The heel of God

FA cup match against AFC Wimbledon, 2nd December 2012. Jon Otsemobor's goal will live in the legends of MK Dons forever. The fans have dubbed it 'the heel of God'.

Sadly, while I was there and in theory in a good position to see it, such is my slow brain that I didn't spot what he did at the time. I thought we just got a lucky bounce! Seeing it on the telly, or the ITV website, though, it is quite sublime. He's casually walking away from the goal and the ball comes down behind him. A nonchalant flick of his heel and it's in the net.

 PS  I wonder what that AFCW fan is saying, 44 seconds into this clip :-)

Following MK Dons has helped me empathize with AFCW fans

Before Wimbledon landed on my doorstep in Milton Keynes, I was largely an armchair follower of football. I had taken my two young sons to Anfield a few times, but that was never going to be viable, on cost or time grounds, but after going to watch the team 3 miles away (OK, not quite my doorstep) I, we all, were gradually drawn in. And now, eight years on, we're hooked: season tickets and away whenever we can.

One of the MK Dons fans on a one our forums got in a strop when we recently drew against Cambridge City (before we beat them 6-1 in the replay at home) and said he was abandoning the Dons. I don't know whether he was for real or a WUM, but the point is that it set me wondering: what would make me abandon Dons? Would anything make me abandon them?  Certainly not drawing - or even losing - to a team like Cambridge City (I was at that draw and it was fun evening out). I can't see any result driving me away. What about a long-term catastrophic decline in form, dropping down the leagues? To league 2? Not a problem at all, I followed them down there once before. Conference Premier? No, I'm sure that wouldn't be a problem. Conference South? Lower still? It is difficult to imagine, but I honestly think I would now stick with them, because they have become my team. (Though I still follow Liverpool: you don't stop loving your parents because you have children to love too!).

I have thought of circumstances when I would, hopefully temporarily, boycott them, as it happens, but it wouldn't be about achievement. Here's one (and it is in no way a criticism of Swindon Town fans): I would not support the team if we were managed by Paolo de Canio. His open support of facism is beyond the pale.  Note that it is not just that he's a fascist - maybe other people in football are too - I'm not saying the manager has to agree with my politics, but de Canio has brought fascism into football and it is not on.

So that's one thing that would drive me away.  How about this one: how about my team moved away from me, like, say, suppose the MK Dons relocated to, oh I don't know, say, the London Borough of Merton?  Well you've already seen that my reason for following MK Dons was that they were local, so, I don't know, maybe that would be a problem. Well of course it would be a problem, but without being in that situation I can't absolutely declare what I would do.

My point, of course, is that it is my following of the MK Dons that enables me to empathize with the plight of the Wimbledon fans ten years ago.  And, just maybe, it has shown me how in a similar situation I would be following AFCW. How ironic is that?

One final observation for this blog post. We among the MK Dons fans who used to, or still do, support some other team are told we are not 'proper' football fans. But what would be more proper: remaining an armchair Liverpool fan or buying a season ticked at actually watching the MK Dons?

MK Dons 2, Oldham Athletic 0 (first league game of the season)

The early season matches in glorious sunshine have a character of their own, and there's something particularly pleasing to win in the heat of the summer.

So it was today, though maybe a bit too hot, especially in the new location of the OfTheNewCity family season tickets. We've taken advantage of the changed pricing to move from The Cowshed to the East Premium: better view (from the middle of the side) but less atmosphere, and full sun on our faces for the whole 2 hours. Especially noticable since the hot weather has appeared from nowhere this weekend, after a miserable summer.

So the Dons trademark passing football under Karl Robinson paid dividends today, though neither of the goals came from the patient passing moves. One was from a corner: perfectly headed in by Darren Potter. The other was from a passing move, but it was a fast break of passes that finished with Daniel Powell taking it across the goal mouth and struck powerfully from close range.

Oldham had the ball in the net but it was disallowed by the linesman, for offside. Oldham fans were furious but I gather that was because they don't understand the offside rule. One of our defenders was behind the Oldham player, but David Martin wasn't, so there was only one defender between the attacker and the goal, it's just that it wasn't the goalie. The viciousness of the Oldham fans invective at linesman was not edifying, and the Dons fans chant of 'We love you linesman, we do; oh linesman we love you' probably didn't do him many favours!

The one downside to the afternoon: Antony Kay sent off after the final whistle. Apparently he'd reacted badly to an Oldham elbow in the face.

Oh yes, and the other unfortunate thing about the afternoon is that I am currently suffering from a 'frozen shoulder' so it is agony if I raise my arms in excited celebration when we score. But I'll happily put up with that for the sake of the club.

MK Dons fans are (almost!) the best-behaved in the football league

Hats off to Dagenham and Redbridge, though (or do I mean, damn you Dagenham and Redbridge, for keeping MK Dons off the top!)

Taking the banning-order stats from here http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/crime/football-arrests-banning-orders/fbo-2010-11?view=Binary

and the average attendance from here: http://itv.stats.football365.com/dom/ENG/PR/attend.html

Dividing the number banned by the average attendance (and multiplying by 10,000 to get values above 1) you get the following table.

Hats off to Fulham, too, being by far the best behaved Premiership team, but, heck, I'm glad I don't live in Aldershot!

Rank	Team	Number Banned	Average Attendance	Number banned per 10,000 attendance
1	Dagenham	0	2081	0.00
2	MK Dons	1	8247	1.21
3	Fulham	4	25272	1.58
4	Gillingham	1	5487	1.82
5	Yeovil	1	3898	2.57
6	Stevenage	1	3608	2.77
7	Watford	4	12820	3.12
8	Wycombe	2	5047	3.96
9	Reading	9	18539	4.85
10	Ipswich	9	18344	4.91
11	Brighton	10	18397	5.44
12	Wigan	10	17861	5.60
13	Burton	2	2960	6.76
14	Morecombe	2	2430	8.23
15	Barnet	2	2232	8.96
16	Wimbledon	4	4393	9.11
17	Macclesfield	2	2056	9.73
18	Manchester City	46	47000	9.79
19	Peterborough	9	9057	9.94
20	Charlton	17	16893	10.06
21	Bolton	25	23433	10.67
22	Norwich	26	23549	11.04
23	QPR	21	16913	12.42
24	Preston	15	12009	12.49
25	Accrington	2	1599	12.51
26	Crawley	4	3196	12.52
27	Arsenal	76	59948	12.68
28	Derby	33	25971	12.71
29	WBA	32	24989	12.81
30	Notts	8	6173	12.96
31	Blackburn	31	23172	13.38
32	Manchester United	101	75486	13.38
33	Doncaster	13	9596	13.55
34	Blackpool	17	12547	13.55
35	Sunderland	53	38631	13.72
36	Southend	8	5790	13.82
37	Liverpool	64	44911	14.25
38	Stoke	40	27291	14.66
39	Cheltenham	5	3339	14.97
40	Everton	52	33834	15.37
41	Northampton	7	4396	15.92
42	Carlisle	8	4800	16.67
43	Tottenham	62	36072	17.19
44	Bournemouth	10	5751	17.39
45	Aston	63	34540	18.24
46	Leicester	44	23476	18.74
47	Bristol	25	13307	18.79
48	Leyton	8	4136	19.34
49	Newcastle	98	48484	20.21
50	Coventry	31	14867	20.85
51	Crystal	32	14809	21.61
52	Bury	8	3646	21.94
53	Portsmouth	32	14189	22.55
54	Wolverhampton	52	22572	23.04
55	Nottingham Forest	52	22430	23.18
56	Sheffield U	43	18408	23.36
57	Chelsea	105	41666	25.20
58	Hartlepool	13	5156	25.21
59	Barnsley	26	10154	25.61
60	Southampton	67	25744	26.03
61	Tranmere	14	4963	28.21
62	Walsall	13	4512	28.81
63	Burnley	43	14430	29.80
64	Bristol R	19	6212	30.59
65	Huddersfield	41	13308	30.81
66	Brentford	19	5749	33.05
67	Oldham	16	4823	33.17
68	West Ham	98	29430	33.30
69	Hull	66	18760	35.18
70	Sheffield W	72	19620	36.70
71	Shrewsbury	20	5433	36.81
72	Bradford	38	10254	37.06
73	Scunthorpe	17	4462	38.10
74	Swansea	76	19759	38.46
75	Crewe	15	3873	38.73
76	Middlesbrough	73	18103	40.32
77	Swindon	32	7838	40.83
78	Rotherham	15	3628	41.35
79	Oxford U	32	7449	42.96
80	Birmingham	84	18551	45.28
81	Leeds	106	23409	45.28
82	Plymouth	33	6125	53.88
83	Colchester	21	3874	54.21
84	Chesterfield	36	6624	54.35
85	Torquay	15	2693	55.70
86	Hereford	12	2120	56.60
87	Millwall	65	11177	58.16
88	Rochdale	16	2735	58.50
89	Port Vale	30	4940	60.73
90	Exeter	26	4184	62.14
91	Cardiff	143	22147	64.57
92	Aldershot	26	2961	87.81

Play-off semi finals: Scunthorpe

Away: 1 - 1
Home 0 - 0, then lost 7-6 on penalties.

A went to the away leg with 3 friends from uni. V & I watched at David Lloyd leisure.

J came with V and me to the home leg. J's conclusion: I don't want to come to anything like that again!

Heartbreak. Jude had the chance to win it for us in the 'sudden death'. It should have been glorious, the player who more than any loves to be loved by the fans. But instead it was agony - saved easily. I'm sure that moment will haunt him for years to come.

Earlier Puncheon had his saved, much to the disgust of V.

Gueret took one - a good strike that went in.

But in the end it was Flo who missed, to end all hope.

Got a sympathetic email from C in Stockholm.

Season all went wrong this weekend. Livepool's chance of winning the premiership disappeared on Saturday with ManU picking up the point they needed from Arsenal. Then by losing to Liverpool The Baggies were relegated on Sunday. The one time I wanted Liverpool to lose - what would it matter - and they win 2 - 0.

Hereford away, 2nd May 09

Last match on the season, before the play-offs. Won 1-0.

And so we should, since Hereford were bottom and already relegated and we were third. Interesting stadium. We were high up, like in the balcony of a theatre, almost alongside the centre line. Excellent view, except when close to our side of the pitch when in disappears from view. J commented that it was much more entertaining watching football when you've got such a good view, but that is was a shame the match was so boring...

We all went - J, A, V and me. Time for a snack in the cathedral coffee bar before the match, and J and I had a walk alongside the river while A & V went on to savour the pre-match atmosphere.

After the match we went on to a B&B near Barry in South Wales. Two nights there, and eplored the coast the next day.

Northampton away, 28th April

Won 1 - 0

Went with V, and also MR, who lives close to the stadium. Is not a football person, but was interested to see a match since he lives so close.

When we got the tickets I expected it be a real hum-dinger, reckoning that it would be crucial both for us and the cobblers, as it was of course it was not such a big deal for us, but for the cobblers a draw would have been enough to secure survival. We were in control the first half, I thought, playing with confidence. But second half they came at us with some desperation, forcing defensive - sometimes also desperate - play from us. But we held out.

Not sure it will have convinced MR to become a regular. Cobblers fans invaded the pitch at the end, though I can't think why! Dons all just left of course, and so I was a little bemused to hear the tannoy ask the Dons fans to leave the ground... what did he think we were doing?

Forgot how long it would take to get out of the car park (we'd driven, since it is so close), so it was daft that I'd turned down an invitation to have a cup of tea with MR - we just spent half an hour in the car instead.

Walsall home, 25th April

Lost 1 - 0, and since Peteborough won, we can no longer get automatic promotion!

It felt like 'going out with a whimper', though of course we are still in the play-offs - guaranteed a place in the play-offs. The trouble is, the last two, away, league games are now of limited significance, all they can do is determine who we'll play in the play-off semis.

Most memorable feature of the match was the antics of two pigeons. One, a white Dove of a pigeon, was on the pitch from the start. He/she was joined by another, more pigeon-like (ie plumage of a rock-dove) pigeon, towards the end of the first half. The two of them seemed oblivious to the game going on around them, or the 12,049 spectators. They calmly grazed on the pitch for the whole match.

Scunthorpe away 18th April

Won 1 - 0

We took a detour to have fish and chips on Cleethorpes sea front. Short walk on the beach, watched turnstones, wasted some money on the slot machines...

Walk from Scunthorpe station to the stadium was unexpectedly pleasant.

Good attacking play from both sides.

Bristol Rovers home, Easter Monday 13th April

Won 2 - 1

I missed the build up to the first goal because I was reading the words on the flags the Rovers fans had brought with them (like "we all hate city"). I suddenly realised that everyone was getting excited and looked back just in time to see Gerba score. Apparently he'd just robbed a defender and done it all himself. Actually this is not an uncommon experience for me. I usually need my sons to tell me what has happened in the run-up when there's been a goal or some other event.

Reading the flags had set me remembering what I think was the first competitive top-flight football match I went to see, back in 1977 or sometime around then. It was in Bristol and involved Everton. From memory I'd thought it was against Rovers, but Rovers weren't in the top division, so it must have been City. Prior to that, the only professional match I'd seen was a friendly between Liverpool and Hertha BSC (as they were described in those days) in the Berlin Olympic Stadium. My main memory of that match was the pickled-gerkin sellers who extracted the gerkins from a bucket using wooden tongs.

Southend away: Good Friday 11 April 09

Won 2 - 0

V & I went by train. A got a lift with friend B.

Bah! The car drivers got there way before us. We'd set off early to have a chance to see the mile-long pier before the match. Just as well, as it meant we got there just in time for kick off. There'd been a fatality on the line at Wolverton, so in the end there was a replacement bus service to Watford, where we could only get the 'London Overground' to Euston (18 stops!). Then to add further difficulties engineering works on the underground meant we ended up walking - running part of the way - from Bank to Fenchurch Street (didn't know that station existed outside Monopoly), arriving just in time to catch the 11.40 to Southend. Would have got a taxi at Southend if there'd been any outside the station, but there weren't so walked the mile to the ground. I was determined to go down to the beach, so we delayed our return journey a little (it was 1 pm kick off so the natch was over by 3) to have an ice cream, skim some stones on the sea and gamble some 2p pieces in the amusement arcade. V would probably want me to confess to my faults that meant we missed an earlier train home from Euston... vis, forgetting where I'd put the tickets then when we'd gone through the barrier getting on the train on platform 11, when he'd already told me we wanted the one on platform 10. So we saw the one on platform 10 leave without us..

Great day out, though. Two excellent goals from Mark Wright. Well made goals too: not the scramble over the line types. Wright gets a lot of stick from some of our fans. Don't really know why, but 'what do I know' (actually I really don't know much when it comes to football....) Couple of brilliant saves from Gueret, and Southend helpfully missed some easy chances. They should have won, but we'll take the 3 points. (Especially since Peterborough could only draw with bottom-club Cheltenham and Millwall lost to Yeovil!. Maybe automatic promotion isn't out of the question after all.

Brighton Home 4 April

Won 2 - 0

Brighton are looking at relegation, so this should have been easy. We were much better than them, but after going 2 up by half time we again didn't really take control of the game, and it took a couple of top-class saves from Willy to keep us on top.

Mark Wright played for the first time for months. I don't know why he's not been used, I think he's good and indeed he got the assist for the first goal.

There was a special offer of £5 tickets - some promotion with the local paper - and we got more than 15,000*, so it was good to win in front of lots of new people. They did an attempt on the world record for the most people hugging each other at one, before kick off. V, A and I did a 3-way hug. Quite glad I had family there to hug, I'm not really in to hugging strange men.

*Compare 15,000 for a league 1 football match with 35,000 at the London Rally.

Leeds Away 28th March

Lost 2 - 0

I missed this one because I was putting people first.

The rest of the family went. I reckon I had the better day, apart from when I got the updates by txt.

Crewe home: 24th March 2009

2 - 2

2 - 0 up after 20 minutes and we were comfortable - although we were lucky with the goals (one big deflection off a defender up over the keeper, and the other the keeper seemed to fumble) - but we seemed to think we'd won it and didn't bother playing after that. Crewe were clueless at that stage, but their confidence grew and the inevitable happened. The second was a penalty foolishly and needlessly conceded by Gueret.

Even I didn't applaud at the end.

Yeovil Away 21st March

0 - 0

Gueret saved penalty.

We could find no way through: Yeovil defended with skill and with Baldock still off, had no other ideas. Some of our fans were calling for Jude. I would have liked that - since we were just not getting anywhere, why not give him 15 mins up front?

The four of us travelled down to Weymouth Friday evening - via Clapham Junction so we got a 'not via London' cheap ticket. Glorious spring day Saturday, so J and I paddled in the sea - very cold! Then the three of us went up to Yeovil by train while J took in some coast. We all travelled home from Yeovil after the match, ariving MK 23:30. (Encountered lots of drunk English rugby fans in Clapham - England having beaten Scotland in the 6 nations.)

Relaxed, friendly atmosphere - helped by spring sunshine. Chatted with Town fan as we walked to the agreed picking-up point for our taxi. If we couldn't have the 3 points, almost wish we'd lost to help Yeovil stay up. I said 'almost'.

Yeovil Town website gives NO guidance on getting to the ground by public transport.

Millwall Home, 17th March

Lost 1 - 0

No Baldock - hamstring problem, and we missed him!

Oldham home 14th March

Won 6 - 2

A came home for the weekend - via London - and met us at the stadium. 2 -2 at HT Dons having come from behind twice, then Oldham sort of collapsed in the second half. Good match for A to come back for!

Baldock was back on form. I think that what was happening was that we were playing to his strengths - using him correctly. Recently he hadn't seem to have much impact, but I think that was less to do with him and more to do with the team not making best use of his particular abilities.

Tuesday 10th March Huddersfield home

1 - 1 again.

Disappointing. After we scored we stopped playing and wasted time instead. It seemed inevitable that Huddersfield would get an equaliser - annoying but I couldn't begrudge them it.

V and I went after V's piano lesson. His lesson finishes 7.30 so we're off in the car, park in the industrial estate and dash down to the stadium. Arrive just after kick-off so I have to be searched. For some reason the moment the whistle goes, anyone entering has to be searched. Slight extra delay this time as when we were walking to the ground I noticed V was still carrying his piano music!

Swindon Away 7 March

1 - 1

...and Dean Lewington was sent off for a 2nd yellow card

V and I went by train. Have to go via London so not very efficient.

Dons were lucky not to lose, as Swindon contrived to miss three of four easy chances, hitting the woodwork or skying the shots. (Willy, once again, was crucial too - some exceptional reaction saves.) Dons fans were in fine voice again, singing pretty much throughout the match - unlike the home fans who only got going towards the end.

We were high up in the stadium, on the side, more or less in line with the goal. Views out of the stadium over the rooftops of the surrounding houses. Stadium is in a residential area but close to the town centre and the train station. Went to MacDs after the match (V had burger - I got a much healthier 'meal-deal' from the nearby Boots), and had friendly chat with the lad serving, who was a 'Town' supporter. Said he was not surprised Town failed to take their chances, that they often do that. But that is the sort thing fans often say about their team - one of the 'standard' beliefs about your team.

Northampton Away 3rd March

Abandoned due to waterlogged pitch at half time with the score 0 - 0

Went with V on the coach. Cold and wet... waste of time and money... Lightened a little by the humour of the Dons chants, such as something about 'backstroke' when one of the cobblers players was on his back in a puddle.