Notts V Bury 6th May 2006 |
..and so to the final day of another turbulent season. Having sat at the top of the table in those heady days of the previous summer, the Iceman now presided over a team that had fallen into the final relegation scrap. In a situation that only Notts seem to manage so frequently, the side was left needing a win to be sure of staying up. This would be gained at home to a Bury team that still required a point to be safe themselves. The rest of the maths was complicated. Stockport (on goal difference) and Oxford were below them. The latter, needing to win at home to promotion hunting Orient, were the favourites to go down. The Pies though, had more at stake than most. Their tag as 'The Oldest League Club in the World' would be up for grabs if they no longer fitted the bill. It looked simple but the precarious position told of a side that had thrown away points, were not playing well and struggled to win at home.This was never going to be easy..... |
Mindful of the success of the 'Great Escape' poster and logo, The Supporters Trust utilised the face of the most popular member of the squad - David Pipe, to encourage a big crowd for the final fixture.In the event, a gate of nearly 10,000 turned up. |
The Match The day of the match was dry and bright - no doubt encouraging waverers to help swell the ranks in the stands. It was a fine day for the last battle of the Pies' unprecedented term in the football league. Advance ticket offers meant that unreserved seating had sold out in some parts of the ground and with the opposition mustering a reasonable following, it got quite busy. Just before kick-off, the raised voices of the Z Block Choir were momentarily silenced as Jimmy Sirrel came out to address the faithful. For those few minutes, you could hear a pin drop. The game itself was the usual fare. Notts, full of energy and bluster attacked frequently but a capable Bury defence repelled everything and the newly-fit Dadi and local lad Scoffham rarely looked like scoring against Casper Schmeichal, son and lookalike of the veteran Man U keeper. Typically, a break away and well-executed set piece gave the opposition the lead and when Notts went in at half-time, the new, rather small, digital scoreboard, showed a rather traditional deficit against the home team. The earlier blue skies had given way to an overcast sky and occasional showers. The gray mood transferred to the pitch and stands, only the scoreboard's debut providing light relief. The digital clock, stuck permanently on forty five minutes throughout the early part of the second half, seemed to be reflecting some other light Spring afternoon when Tommy Lawton, Les Bradd or Don Masson ran out onto the hallowed Meadow Lane turf. Eventually as Bury scored again, the whole thing went off. The atmosphere in the Sirrel Stand turned quickly hostile. The inexplicable substituting of the two strikers for Chillingworth and the sixteen year old youngster Stef Frost seemed unbelievable but as a steady stream of fans left the ground, the youngster put a good cross in that caused the first serious threat of the half to Bury and it was suddenly game on. With the match entering its final phase, Dan Martin put the home side back in contention with a well-taken shot and, suitably lifted by the resurgent crowd, Notts began to surge forward. Bury, who had come only for a point, eased off and the previously excellent Schmeichal was at fault when he brought down the last man (Palmer) in a goal mouth scramble. Captain Baudet stepped up and scored comfortably from the spot. It was 2-2. The relief of the fans was evident and the overflowing Z Block surged onto the pitch to be repelled by the goalscorer himself ushering them off whilst being restrained by McMahon. In truth there was no maliciousness, just an intense relief in the invasion.There were gasps at the five minutes of injury time but Bury had no heart to press for a win they didn't need and Notts couldn't push to get the result they wanted for safety. With so many radios around the ground, most Notts fans knew that Oxford had been unable to get the win they needed and Notts were safe. At the final whistle, the fans of both teams ended up on the pitch and after the usual posturing there was mutual recognition that their respective sides had got what they wanted and shirts and scarves were exchanged. The players appeared to acknowledge the crowds and an array of kit items were thrown down. For the majority of the team, it would be their farewell. For the supporters, who would be coming back, there was another definate feeling of escape and, realistically, given the quality of the squad, it was Great indeed. |
The crowd fell silent for 'Sir' Jimmy Sirrel |
Casper Schmeical - a chip off the old block, kept Notts at bay for much of the game |
Jimmy Sirrel celebrates the result |
Lifted onto the shoulders of the crowd, Pipe was carried in front of Z Block and later appeared on the balcony with the other players to acknowledge the fans. For many of them it was a farewell but for the popular Welshman, it was only the start of something much better. |
Sir Jim signs after the match |
Crowds gather on the pitch and cheer for the TV cameras - everyone wants to be an actor ! |
page for fans, produced on the day of the final game |
back to season 2005-6 |
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