Weymouth FC

Our glasses are half full

Weymouth 3-1 Lewes (30:01:10)

- click on photos to enlarge image -

We could have locked the doors of EFW Towers this weekend, made a beeline for the sofa, and popped on our 3D glasses to watch Arsenal v Manchester United. Instead, we decided to get some air in our lungs, slip into an altogether more comfy pair of beer goggles, and head to Dorset for the basement battle at the Wessex Stadium. Weymouth v Lewes, winner to get six points, well, sort of. To be honest it was one of the easier conundrums we've had to deal with.

Whilst we are on the Disney theme, you could probably make a half decent Hollywood blockbuster with the (A)list of ex-managers who have swung through the revolving door down at DT4. Steve Claridge, Bobby Gould, John Hollins, Neil Webb and even Trevor Senior have had a sniff at releasing the potential of the Terras.

Weymouth FC have been suffering from off the field problems recently. On the field, they are rock bottom of the Conference South. Oh. All too familiar tales of administrators, lack of cash, unhappy fans, resignations, chaos, sackings, umpty thrumpty managers etc. Like Lewes, they too have survived by the skin of their teeth and are now hoping for (yet another) new dawn under the guidance of former Cambridge United chairman George Rolls, who is now the new owner and Jerry Gill; who just prior to this game took up the managers hot seat.

As we chugged our way through the New Forest on the train to Dorset, the EFW Team - Cynical Dave, Big Deaks and I - past the time by talking about Willie Thorne (Willie Thorne!). Willie, or Mr Maximum to his mates, has battled back from the brink of a gambling addiction. Famously, he once stuck 38 large on John Parrot to lose a match in which he'd lost his cue and had to borrow one from the venue he was playing at. Much to Willie's annoyance, Parrot won the match in which Thorne actually - get this -commentated on. Snooker loopy or what!?

Talking of Mr Maximum (nice - Ed.), I managed to pop in a cheeky 180 during our pre-match darts and beerathon upon our early arrival in Weymouth. It was darts heaven in town. Every pub had a board, it was like the old days. In fact in did rather feel as if we'd stepped back into the 80's but hey, what's not to like!? We took advantage of the £2 (£2!) pints and the splendid free jukeboxes; Cynical Dave is a Journey/Don't Stop Believing sort of guy, Danny dived headfirst into The Clash/White Man in Hammersmith Palais and Deaks, actually, Deaks could not be arsed.

The 80's theme continued as we stepped into the agreeable surroundings of the Wessex Stadium. Banks of terracing and some aesthetically pleasing floodlights juxtapose with some slightly over the top fencing. Big Deaks and I chose to pay homage to the three dimensional direction that Sky are hoping to bring into our living rooms. We sported some specially commissioned glasses throughout the game. Silly gooses that we are, we love mocking the week.

A McCartney-esque thumbs aloft

We can see right through the Terras new gaffer Jerry Gill...

....it must be our new 3D glasses! Big Deaks and Danny pay homage to Sky Sports.

One man and his terrace. Sadly, crowds have dipped a bit at the Wessex Stadium.

Grade A!? The police chopper circulates overhead in a bid to detect the Lewes Lunatic Fringe.

Disappointingly, The Rooks put in one of their most inept performances of the season. The 'new manager syndrome' had fired up the home side and they outclassed Lewes, especially in the second half. The highlight for the Terras was probably Stephen Reed's 25 (twenty-blooming-five!) yard screamer that put them 2-1 up after 58 minutes. From then on it was men against boys and Jake Reid's tap in put the gloss on a thoroughly deserved home win *he said through gritted teeth*.

We are not ones to get dismayed easily here at EFW. The team regrouped in the pub opposite the station, purchased some Polish beer for the journey home and continued to laugh like drains all evening. I don't know what 'laughing like a drain' actually means, but we did it anyway.

What this defeat does mean is that the very last game of the season is now shaping up to be something of a cracker. Lewes are away to fellow strugglers Hampton and Richmond. This match may well decide who gets relegated, us or them. If that is the case, then we'll be inviting our chums from around Europe to travel to the game and cheer on The Rooks. It could well be the biggest party Europe has ever seen. So keep the 24th April free in your diaries folks.

Whoops! Ross Sutton fails to clear and it's 1-0 to Weymouth.

Joe Keehan fires in the equaliser from the spot. Yeeeeees!

Kane Louis takes on the Jewson lot.

Breachy and Wheeler jump to support local football.

Back of the net.

I think that is it is it.....ummm.....*checks notes* oh. No it isn't. I did an interview with a Weymouth fanatic Richard Wood and furthermore, here it jolly well is:

What's the best thing about supporting Weymouth? It’s my hometown club. I was taken there by my uncle to old ground near the harbour. Following that I lived for years around half a mile as the crow flies from the Wessex Stadium. You can see the floodlights from the back garden! Also you can meet the players, and you usually feel more “a part of it” than you would going to watch a league club.

And the worst? All the bad publicity and all the other off field shenanigans, which seems to have been part of the staple diet since we took up residence at the Wessex. It’s all about money these days.

What has made you laugh in your times of following The Terras? I can’t think too many things in particular. Older fans could probably reel off a few. There was a moment in our last home game against Chelmsford, when one of the visiting defenders managed to get fouled by the corner flag! The flag escaped a booking though. Although the player had to go off injured around 5 minutes later! On the whole though, most of the funny things I have witnessed over the years seem to have been unintentional, and there have been plenty of those!

Who are you rivals? Older fans will say Yeovil every time. And history wise I have to agree. But the clubs are so far apart these days it’s hard to see us ever meeting in a meaningful game for a long time to come, if ever. But things can change quickly in football. At the moment the local rivals would have to be Dorchester Town, or the Maggots as we like to call them.

We like a beer with our football here at EFW, what's the clubhouse like at Weymouth and which pubs do you recommend we frequent before and after the game? Not really the person to ask this one to. The hardcore fans used to use the Market House, not sure if this is still the case. Also the last I heard the Swan near the town bridge was quite popular with fans. The clubhouse has been a bone of contention for years. Long and narrow, upstairs with no lift, so not very disabled supporter friendly. Also not very well designed, but if you do use it I am sure you would be made welcome, we are quite a friendly bunch on the whole, win or lose!

Can you sum up Weymouth in a Tweet of less than 140 characters? A big part of my life for quite a few years, sometimes it makes me angry, sometimes it makes me happy, but it is ALWAYS entertaining.

Click to enlarge this flakey attempt at a panoramic photo.

This one any better? (Not really - Ed)

Big Deaks laughing like a drain - whatever that means.

Danny milks the EFW ipad/3D glasses gag one more time.

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