The Arsenal fan who fell in love with Leyton Orient
An exclusive extract from Gareth Platt’s new book
Thursday 1 February 2024
NEXT HOME GAME: Harrogate – Saturday 3 February, 3pm
NEXT AWAY GAME: Grimsby – Saturday 10 February, 3pm
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Dear County fans, Stopfordians, Leyton Orient supporters, and anyone else from The Football Family joining us today, a very warm welcome to your Thursday edition of The Scarf My Father Wore.
We’ve got an exclusive extract from a new book on Leyton Orient for you to enjoy today, written by Gareth Platt.
Ever-growing disillusionment with the Premier League and modern football saw Gareth take up the offer of a ‘season ticket holiday’ from his beloved Arsenal and instead try to go to every single Leyton Orient league match in the 2021-22 season.
This book details his season-long adventure around the far-flung and exotic outposts of League Two accompanied by his equally football-obsessed wife Kay. When it was all over would he go back, or had “little” Leyton Orient truly captured his soul?
All proceeds from the book are to be donated to the Justin Edinburgh JE3 Foundation. Let’s see if our readers can support Gareth’s book, and raise money for an excellent cause. Click here to purchase your copy.
Today’s edition is sponsored by Colourtone. As always, a big thank you to Paul.
Finally, I’m currently walking every street in Stockport to raise money for mental health charity Mentell. If you’d like to make a donation to help me reach my target, please click here.
Total distance so far: 46.68 miles
Total steps so far: 83,302
Total raised so far: £1,037
Total completed streets so far: 24 (Click here for the full list, which includes reports and photos from every day of the walk.)
Further information on the walk can be found by clicking here.
Des Junior
After the two home cup matches, it was off on another away day for us, the first that seemed like a proper one, i.e. involving a journey beyond the commuter environs of London, this time to the “picturesque” Lancashire town of Rochdale.
When we were booking the tickets for this trip, it rather surprised us to find out that the best and cheapest way to get there was to go via Leeds and then take a local train through the Pennines to Rochdale. In another concerted effort to be on our best behaviour, we didn’t buy any beer for the train, but with half an hour to wait for our connection, we (re)assured ourselves that we would be able to stock up on supplies for that part of the journey. Our hearts sank, however, when we boarded the train to be told that not only was it going to be delayed slightly because of a technical issue, but that it would also be running at a reduced speed. A quick check on our phones, and we realised that there were plenty of trains to get from Leeds to Rochdale, but we probably wouldn’t have time to nip to the offie, so we would be beer-free all the way to Rochdale. It was a constructive, if not very welcome, state of affairs for an away day, as behaving sensibly seems much less fun if it is enforced by train delays rather than being by choice.
As we made our way north, I got a tweet from Paul, the Manchester Citeh fan we had met on the way back from Barrow, who sadly apologised that work commitments meant that even with the Premier League enduring another international break, he wouldn’t be able to join us on what for him would have been a relatively short hop to catch another Orient game to fill in the time. Maybe he would have fancied this game even before our encounter on a train in Cumbria, but we took it as an indication of how we were managing to spread the Orient word far and wide.
After arriving in Leeds, we just made our scheduled train after a slight panic about which platform we needed to head to. Thankfully we were aided in our search by a local who simply looked it up on his phone and pointed us in the right direction. If only we had thought of that! The journey across the Pennines is pleasant and easy enough, although it is somewhat disconcerting that when the train stops at Bradford Interchange it then leaves by going back the same way we had just come. Thankfully it seemed to be part of the actual planned route rather than the driver deciding to ad lib.
Frustratingly when we arrived in Rochdale, we then discovered that there isn’t even so much as a hint of a pub (or anything very much at all!) near the station, so we decided that our best option was to get a cab up to the ground where there are two pubs/bars to choose from which are actually part of the stadium complex (I realise that might be pushing it a bit far as a description of the area surrounding the Dale’s ground!). Our 10-minute cab ride revealed the delights of Rochdale, of which there seemed to be precisely zero. As a follower of rugby league, I have been to some grim places in my life, and Rochdale is very much up there, if not the outright winner!
To describe the Ratcliffe Arms, the pub at the ground we opted for simply because that was the first one we found, it is probably best to think back to the Phoenix Club from Peter Kay’s (in)famous TV show, although possibly with even less glitz and glamour and an overwhelming smell of vomit, which may have been emanating from the carpet. Still, it was friendly to away fans, easy enough to get served and we could watch the end of Port Vale taking on Bradford. We even had the commentary over the PA until it all went a bit awry with feedback/static. Kay, as a bona fide cockney, was intrigued to discover that Limehouse Lizzy (a Thin Lizzy tribute band from East London, obviously!) would be gracing the stage of this salubrious venue in March, and we only half-jokingly cursed our luck that we would be unlikely to be able to make it.
The club even had what could loosely be described as a “beer garden”, and when we ventured out there we ended up chatting to a Rochdale fan who was exiled in Croydon but was up visiting family and friends and thought he would take in a Dale match while he was home. At least that was how he explained it to them, but in truth he admitted he built the visit around watching his team. We continue to be baffled by the dedication of the football obsessives that we meet on our travels. He was less than enthusiastic about their chances against the O’s as they had been in poor form, but he was fairly confident that they would stay up.
After five minutes or so chatting away, we were joined by one of the more “interesting” local characters who professed to be a Rochdale fan but was also wearing a hat for Solihull Moors, whom he apparently also supported. Nope, we’re still trying to work that one out, as well. As the conversation drifted to some of the grounds we have visited, we started talking about Luton’s Kenilworth Road, where you literally have to pass between houses to access the away end. Our new mate, the Rochdale/Solihull hybrid one, then told us a rather scary anecdote about how he discouraged someone from cutting across his garden by threatening to beat him up. Having spent a few minutes in his company, we were 100% convinced that his approach would have ended the issue permanently through sheer unadulterated terror. Not wanting to risk incurring his wrath by saying the wrong thing or threatening his garden, I very unsubtly checked my watch giving the three of us the perfect excuse to flee on the pretext of wanting to get a good speck inside the ground.
Anyone who has conducted any research into Spotland as an away ground will know that there are two specifically highlighted catering options: the apparently excellent Willbutts Lane chippy and the renowned pies at the ground. We opted for the latter, but as we were standing in the queue, I saw something that I have never seen in my entire football-watching life -- they were also advertising kebabs on the menu. We concluded that they must be those horrible microwaveable ones that you get in supermarket freezer sections, so we decided to stick to our guns on the refreshment front.
As we found a perch to rest our beer while we got stuck into the pies, Kay instantly came to regret eschewing the chippy when she discovered that her steak pie, tasty though it was, would have been more appropriately described as a “gravy pie”, such was the paucity of meat within it. I took no joy (honestly I didn’t!) from reminding her that in the North West, a meat and potato pie is a perfectly acceptable go-to option. You can take the lad out of the North and all that…
I had been to Spotland many years ago watching St Helens take on Rochdale Hornets in a rugby league cup match, but the ground has been quite well developed since then. It is a fairly nondescript but decent enough set-up for this level. The most striking feature from the away side (once again along the side of the pitch, grr!) is the reflective windows on the executive boxes in the stand opposite which are angled and, whether by design or default, reflect the on-pitch action and are, in fact, quite distracting.
Going 1-0 down very early away from home after travelling for a good few hours is always really tough to take, as you start asking yourself why you have bothered, so when Alex Newby opened the scoring for Dale after just 36 seconds, it is fair to say that it sparked a bit of soul searching amongst the travelling support. Thankfully we worked ourselves back into the game, and midway through the first half, man of the moment Aaron Drinan equalised with a goal that even the most-biased O’s fans might have suggested had a hint of offside about it.
Just before the start of the second half Lord Dazza messaged me telling me to look to my right and down a few rows where he and the gang were. Having established contact, we, of course, went to join them, as it would have been rude not to!
Orient were very much in control for the majority of the second half, while Rochdale were really poor and could hardly string a couple of passes together. When Craig Clay rifled home from the edge of the area -- an amazing sight in its own right considering the tenacious midfielder had only ever scored five times previously for us, the last of those coming against Bolton the previous October when no fans were allowed in to see it -- just past the hour mark, there only looked like being one winner.
Football however, as we are all only too aware, can be a cruel game, though, especially away from home, so when Newby bundled the ball home after Lawrence Vigouroux had saved a header from a corner in the very last minute, it felt like a real kick in the guts. A point’s a point away from home, but it was still tough to take.
Rather than having to undertake the 40-minute walk back to the station, Daz and Co. very kindly created space in one of their cabs for us, including a very opportune stop at the off-licence. We, of course, got the train back to Leeds with them, a journey that was made even more easy by one of our number (who shall remain nameless for security reasons) training for the conductor’s job under the guidance of the actual conductor and welcoming passengers on and off the train at each station. Thankfully for the rest of the passengers, he was not allowed to press any of the buttons to open and close the doors.
We had a brief stopover in Leeds, where we bade farewell to the rest of the lads as they were on an earlier train, and we had time to both stop for a quick beer in the very swanky Beer House station bar and to stock up on more than enough supplies for the way home.
When we finally landed back in London, we reflected on another very enjoyable away day. Increasingly we are starting to realise that the result on these adventures is almost irrelevant; it is the fun you have and the people you meet that matters the most. Bring on Scunthorpe on a Tuesday night for our next one!
Click here to purchase your copy.
Give your car a lick of paint
Granted, Stockport used to be a little rough around the edges. But the town’s getting a good old lick of paint these days, with fancy new offices, apartments, bars and restaurants springing up. You can’t be driving up and down the A6 in a tatty car with chipped paintwork, so give your car a nice lick of paint too. Colourtone is your go-to company for that. They’ve been servicing the automotive and industrial markets in Cheshire and Greater Manchester for decades, and carry an extensive range of car paint and industrial paints.
Visit colourtone.com for further details.
Photo of the day
Wetherby Road, Harrogate
A topless Lancs enjoys County’s FA Trophy trip to North Yorkshire in 2018-19.
Today in SK
Back to the 80s at Bask (SK1). Free entry.
Random County fan of the day #32 – The Hairrr!
One final thing before you go… if you’re looking for a Valentine’s Day gift this month, how about a painting, or a cake, or a bottle of gin, or anything else from our fantastic sponsors!
🎨 Art & Gifts: Kate O’Brien Art
💈 Barber: STUDIO26 Haircare
🪟 Blinds & Shutters: Bauhaus Blinds & Shutters
📚 Bookkeeping: Eleven Accounts Services Ltd
🍰 Cake Maker: Claire Green Bespoke Cakes and Catering
🧽 Car Valeting: Rub A Dubz Detailing Ltd
🧼 Carpet Cleaning: Pro Clean Carpet Services
🏠 Carpets & Flooring: Kingsway Carpets & Rugs Ltd
🐈⬛ Cat Sitting: The Crazy Cat Ladies Cheshire
👶 Child Health: The Sleep Nanny
🤹♀️ Children’s Entertainment: Stockport Hero Hire
🧹 Cleaning: Beespoke Cleaning
🚙 Coatings: Colourtone Ltd
🦮 Dog Training: Paws High Peak Dog Training
🚘 Driving School: CFN School of Motoring
💷 Financial Services: The Mortgage Mill
🔥 Fire Protection: Radial Fire And Security Limited
🍸 Gin: Hatters Gin
🛁 Grout Refresh & Recolour: GroutGleam Stockport
💇♀️ Hairdressing: C West Hairstylist
🛠 Home Improvements: Menzies Develop & Build
💻 IT Services: Bridge Computer Services
🪚 Joinery: SAW Contracts Ltd
👨🍳 Kitchen Appliances: SW Appliances
🔑 Locksmith: APL Locksmiths Ltd
🚐 Minibus Hire: Westfield Minibuses
🧤 Oven Cleaning: That Oven Girl
🖌 Painter & Decorator: BGM Decorators
🧱 Plasterer: Tate Plastering Services
🚰 Plumber: GTG Gary the Gasman
📕 Publishing: Victor Publishing
🛖 Roofing: ADM Roofing Services Ltd
☀️ Solar Panels: Malbern Solar Ltd
⚽️ Sports Coaching: UK Sports Coaching Ltd
🖊 Tattooist: Heatons Tattoo Club
🪵 Timber Supplies: Portwood Timber Division of Illingworth Ingham (Manchester) Ltd
👨💻 Web Design: SITEZO
⚖️ Weight Loss: Slimming World Reddish & Bredbury with Shlean
🪟 Window Cleaner: R ‘N’ B Window Cleaning
🏋️♀️ Women’s Fitness: Sophie Pavey Fitness
🧘♀️ Yoga: Greenshoots Yoga