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Only County Visit:	Wednesday 13th March 1991
Competition:	Barclays League Division 4 – (Tier 4)
Result:	Maidstone United 2 – 3 Stockport County
Attendance:	1,412
Away Trip:	51
Away Day:	208
County Line-up	1 David Redfern; 2 Malcolm Brown; 3 Paul R Williams; 4 Andy Thorpe; 5 Tony Barras; 6 Alan Finley; 7 Jim Gannon; 8 Neil Matthews; 9 Paul A Williams; 10 Chris Beaumont; 11 David Frain
Scorers:	Chris Beaumont; Neil Matthews; Paul A Williams
Manager:	Danny Bergara
County Visits:	1

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BIG WILLOW WINS A MOVE

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Those six months had involved 12 more away days but all to the familiar environs of places like Edgar Street; Millmoor; Gresty Road; Turf Moor and other points north.  Mid March saw us in 8^th place, 14 points adrift of leaders Darlington, with 15 games to play.  However the recent form had not been encouraging, and after a 5-1 demolition of Halifax in mid January which saw us in the promotion places the subsequent 7 games had yielded but 7 points. 

So it was with slim expectation of a positive outcome, but more than a little interest in visiting a new ground that Arthur Brotherton and I set out down south to Watling Street Dartford to see us take on Maidstone United.

Over the years there have been visits to a series of temporary homes.  The Moss Rose when Chester had vacated Sealand Road and were awaiting the construction of the Deva; Twerton Park for Bristol Rovers; the Victoria Ground Bromsgrove where serial itinerants Worcester City found lodgings and Whaddon Road who hosted Gloucester City. 

All of these are still extant, but Watling Street was not only temporary for Maidstone but also for the landlords, Dartford.  Not much longer than 12 months after this visit, both Maidstone and Dartford had folded and the ground quickly became a housing estate.  Maidstone had overstretched themselves – a combination of rent payable and a significant deterioration in gates made the whole thing unviable.  They took a gamble and paid £400k for some land back in Maidstone, but failed to get planning permission, and with mounting debts folded only 53 weeks after this game. 

They were the first to go mid-season since Accrington 30 years previously and sadly for the Dartford supporters took them with them.  Having spent £500k bringing the ground up to scratch Maidstone then managed the to pass the cost, (and the associated debts), onto Dartford and they went under a matter of months later.  Our path did cross with both successor clubs nearly 30 years later, but more of that anon.

Maidstone had been promoted to the League in 1989 and one of their first home games had featured County.  It wasn’t a game I got to.  Early September still saw my Saturday afternoons occupied by cricket, although that wasn’t to last much longer.  Robert had arrived a few months earlier and the time demands of playing in the Central Lancashire League, (involving virtually every Saturday and Sunday from late April until mid September), were simply too much in the context of the additional family responsibilities.  The Stones home ground since 1898 had been at the Athletic Ground, but fears that the aged stadium was unfit for league football and the anticipated crowds had seen them find a temporary home at Dartford – a move which was to prove fateful and indeed fatal for both landlord and tenant.

Watling Street is a famous name to students of Roman Britain.  It provided the route from Dover and thereabouts to St Albans and further points north and seeking to cross the Thames headed up to London from the far southeast. Presumably the road that ran past the ground was that self same thoroughfare. Images of legions; centurions and so on might have come to mind as Arthur and I drew up an hour or so before the game but in reality they were far from our mind. 

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Born in Cheltenham he had arrived at EP from Dutch football, having spent 7 years with SC Cambuur.  Now Arthur worked at Ringway, (more commonly known as Manchester International Airport), for the Dutch airline KLM, and had met Payne on a flight back from the Netherlands.  To cut a long story short a deal had been struck between the pair of them which involved Arthur gathering together the Dutch newspapers left on the flights into Manchester and letting Payne have them.  The quid pro quo for which was the provision of a couple of “comps” for games in far flung places.  And Dartford was deemed to be sufficiently far-flung.  So a whole sheaf of papers had lain on the back seat of the car on the way down and sure enough after a 5 minute wait at the gate the exchange was made.

The ground looked to be the best place to get some pre-match refreshment and there was a Supporters Club under the stand – garlanded in Dartford regalia, with little evidence of their temporary tenants.  Arthur tucked into his normal 3 or 4 pre-match pints whilst yours truly, conscious of a 200+ mile drive later that evening, was content with a brew and a peruse of the programme.  We took our places in the Main Stand, noting a smattering of travelling faithful in various parts of the ground.

The Main Stand was reasonable impressive, but the rest of the ground had seen better days.  A barely discernible pathway behind the goal to our left, and at the opposite end uncovered terracing.  There was a small covered stand along the far touchline, but even with pretty limited facilities it was hardly tested by the 1,412 hardy souls who had ventured out.  Presumably a 45 mile round trip, and a league standing only just above the dreaded relegation line had thinned out the interest of the homesters, and a 450 mile trip for the visitors on a Wednesday evening were more than contributory factors.

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As it turned out the game was pivotal in County’s season.  From a position of 8^th place at kick-off, the win was the first of 11 in 15 games which culminated in a promotion sealed with a 5-0 home win over Scunthorpe on the final day. It was marked by a tremendous goal from Paul A Williams after strikes from Neil Matthews and Chris Beamont.  Some may suggest that William’s goal was the precursor to a surprising move to West Brom 15 days later, although a wonder goal against Rochdale 2 days before his move had probably more significance.  The move might have been surprising but the fee was even more so. 

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Williams had arrived at the start of the season after leaving Hartlepool and had proved to be a decent acquisition, (ending with 15 goals from 26 games).  But an upwards move of 2 Divisions from a Tier 4 side, with a deal done in the dying minutes before the transfer deadline smacked of desperation from the Baggies.  Tales have been told that WBA signed the wrong player.  I suspect they are apochryphal but it makes for a good story. 

That season County had 3 Williams two of which had the same forename but the difference couldn’t be much greater.  “Paul A” was well over 6’ tall, a striker, and white.  “Paul R” was a diminutive 5’3”, a full back and black, and was a regular in the team and had contributed more than successfully.  Both played in that game against Rochdale at which Bobby Gould, Albion supremo at the time was present.  By all accounts he called 48 hours later and offered the staggering sum of £250k for Paul Williams!  Whether or not he got the right one will probably never, ever, be revealed, but it didn’t turn out well for the striker. 

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He had an unhappy time at the Hawthorns, albeit that half a dozen games into the 1991/92 campaign, with Albion having been relegated and County promoted the two sides met at the Hawthorns and with depressing certainty it was Williams that got Albion’s winner!!  (Strangely enough this game featured as the next Away Trip!!).  16 months later he returned to EP for a tenth of the price, and promptly scored as County demolished the Baggies 5-1.  He never struck the same heights again and after 3 goals in 16 games moved on to Rochdale.

With Maidstone’s financial oblivion it looked as though this would be the last encounter.  However, some 28 years later the phoenix club which had returned to its home town roots visited EP in an FA Trophy tie.  It ended in a draw with a replay in Kent 3 days later.  Sadly health grounds prevented me making this trip, which was a pity as it would have been a “new ground”, (The Gallagher Stadium), and a victory to boot!  I did however, make it to the reborn Dartford, and their new home at Princes Park for a Conference game only a matter of weeks before the drop into the 6^th Tier.  Away Trip 142 will tell more.

April 2020

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VISITS

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Day	Date	Competition	Tier / Round	Opponents	Res	F	A	Crowd	Away Day
Wed	13/03/91 (Highlights)	Barclays League Division 4	Tier 4	Maidstone United	W	3	2	1,412	208

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ON MY JOURNEY WITH COUNTY AROUND 180 GROUNDS

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Previously – BESCOT STADIUM Next stop – THE HAWTHORNS