Nah, I will always hate them and shitty Slough too among others. I’ll never forget how much it hurt walking away after thumping Witton Albion on the final day but losing out on goal difference. It was like a mortuary walking back down Hillbottom Road that afternoon.
However, for the time being I do want to see Matt Bloomfield FC climb the table and see him succeed so that he can leave for a better club and let them slide back down the football pyramid.
Out of the players we’ve lost recently, Bayo, Stocko, Stewart and Bloomers, then Matt is by far the biggest loss of all to our club.
I do hope we can see him come back in the future as our manager. He deserves any success he gets at Col U and although he is with them, I would think most of our fans would wish him success.
For those who didn’t see the battles between us and Col U during the Conference days, then you will not realise how bloody horrible their fans were. There is no love lost for those of us who witnessed those times.
Never let it be forgotten how vile their fans were for a couple of years along with the clubs set up.
For our newer fans, think about how much you dislike MK Dons. Well, multiply that by a million and you will then understand the feeling us older ones have for our Essex colleagues.
That being said - the atmosphere at Layer Road as an away fan was truly spectacular - a dump of a ground, police helicopters circling overhead, absolute meatheads trying to get to us, officers from the local army barracks trying to calm the locals down, pitch invasions, our coach being attacked. Scary as hell admittedly !!! The limbs on those occassions make our recent efforts pale into insignificance.
For the younger fans, imagine Milton Keynes except we have a legitimate rivalry with them. My first away game was the famous red shirt game at Layer Road in the cup, where they scored during a pitch invasion. I loved going there and i'm glad i was around to experience it, but you never felt quite safe as a visitor.
Matt is in my top 5 all time Wycombe players, and i wish him all the best for his career in management. After he's finished at ColU.
Layer Road was genuinely terrifying! The 0-2 victory there in our first season in the league is one of my favourite Wycombe memories. Absolutely crammed in behind the goal, the scenes after Titterton's goal were extraordinary! Referee had to blow the full time whistle early due to the number of Colchester fans on the pitch, desperately trying to get at the celebrating Wycombe hoards. Atmosphere outside the ground was... tense!
@Wycombe85 Yes, the worst bit was at the end when all the Wycombe fans were trying to leave through the narrow passageway directly behind the goal, and the ColU fans who had left early decided to charge back into the ground through the same passageway. Not nice!
@NewburyWanderer Yes, remember that well. I was stood close to that tunnel when the final whistle went and decided, with the atmosphere getting increasingly hostile, a quick getaway would be a good idea. It wasn't! I suddenly had a few dozen of their hooligans charging down the tunnel at me (and others who were attempting to leave). I will say, the stewards that day were superb, they really went above and beyond in stopping their fans getting to us. If I remember correctly a few were injured and ended up in hospital. It really could have got very nasty without their intervention. Got a feeling I and many other Wycombe fans had to go on the pitch and exit via the home terracing in the end, to avoid the 'greeting' that was awaiting outside the away exit.
And this, to anyone who thinks it’s some kind of pointless rivalry which should be forgotten as the non league days were a long time ago, is why so many of our fans will forever hate Col U.
I think there are going to be two sliding scales for everyone in a case like this - how much they love the individual, and how much they hate the club. For instance, an ex-NFL player was asked who he was rooting for in a Super Bowl when his old team (The Saints) were playing his son's team (The Colts). He said something along the lines of "If you think I would even consider supporting the Saints, you have not been a parent."
Not that Blooms warrants parent-like fervor, but it's certainly going to be a case of where your positive and negative passion levels sit for him versus Colchester. I suppose another huge difference is that we love Blooms specifically as a Wycombe legend, but as an employee of "the enemy" that changes the colour of the whole thing a little and puts his legend in the past. It is very different than a child, who would be yours no matter where they played.
I will never forget the look of pure hatred on the face of one of their fans striding down the pitch towards us, as play continued. Still sends shivers.
I hope you washed your hands after visiting that forum. They do seem very complimentary about him on Twitter though (also a bit of a sewer to be fair).
Winning games whilst also being one of the nicest and hard working people anyone ever met will win friends.
If Blooms continues to do well at Colchester it would be an absolute no brainer for him to be number 1 choice if / when GA moves on. There is not a chance in the world that Blooms would turn it down.
I hesitated to mention Ipswich in my original post because, strange as it may sound (given that they are currently at the same level as Wycombe) a club with Ipswich’s history feels like it could be a bridge too far for Matt. Certainly in the next few years.
I don’t see why it would be a bridge too far necessarily, it would really depend on his progress as a manager - there seems to be a lot more acceptance and encouragement of young managers in the game today.
To use an example of another WWFC old boy with a revolting taste in first managerial roles, look at Russell Martin getting the Swansea job off the back of two years with the Franchise.
Comments
As long as their fans realise that we've loaned them our next manager to give him some experience then all's right with the world.
Nah, I will always hate them and shitty Slough too among others. I’ll never forget how much it hurt walking away after thumping Witton Albion on the final day but losing out on goal difference. It was like a mortuary walking back down Hillbottom Road that afternoon.
However, for the time being I do want to see Matt Bloomfield FC climb the table and see him succeed so that he can leave for a better club and let them slide back down the football pyramid.
Matt Bloomfield or not, I would be absolutely delighted if they got relegated this season
Just don't have it in me to want them to do well
Out of the players we’ve lost recently, Bayo, Stocko, Stewart and Bloomers, then Matt is by far the biggest loss of all to our club.
I do hope we can see him come back in the future as our manager. He deserves any success he gets at Col U and although he is with them, I would think most of our fans would wish him success.
For those who didn’t see the battles between us and Col U during the Conference days, then you will not realise how bloody horrible their fans were. There is no love lost for those of us who witnessed those times.
I’ll always want Colchester to lose every game.
I agree.
I will never want Col U to win anything.
Never let it be forgotten how vile their fans were for a couple of years along with the clubs set up.
For our newer fans, think about how much you dislike MK Dons. Well, multiply that by a million and you will then understand the feeling us older ones have for our Essex colleagues.
That being said - the atmosphere at Layer Road as an away fan was truly spectacular - a dump of a ground, police helicopters circling overhead, absolute meatheads trying to get to us, officers from the local army barracks trying to calm the locals down, pitch invasions, our coach being attacked. Scary as hell admittedly !!! The limbs on those occassions make our recent efforts pale into insignificance.
Those days will never be forgotten !!
I do though wish Matty all the very very best.
Well put @Frenchfry.
For the younger fans, imagine Milton Keynes except we have a legitimate rivalry with them. My first away game was the famous red shirt game at Layer Road in the cup, where they scored during a pitch invasion. I loved going there and i'm glad i was around to experience it, but you never felt quite safe as a visitor.
Matt is in my top 5 all time Wycombe players, and i wish him all the best for his career in management. After he's finished at ColU.
That game featured the most offside goal ever
I always think i've exaggerated my memory of that, and their goal during a pitch invasion, but here it all is:
https://youtu.be/GuPicYaZ2fQ?t=1874
Layer Road was genuinely terrifying! The 0-2 victory there in our first season in the league is one of my favourite Wycombe memories. Absolutely crammed in behind the goal, the scenes after Titterton's goal were extraordinary! Referee had to blow the full time whistle early due to the number of Colchester fans on the pitch, desperately trying to get at the celebrating Wycombe hoards. Atmosphere outside the ground was... tense!
@Wycombe85 Yes, the worst bit was at the end when all the Wycombe fans were trying to leave through the narrow passageway directly behind the goal, and the ColU fans who had left early decided to charge back into the ground through the same passageway. Not nice!
@NewburyWanderer Yes, remember that well. I was stood close to that tunnel when the final whistle went and decided, with the atmosphere getting increasingly hostile, a quick getaway would be a good idea. It wasn't! I suddenly had a few dozen of their hooligans charging down the tunnel at me (and others who were attempting to leave). I will say, the stewards that day were superb, they really went above and beyond in stopping their fans getting to us. If I remember correctly a few were injured and ended up in hospital. It really could have got very nasty without their intervention. Got a feeling I and many other Wycombe fans had to go on the pitch and exit via the home terracing in the end, to avoid the 'greeting' that was awaiting outside the away exit.
It's not all that long since they smashed up the pub near the train station and the gate in the away end.
And this, to anyone who thinks it’s some kind of pointless rivalry which should be forgotten as the non league days were a long time ago, is why so many of our fans will forever hate Col U.
I think there are going to be two sliding scales for everyone in a case like this - how much they love the individual, and how much they hate the club. For instance, an ex-NFL player was asked who he was rooting for in a Super Bowl when his old team (The Saints) were playing his son's team (The Colts). He said something along the lines of "If you think I would even consider supporting the Saints, you have not been a parent."
Not that Blooms warrants parent-like fervor, but it's certainly going to be a case of where your positive and negative passion levels sit for him versus Colchester. I suppose another huge difference is that we love Blooms specifically as a Wycombe legend, but as an employee of "the enemy" that changes the colour of the whole thing a little and puts his legend in the past. It is very different than a child, who would be yours no matter where they played.
I will never forget the look of pure hatred on the face of one of their fans striding down the pitch towards us, as play continued. Still sends shivers.
What about when they came in the Valley Terrace and attacked anyone in their way?
Crowd segregation was certainly needed that day
If your child grows up to manage/play for/support ColU you have failed as a parent.
Better break that gently to Mr and Mrs Bloomfield.
To be fair, one could say the same for Wycombe, as none of our players' parents taught them to tie their shoelaces properly.
Three wins on the bounce for Blooms. From the Colchester forum:
"When you think back to that Crewe game which we so unlucky to lose that was the start of MB's influence.
The U's are like a proper team now. They play with passion, commitment and the most telling aspect is that passes are now forward."
Sounds like he’s doing something right.
I doubt whether he’d consider the Wycombe job if/when GA moves on (as some on here would clearly welcome). For geographical reasons, if nothing else.
I hope you washed your hands after visiting that forum. They do seem very complimentary about him on Twitter though (also a bit of a sewer to be fair).
Winning games whilst also being one of the nicest and hard working people anyone ever met will win friends.
Still can't get over the fact that a Wycombe legend looks odds-on to save our historic rivals from non-league oblivion.
If Blooms continues to do well at Colchester it would be an absolute no brainer for him to be number 1 choice if / when GA moves on. There is not a chance in the world that Blooms would turn it down.
He has a young family and is settled back near Ipswich/Felixstowe.
Management is a lot more time consuming than being a player, especially if you have a four hour commute to Booker everyday.
I would be amazed if even considered coming back to manage us if GA left.
I hope he somehow gets the Ipswich job, for his sake.
Spot on.
When he moved back that way late on in his career, you always wondered how he'd deal with the commute/stay overs.
He's got almost the perfect scenario now, bar like @Shev says, managing Ipswich.
I hesitated to mention Ipswich in my original post because, strange as it may sound (given that they are currently at the same level as Wycombe) a club with Ipswich’s history feels like it could be a bridge too far for Matt. Certainly in the next few years.
I don’t see why it would be a bridge too far necessarily, it would really depend on his progress as a manager - there seems to be a lot more acceptance and encouragement of young managers in the game today.
To use an example of another WWFC old boy with a revolting taste in first managerial roles, look at Russell Martin getting the Swansea job off the back of two years with the Franchise.