7, MATCH: 7, OVERALL TRIP: 7, OFFICIALS: 9, ATT: 1,897