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First County Visit:	Saturday 12th November 2011
Competition:	Blue Square Bet Premier – (Tier 5)
Result:	Ebbsfleet United 2 – 1 Stockport County
Attendance:	1,119
Away Trip:	131
Away Day:	688
County Line-up	28 Mark Halstead; 24 Joe Edwards; 21 Nabil Bounab; 22 Carl Piergianni; 3 Euan Holden; 23 Michael Paton (6 Antonio German); 16 Ryan McCann; 4 Jon Routledge; 18 Danny M Rowe (11 Ryan Fraughan); 20 Tom Elliott; 19 Nick Chadwick (8 Jon Nolan) (Subs not used: 1 Matty Glennon; 17 Andy Halls)
Scorer:	Nick Chadwick (pen)
Manager:	Willie McStay
County Visits:	2

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By then we were three months into the non- league journey and unlike many of the County followers who had expected an easy passage back into the Football League I hadn’t been at all surprised with the performance thus far. Having watched non-league football for many, many years I knew that an instant return would be a hugely difficult task and so it had proved. By the time came to visit Ebbsfleet there had only been one win on the road and that was at Bath. There had been new grounds, (Forest Green, Kidderminster, Tamworth, and Southport) and also returns to more familiar places like Bath, (where we had seen Bristol Rovers), Wrexham and Lincoln.

But where was Ebbsfleet? I had never used Eurostar at that point but was vaguely aware that it was one of the stations on the line. Similarly at that point there wasn’t a town of that name either, although it now looks as though a garden town under the name of Ebbsfleet Valley is underway. Stonebridge Road has seen football since 1905 and was originally home to Northfleet, who then merged with Gravesend shortly after the end of WWII. In 2007 as the Eurostar terminal, (a mere stones throw from the ground), grew in importance the Club decided to adopt the name as they looked to piggyback onto the regeneration of the area. So, the Sat Nav was actually set for Northfleet!

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The week leading up to the trip to Stonebridge Road saw what was to me the inevitable departure of Didi Hamann. With his backer Tony Evans having disappeared off the scene it was evident to all who watched with a critical eye that Hamann, whilst a truly gifted footballer, was totally ill-suited to the demands of management in 5th tier football and that his time should, (if not would), be more than limited. He departed the Edgeley Park shores, (with maybe a resignation beating the sack), a few days before the long hike down to Stonebridge Road. He had presided over 19 league games, which produced the sum total of 3 wins, 10 draws and 6 defeats added to which was an FA Cup exit at Southport. A player at the highest level he was clearly unsuited to the travails of managing in the 5th tier. The appointment of Jim Gannon, for his second coming, was 3 days in the future so the managerial reins were left in the hands of Willie McStay who had been Hamann’s right hand man and had previously managed Ross County. Ebbsfleet had been the 2nd visitors of the season to EP and had returned with a 1-1 draw so given County’s form not a great deal was expected as the southbound drive started.

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Mark, Jeff, and I made the trip and parked up on Stonebridge Road itself around 90 minutes before kick-off. I have long been a fan of non-league football and rather than the constraints, segregation, and generally over stewarded and police presence at league games new the more relaxed atmosphere was something that could be looked forward to on the journey around the National League. and without fear or favour the trip to Ebbsfleet confirm this hugely. This site reflects in various places that I found the spectator experience in non-league far more preferable than in league football. And without doubt Stonebridge Road was the most welcoming. It was a pleasure to visit,

Approaching the ground, we were greeted by an Ebbsfleet official resplendent in blazer and club tie. As we were looking around, he came over and said, “You must be from Stockport, welcome to our club.” To be fair that wasn’t a difficult assumption as we all sported the blue and white scarves. The gentleman really did look pleased that we had made the effort to come down to what he regarded as his club as he pointed out the entrance gates. We then had a guided tour of the ground highlighting the various refreshment points, the social club behind the Plough End and then with a gentle warning said, “You can smoke anywhere in the ground if you so wish but not in the main stand and that’s only because its wooden, I’m sure you understand.” I have long been an admirer of those individuals who give of their time freely to not only support their club but to ensure its continued existence and this gentleman was a shining example.

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The ground commended itself to me as well. A pretty good layout which would not have been out of place in the lower echelons of the League. Its owners had, of course never graced the League but the records show that Gillingham used it briefly some 50 years previously.

The Main Stand was a low roofed wooden construction with open terracing at either side.; to its left the Plough End provided covered seating, although I remain to be convinced that it provided a decent view; on the far side was the covered Stonebridge Road terrace and to the right the open Swanscombe End gave a decent view), and this is where Mark; Jeff and myself stationed ourselves.

The team news came in and we learned that we were to see a new keeper. Matty Glennon had been an ever present in the League until that point but had missed the FA Cup defeat at Southport a fortnight previously when Ian Ormson, just 17 at that point, had made his debut. Glennon had returned for the draw with Hayes 7 days prior to the trip south but found himself on the bench as McStay signed Mark Halstead on loan from Blackpool. It was an ill-fated stay lasting only 4 games with 4 defeats and 12 goals conceded.

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Until the dying stages the game was going well. Nick Chadwick had given us a lead from the spot in the first 20 minutes, and it remained that way until 10 minutes from time. As the fog swirled in from the Thames, we made out that Ebbsfleet had got an equaliser as Halstead hopelessly misjudged a cross. Hopes of a 4th win had disappeared, but a draw on the road, far from home, would not have been too bad an outcome. McStay made a double substitution 3 minutes from time. Chadwick and Michael Paton went off, to be replaced by Antonio German and Jon Nolan. Twenty seconds later Ebbsfleet got their second and the deciding goal. Danny M Rowe lost possession in midfield and what appeared to a cross cum shot from the right evaded Halstead.

We slumped over a crush barrier – it was going to be a long drive back… but an even longer wait for a win. That was to take another 9 games, which featured an FA Trophy exit at Bower Fold, Stalybridge. The latter was the game that told me that a return to the FL was about as far away as possible. By that time Gannon was back in charge and had witnessed the 7-goal defeat at Grimsby which saw the end for those referred to as social loafers. By the time New Years Day arrived only 4 of the side that started at Ebbsfleet were still featuring.

But the afternoon was a collector’s item – the one and only game that Wille McStay was in charge for!

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November 2022

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VISITS

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Day	Date	Competition	Tier / Round	Opponents	Res	F	A	Crowd	Away Day
Sat	12/11/11 (Highlights)	Blue Square Bet Premier	Tier 5	Ebbsfleet United	L	1	2	1,119	688
Sat	16/02/13	Blue Square Bet Premier	Tier 5	Ebbsfleet United	D	0	0	912	719

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ON MY JOURNEY WITH COUNTY AROUND 180 GROUNDS

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Previously – HAIG AVENUE Next stop – HIGHBURY