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/