Your reading a pre 2010-11 archived article
Exiled in Kent Leeds United fan Matt Goodwin guests for Clarkeonenil with a report on his newly found local club Tonbridge Angels.
… Tonbridge… You what? Tunbridge Wells?.. No, Tonbridge… Where? Tunbridge Wells?.. Eh? Tunbridge Wells?… NO! TONBRIDGE! A typical response to when ever you may to mention that you live in Tonbridge. Ah Tonbridge, tis cursed to live in Johnny come latley Tunbridge Wells’ shadow (just a few miles up the road) for all eternity. It seems people, media and even the internet can’t compute the existence of Tonbridge. Anyway, trust me, it exists.
Occupying a beautiful patch of Kentish countryside, this largish town sat merrily on the banks of the River Medway has provided for my needs for 6 years now, and since moving from the war zone that is SE “Landon”, we’ve been very happy here. Seems to attract more than it’s fair share of Northern types too. Witness the morning of 25th May 2008, when Tonbridge station was over run with Leeds fans. (not cockerleeds but proper northern one’s saying “grAss” n that). Anyway, since being here, I’ve always heard talk of a local football team called the ‘Angels’ and it has always appeared to be that they don’t want anyone to know about them. Their profile in the town is almost non existant, maybe a two line report in the local paper, and that’s only if the rugby or hockey failed to shine that week, or you’d see a posse of away suporters marching up the high street away from the train station towards the ground. Anyway enough was enough, perhaps inspired by this blog and having also decided to put the goings-on up at Elland Road on the backburner for a bit, it was time to seek out ‘my local’ club and find out more.
A bit of research tells me that they were formed in 1948 and used to ground share the Kent County cricket ground (has since become the Sainsbury’s car park in the middle of town). They were moved to their current location in North Tonbridge in 1980, taking one of the stands with them. Seems they have flitted about in the unfathomable murky depths of league/cup football ever since, although I can slightly comprehend their current place in the Ryman League (what do you mean it’s the Isthmian League, Whatever!).
So it was Saturday afternoon, set up nicely by two pints of lovely ale from an impossibly lovely country pub and perhaps on one of the loveliest days of the year, we arrived at Longmead Stadium, home of the evasive Tonbridge Angels. First thing that strikes you is the carpark. It’s bleedin huge! And not in a horrible concrete and tarmacwhite line hell kinda way either. This is the Narnian wooded glade of carparks and it’d put Lego Land and several National Trust properties to shame. Through the turnstiles, tenner for me, three for the boy. This is it! Isthmian League football at it’s finest. 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8, yep eight working floodlights and 1,2, Two burger vans, just like it said on the tin. East side of the pitch awash with temporary looking portacabins, which turn out to be the club shop and the bar, which was too packed to investigate further and so we made our way over to seated west stand, (£1 each extra to sit down) where we had a goodview of the Tonbridge players warming up, taking shots towards the South Stand goal, although with alarming frequency mainly hitting the stand behind it (a sign of things to come perhaps?). After the PA had read out the team numbers for all the old boys to fill in their programmes (quite a thick glossy affair, filled with their exploits of beating Met Police in FA cup, and only £2) 3 O’clock the players trudged out (double take at the Sutton kit and is that Luciano Becchio lining up for Tonbridge? No just Midfieder Steve Ferguson, I see they’ve also got a Lewis Hamilton), shook hands and they were off and under way. The fans grouped over on the East side having now discovered which end their team was playing towards quickly made their way to the appropriate South/North stands. Sutton Utd (50 or so) claiming the South with a huge flag.
Tonbridge started brightly, and were on the attack for large periods, but with the Sutton defence holding strongly and Tonbridge wasting chance (they could hit the stand) after chance until Sutton Utd got their act together and started bang it out themselves. Rather alot of hoofball going on,with plenty of stoppages for arial clashes, one challenge from the Sutton number 6, resulted in the Tonbridge midfielder Storey angrilly grabing his shirt and half swinging a punch behind the ref’s back. After a few close shaves, neither keeper was really troubled, it was a couple of mins into injury time, Tonbridge pumped it forward again,Sutton number 5 tried to head back the bouncing ball only for their keeper to help it into his own net. 1-0 Tonbridge. It was interesting at half time to witness another Leeds fan amble along the front of of the stand. (God we’re a awful bunch of unfaithful feckers aren’t we?). It was also quaint to see the fans had also swapped ends, is this the norm at this level? Attendance 424 btw.
Sutton Utd rapidly came out of the traps for the second half and caught Tonbridge on the hop, racing down the right, a great cross in saw the number 9 Gargan comfortably slide the shot in on goal from the left. 1-1. A fine save from the Tonbridge keeper Worgan shortly after kept them in it. Got a bit scrappy again, with yellows dished out. Tonbridge should have scored towards the end, with the ball pinging around all over the Sutton area, but a final weak shot saw the keeper gratefully fall upon it. Sutton sent on two subs, which perked the whole team up somewhat, who now in the fifth minute of injury time won a free kick on the edge of the Tonbridge area. Which saw the number 6 Cobbs leap up like a salmon, and headed it straight past the stranded Worgan. 1-2 SuttonUtd. The Sutton fans went mad, “You’re just a small town in nowhere!” they crowed, the Angels fans streamed out muttering about ‘FergiesWatch’ (an omen?) etc etc.
A win for Sutton Utd, who to their credit were still running up and down the pitch 15 mins (warming down or showing off?) after the final whistle. All in all great day out, and must admit I’ve got now my eye on attending the Bognor Regis clash on Tues night. Could this be the start of a beautiful relationship?
