Behind Closed Doors Part 2: Cock Robins, Linnets Off Song....

And so to an Avian derby which looked unlikely to fly - the Robins of Altrincham against the Linnets of King's Lynn in the National League, a game already postponed once because of Covid protocols.

Alty's history was covered in my previous match report, and since the Woking home victory the Robins have, frustratingly, drawn at home with the ten-man Monkey Hangers of Hartlepool United (team bus registration 14 HU - for those that are interested), been shot down 2-1 at Aldershot, and played the reverse fixture at Woking, earning a point with an injury-time penalty. A home clash against Dagenham & Redbridge last Saturday proved underwhelming, the only piece of quality being Will Wright's exquisite free-kick with ten to go as the Daggers nicked all three points 1-0.

King's Lynn Football Club was officially founded on 30 August 1881 as Lynn Town, although there is mention of an earlier team existing in 1868, and the club badge refers to 1879. After winning the Norfolk Senior Cup in 1883, and with three more successes in the next seven years, Lynn was a founder member of the Norfolk & Suffolk League in 1897, crowned as champions four times before World War One, and then winning four consecutive titles between 1922 and 1925.

After a brief spell in the East Anglian League, Lynn became a founder member of the Eastern Counties League in 1935.  Thereafter they spent two seasons in the United Counties League after WWII, before reverting to the ECL where a 1953/54 League and Cup double, coinciding with the adoption of the name King's Lynn FC, saw them step up to the Midland League. Four years later the club joined the Southern League, and achieved promotion to the Premier Division for the 1959/60 season.

FA Cup exploits in 1961/62 saw King's Lynn reach the third round, beating Chelmsford City and Coventry City both by two goals to one, before losing 4-0 to Everton.

In 1980 the club transferred to the Northern Premier League but in 1983 they returned to the Southern League. After a yo-yo existence Lynn were promoted to the Conference North as champions in 2008, but demoted a year later due to their ground failing to meet Conference North standards - King's Lynn have played at the Walks for their entire existence, with the stadium name deriving from the area of parkland located next to the stadium.

Whilst the remedial work was completed by the start of the following season, Lynn's first season back in the Northern Premier League saw the club wound up at the High Court on 25 November 2009 with debts of £77,000, going out of business in December after a failed appeal. A reformed club was established in January 2010 as Lynn FC and later renamed King's Lynn Town FC.

The Linnets were admitted to the Premier Division of the United Counties League and finished runners-up in their debut campaign, also reaching the semi-finals of the FA Vase, losing 6–2 on aggregate to Coalville Town. After finishing as runners-up again in 2011/12 the club was promoted to Division One South of the Northern Premier League. They won Division One South at their first attempt, earning promotion to the Premier Division.

In 2015 the Linnets were transferred to the Premier Division of the Southern League. After a play off defeat in 2018 Lynn finished as Premier Division Central runners up in the 2018/19 season, going on to beat Stratford Town and Alvechurch, and then being promoted to the National League North following a 3–2 win at Warrington Town in the super play-off final.

The 2019/20 season was abandoned due to the coronavirus pandemic with the club second in the league, two points behind leaders York City with two games in hand. The National League later decided the final league table would be based on points-per-game, resulting in King's Lynn being declared champions, and promotion to the National League.

In 2020/21 the new club reached the first round of the FA Cup for the first time after Notts County were forced to forfeit the fourth qualifying round tie due to a Covid outbreak in their squad. In the first round, King's Lynn defeated League Two club Port Vale 1–0 at Vale Park - then losing 6–1 in the second round at Portsmouth.

In the league a bright start has lately been overshadowed by ongoing rows concerning loans/ grants regarding fulfilling the season's fixtures, resulting in a threat to 'draw down the shutters' at the end of February, a week's emergency funding, furloughing six first team players, and 'Gun to the Head to Carry On'. Little wonder that the previous 12 games have accumulated 6 points and left the Linnets deep in the mire - if relegation comes to pass this season, which seems increasingly unlikely....

So a different, circuitous route, circumventing Altrincham town centre and its £12,000 vanity project, complete with spelling mistake, and the equally unusual Eudaemonium. A repeat performance from B16LET (Wren Properties) plus L4WNS and a second sighting of M3CRY (A dyslexic cry for help ???) feature as today's numberplates. Instead straight onto Park Road, and past the Wok Inn, Barberian and Marvel Guitars before I turn right at Moss Park Community Gardens.

Then Beauty at Peaches & Cream, Hair Icon, Pickering Lodge Park and beyond Rose & Lily Spa Bar, turning onto Thorley Lane and Cheshire Dog Spa. The Timperley Wedge and, in the distance, Field Walk, scene of an attempted murder late last year. Fittingly the next landmark, after turning right, on Grove Lane is Kenneth Dewey Funeral Directors.....

Before that the mosque that is the AMA (Altrincham Muslim Association) Centre, itself the site of a stabbing in 2017 - but attempted murder was downgraded to wounding with intent at the the subsequent trial. Then we're here at Moss Lane, Honeybear Nursery and those allotments, apparently missing a coat....

Piped on to the pitch by the iconic Emerson, Lake & Palmer's 'Fanfare For The Common Man', Alty are in red and white with black shorts, Lynn in blue with a yellow and black diagonal stripe (sash?). The home custodian, Tony Thompson, is in all pink, the away stopper, Theo Richardson, in all yellow. Lynn are able to announce a full bench for the first time in several games, including assistant manager and non league legend, 50 year old Paul Bastock, as goalkeeper cover.

A minute's silence for the coronavirus anniversary, and my view at the J Davidson is now obstructed by an overflowing skip, resulting in five eighths vision and more timepiece shuffling between both gates. The Robins create the first chance, James Hardy showing impressive footwork to shimmy round two defenders before lifting his shot over the bar.

Shortly after a sliced Alty shot lands in a garden on The Chequers, and the steward tries once, twice, three times (a gatey??) to open the gates and retrieve the ball - unsuccessfully. Whilst this jammed gates farce is playing out, the ball sits up nicely for Lynn's Simeon Jackson on 14 minutes and his volley smacks the bar before going over - Thompson motionless.

Within a minute the Robins lead as Ryan Colclough's corner is nodded in by an unchallenged Josh Hancock at the near post. Colclough brings a save out of Richardson soon after.

Jordan Richards forces a splendid fingertip save from Thompson ten minutes before the break, and Sonny Carey drives just wide with a minute left. So it's 1-0 at the interval in an entertaining half that also saw three goals correctly disallowed - two for Lynn, one for Alty. Half time also prompts a conversation with the steward, he of jammed gates, who informs me of a better vantage point involving a missing breeze block on the opposite side - to be investigated....

Five minutes into the second period it's deja vu as Jackson belts another screamer that hits the bar and bounces out, Thompson again motionless. Seven minutes afterwards Hancock's excellent, but slightly deflected, free kick doubles Altrincham's advantage.

Two minutes later and it's game over with the goal of the game; Hardy again showing nifty close control, slaloming down the wing and eventually scoring through Richardson's legs. Richardson prevents a fourth Alty goal, superbly fingertipping aside a Joe Piggott effort.

Thereafter the Robins are content to let Lynn push forward, but the Linnets' only meaningful chance is a disappointing Jordan Davies header, as the match finishes 3-0 to Altrincham.

'Behind Closed Doors' - From The Other Side: Cardinals' Sin - Man up, Goal Down....

And so, seemingly deprived later this month of an Avian derby as the Linnets of King's Lynn 'draw down the shutters' (a decision temporarily reversed), it's off to a National League game at the J Davidson Stadium between the Robins of Altrincham and Woking FC.

Altrincham FC was established by a Sunday School around 1891 as Rigby Memorial Club. They soon merged with another local team, Grapplers, forming Broadheath Football Club, and becoming a founder member of the Manchester League, where they finished bottom of the table in their inaugural campaign.

After playing at various grounds in Broadheath, Timperley and Altrincham, the club moved to Pollitt's Field in 1903, at which point they changed their name to Altrincham FC. Success winning the Cheshire Amateur Cup in their first season under their new name was followed with both the Manchester League and the Cheshire Senior Cup the following term. They won the Manchester League again in 1907, and moved to the current Moss Lane ground in 1910.

In 1911 the club joined Division Two of the Lancashire Combination, finishing as runners-up in their first season and earning promotion to Division One, where they remained until World War I. When football resumed in 1919, the club was a founder member of the Cheshire County League, staying there until the outbreak of World War II.

After missing out on the 1945/46 season, the Robins rejoined the Cheshire County League in 1946, but achieved little success until the 1960s, when Altrincham director Noel White hired Freddie Pye as manager. A key turning point was the signing of Jackie Swindells in 1965, who in his first full season scored 82 goals, helping Altrincham to the first of back-to-back Cheshire County League titles. After finishing as runners-up in 1968, Altrincham became a founder member of the Northern Premier League in 1968.

The Robins got to the semi-finals of the FA Trophy in 1977 but the following season went one better, reaching the final at Wembley, where they beat Leatherhead 3-1. After a series of failed applications for election to the Football League, Altrincham FC became a founder member of the Alliance Premier League (which became the Conference and is now the National League) - and the league's debut season saw them crowned as champions.

In the subsequent elections to the Football League, the club missed out by a single vote, receiving 25 to Rochdale's 26; particularly galling as the club had been promised the votes of Grimsby Town and Luton Town, but the Grimsby representative was prevented from voting by 'being in the wrong part of the meeting room', whilst the Luton representative arrived too late after a mix-up over the start time. Never again would they come so close....

Altrincham retained the APL title the following year, but again failed in the Football League elections. Another FA Trophy final appearance featured in 1982, this time losing 1–0 to Enfield. All the while the Robins were gaining a history of giant-killing in the FA Cup, reaching the third round of the FA Cup in four consecutive seasons between 1978–79 and 1981–82, holding a better record in the competition than any club playing in the Third or Fourth divisions during this period. To date the club has recorded seventeen victories against Football League clubs - the highlight a 2-1 victory against top flight Birmingham City at St Andrews in 1986. 

A second Trophy success - 1-0 against Runcorn - was also delivered in 1985. The halcyon days of my youth, with Jeff Johnson, John Rogers, Mal Bailey, Johnny King, Stan Allan, John Owens and Peter Eales, under the tutelage of Tony Sanders still bring back fond memories....

Mid table mediocrity prevailed thereafter until bottom place in 1997 saw relegation to the Northern Premier League in 1997; two seasons later promotion as champions heralded a single season return to the Conference..

A twelfth-place finish in 2003/04 allowed the Robins to qualify for the newly formed Conference North, and, finishing fifth, won promotion via the North/South final against Eastbourne Borough at the Britannia Stadium. Three consecutive reprieves from 2006 followed - bottom after an 18 point deduction for playing an ineligible player but saved by Canvey Island's resignation and Scarborough's expulsion, then spared by Boston United's demotion and, finally in 2008 the liquidation of Halifax preserved Alty's top flight status.

Ricky Ponting became a shareholder in the club in 2009 as the Robins were relegated to the Conference North at the end of the 2010/11 season. This was reversed in 2014 with a 2-1 play off final victory, in extra time, against Guiseley in front of a crowd of 4,632.

Sadly, in 2015/16 Alty were relegated to the renamed National League North, and in the subsequent season finished bottom, leading to a second successive relegation to the Premier Division of the Northern Premier League. But the 2017/18 term saw the club win the Northern Premier League title, and after one failed play off sortie, earned promotion via the play offs back to the National League last summer.

 After a bright start, five straight league defeats has prompted three loan signings - Montel Gibson, Yoann Zouma and Reagan Ogle, who all start tonight, with the Robins now placed eleventh.

The visitors, Woking FC, from Kingfield aka the Laithwaite Community Stadium, were formed in 1887 (not 1889 as was recently discovered - a new badge will reflect the correct date of inception), and joined the West Surrey League in 1895.

In 1911 the Cardinals (almost always shortened to The Cards) entered the Isthmian League and stayed in the top division for 72 years. 1958 saw the club win the last ever televised FA Amateur Cup against Ilford 3-0 in front of 71,000.

But by 1983 the Cards were falling, and relegations that year and in 1985 saw the club drop to the Isthmian Division Two South. Cue the Geoff Chapple managerial era as fortunes improved...

Promotions in the 1986/87 and 1989/90 seasons took Woking back to the Isthmian's top tier. In 1991 Woking reached the 4th round of the FA Cup, famously beating West Bromwich Albion 4-2 at The Hawthorns, courtesy of a Tim Buzaglo hat trick, before narrowly exiting 1-0 at Goodison Park to Everton.

The following season Woking played their Cards right, earning promotion to the Conference as Isthmian League champions. Thereafter the team won the FA Trophy three times in four years - 1994 (Runcorn 2-1), 1995 (Kidderminster Harriers 2-1) and 1997 (Dagenham & Redbridge 1-0), with Chapple leaving for Kingstonian after the third triumph.

2006 saw another FA Trophy final appearance, but defeat this time against Grays Athletic, and in 2009 Woking were relegated to the Blue Square South. In January 2011 Garry Hill was appointed as manager and steered the Cards to top of the pack, champions, promoted to the Conference the following year.

In May 2017 Hill left the club amidst much acrimony and the Cards dealt down; relegated on the final day of the season amongst managerial turmoil. A return to the National League followed in 2019, beating Welling 1-0 in the Southern play off final.

The club is now entering a brave new era, under fresh American investors John Katz and Drew Volpe, switching to full time status and aiming for promotion to the EFL. That has not been translated on to the pitch, with a poor run leaving the Cards face down in 18th, seven points behind the Robins but with five games in hand, albeit having reached the Trophy semi finals last weekend, beating league leaders Torquay United 1-0.

So a short journey, stepladders in the car just in case (!!), and then past Woodcote Wildlife Area and on to Manchester Road, where I'm greeted by the fire damaged, shuttered Railway pub and The Arches & Quay House business park - home of, amongst others, Twister Interiors, Healthy Mutts Dog Treats and Broadheath Central FC.

 

An eventful journey nonetheless with a DogsnDivas van, then a versatile builder offering 'Bricks & Mortar, Pipes & Water', then Fat Bob The Locksmith (yes, seriously !!), and featuring numberplates B16 LET (property rentals) and M155 YAK (conjuring up any number of images)....

 

Left by The Old Packet House and beyond the old canalside mill and boot polish works (Radium House) that hosts the Stubborn Mule Brewery, it's down to the roundabout at the end of Navigation Road. Crossing over the road at the Jehovah's Witnesses and its Kingdom Hall, familiar territory awaits in Woodlands Parkway. Then Oakfield Street, with Oakfield Chambers offering Psychological Services and via a muddy cut through by Timperley Brook which brings me to Moss Lane.

 

A bright day has turned to a very chilly night and behind closed doors my vantage point is the Chequers End, the former nightclub now redeveloped as townhouses. On the right the uncovered Carole and Fred Nash Terrace, and opposite a raised covered terraced stand featuring the Flaggers' flagstones, overshadowed by the gasometer. At the far end is the Golf Road terrace, evoking memories of 'Zigger Zagger, Zigger Zagger, Altrincham !!', and on my left is the new Community Sports Hall, the Footy Accumulators main grandstand and the sponsors' lounge.

 

Three points of vision - either side of the gateposts and hinge openings, and a wooden knothole in the gates themselves ('one I prepared earlier' (not!!)), providing seven eighths pitch coverage. Amidst a plethora of joggers and dogwalkers a handful stop to watch the action, but for a couple of minutes only, with one seemingly wearing a coat robbed from a nearby allotment. This aside from the final interloper who takes in the final four minutes (and four minutes stoppage time) - and who is astonished that I have lasted the duration from warm up to the death ('You need to get out a bit more' 'Don't we all ?'). As the minutes pass by I am conscious of resembling a timepiece figurine, shuffling between the three vantage points, dancing and disappearing as the clock strikes the (quarter) hour....or minute in my case ☺

Altrincham are in red and white with black shorts, Woking in yellow and black with a tannoy announcement that face masks are mandatory in the main stand but curiously nowhere else.... The match is preceded by a presentation for Robins' captain Jake Moult on the occasion of his 400th Alty appearance, but the Cards start sharper with Jamar Loza pirouetting on 12 minutes and just shooting wide.

 

Moult then has a goal disallowed on 21 for offside/ handball, before Ryan Colclough's well struck effort seven minutes after is expertly parried by Woking's keeper and captain Craig Ross. Then ten minutes before the break a sloppy back pass results in the Robins' Tom Hannigan bringing down Jayden Wareham, and, as last man, an inevitable red card means Altrincham go down to ten.

 

Surprisingly Alty are the more enterprising side in the second period despite their man disadvantage; Colclough has an effort deflected and it loops under the bar with Ross palming it over on 55. A shocking miss from Woking sub Jonte Smith, through on goal, ten minutes after proves pivotal....

 

On 69 minutes Robins' sub Tom Peers marauds down the right wing on a swift counterattack and squares for Matty Kosylo to finish sumptuously in the bottom left hand corner and Alty lead 1-0. A shame it's witnessed by a (non paying) audience of one...

 

Thereafter a magnificent rearguard action, with Moult immense, prevents Woking from creating anything other than hopeful long shots, despite the introduction of ex Premier League star Matt Jarvis. Indeed the Robins should have put the game to bed but Peers, fed by Joel Senior, finishes disappointingly.

 

Finally the Cards' 1-4-5 formation fashions a chance deep into stoppage time, but Tony Thompson produces a remarkable double reflex save to preserve Alty's three points.

 

So 1-0 to the home side at the finish, as the Cards' aces are trumped by the reliant Robins ☺ 'Zigger Zagger, Zigger Zagger, Moultrincham' anyone... ??