I have related this one before, but make no apology for doing so again.
It was the late, great Wallace Mercer, Chairman of Heart of Midlothian FC, who announced 25 years ago that followers of his club should be referred to as “customers” and not “supporters”.
Many Hearts fans were bewildered: “Who is he calling a “customer”? I’m no a “customer”, I’m a “supporter!””. Mr Mercer misunderstood the football fan (never more so than when he announced the proposed takeover of Hibernian), but he did have a point. Most “customers” (of both clubs) I spoke to before kick-off at Spain Park on Sunday did not believe the Cove Rangers v. Inverurie Locos match should have started.
There was no doubt that the astroturf was in excellent condition, but the high, blustery wind was always going to make the game somewhat of a lottery.
As for the “customers” – as usual I don’t think we were even considered. Driving in and out of Aberdeen was hellish and, although Spain Park sits down below the railway and is afforded some shelter from surrounding buildings, there was no escape in the stand from the winter’s blast. Mr Mercer would have had the game called off. However, it does appear that the SFA decree that games must proceed if at all possible and to blazes with the paying public.
Before kick-off I imagined that several footballs would end up in the swollen waters of the Dee, but to my surprise only Network Rail was the recipient of a wayward match ball. That is testament to the enthralling play of all the players on the pitch.
There were mistakes galore, of course, but both teams deserve tremendous credit for producing such an exciting game in very testing conditions. Cove were undoubtedly disadvantaged as the wind was a great leveller and they must have regretted choosing to play with the gale in the first-half.
Locos adapted to the conditions by playing the ball on the ground (or at least trying to) and scored twice to keep level 2-2 at the break.
Even when Cove edged ahead 3-2, I felt Locos had a great chance and so did Neil McLean.
He’s obviously taken to internet fame (with the Annan strike) and his outrageous lob from just inside his own half crashed back off the bar with goalkeeper John McCafferty beaten.
Michael Selfridge and Joe McCabe were the scoring Locos heroes in the second-half, but my man-of-the-match was Locos’ young centre-back Daniel Crisp. After taking a fresh air swipe in the opening seconds, he did not put a foot wrong for the rest of the match.
It’s off to Wick next Saturday but, with the weather due to remain “unsettled”, if there is any doubt about the game proceeding and/or if road conditions are difficult, could the football authorities please give consideration to the travelling supporters?