2009-10 Season Preview

Around a three week break now until the pre-season friendlies begin and this blog kicking off. I intend to make my blog entries similar to the Meadow March On entry, before that I was just giving myself a wee taster of attempting to do a blog, and I've quite enjoyed it so will do my best to keep it going as next season progresses. I'll also attempt to add my own photos.

The cup draws have been made, and the league fixtures announced, I know that my first trip to Annan Athletic's Galabank Stadium will be on Saturday 25th July as Queen's visit in the first round of the Challenge Cup. Boxing Day will bring about my Station Park début, weather permitting of course. I'll be jetting off to Oslo for Scotland's World Cup qualifier against Norway, sadly poor trip planning means I miss a jaunt to Elgin.

I'll be mainly attending Queen's Park games, but will hopefully get to a mix of friendlies and a bunch of junior games also. Some interesting friendlies are being arranged with Ayr United playing hosts to Romanian champions Unirea Urziceni and Queen's playing Fleetwood Town in Largs.

End Of Season Review

Another long football season comes to a close, although pre-season fixtures are already being lined up for early July. I can't wait. Over the course of the 2008/09 football season I managed to attend seventy-six games, something I'll aim to beat next campaign. Surprisingly I didn't see any penalty shoot-outs, although one cup game went to extra-time.

Being on holiday meant I missed the majority of pre-season friendlies but when away I managed to see Toronto play hosts to Colorado Rapids. A few familiar faces from the British game were playing such as Tam McManus, Danny Dichio (who scored a peach of a volley) and Rohan Ricketts (who was by far the best player on the park).

The majority of my season was spent watching Queen's Park eventually fail to maintain their SFL2 status after being relegated by Stenhousemuir in the play-off's. I still enjoyed three trips in the gale to Peterhead, the winding roads to Stranraer, a glamour cup tie away to Celtic and the rare victory. The end of Queen's season meant I could watch my second priority, Pollok, as they cram in their remaining fixtures in the lighter summer nights. Also witnessed Motherwell's home European game to Nancy, Scotland's latest failings, a few reserve, under nineteen and other junior matches.

Biggest crowd from my attended games was Scotland's home 0-0 draw with Norway, the game where Chris Iwelumo had a début open goal miss to forget, 50,205 people where there in the flesh to witness a 'my granny could've scored that' moment. Highest scoring match was a end of season friendly between Arthurlie and Neilston, an eleven goal thriller that The Farmers Boys from Neilston edged 6-5. Unfortunately I had to endure seven scoreless encounters, the most painful being a toothless display that confirmed the relegation of The Spiders. Over the course of the seventy-six matches I witnessed 213 goals, an average of 2.8 goals per game.

A full list of my attended fixtures throughout the 2008/09 season can be found here, and my current grounds attended here.