I headed to Brookvale, drum in hand to be picked up by Neil one of the Bob Standers at Wynyard. The car is definitely the way to go to get to Brookie. Not only is it only a 20 minute drive from the city, parking can be found RIGHT OUTSIDE THE GROUND. (Yeah, I know our crowds are crap at the moment, but I'm still trying, so leave me out of that argument). No annoying buses to sit in. No waiting.
The first thing I noticed upon arriving was the huge amount of Newcastle Utd supporter in attendance. Apparently they had 2 supporters coaches down. I was very very impressed at the amount of NUFC supporters in club shirts, as well as their great scarves. Sorry Breakers die-hards, but that clubs looks to be 10 times as professional as the Breakers were in the days I used to watch them. Knowing Travis, one of the hard-core NUFC sings, it was like a home-coming. There was a very warm feeling between the supporters, something I've rarely experienced at an NSL match. The Spirit fans were there to cheer for their team, the Newcastle fans theirs. No ethnicity brought into it, just my team versus yours, my city vs yours. Personally, the way it should be every week. The NUFC fans actually gathered directly below the Bob Standers. Apart from the odd bawdy song from our behalf, not a harsh word said between both groups.
They said the crowd was 1600. I actually thought it was a lot more, as far more people were in the stand than actually South Melbourne. Yes, that is NOT a flattering statistic, but it is the best we have hope for given Spirit's recent performances.
I'll openly say this. I like Brookvale. I like it lots. It has great potential. Sure there were less than 10 Bob Standers singing there today (well done to those who ARE still turning up, bothering to bring banners, flags, drums, wombats (!)....) so the support wasn't the best you would see. Many Spirit fans were at the cricket, as shown by the near non-existence of the McCartney Terrace lads.(no offence intended OK. Good to see you come Nathan Spirit). Oh well, too bad. We did the best we could with what we could, waving our full selection of small flags, plus two giant ones that the Soccer Australia official thankfully turned a blind eye to.
The game, well I just knew Spirit would put in a decent effort. It is a Brookvale thing. They did. On a decent FOOTBALLING pitch (no cricket pitch or curve on it) we made the play for much of the first half. Hutchy tried, and is a hot and cold style of player who often doesn't back himself enough, despite his good skills on the ball. Kwasnik is another who tried, but he gets dispossessed too easily. Richter and Vuko, well I expect a decent effort from the each week now. Simon Bell is definitely back to the football we saw from him last season. And Alex Tobin is without doubt the lynchpin of Spirit's defence. With peroxided dimwit Julian Watts beside him, he simply has to be. Watts is taking over from Troy Cranney as the Bob Stand's player to deride for his sheer baffoonery. Basically he just can't defend. Still I'm being unfair on today's efforts. Spirit spurned several good chances, but keeping a clean sheet against a side as talented as Newcastle is not a bad effort. Even if the hairs on the back of the neck (I have too many) stood on end as "Oceania's Rivaldo" Masi took a couple of stinging long-range shots that on two occasions had poor Hendo beaten.
All in all I'm in a good mood. Spirit tried, we had a bit of a sing song. And the most important thing, we had fun. Which is reason you go to the football in the first place.
I will continue to go to Brookvale, and hope that once Antonio pumps a bit of money into the club that we could be getting 5-6000 crowds again. Especially as they sell Cougar Bourbon and coke in cans. Far better than the shite they sell at NSO for non beer-drinkers.