Draped in faux chainmail and fur, a plastic crown atop his head, Henry V prepared his rallying cry.
The FA Cup, English football’s own Hundred Years’ War, had reached a new battleground and so, surrounded by TV trucks and portable toilets, the stadium announcer raised the microphone to his lips.
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‘I see you stand like greyhounds in the slips,’ he barked to the Bardy Army below. ‘The game’s afoot. Follow your spirit and upon this charge. Cry “God, for Harry, England and Saint George!”’
Stratford Town stadium announcer Kevin Hand donned faux chainmail fur and a plastic crown
Stratford Town’s players emerged unto the breach — inspired, intent on answering the call of duty. Before long, orange smoke billowed from the field and another cry went up. ‘No flares please!’ the same announcer pleaded. By then, the seventh-tier side — facing League One Shrewsbury on this maiden voyage to the FA Cup first round — were ahead. And dreaming.
Paul Davis’s side are used to playing second fiddle to this town’s most famous son. William Shakespeare even lives on through their nickname, the Bards. This provided a chance to briefly barge him off centre stage. To write their own tale about taming Shrews, perhaps.
Watching his club’s crowning moment from the other side of the lens was Steve Wood, 64, who has been involved with Stratford Town for nearly six decades. ‘My dad used to play in goal,’ he said. ‘He also managed one of the sides. Then he became chairman. He was treasurer and secretary before that.’
The seventh-tier side went ahead over Shrewsbury Town just five minutes into the game
Wood’s own c.v. is similarly packed. A former physio, he now works as club photographer and full-time handyman.
This has been an especially busy week. Dozens of new advertising boards needed to be fitted. Makeshift fan zones, scaffolding and segregation had to be erected. All in preparation for this — the biggest game in Stratford Town’s history. No more than 450 supporters normally shuffle into the Arden Garages Stadium, tucked amid the fields of nearby Tiddington.
For last month’s win over Boston United, which ended an 80-year wait for a spot in the first round proper, they set a new attendance record of 1,253. This was a 2,800 sell-out. No wonder Wood has been kept busy.
Against Boston, this ground was drunk dry by half-time, even with the help of a local pub. They were not going to be caught out twice. No matter that the computer system ‘went into meltdown’ as tickets flew off the shelves in a couple of hours.
The club’s first venture into the FA Cup first round in 80 years was a 2,800 sell-out
Wood and Co turned this into a ground fit for the television cameras and by kick-off he was primed for more pictures of Stratford celebrations. ‘Those are the ones that stick in my memory,’ he said. And those were aplenty on five minutes, when a well-worked free-kick saw Stratford captain Will Grocott shoot under the body of Harry Burgoyne.
Steve Cotterill’s Shrewsbury, already struggling in League One, lost two players to positive pre-game coronavirus tests. Soon they were trailing an army of plasterers, students and an electrician from the Southern League Premier Division Central.
Before long, however, the four tiers and 82 places separating these sides began to tell. Shrewsbury wrested control of the game and were level through Ryan Bowman midway through the half.
He then put Shrewsbury ahead shortly after the break and within eight minutes they had killed the tie. Luke Leahy’s rocket from distance stretched their lead before Elliott Bennett netted a dipping free-kick.
Suddenly Stratford heads were bowed, the skies were darkening and the curtain was falling fast. A final twist of the knife came in stoppage time, courtesy of Tom Bloxham.
The four tiers and 82 places separating these sides began to tell as Shrewsbury took control
Davis was ‘very proud’ of his side, the lowest ranked left in the competition. But a ‘real bitter taste’ lingered after defender Joe Magunda was pulled from his starting line-up two minutes before kick-off. Davis insisted Magunda had served his three-game suspension and approval from the FA said as much.
Davis said: ‘At two minutes to three, they shouldn’t be allowed to make decisions like that. The lad is 32, he’s never played at this stage of the competition. So do the right thing.’
Much ado about nothing? Not for Magunda or Stratford.