Arriving at Thatcham station on the very edge of town is a new industrial estate with many warehouses and on the other side the fields of Berkshire. GWR run a great service to the town from Paddington.  Turn left out of the station into the fields, and the Football Club is a very convenient 5-minute walk away. Thatcham are very much a community club, with a neat and tidy ground, great social facilities and very amiable staff/volunteers covering every aspect of the club, plus a snack bar with good quality food at very reasonable prices. A real football club!

Reading the match programme before the game, they are proud to announce in their history notes, they played at Wembley and won the FA Vase final in 2017/18 season beating Stockton Town 2-1. Even in their glory days the Terrors never reached Wembley let alone win a final. Perhaps next season may see a return to the Vase trophy where they can have another attempt at Wembley!

All of the above was the highlight of my day! The football match turned to be a dire game between two very mediocre teams. The only relief from the galvanising entertainment was the Bog End Faithful, just over 30 fans behind the goal sang their hearts out to encourage the team. The attendance was 133 and least 40 plus were Tooting Fans. Thatcham play in Blue and White stripes, somewhat strange to hear the Bog End chanting C’mon you stripes, as Tooting were playing in their Cadbury’s kit, which got lost in the dark and dank conditions and poor light.  

The first half was abysmal, Thatcham missed a great chance to go ahead when a ball through the middle of the defence and their attacker in the middle of the area scuffed his shot wide, with only the goalkeeper to beat. and was to be their only attempt on goal. On the stroke of half time Tooting were awarded a disputed penalty which Williams guided into the net A very poor half with both teams giving away pointless passes to the opposition.

The second half started with the rain getting steadily worse, which halved the Bog End standing behind the Thatcham Goal. But they kept their own and the team’s spirit up urging the team forward. The second half was a soulless affair and just as dismal as the first half. To be fair Tooting played the better football, against a team who were clueless. The Thatcham fans were really frustrated with their team’s performance, with only one real opportunity recreated, when 10 minutes from the end when a fierce shot was fired in across the goal, which had a slight deflection from a Tooting defender, but they didn’t even get a corner.

At the end of the day a 1-0 win, 3 points earned, and the score could have been 3 or 4 goals to nil, but for the very poor finishing in front of goal. This is such an awful league, which Tooting are a key Component, hopefully with an  easy run of games ahead they will avoid relegation?