The Raging Racer (Part 10)

The following article did not appear in the programme for Racing Club Warwick due to the contents. Following these developments I decided to stop attending and to stop my programme contributions.

The recent announcement by the Club that the already uncompetitive playing budget was to be cut once again has been met with incredulity by the players, football officials and supporters alike. What is more disturbing is the apparent lack of accountability of the Club’s Board. On the evening that the players were told of the decision, I understand that Board members and associates refused to answer a number of perfectly reasonable questions from the players. I am afraid that that leaves a very bad taste in the mouth. I think that anybody that has read a newspaper recently would concede that times are tight but it is at times like these that we all need to pull together. Instead what seems to have happened is that the Club’s Board members and their associates have retreated into their bunker and the lack of openness simply encourages everyone who is not on the inside to rightly or wrongly suspect impropriety behind the scenes. Such suspicions can only harm the Club.

The situation has led to a number of supporters demanding an Extraordinary General Meeting in order that there can be a proper and open forum at which the Club’s Board can explain their decision and answer questions to help everyone understand what is going on. However, it now seems that the holding of an EGM is being obstructed due to “the Rules” not being followed. I say that if there’s nothing to hide then let’s get on with holding a crisis meeting and let’s stop the posturing please. The Club must allow those that are interested to understand the situation and then perhaps we can move forward. Otherwise we’re simply left with the feeling that the Club’s Board is not really interested in Racing Club Warwick hosting senior football in the town and that it is focussed instead on the social side and other community projects. Elsewhere in this programme you can read about Warwick’s history and some of our proud moments down the years. The Board of the Club are the modern day guardians of the spirit of Racing Club Warwick Football Club and if they allow senior football in Warwick to disappear down the pan then they should hang their heads in shame. I wonder what Eddie Haines, Pete Walker and Jack Brown would have to say about it all?

I’d also like to thank the players and playing staff for sticking by the Club when, frankly it doesn’t deserve such loyalty. Let’s remember that the players were led to believe that they would receive a level of reward that has been withdrawn without notice and that most of the players could line themselves up with a better deal at another club given the amounts now on offer at Warwick. Bobby Hancocks may not be the world’s greatest manager but he has put together a side that can hold its own in the Midland Alliance and that has picked up 10 points out of the last 15 on offer. The majority of the supporters recognise the difficulties that Bobby has faced lately and the siege mentality and team spirit demonstrated by the boys in the face of such adversity is a credit to Bobby. We, the supporters, are proud of them all and we are determined to seek to restore the playing budget to the level that it was before. Let’s remember Racing Club’s playing budget was one of the lowest budgets in our league even before the announcement of a cut – a large town like Warwick is more than capable of supporting a football team at Midland Alliance level surely? After all, how do the others do it?

Enough of our woes, let’s turn our attention to on the field matters instead.

Tuesday 7th October –Stratford Town v Racing Club, Midland Alliance

Tuesday night presents an opportunity to make amends for the Heanor debacle with a game at the brand spanking new home of our local rivals from Tiddington. This is my first visit to Knights Lane and my first mistake of the evening is to head towards the first set of floodlights that I see – these turn out to belong to Alveston’s ground – Stratford Town are based about half a mile further on. Knights Lane is a facility to be proud of: a roomy modern main stand with uncovered standing on the other three sides. I wouldn’t fancy watching football there in the pouring rain because the roof on the main stand is high and there’s a big gap between it and the rear wall – I reckon the punters must get wet sat in there when it rains. That said, I’d swap Hampton Road for Knights Lane tomorrow if it was offered, provided of course that Knights Lane is relocated to Warwick!

When I arrive I wonder if Bobby’s been sacked because Shack is taking the team and Bobby’s nowhere to be see. I learn later that Bobby’s succumbed to man flu or similar and should be back on Saturday. Stratford take the lead after only three minutes and by 20 minutes they’re two ahead. Loyal Racers, and there were plenty in a healthy attendance of 191, fear the worst until, bang on the stroke of half tine, a Stratford player inexplicably handles the ball in the box and Jason Ramsey converts the resultant spot kick. 2-1 at the break feels like we are still in it and the early part of the second half sees Racing making a game of it before wilting towards the end and being well-beaten 4-1. Former Racer Matty Blair, wasted by Stratford in a wide right midfield berth, wins and then scores a penalty too. Come back to Racing and play up front where you belong Matty!

Saturday 11th October –England v Kazakhstan, World Cup Qualifier

At last a chance of some respite from Racing Club’s miserable run of form. The timing of the kick off at Wembley meant that we had to set off before 3PM and therefore couldn’t attend both the Racing Club game and the England international. When forced to choose I will always pick country over club (unlike most football fans I suspect) and so, after popping into Hampton Road to purchase a programme from our home game against Biddulph Victoria, we were on our way to Wembley. England were meeting Kazakhstan for the first time ever and looking to continue their excellent start to the World Cup qualification campaign following away victories over Andorra and Croatia. This was Martin’s first ever World Cup Qualifier but was my 24th with my first being way back in 1984 at our old Wembley home against Finland en route to Mexico 1986 – that game finished 5-0 and this one was destined to finish 5-1. The result however was overshadowed completely by the events surrounding Kazakhstan’s goal.

At the time, early in the second half and following a goalless first half, England were 2-0 in front following an opening headed goal from captain-for-the-day Rio Ferdinand and a Kazakh own goal, both from set pieces. Kazakhstan were acquitting themselves well and pressed England at every opportunity. When being pressed, the ball was passed to Ashley Cole on the right and he elected to play it back to David James but failed to execute it well enough allowing the Kazakhs an easy opportunity to pull one back. It was sloppy to say the least and, at only 2-1 up against supposed minnows, England were rocking. Danny Baker on Five Live’s 606 show expressed the view that the players don’t take Internationals as seriously as playing in the Premier or Champions League and are therefore inclined to be a bit sloppy. I do hope that he’s wrong in that analysis but it may well contain a grain of truth.

Anyway, from the Kazakhstan goal onwards, every time Cole touched the ball he was booed by a sizeable minority of the crowd (not Martin or I just for the record!). As it transpired, England scored thrice more in the final quarter of an hour as the Kazakhstan players tired and the game ended at 5-1 which was surely a respectable score line. The phone ins after the game were, sadly, dominated by a discussion as to the rights and wrongs of booing a player rather than England’s performance or their nine points out of nine start to their World Cup Qualification campaign. Personally, I’m of the view that there’s no benefit to being negative whilst a match is in progress – surely it doesn’t help the players to perform better does it? After the match is the time for criticism in my view rather than during it. That said, I will admit to expressing surprise that two-goal Wayne Rooney was adjudged to be man of the match despite a rather ordinary performance. The truth was that nobody really stood out on the night but you shouldn’t really complain about a 5-1 win against anybody at International level and I think that we can forgive the performance given the showing against Belarus in Minsk the following Wednesday night.

Keep the faith!

Comments