Fireworks at Broadfield Stadium

I don't go to football matches anymore. In fact, I haven't been on a football ground for nearly 50 years. The last time I went it was to watch Leeds United at Elland Road. But I still watch football on TV - at least some of the time. I always watch the FA Cup highlights and, like everyone, I like most to watch the giant killer draws. Lowly clubs that go up against the big guns of the Premier League and the Championship - and win. Last Saturday we saw Division 2 Stevenage defeat Newcastle United by 3 - 1. This looks impressive and it was. Stevenage trounced Newcastle and fully deserved their win. Now they go on to play Reading in the next round and must fancy their chances.

Closer to home, last night Crawley Town played Derby County at Broadfield Stadium in the FA Cup 3rd Round and won 2 - 1. Crawley are 2nd in the Blue square Premier League and are looking for promotion this year. Derby are sitting comfortably in the middle of the N Power Championship and should have beaten Crawley fairly easily. But, like so often in these type matches, it is easy to slip up. The lower ranked club has nothing to lose and a successful cup run can help the finances of the club no end. The reports and statistics suggest that Crawley were the better team and did deserve to win - especially when Derby failed to score from a penalty, given by referee Hayward for a fairly innocuous challenge by Crawley's Dutch goalkeeper Kuipers on Derby striker Chris Porter. With only 4,500 in the crowd - near to the stadium's maximum - it does not seem that many Derby supporters bothered to make the journey to Sussex. Perhaps they took the win for granted. Would more support have helped? Well, it couldn't have made things worse. There will be much celebration in Crawley after this result and the passive supporters may start to show more interest in the club. Crawley Town must be favourites to beat Torquay in the next round.

Crawley Town is run very prudently these days after twice going bust with previous owners and the day-to-day prudence and tight control of the money supply seems to be bringing them success. But we know that even at Premiership level, buckets on money does not always spell success. However, the management at Crawley Town have told us that the FA Cup run has, so far, netted Crawley an extra £500,000, which at their level, is a considerable fortune. The players will be wanting ten grand a week wages next. Anyway, good luck to the team in their FA Cup endeavours.

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