Following Shrewsbury Town in 2011. The good, the bad and the some what bizarre moments from the last 12 months.

So as we reach the end of 2011, let’s look back at what we have witnessed, experienced or suffered from while following Shrewsbury Town!


Remember, remember the 5th of November! Sadly for most town fans we have to for it was the only time James Wallace played any significant football in a blue and amber shirt!

But for us it marks as the strangest memory of the whole year that has paved the way for more ‘magical’ trips from IP3, IP4 & IP2.
The meeting of the latest recruit, Andy on the 10.30am train from Ipswich to London bound for Dagenham!
Cue stunned looks from Andy as he spotted not just one but two blue and amber shirts worn proudly but two men causally discussing the hopes for the day! We won 2-0.

So, let’s select rewind and look back at more 2011 memories.
The good…

• 5-1 by half time away in Lincoln on a cold Tuesday evening in February built on pace, passing and movement of players that ripped the Imps apart. Lionel Ainsworth superb quick fire hat-trick. Conversations pre-match were around Lionel’s place in the side and the need to show what he can do. Thank you Lionel for putting us in our place. Excellent night and top draw performance by the lads.
• The rise of one Jon Taylor. ‘He’s not very tall that Jon Taylor he’s not very tall’. In the space of 6 weeks from his full debut at the end of January scoring twice against Burton Taylor contributed to a feast of goals during February; 2-0 at Southend, 5-1 at Lincoln cumulating in with a stunning late winner at Northampton (3-2) in early March. A STFC star had been born!
• The Arsenal experience. 5000 blue and amber fans, James Collin’s header to put Shrewsbury in to the lead, grown men hugging each other and knocking a cup of coffee over Mike’s programme in the process (no names please) and the chants of ‘are you Wrexham in disguise’ will live long in every Salopian’s memory. Great night.
• In the same league cup run; 1st round at Derby in mid August. Storming to a 3-0 lead in the first half with exciting fast and rip-roaring play from Mark Wright, Lionel Ainsworth and ‘big’ Marvin Morgan.
• Magnificent Matty Harrold goal at Southend in February to silence his former fans barracking.

The bad…

• Wish you were here? No thanks this is once seaside resort team that we hope to avoid. Stumped on three occasions by Torquay starting with our own visit in March to see the 5-0 defeat. Followed by TV nightmares losing out to the Gulls in the play off semi finals. Played three conceded 7 scored none. 
• Shot in the foot twice - there’s no escaping the entire 90 minutes v Aldershot in April and in December without a ‘shot’ in anger…apart from the 11 red shirts from Hampshire.
• Keep us away from the TV…the lacklustre 1-0 defeat to Bury live on Sky Sports in late January.

And finally and probably what we often remember more than anything the bizarre… (Well it can only happen when following Shrewsbury Town!)

• Finding out there are four of us in Ipswich
• The 12 Grandisons of Christmas sung at Aldershot and in part at Cheltenham in December 2011
• The rather annoying rumours websites throughout the summer that linked player after player with either a move to or from the Greenhous Meadow
• For a good cause but not for TV, the Movember top lips on show to all ESPN viewers live from Newport, South Wales in mid November.
• It still wangles (!) The goal that never was v Wycombe at home in March, costing us promotion. C’mon let’s get over it. But sadly we will probably never will.

Our number 1 moment of 2011
Meeting the messiah himself, Mr Graham Turner himself pre match at the team hotel on the edge of Lincoln in early February.

While walking in to the hotel reception we were greeted by the man himself sitting with John Trewick and Michael Jackson. In the few moments we chatted, he enquired about our availability to be paired upfront (with two missing from the current line up) as the ‘tall and little un’ combination; sadly we had left our boots at home; then added ‘we’ll be all right lads’. We were 5-1 up at half time!


Prediction for 2012? We will be Champions in 2012 but knowing our luck all football will be suspended for the 2012/13 season owing to world financial meltdown.
Happy New Year!

LinksRead previous Ipswich Shrews blogs

A tale of two Shrews, several Canaries, 400 miles, Mecca & Macc’

Andy is the fourth and latest Ipswich based Shrew.  He is eagerly anticipating his maiden Greenhous Meadow experience having ventured up from Ipswich to Market Drayton on Friday to spend the weekend with his mum.

Saturday, that great day arrives. Mike, (unusually) travelling alone on this occasion departs 7.30 prompt from Ipswich to embark on the 200 mile trek to Mecca. Zero temperatures but a warming day in prospect.

As the miles roll by Mikes thoughts inevitably turn to great deeds done by STFC. A time to reflect…could it be another 7 goal win today.  What if someone emulates Grant Holt or my hero the (great) Alf Wood and nets five. Could it be that Jamie or Marv cuts loose? What if Terry gets the bagful his tireless work deserves? Could Bradders blast sensationally onto Jeff Stelling's radar?  Surely Goals! Goals! Goals! after last Saturdays no show.

Back to reality and Motorway Closure at Junction 2-3a M6 at Coventry. No matter… still making great time for the noon meet with Andy at Brooklands Hotel.

Excellent pre match. Convivial atmosphere aided by the industrious Ade Plimmer informing us of the great community based work of the STFC Trust. Then on to the jam packed Power League Bar where it’s cheery hello to Town legend Chris Smith, a quick pint and season’s greetings to friends. By now Andy’s well in to the gig.

We take our position. Back of Block 18 West Stand. Magnificent view. Andy is wide eyed. He’s reached his Mecca.

A great first 45. Purist’s football, the best I’ve seen from Town at home for a while. Richards orchestrating the symphony. Town fluent and Macc dogged. No goals but no matter. Andy’s confident. Patience the key today we muse. Then..tidings of great Joy from C-S, a great header and we’ve got a deserved lead.

Now for the other six… Oh James!  The deserved second eludes us and a bit of late anxiety creeps in.  Surely.. Not Plymouth again!  Bite yer nails time but we see it through reasonably comfortably for a well deserved three points. Joy at final whistle. Big smile on Andy’s face and a hearty handshake.

Back to the Brooklands for Andy’s pick up and I’m on the road again at 5.30.

Well it wasn’t a seven goal mauling but its amazing how even a narrow victory makes the tedium of a 400 mile round trip melt away. 

Quick stop at Selly Oak to collect daughter from Birmingham Uni. She’s hungry so we stop at Corley Services near Coventry.

In stroll several yellow shirted men. Blue and amber clad middle aged man meets yellow shirted Norwich fans travelling back from Everton. Once they identify the shirt discussion inevitably turns to Norwich cult hero Grant Holt who’d apparently scored a wonder goal at Goodison.

I regale them with tales of the mighty deeds of Grant for STFC, the 28 goal machine and how we basically re- launched career. I also make sure they understand our pride in Harty and Davie E for that matter.

Our conversation ends with a spontaneous ‘Holty is Superman’, ‘Holty is Superman’  rendition much to the bewilderment of the KFC clientele. We bid each other successful seasons and I depart happy that once again STFC links have brought the football fraternity together. 

Home by 10pm, just in time for ‘Match Of The Day’ and ‘The Football League Show’ where it can all be re-lived.

What a great day.  This is why we travel.

Floreat Salopia!

A happy Christmas to one and all at STFC

Mike and Andy.   

Ipswich Shrews go to Aldershot.

Four previous trips to Aldershot where we have seen one goal and no wins we met on the train to London with high hopes. This was the first stage of a three stage journey to the otherside of London. 

We were one Shrew short on account of Mrs Jones giving birth to a baby girl on Sunday afternoon. Just before the FA cup draw. 
Parts one and two of the journey went well and we found ourselves at Waterloo, after negotiating the Jubilee Line, ready to pick up the train to Aldershot. Plans begin to unravel, a train has caught fire on the track towards Aldershot. Trains have been cancelled will we make it?
Trains to Aldershot disappear from the departure board. Cancelled. 
Hurrah. A delayed train is boarding.....off we go..... Stage three is now ïn progress.
Arrived!
We arrive in time to sup a pint. Looking forward to points in the bag and a performance to match the recent run of form. As the sun began to dip over the western end of the pitch out came the teams into the cooling afternoon glow..... 
The fans were in good voice (The twelve Grandisons of Christmas being a personal favourite) but alas the team didn't appear to match the enthusiasm of the 253 travelling fans. 
(The numbers build pre-match!)
After a lacklustre first half in which the only attempts on goal were created by the Shots we managed to in in at half time at nil nil. GT must realise we need to shake things up. Marv is anonymous and the midfield is being dominated and we do not appear to be playing the game at the same speed as the Shots. Nil nil. We are still in the game and we will take a point.
Second Half! 
Wilding on. Ainsworth off. Wallace still on the bench! No change to the play. Shots continue to dominate and we are still not up to the pace of the game. No vision. The less said the better. 
Mike's defining moment: Richards received pass back and easily dispossessed resulting in a gift of a corner and scrambled goal for the Shots.
Shrews response? Still waiting, ( apart from a long range effort from Shane C-S). 
It is a long way back to Ipswich. I wish that the fire on the track had closed the line completely. Oh well. We can't play like that again can we?
Adam, Mike & Andy
See past blogs at: http://ipswichshrews.blogspot.com/

4 Shrews and 1 Cobblers goals in the last ten minutes – even Jeff Stelling couldn’t keep up!

Ok – first thing I need to change is the second line at the top. Welcome Andy another exile Shrews fan living in Ipswich who we met at the away game to Dagenham.

So it will now read “We are the Ipswich Shrews - Lewis, Mike, Adam and Andy. Exile shrews following the town up and down the land!”


Note: (First posting a while - but the main thing is we are unbeaten in a month and made it into the second round of the cup - which we saw on the TV - and the dodgy movembers! - yes you Mr Gornell!)

Doh! – So we didn’t go to Northampton then!

What an amazing Saturday afternoon with goals flying in at Sixfields so fast that it was difficult to keep up!

Well….especially if like us we were not in attendance and instead trying to text others about the goals while walking around Asda and then in front of the TV.

Even Mr ice-cool ice Jeff Stelling on Gillette Soccer Saturday lost track of the goals in the last ten minutes.

So yes we are delighted about our win, the boost to the goal difference and Marvin Morgan halting his run of ten games without a goal.

But despite travelling to a fair few games home and away Saturday’s result has got me thinking about the games that we very close to going but then decided late on against it and consequently missed a classic town result.

Not in any particular order:

·  Despite living 80 miles away in Bristol and accessible on the train, I decided to miss the Great Escape victory of 2-1 at Exeter.

Why? Revising for uni exams.
Outcome: failed to do any revising as I watched nervously on ceefax (yes there no Jeff back then!) and via radio 5 and then celebrated the result in a nearby pub

·  Shrewsbury clinched the 1994 championship with a 4-1 win at Scunthorpe United.

Why? Taking part in a weekend hike across the south Shropshire hills
Outcome: enjoyable hike, town were champions but missed a great win and a rare Gary Patterson goal.

·  Shrewsbury win 3 – 0 away at Crewe in April 2010

Why? Well after such a disappointing season in Paul Simpson’s spell why would we win at Crewe!?
Outcome: Missed out on Ton Bradshaw’s first ever goals for the Shrews

·  And finally – Shrewsbury hammer 7 passed Northampton on the 19^th November 2011

Why? Decided that we would simply give this trip a miss – no other reason!
Outcome: Simple: watch Shrews put seven past sorry Cobblers

And of course by not going we turned down the chance to be fans on the day on Radio Shropshire.

So what classic town games did you miss to go shopping?

Lewis Jones
See past blogs at: http://ipswichshrews.blogspot.com/

https://twitter.com/Salop_Lewis

Are you Wrexham in disguise?

We are the Ipswich Shrews - Lewis, Mike and Adam. Exile shrews following the town up and down the land!

….Date: Tuesday 20^th September 2011

….Arsenal v Shrewsbury

….3^rd round of the Carling Cup

….and 5100 Shrews fans invade north London.

What a night, fantastic moments and memories that we will all remember.

Passion, exciting football, amazing goal and scenes that followed…and the chant of you’re getting sacked in the morning and are you Wrexham in disguise.

 

It's 1-1 at half time. Chance for a breather and to remember - we were 1 - 0 up at the Arsenal!

 

And what a place to be with over 5000 Shrewsbury blue and amber supporters; great night for the club.

Blog 3 of 1
Lewis Jones

http://ipswichshrews.blogspot.com/

This is why we go to watch football!

As we left Ipswich on Saturday morning for Shrewsbury v Hereford, we were optimistic that there could be a good chance of getting three points and maybe by two or three goals.

For each trip we make we often run through our ideal game scenario that if all falls in to place will bring home the three points.

1. An early goal
2. Get the second goal before half time….or straight after half time
3. Maybe a third fairly soon after
4. And a bonus fourth goal from Jermaine Grandison after a run and his 100^th step over!

Ok, reality check is needed here; but perhaps what we are more certain with, is we can never really tell what’s going to happen.

Cue Saturday for an afternoon of total unpredictability

So as the teams line up we wait for the ideal start with an early goal.

6 minutes in and right on cue Marvin Morgan out forts his marker to get on the end of a Grandison ball, kept his balance to round the keeper and slide the ball in to the empty net; the perfect start 1 – 0.

Shrewsbury continued to pass the ball with ease. Both wingers Mark Wright and Lionel Ainsworth getting time on the ball; Nicky Wroe dictating the play between defence and strikers - who themselves Morgan and Terry Gornell ran the channels. 

Surprisingly Hereford allowed Town to play, very little pressure on the ball making the first half quite comfortable - but could we get the second goal before soon?

Our wait wasn’t long straight after half time on 48 minutes; Mark Wright diverts Sean McAllister’s miscue strike into the top corner. 2 - 0 to Shrewsbury.

It was almost 3 - 0 minutes later when a Marvin Morgan goal bound header was disallowed after Mark Wright was flagged for offside.

Going to well isn;t it? well the football gods decided to through in a banna skin or to be truthful a Terry Gornell knug-fu style jump int to Hereford’s keeper Cornell. Red card given and rightly so. Suddenly a lifeline for the Bulls, could they find a way back into the game?

Cue more drama, while Shrewsbury took time to re-organise, Hereford took the initiative, gaining possession and creating chances. 73 minutes goal for Hereford by Barkhuizen; 2 – 1.

The game now was sparking into derby chaotic action with chances either end - culminating with a bizarre moment. Shrewsbury keeper Ben Smith cleared a through ball into the path of Hereford striker Delroy Facey who from nearly 40 yards out played in a dipping shot towards the open goal to make it 2 –2. But where moments ago the football gods seemed to want to take the three points away from Shrewsbury there was a change of mind – or was in a very rare uneven bounce on the Greenhous carpet – whatever it was it was the Shrewsbury fans celebrating after seeing Facey’s effort bounced down and up on the Shrewsbury’s cross bar denying Hereford from making it 2 – 2. One big piece of luck – well we all need that!

Normal service resumed minutes later when Morgan picked up a pass from Ainsworth to cut in drive low beneath the keeper; 3 – 1 to Shrewsbury and there could have been more, with further chances for Collins and Nicky Wroe.

Now that was one game no one could predict - though we did win by two or three goals, so almost right.

Blog 2 of 1
Lewis Jones

http://ipswichshrews.blogspot.com/

Fast train to Paris? No thanks, Gillingham please

With less than 12 months to the 2012 London Olympics and not having tickets to see any of the events, I have wondered what benefits I would get from the ‘greatest show on earth’.

I will no doubt enjoy watching the mix of sports from home and take in local activities in Ipswich to mark the Olympics. Yet it is thanks to the Olympics and a new International rail connection built next to the Olympic Park, that we sampled our first real benefit - high-speed travel.

Having begun last Saturday by train from Ipswich to Stratford, (Olympic Park site), we then embarked on a new way to follow Shrewsbury; a high-speed service in style and with ease to Gillingham!

And yes, while we waited for the South Eastern high speed service, several Eurostar services whooshed passed as fast as Lionel Ainsworth bound for Paris or Brussels. Moments later it was our time rocketing at speeds of 140mph (so say’s South Eastern Railway’s website) underneath queuing traffic on the M25 / QE2 bridge, along the North Kent coast arriving 30 minutes later in Gillingham.

On to the game and an excellent team performance was built on high-speed like reactions from keeper Ben Smith – who dived low to save Gill’s Danny Kedwell’s first half penalty. In the second half Salop created a number of good chances and we should have had the result secured before relying on late, late drama.

90+ 3 added minutes: Another penalty, this time for Shrewsbury slotted home with assurance by Nicky Wroe, 1 – 0. But no, another twist, a Shrewsbury player, doing a Usain Bolt by being too quick and getting penalised for encroachment.

Retake is required. All 168 of us in the Brain Moore Stand look on; and with no hesitation Nicky Wroe sends the Gills keeper the wrong way, and the first away win in the league is there. Late drama v Gillingham; where’ve we seen that before?

Blog 1 of 1
Lewis Jones
http://ipswichshrews.blogspot.com