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Published: January 8th 2018
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The Other Half knew that disappointed was the understatement of 2017, as to my mood on how the football viewing had gone over the festive season. She tentatively agreed to my plan for the diversion off the M1 into the previously unexplored town of Ossett. However, I still sensed the
“do we really have to?” face as I turned right from Junction 40. Traffic was light and it seemed that the locals were sleeping off their excesses on New Years Eve. It was a mere 5 minutes into the town centre, so there was no time for me to be dissuaded. I circumnavigated the centre in search of a parking place. The council car parks provided the free answer.
“Free of Charge on Sundays & Bank Holidays, except Good Friday”.There were only 2 other vehicles in the car park.
We ventured out into the town named apparently after a fold frequented by blackbirds. There were no blackbirds on view in the market place, but pigeons were doing very nicely thank you very much. The town centre is dominated by the Town Hall. It was looking quite splendid in the early afternoon sunshine. The Town Hall was built in
1908 when the town was on the up. An advert billboard outside mistakenly believed that the next big event in town would be Cliff meets Elvis. Coal and textiles clearly provided prosperity, but today It was New Years Day, so footfall was not exactly high. The market stall frames were still up, but there was no market. The shops and businesses were largely closed, except for the bookies and the Allsorts Discount Store. We had no reason to visit the latter, but managed to fit in a speculative fixed odds line. This week, it would be different. William Hill could have my money. Other bookmakers are available.
Ossett today seemed very much a dormitory town. The easy access to the M1 giving opportunity for employment in the wider area. I knew very little of the history of the town or indeed whether there were significant landmarks. My subsequent research revealed that for a time in the 19
th century there were plans to make Ossett a spa town. The Victorians with an eye for a business opportunity were always looking for a place to
“take the waters”. The plan was that the town would rival both Harrogate and Cheltenham. There was no sign of any evidence of the second Harrogate today, although I note a Spa Street down by the M1 on the south-eastern edge of town on checking a map. I guess that it didn’t quite get to the point of adding the covered walkways and shopping arcades. Ossett also gets a mention in the song by The KLF from the early 1990s. The monotone lyrics basically just highlight a list of towns vaguely in the north of England and without much justification, spells out It’s Grim Up North. A number of other nearby places also feature, including Harrogate. Harrogate. Grim – I don’t think so. The only thing really grim about Ossett this afternoon was how the weather turned out!
We took respite from the cold in a local hostelry. It was a sort of Spoons, but wasn’t one. I was driving, but scanned the bar just in case there was any sign of one of the local micro-brewery products. The Other Half reminded me that I was definitely driving regardless. We ordered 2 lattes, which would be brought to our seat. The server forgot, but after a quick reminder and many apologies,
they duly arrived 10 minutes later. We further warmed ourselves with a bargain soup of the day. Premier League footie was on the TV and was generally ignored by what was the congregation of hardened drinkers. There was more entertainment to be had throwing small firecrackers on the floor near the bar for unsuspecting customers to stand on as they approached.
The Ossett Town ground was easy to locate and a mere 3 minute walk from the Town Hall. The 2004 incarnation of the Bus Station opposite was all locked up. No services today. The railways arrived in the 1860s, but Ossett is without a railway station nowadays. The last of the town stations closed in 1970. The Bus Station is the centre of the public transport world. A light rain was falling. A queue of about 50 people snaked down the footpath towards us. The solitary open turnstile wasn’t clicking in a speedy fashion. It probably extended by another 50 people in the next few minutes. I could see at least 2 other turnstiles, but I suspect there is seldom any demand for them. Today was different. The local derby with Ossett Albion. El Classico Ossett
or as it was referred to on the club twitter feed, El Clossetto! I praised myself for having ventured out of the pub early. The £8 admission paid, we were in. 10 minutes to spare.
Ingfield is spacious ground at this level of football. A covered area of seating behind the goal would prove popular with the weather forecast. There two small sections of covered terracing running half way down either side of the pitch. The catering and hospitality suite were housed in a series of portacabins. The pie and chips were doing a roaring trade. An open terrace gave the substantial bar – Kellys – a partial view of the pitch.
“No football boots allowed”. A number chose to continue to savour their pints and watched from the window. It was possibly a wise decision. We settled into our seats behind the goal from where the size of the facility was more appreciated. If there was ever a small non-league ground with “supermarket plot close to town centre” written all over it, this was it. The good news for Town was that a shrewd investment of a transfer fee received from Swansea City in the 1950s
meant it was owned by the club outright, should the worst happen.
The football in this Evostik Northern clash was predictable. Local derby. Total commitment outranked skill and poise. The only goal of the game came just before half time. A free kick was drilled low beneath the wall, sparking boisterous celebrations amongst both players and fans of Albion. The Town and visiting Albion fans seemed to be in pockets all over the place and mingled happily together, despite the obvious disappointment of the red faction. We ventured into the bar area at half time. Standing room only. A series of motivational slogans from such as Bill Shankley, Brian Clough and leaders on the pitch, Stevie G and Billy Bremner, were painted on the walls. The crowd of 422 was announced to much derision from the group behind us.
“There is more here than that”. It was quickly corrected to 497, which was a decent attendance on a miserable afternoon. The 2
nd half became as much a battle of the elements, as between the 2 teams. The torrential rain hammered down for the next 30 minutes. The teams bravely continued in the deteriorating conditions. If
only Newport IOW could prepare such a pitch to stand that much water in one afternoon. Town rarely threatened to equalise. Albion had their derby victory. It was all too much for the Ossett Town manager. He departed for a new challenge 2 days later.
Appendix 1 Evostik North League Ossett Town 0 Ossett Albion 1 Date : Monday 1st January 2018 @ 1500 Hours
Venue : Ingfield, Prospect Road, Ossett, West Yorkshire
Attendance : 497
Scorers : 0-1 A Priestley 45 Min (Ossett Albion)
Ossett Town : Overton, Bailey, Ridley. Assenso, Snowden, Pembleton, Deacey, Yates, South, Hancock, Gregory.
Subs : Low, Bingley, Jackson, St Juste, Ellam
Ossett Albion : Souter, Dawson, Hardaker, McQuade, Wilkinson, Porritt, Priestley, Grant, Wood, Mbeka, Metclafe.
Subs : Chippendale, Welsh, Wells, Kabeya, Charlton
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