11:03am Thursday 30th October 2008
By Stuart Amos
Suggest a 450-mile round trip to Chester on a freezing Tuesday night to any sane human being and no doubt they will tell you where to go.
And that is exactly what every self-respecting football fan across the country should tell the Football League to do should they hand the Bees three mid-week fixtures north of Birmingham next season.
Furious Brentford boss Andy Scott hinted Morecambe’s 38 fans at Griffin Park last week should do the same. This week, I decided to see what the fuss was about.
The last train from Chester to London – via Crewe – leaves at 9pm. If I wanted to see all of Brentford versus cash-strapped Chester City, driving was the only option.
Twelve hours, £65 and a near-death experience later, this is my story.
3pm: Stop at Tesco’s to get fuel – £50 worth of diesel, two packs of sandwiches, a packet of crisps, a chocolate bar and a caffiene-based drink.
4pm: I’ve negotiated the road to hell (M25) and have reached the M40. Plain sailing so far as I head north, but Radio Five weather warnings tell a different story.
5pm: Junction with M42 is at a standstill as first October snowfall since 1974 slows traffic to a halt. An hour to go17 miles is a real treat.
6pm: Hit the M6 toll. Still an hour and a half until kick-off. Reminded of my madness having not spotted a single Bee making the journey.
7pm: Desperate for a toilet break – no time to stop. Chester seems an age from the motorway.
7.46pm: Arrive in time to see all but one of the 90 minutes of Brentford’s 3-0 defeat. After the pitch-side interviews with players and manager, I’m back on the road by 10.15pm. Four hours until bed, maybe?
10.45pm: Still not out of Chester city limits and struggling to find the M6. Danny Baker is still on air for 606.
12:30am: Not sure where the M42 went. Am startled to find I’ve missed the M40 turn-off and am forced to double back.
1am: Half-hour power-nap at Warwick services, more caffeine and a bag of Fruit Allsorts. Still can’t feel my feet from the cold that gripped Chester’s Deva Stadium.
3am: Reach Twickenham, exhausted. Can’t wait for work.
Two-hundred-and-22 Bees fans made the trip to Cheshire on Tuesday night.
The majority will have had a similar experience and it is unlikely many will make the same mistake twice – despite boss Scott’s apology.
I could have added an extra £60 to my bill with an overnight hotel stop, gone on the supporters’ coach, or not gone at all. Either way, it is time this madness stopped.
Until then – is anyone up for a small trip to Morecambe or Grimsby Town?
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