The Candy Shop- St Roch's 2016-17

[Kinky Afro]

This was One Day in the Life of Kinky Denisovich as I pulled up into a sterile barren Russian stepps cold communist concrete crappy car park. It was new in the prefab way that these new roll em out 4Gs are. Like the statutory football pitch built into a new housing scheme.."its cleaner and tidier and more structured" ... but is football supposed to be like that?? At least it escaped the weather and "Game on"'is a price worth paying perhaps?? Wind blowing, no.. howling and whining through the metal, only 2 gate guards in sight, fighting to keep their small stash on a rickety table, stray shots smashing into blue metalic and oppressive fences and sending a metallic smash shrill echoing around the empty outside place. Concrete and Blue. I parked the Afro mobile and contemplated just staying there for the duration as I parked beside the barbed wire, just out of sight of the guardhouse but with a prime corner plot. The Candy ran out.. 115pm.... the guardsmen the only people in sight not wearing a strip or a tracksuit. It was a strange sight and a strange feeling. Back at football again, I look forward to it so much... but this had the feel of a pre season bounce game, a training session, 2 teams and no fans.... we need to keep the momentum going if we are to Break Free of the crowd and Escape this division. I am not a fan of fan free games. I clicked the camera and smiled at the sign... how much rubbish had been dumped? Who studies the CCTV? And how many have been banned from the premises? Perhaps all the fans and.. as I am often accused of writing rubbish, perhaps staying outside was the right call after all. A green bobble hat trudged past me toward the Blue and Metal shaking seating followed a minute later by the Candy Social Media Guru... I was not alone and girded my fire and wrapped up and braced myself to brave the Blue for the Green. I exited the Afro Mobile and made my way cautiously but confidently towards the gatehouse and the Cold Comrade Couple, now inspecting the papers of a few old guys and letting them pass. I was going over the fence.......

I saw an open fire exit and heard some laughter, a sharp contrast to the whirling waste ground outside, I ventured in. A well populated club house, bustling and busy and I see an old old Candy fan buying his mate a half and suddenly I feel at home away. I buy my usual coffee and warmed in spirit and mouth, I head for the guards. The wind blows some coffee out of my cup and I have to use the table as I reach into my pocket.... my search for Benburb Rubles proves futile and as I don't smoke the offer of "20 snout and we turn our back" can't be serviced. I settle on a BOS £20 note and they secure it away in a clip before issuing me 15 of their local currency. I checked it against the light when I got through and in the clear. I made a note to self to spend it before I left Govan to save any conversion issues. Large rolls of 4G lay behind the goal and provided a challenge for this still recovering ankle but having crossed the border a roll of grass (I'm sure there was some in the stand later as I smelt it??) wasn't going to stop me gathering with the herd of Green Candy Coos gathering at the edge of the field in the Blue and Metal stand. It didn't rain yesterday which was relief and there were no coo sheds, no undercover. This isn't Russia, "This is Scotland" and our national drink is whisky and rain water...I sat 3 rows back just for a large broad shouldered fan to stand 3 foot in front of me!! I've gone from a concrete vista to a Candy Coat so I shuffle again and watch the teams run out, the game start, and the Candy in Control.

The 4G surface should suit us as we pass and move and so it proved initially as we went 1 up with a great move and Big B sidefoot finish. We are in control and stroking the ball around well, confident and classy. After 20 mins the Bens big number 9 (again, one of their better players) finishes off a rare foray from our foes and fires a Low
Left footer which is saved by the Candy Keeper's right foot. The old left/right. They had 5 first half minutes where they played but other than that it was Candy Cruise Control through the concrete, the M8 about 30 yards behind the stand bringing a drone and incessant whine to the game. I thought my shouts were bad enough!!! Big B peeled off in front of a defender at the near post to head home a corner. A move which had it happened against us would have raised my blood pressure but as we had done it, it brought the blood pressure down and as the wee over reactionary ref brought the first forty five to an end, I headed for the club house comforted by the 2 zip lead and sure we would make this trip to the cold side worthwhile. In the club house temperatures and spirits and other things were raised by the blond bobbed milfesque barmaid beauty who looked a good team. 2 big lads up front and tight at the back and a midfield which looked fit and in shape. The Afro hasn't played for a while and there was only going to be one winner there so I took my coffee and headed back to the stand. I'll tell you all this though.. back in the day, when I could play..... lets just leave it there!

The encounter at the counter proved to be the last highlight for me as a fannying about overplaying mistake gave the ball away and Bens Broke away to cross back post for an unmarked Boy in Blue to tap home and half the defecit. A last minute fingertipped free kick save from Starkie preserved the lead and after a strange double yellow card for a "robust" Steve Logan challenge ended up with a Soviet Red card, we survived the shaky tremblin kremlin final throws to take the 3 massive points. It could have been so different though.....

Whilst this is a game of opinions there are some things which are just factual. When, as a fan, you expect people to do things they either can't do or won't do then you are pissing into the frozen steppe wind and you will be wishing for a long time. I've given up with some.We make things tough for ourselves that's for sure. Our win lose win lose win lose mentality is surely a sign of something..as to my mind and eyes, only Rossvale were way ahead of us and we could have won the other games. Is it really our mentality??? We have a passing ethic which is commendable and good on the eye but man cannot live by bread alone. Guardiola has a style and sticks to it, even when they lose he defends it. But I've seen them hoof a clearance sometimes. I know we are no Man City more a "Jesus Christ Man". There is no shame in clearing your lines and killing off a game. Game management can take many forms, the primary one must be "Don't give them a chance to get back in" and for this the players must take responsibility. It is not enough just to be a good player. The stands and terraces and lower leagues are full of them. What differentiates the Dux from the Dunce? We all have our own opinions but at times yesterday I saw a lazy attitude which from some seemed to say "someone will do it". We could all name the players who will put in a last ditch tackle, who will chase and hunt down in midfield and up front. Sadly a fans poll could probably identify the question marks too. I've been here and as a player there are some choices to make at this stage of a season. Do you want to be fannying about in the lower leagues for another season or do you have the ambition heart and hard work ethic to seize the opportunity you have given yourselves now to progress... and in years to come tell the promotion story and exaggerate it and laugh about it and love it?? Do you have it in you to graft an dig and make your club a winning one?? Everyone wants to score the winner or stroke 40 yard pingers about or stroll through a game like Beckham or Gazza or Paul McStay in their prime. But are you prepared to work like Beckham, tackle like Gazza or dig in like McStay? We have a great squad who all have ability and can play but when the mud (or the wee black pellets yesterday) start to fly will you have the balls to stand up and be counted? Can you do more?? That is where we are now. Make no mistake, that is what we want as fans and that is what we need to go up and it is what the players can give us. Who's up for it??

I played for the first time at the old Benburb ground on the evening of Tuesday 28th May 1985. I remember it well as I had met the Liverpool team a week before and me and my mates travelled by bus to Spain the next morning. That night, on the bus, I listened to Liverpool Juve in the European Cup final. Despite my ramblings I really do love the game for what it has given me and for what it gives to others and to anyone who takes something from it . I know however it is only a game. I often think of people who are no longer here and count myself lucky I can still feel it and that I can still get as worked up about it as I do that is why I go and watch and think and write. Sometimes, when it is difficult and you don't feel like it, even if you don't want to, you just have to dig in and get on with it as best as you can. Give it your all. Doing something is better than doing nothing and always always always, that's the right thing.. and the best thing we can do.

Mon the Candy!
MTC

[KilsythCoyle]

Huge game for the Candy this weekend I see. Could be a cracker??

[Kinky Afro]

Huge game for the Candy this weekend I see. Could be a cracker??

I think it will have a huge bearing on who finishes above who. We have won 3 on the bounce scoring 10 and conceding 3. They are loitering with intent just off the promotion places in 3rd. It is deffo a game that neutrals will find attractive and I am expecting a big crowd.
The Ray Vaughan Chorley FM "comin' in your ears" disco will be entertaining and Roch'in the crowd and the committee have hired a bouncey castle from a festival in Amsterdam, drinks available in the Jocky Wilson suite...... Phoenix Nights and Candy Days! See you all there... I am hyper already....
Mon the Candy!!

[Kinky Afro]

It is a game for big hearts tomorrow. It is a game for calm minds and discipline. It is a game for players to step up and work their bollox off. It is a game to be confident, to demand the ball and be brave. The Candy Can....

IF you can keep your head when all about you and on the sidelines and on the terraces and under the sheds
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust your team mates when some men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can work hard and not be tired by working,
Or being fouled, don't deal in fouls,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream of victory - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think ahead - but not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by others to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your effort to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with teamwork and fight:

If you can make one heap of all your hopes
And risk it on one turn on the pitch,
Perhaps lose, then start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will to Win which says to them: 'Hold on!'

If you can ignore the crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with your fans - nor lose the common touch,
if neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all your team count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving game
With 90 minutes' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll do for me, my son!

Mon the Candy!!!

[tommyboy]

1 hour ago, Kinky Afro said:

It is a game for big hearts tomorrow. It is a game for calm minds and discipline. It is a game for players to step up and work their bollox off. It is a game to be confident, to demand the ball and be brave. The Candy Can....

IF you can keep your head when all about you and on the sidelines and on the terraces and under the sheds
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust your team mates when some men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can work hard and not be tired by working,
Or being fouled, don't deal in fouls,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream of victory - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think ahead - but not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by others to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your effort to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with teamwork and fight:

If you can make one heap of all your hopes
And risk it on one turn on the pitch,
Perhaps lose, then start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will to Win which says to them: 'Hold on!'

If you can ignore the crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with your fans - nor lose the common touch,
if neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all your team count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving game
With 90 minutes' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll do for me, my son!

Mon the Candy!!!

Yeah,but will they be playing four,four,fucking two,Kinky?  

 

 

[larky9]

Got a feeling this game will be off due to the weather,hope not should be a good one mon the jags

[Glenconner]

Game off according to St Roch's Twitter account

[Kinky Afro]

Game off.... murder. [emoji30]Don't you just love the Scottish weather???
Mon the Sun!
MTC

[Glenconner]

Down to deepest Lanarkshire night week.

[Kinky Afro]

It is never a good idea to post when tipsy so doing it at 115am after the Candy Commentarilly Challenged Cracking Night Race Night was deffo not a good idea. So I apologise....I have deleted it and tried to recall messages and texts declaring everything from my undying love to gibberish on FB Twitter and here. "How can you tell the difference big man?" I can hear some say...

I missed the game yesterday (The lads seemed confident they would have got the result) but am already looking forward to next week. I really enjoyed the night with the supporters and some of the players. There is something special about sharing football and when it brings people together it can make great memories and for happy times. Well done to the club for organising it and for everyone who made it a great night. Share in the Candy love, but if you don't want to then share this headache of mine.. please.. someone.
Mon the Paracetamol.
MTC!

[Glenconner]

The old Candy collecting 3 pts in Forth with a 2-0 win.

Keep it going lads.

[larky9]

It's going to be very exciting in the coming few weeks our games against you are going to be very significant

[Kinky Afro]

After another trip to the Far East and having negotiated the closed M8 and detoured through 4 local authorities, I passed the windmill farms and through the back road and the row of houses desolately isolated in Climpy, to arrive after an hour and a bit in Forth. A place with special memories for me, sentimental and poignant... I smiled. It was a day that brought back memories of a love lost and a love reborn. A passion that when coupled with the comfort of knowledge allows your mind to flourish, your thoughts to reminisce and your rational side to kick in and realise that it doesn't matter if the roads are closed or they wind and twist, over bumps and round blind corners, past windmills and random phone boxes in the middle of nowhere. There is only one road that really counts, keep going and don't stop, love will see you through...and I content and congratulate myself that I have found myself back on it. You would go anywhere for your Love.......

I have driven past the ground at Forth perhaps over 50 times. The Esso garage there was a regular stopping point on my way back to England having regularly made the 300 mile round trip years ago for my love. I often drove past Forth's ground and wondered at the ramshackle entrance and wondered about the standard of football played there-in. A field of dreams can take many forms and when you experience that field years later and it delights you with its character, colour, humour, friendliness and downright Scottish Junior Fitbawness, then it reinforces your belief in the good of the game and that somewhere, if you let it, your love of the game can fill you. A man of my age has needs and so on arrival, having negotiated the usual handshakes and hellos, I found our Flag man Steven on crutches. It was a "football injury" he told me... when I enquired what happened I expected to hear the dirty tackling tale in full.. but no.. "I kicked the baw and fkd masel" sometimes it is the simple things that cause us the most trouble.. kicking a baw.. beating a team down to 10 men... some things just turn out tougher than they should do. Love isn't easy....

I found the "The best toilet in Scotland" and spent a penny and a tuppence and a good purgeful ten minutes. The lemon air freshener a citrusy sense stirring signal of sweet smelling hope. With Black Box coming from the silver pie shop box, my old man had purchased the first of four coffees (I had to refill the bladder) and we settled down on a row of plastic seats beside the pitchside barrier and settled in for a picturesque but sunshine and chilly view as the lads ran out. Never mind "Ride on time" it was Back in Time as we regressed to the shadow of our former self and struggled to keep our winning run going, second best for the first half and even as the beneficiaries of a harsh red card, we slunk in at the break thanking our stars and the sheriff's badge heeded lad who headed over our bar with the goal at his mercy to let us off a poor first half hook....The extreme undulating pitch had 2 different weather forecasts for high and low ground, I love picturesque grounds, Sauchie takes some beating but Forth, in it's well maintained run downness came close. Windmills and hills stretched as far as the eye could see behind the goal and thoughts of small communities in the wilderness abound. Perhaps the lad was aiming for the horizon with that header??  

It had a feel of being one of our cold "Hot Cold" days and we hoped for some half time dressing room Gaffer Guidance to get The Candy back on the front foot. We did well at the start of the 2nd half and some trickery from fleet footed forward newbie Jack almost put us ahead. The wee lad played well and looks a player. It was sad to see him carried off after a bad tackle. We took the lead though much to the annoyance of the wonderfully witted home supporters beside me who adopted the tried and tested mantra of the disgruntled and hard done to junior fitbaw fan by haranging the poor ref for every offside not given (the goal) and every bad decision against them (the red card). It is a strange feeling when a ref is shite but you seem to be getting the run of it... surprisingly I didn't think he was that bad and I rarely think refs cost you a game and I don't think it cost Forth. They could have beaten us and were the better team for the first 45, did well for another 30 mins after we scored but only to lose out to some nimbleness in the ninetieth minute as our opening goal scorer Rab danced past the dawdling defenders to deliver a delightful cutback to big Steph who took a touch and cooly slotted home to send the Candy fans into delight in the Tin Tim Can Coral... the smallest (but beautifully proportioned!) covered shed in junior football. We defended well as a four and Jordan Halsam had his best game since joining, Stephen Logan is strong in the tackle and cute and skilful on the ball, 2 good signings who shone today. The Forth TT almost floored us -Taylor (9) and Taz (7) were standouts for them, the former an indefatigable worker who covered every slope and hillock of this undulating outposting and the latter who looked smarter, quicker and too tricky for us till he tired in the second half. I liked their no nonsense number 5 who headed and kicked and rugby tackled. You don't need to be a player to be a good centre half.. I should know... although, did I ever tell you........??  Make no mistake, this was a game we could have lost or drawn but we won. It really is a 3 card Monty for the Candy. Win, Lose or Draw.. pay your money and find the lady.....do you still Love her though??

After the game I took my dad to Fauldhouse and caught the last 10 minutes courtesy of a game halting broken leg ambulance calling first half delay. This was the best of times, this was the worst of times. A Tale of 2 Titties, one pert and gently bouncing, tasting of Candy and attracting interest and lustful eyes, the other a sagging old beagle's ear, dried and withered in the rain, its former lover looking on in despair and sadness. It is like seeing your old girlfriend one night when you are out and you realise that time hasn't been good to her, the lines of life are deeper and the worries of a woeful time are evident as your look upon that once rose fresh and fragrant face.. a face on which you looked so favourably for years. I shall not hear a bad word against her though as she was once my love and despite it all we parted as friends. She shall be forever a fond part of my heart. Those who really loved you still do and I know, believe me, there are better times ahead. It was good to catch up with the Buckie Boys, still in the Coo Shed. They may be under a cloud but they are still under the flag supporting their team. You can't help who you love.....

The Candy pickers picked a peck of pickled points and as I got home I thought about my day and the miles travelled in the Afro mobile and the miles travelled in my thoughts and in my mind. I Loved it today. I loved everything about it. A memory is valid and precious whether it is good or it is bad. When you allow yourself to Love again it leaves you open and vulnerable. That isn't reason enough to never Love again. Embrace it and experience the exhilaration and euphoria that being in Love can bring. It makes your senses tingle and makes you feel alive. I really Loved it today. Some might say it was a lucky 3 points. Be Lucky in Love. A fortunate 3 points. Fortunate to be in love, fortunate to have loved and lucky to be. I am, I was and I am. 

Mon the Candy!

MTC

 

[roch]

Today was the kind of three points that can make the difference in winning and losing the league. I like Forth, I like their no nonsense play, I don't like their pitch though ! Forth have a good team with some cracking players like Bradley and McLaren and their league position should be higher than it is. You could feel a right tension in the air today and both teams went at it hammer n tongs. Their red card was a travesty but they fought hard with ten men and felt rightly wronged. The Candy worked hard and Jack, Halsam and Steven Logue were excellent. A cracking game for the neutral if not for the purist. A good score for Larky and sets up the two Candy v Larky games to be beezers. MTC [emoji172]

[jimmy mac]

Great 3 points yesterday that's all that matters but I think we were very very lucky yesterday never a red card for forth they caused uz major problems with ten men Thot the defence sat to deep at times the game changed we k Martin came on realy missed the boy Sweeney in the Middle talking to the rest of our support yesterday and we are all wondering wots happening with the skip not being in the team played well against the bens then not to get on is baffling but 3 points is the most important thing MTC

[Toffee fan]

Seems a bit like pass the parcel, with The Lang just about winning the prize but every second week letting the Candy back into the game. Who do you think will last out the longest to finish on top, or is there a surprise waiting with Larkhall joining in on the fun?

[jimmy mac]

Candy n larkhall will both go up

[larky9]

Don't know about that one

[jimmy mac]

They will mate heard it first here lol

[Beckanbaur]

Jimmy mac u think Cambuslang will collapse to 3rd at best? and open the door for the chasers?
The one bonus Cambuslang have are that larkhall and roch have to play twice if any of the sides win both those ties then I think they will win the league. But if the points are shared , Cambuslang will win the league