I’ve got a soft spot for Hayes and Yeading and it isn’t a quicksand as the old joke goes! There is now a pool bar in Ovacik, Turkey, which will be forever Hayes (or Aize as the locals pronounce it) after I was persuaded to swap my old away shirt of twelve years standing. I know shirts aren’t sentient beings and it wasn’t even a Grimsby shirt, but I still felt as though I was abandoning it.

Hayes was a very local non-league team to me and I paid my first visit in late 1989 to watch them beat Bognor Regis Town. Recovery from flu scotched travelling up to Grimsby. I just liked the place thereafter and made many trips to Church Road over the next fourteen years. I never dreamed we would play them in competitive games, but when relegation beckoned for Town, I was fervently hoping Hayes would survive. It is one away game I have placed above all the others.

Why would I be attached to an old Hayes shirt? I’d sound like a glory hunter trying to justify supporting a soulless (yawn) Premier League outfit because I liked the colours, but this was a stand out design. Inter Milan colours to be exact. I’ve always taken it to Malta, my regular holiday jaunt, and popular with my mates who know Town will win when I’m there. Many Maltese support Inter and when the chefs do, I’m sorted for a good plateful of Mediterranean nosh. I suppose parting with it will help control the diabetes after a fashion. Unfortunately, the Fenerbahce shirt I got in return is likely to get me a mouthful of something else in Malta. Something to do with the First Great Siege. I saw Malta play Turkey once, and didn’t have to speak the local lingo to get the gist of the chanting.

Having been persuaded to part with the Hayes shirt, I fearfully wore the Grimsby yellow and red version from 1993/4(?). No fear, I was assured that the hotel wasn’t interested in a “Grumpy Town” shirt.* I didn’t know whether to be relieved or insulted but he got the description right.

Some awaydayers will recognise my old red Hayes fleece from those days which I still wear despite the zips having gone on the front and pockets. Is that attachment or just being a scruff? Both!

Hayes and Yeading are the result of a merger between two clubs, both of which have a fine pedigree in non-league football. Hayes have accounted for Fulham and Cardiff in the FA Cup and Yeading ran Newcastle close when they were a useful top flight side. I went to the game at Fulham and it was a magnificent occasion with the goals featuring on the opening to subsequent Match of the Days. Hayes spent many seasons in the Isthmian League and were promoted to the Conference in the 1990s, managing a very creditable third on one occasion despite having some of the smallest gates. Bring on an FA Cup tie though, and Church Road would rock. Yeading were the smaller club when I watched both, but the Warren is a lovely little ground where drinkers could watch the second half from the upstairs bar. Seeing it on Bend it like Beckham brought back fond memories. Despite this, I’ll be sad to see the merged club move there when Church Road is redeveloped for housing.

I’ve seen comments on websites about how poor some of the grounds are that we’ll be visiting and Hayes was mentioned. As someone who went to Dagenham, Morecambe, Chesterfield and any other number of run down grounds, I have to ask what the problem is. At Hayes, you are under cover and they have a big welcoming clubhouse. I filled many gaps in my programme collection in the club shop and got used to having banter with visiting managers such as Sammy McIlroy when stood behind the dugouts. Look at it as an adventure.

Talking of managers, Terry Brown was worth the admission on his own and has subsequently earned the respect of fans at Aldershot and Wimbledon where he has also been successful. Hayes were the epitome of a well run club. They found Cyrille Regis, Les Ferdinand and Jason Roberts among others. I believe they got a 10% cut of Sir Les’ multi million pound transfer to Newcastle. Terry wouldn’t sell players to clubs either, if he thought they weren’t right for his players, which put nearby Brentford’s nose out of joint.

I think Hayes and Yeading may struggle this year but don’t underestimate a team that did the double over promoted Oxford, even if they lost 8-0 at Luton.

Respect where it is due to the clubs in this league, who compete with far fewer resources than ours. It shows what can be done with plenty of willing volunteers (my plug for the Trust this week) The grounds may not have the bigger capacities we are used to, but don’t look like junkyards, although I wonder if Mansfield still have the skip overspill in the stand to the left of the away end. I’d also be surprised if we didn’t get welcomed far more than we have on our league travels and as they are more reliant on bar takings, I would imagine many thirsts will be slaked. Not that I’m suggesting Town fans have a higher proportion of drinkers. Not much!

A word of warning if you travel to Church Road on 13^th November. The sandwiches and food are for the players and the guardian of the plates delivered a telling swipe to a friend who thought the club were particularly accommodating with gratis tuck for fans. I should have warned him, but it was more fun not to.

Enjoy the game.

Chris Smith

*They already had a Grimsby shirt.