Grassroots football was given the green light to return by the Government, the Football Association, then filtered down through County FA’s to the individual leagues. It had been a long time coming.
As our season had been put on hold just a couple of days into 2021, the Junior League fixtures needed to be addressed – our team play in a league of 10 teams, meaning a total of 18 league fixtures to be played by each team, as well as a short knockout cup competition. At the time of the season being put on hold, we had only played 4 games – 2 league and 2 cup (the second cup game was a defeat on penalties), meaning to complete our season we’d need to play the remaining 16 league games in about 10 weeks.
The Junior League, having looked at all the fixtures remaining, once again asked the clubs to vote on how the next phase of the season should be approached – the last time a vote was put out to clubs it was for the conclusion of the previous season due to the pandemic. This time there were 3 options.
- Continue with the league schedule as per original fixtures
- Scrap the league schedule and allow friendlies to be organised
- Scrap the league schedule and arrange a cup competition
The outcome of the vote was in favour of option 3. Any teams not wishing to participate would not be involved in the cup competitions but would be able to organise friendlies. The Junior League advised us that our new cup fixtures would start on 11th April, meaning we had a couple of weeks to get training sessions in from the end of March, before the competitive fixtures started.
The dates being published for the restart gave us a bit of a buzz, as I’m sure it did many other parents/coaches and lads. To balance the good feeling though, I was a bit apprehensive about how my lad would feel about starting up again, as well as how sharp he’d be. We hadn’t done any training together since before Christmas and he hadn’t really let on about what he was thinking.
During the latest lockdown he’d been going for a kickabout with one of his mates, so I thought at least he’s not forgotten what a football is. Over the last 12 months or so, he’s also got into weight training and nutrition, so much so that he’s thinking about being a nutritionist when he leaves school.
I needn’t have worried about how fit and sharp he’d be.
His fitness levels were great and he definitely still had the appetite for keeping the ball out.
Once the first couple of training sessions were out of the way, the next concern was how he would fare in the first few matches. You’d expect all the players to be at roughly the same fitness levels but any kind of mismatch between teams might be quite obvious.
The first fixture was a friendly at Brampton. Never an easy team to play against and after the end of the previous season, they’d merged with another strong side, so looked likely to be title challengers. Obviously ‘league’ had now changed to ‘cup’ but either way, very difficult opposition.
Our captain wasn’t able to play after breaking his wrist a couple of weeks before. Just before kick off, the manager told Pat he was captain for the game. Big smile on his face.
The game started slowly, for our lads at least. After about 15 minutes it felt like we’d still hardly had a kick and when we did, we couldn’t string more than a few passes together. In the first quarter of an hour though, Pat had only really had to make a couple of saves, both of which he’d have expected to make. He had plenty to do with his feet though and the endless days of kicking a ball about during lockdown had given him even greater confidence in dealing with back passes and playing out from the back.
From the first whistle there had been strong challenges from both sets of players. That was something that continued throughout but as the game went on, our lads began to look more comfortable on the ball and there were some good passages of play, including a few opportunities to score.
At half time it was still scoreless, which was probably a fair reflection on how the game had gone so far.
The second half was much more open. I started to feel a bit more nervous now for the keeper. As I said, with the ball at his feet, he’d done well but with more of a test on his handling looking likely, I just hoped he was up to the task.
He didn’t let himself (or his team) down.
We made chances but either dragged them wide or put them over the bar, without testing their keeper too much.
At the other end, we seemed to be going back to last season’s weakness of giving free kicks away just outside our own area. The difference being, the free kicks were either sailing over the bar or being thumped straight into the wall. Then towards the end, shots were hitting the target much more regularly.
The opposition’s best spell of the match was also Pat’s. A through ball down the left put their striker through, who hit a low shot back across goal. Pat dived and got a solid left hand to the ball. The loose ball was hit back towards goal but deflected off a defender back into the path of the striker of the original shot. Having got up and back towards the centre of his goal, he sprinted back across towards the striker and dived, just as the striker connected with the ball. The result was a great save and a corner.
The game finished 0-0, which pleased Pat, as apparently the clean sheet bonus that I pay is still a thing.
The following week, the scorching weather had been swapped with hail and snow for the Sheffield Schools friendly away at Doncaster. In really bad conditions, he played well, again doing plenty of playing out from the back and making some decent saves as the Sheffield lads came away with a 1-0 win. Another clean sheet earned.
The start of the new grassroots cup competition started the following week, away at Ecclesall Rangers. Having never played them before, they were a bit of an unknown quantity but at least the weather had changed back to sunny and warm again. The captain still wasn’t able to play, so Pat was captain again.
The first half was a very good display from our lads. For the majority of the 40 minutes, they were in control. Pat had a fair bit to do with his feet but very little to do with his hands. At the very end of the half, a cross came in with the striker connecting well, forcing Pat into a smart reaction save. To say they’d been well on top, that save kept it 0-0.
The second half was almost the opposite, with Ecclesall having a lot of the ball and making plenty of chances. Pat did his job well and strangely, against the run of play, we went 2-0 up. The home side kept the pressure on though and looked more and more likely to get back into the game. A free kick that looked to be heading for the top corner was clawed away, before Ecclesall managed to score to make it 2-1. It ended up being backs to the wall from their goal onwards. Ecclesall forced a corner in injury time and one of their players lost his marker, heading the ball downwards to Pat’s left. He dived and managed to shovel the ball wide of the post. Straight away, the ref blew for full time.
A 2-1 win. Not quite a clean sheet but a really good performance.
As we bumped fists with the Ecclesall coaches and began making our way towards the players, I heard their manager ask ours,
“What’s the deal with your keeper?”
He pointed to me, “Ask his Dad.”
He just asked me what academies he’s been at and what coaching he’d had. I rolled out the usual, ‘unsuccessful trial at Utd’ line, plays for Sheffield Schoolboys and then tried my best not to grin when I said that it’s me that coaches him. He was very complimentary about how he’d played and said he was really surprised he wasn’t playing at a higher level.
All really nice to hear, especially on the back of a win. We walked over to the lad’s parents and Andy, our manager, gave his view on the team’s performance and said the Man of the Match was a no brainer. Pat.
When she goes to matches, Pat’s Mum takes photo’s during games and they’re put onto the team’s Facebook page. So we did the usual Sunday afternoon routine of choosing, editing and uploading the best ones. Once the photo’s were up, a few likes appeared and then a comment as well.
I worked it out that with the two clean sheets in the previous games and the time of the goal, Pat hadn’t conceded in 231 minutes. By far and away the longest he’s gone without picking the ball out of the net.
Next up was a rearranged game, away against Espial. They’d been unable to get a team out originally, so this was a Wednesday evening. Pat was captain again. The lads all looked sluggish in the warm up – pretty much how the game went. But even playing badly, our lads had made enough opportunities to get something out of the game. But a gift of a goal and a penalty handed us a 2-0 defeat.
Sandwiched in between grassroots games was the second round of the National Cup for Sheffield Schools, away at Doncaster. Once again the weather in Doncaster was poor to say the least. A shortage of available players meant the outlook was similar to the sky. Bleak.
As any goalkeeper’s parents will tell you, you always end up mixed in with the opposition supporters because you’re near the keeper’s goal and they’re all there too, hoping to see goals being scored. You learn to keep your mouth shut and not react to some of the terrible commentary they spout. Today was no different. The loudest parent, dressed head to toe in Stone Island gear, had very little knowledge about football, with his ‘go to’ phrase being:
“I know mate, I used to play football!”
This gem was rolled out a few times when he was arguing with either his own set of parents, or the linesman (who did a very good job in keeping his cool) a few yards away. I looked at the closest parent to me, who at the time was the latest victim of a one sided argument. I rolled my eyes. He did the same.
I asked him which one was his lad. It turned out his lad was the captain who’d just knocked a free kick into the box, which they’d scored from. He returned the question. “Keeper” was my short response.
“He’s playing well. But isn’t Pat the usual Sheffield keeper? Do you know him, he’s a cracking keeper.”
“That is Pat.”
“Bloody hell, I didn’t recognise him.”
As the game restarted after the goal, Pat shouted to the his team mates,
“Come on lads, we haven’t started yet!“
Stone Island piped up again, “The game started 15 minutes since.” laughing out loud at his own comment, obviously not aware what the angry keeper was getting at. I ignored it – like I said you learn to keep quiet when you’re down the opposition end.
As the saying goes – Never get into an argument with an idiot. They’ll drag you down to their level and beat you with experience.
The conversation carried on, frankly because it was better than the game, the weather and listening to Stoney. By chance, every time Sheffield had played Doncaster in the last 12 months, it had been Pat’s game to play. It turned out that the bloke’s lad plays grassroots and has played quite a few times against Pat’s team – they’ve always played well against our lads, so Pat’s always been busy. He even started recalling specific games and saves that Pat had made. Obviously he’d made an impression.
Back to the game and possession was fairly even but Doncaster had the majority of the chances. We just about mustered one shot on target during the game and lost 1-0. Pat did well enough, with the opposition coach congratulating him for his performance after the final whistle.
A defeat for the team but not bad at all as far as compliments go.
The following game was at home v Brampton. Likely to be one of the toughest games in the cup. Once again, Pat was given the armband with the usual captain still out injured. With the altered fixtures and the cricket season now up and running, our home games were still to be played at the usual ground but on a different pitch. It’s fantastic. Our usual pitch is really good but as far as grass pitches go, I don’t think you’ll find a better one than this in the junior league, or men’s league for that matter.
The game against Brampton followed the usual pattern in this fixture, with them starting strong, looking to overrun us and score early. Although we were being limited mainly to counter attacks, we were also containing their attacks fairly comfortably. They were knocking crosses into the box, trying to use their height advantage but Pat and the defenders were equal to them.
On one occasion when the ball wasn’t properly cleared, it fell to one of their lads who hit a shot first time. Difficult to deal with because of the number of bodies between Pat and the ball but he got down low to his right and managed to push the shot wide of his goal.
As the game continued, our lads grew into the game more and more. Pat was still kept busy throughout the second half but the best two chances of the half fell to us. Their keeper came for a cross but looked to have misjudged it and the ball fell to one of our lads who at the most important time didn’t anticipate the ball dropping to him and the chance went begging.
The frustrating thing about that missed opportunity for me though, was not necessarily not taking the chance to win the game but more that in loads of games over the years, I’ve seen Pat make good, even great saves but forwards have nipped in to convert a loose ball. We don’t seem to be alert often enough to capitalise on those type of chances.
I could be criticised for not taking enough notice of what happens in the middle of the pitch but as the keeper’s Dad, I see everything at either end. Whether that be a good save or mistake from Pat, or from his opposite number.
The main thing was that the game finished 0-0, another point picked up and Pat was back onto the clean sheets.
The clean sheet and point against a strong side were important for the lad’s confidence because next up, a score to settle against Espial in the home fixture.
For the first time in a few weeks, the captain was able to play. Nothing really changed for Pat though, as he’s become very vocal over the last couple of years, so just carried on organising form the back.
Going against the usual storyline and in complete contrast to the previous game against Espial, our lads were at full pace from the first whistle. They took the game to the opposition. All the lads were throwing themselves into every challenge. And we scored in the first half. Pinch yourself kind of stuff.
The goal livened the opposition up though and they began to start making chances of their own. A corner from the right wasn’t properly cleared and one of their lads headed towards goal. Pat dived across and pushed it away. The chances kept on coming but Pat was equal to them.
At half time it was 1-0.
Once again, apart from keeping the ball out of the goal, Pat’s biggest asset was his distribution. He was picking passes out, rather than just hoofing it clear. The second goal was a fluid move, starting with Pat. He picked out the left sided midfielder, who in turn volleyed first time, inside to a midfielder who took a touch then played a through ball for the forward who knocked it past the defender. The defender made a last gasp attempt for the ball but fouled the forward to give away a penalty. 2-0
Within a couple of minutes though, he was back to keeping the ball out. The ball broke through to their centre forward who found himself 1v1 with the keeper. Pat read it and came out to block the forward’s shot. The ball bounced up and with another of their players trying to get to the loose ball, Pat grabbed it.
Not long before the end of the game, our lads completed a flowing move to make it 3-0.
A couple of minutes later Pat caught a cross, landed awkwardly and jarred his knee. I went on to check he was ok. I would have been amazed if he’d wanted to come off at 3-0 up. He didn’t. He was fine, so I went off the pitch near his goal and walked back round to the side line. On my way I had to walk past their manager.
“How long’s he been your keeper?”
“This is his fifth season here.”
“Yeah, thought it was the same lad. He’s a reyt keeper.”
The game finished not long after. A great result, with a hint of revenge mixed in. And another clean sheet.
It won’t be long before he makes a mistake, or the compliments dry up but that’s what you’re getting yourself into as a keeper – sometimes* it’s all or nothing.
*all of the time
But for now, we’ll remember the clean sheets and compliments and it all helps you to keep the faith.
Keeper of the faith 