[Willie Miller]

So here it is Merry August 5th, Stanley are Back! The fixtures heralded an away trip to Chester City as the memorable setting for Accrington Stanley's first game back in the football league. The close season had flown by & Englands depressing failure at the world cup had only helped to "wet the appetite" for a bit of scouse passion & pride at Accy.

As a group Stanley Ultras had decided to run two mini buses to the Deva & Andrew Camm was again in charge of numbers. We hoped that this year 17 seats would yield 17 bums & not the normal couple who had to walk. We met at the club offices & the first of many cameras from the TV companies was thrust into our faces. "Sing anything but don't swear!" was his directions to which the yellow bus burst into "**** bus, no fans!" directed at the white bus to our left. Its gonna be a good day, off the pitch at least. As it transpired, the football again ruined a very good day.

The plan was to head to Winsford & a pub called the Rifleman's an establishment owned by Michael Welchs Dad who put on what me Nan calls a "Good Spread" usually after a funeral. The pub was strange in its decoration & equally bizarre in its clientelle. Only English public houses have such strange characters within its walls. The pub was ashrine to MIchael, CEltic & Ireland but the crwoning glory was mirrored walls & a minute dancefloor. Chit chat a plenty & many good luck messages were drowned out by a huge Irishman screeching "Yall get beat 2-0, C'mom Chester!" Ho hum, we didn't go there on the way back. I could hear his cackling in Chester as the penalty went in. Friggin Tommy Walsh!!!!

And so onto the match, the Deva is a tidy ground with a roof to all sides (Eric!?). Even after last season I am still amazed & the circus of press that follow ASFC. Its good for our club but I'm sure lots of football fans are very jealous of the hype that surrounds our famous club. Superb reception as the players came out helped by the Chester fans & the Tannoy man. Chester were good for the win & Accy a little light weight going forward but after one game its very hard to tell how the season will pan out. Andy Todd & Michael Welch the pick of Stanley's players & a strong test on Tuesday against Darlington who were 4-0 winners over Macclesfield.

The journey home flew, once we had got away from the ground which takes a long, long, long time. Some a that time was taken up by hiding a car literally with a huge flag. It took a policeman to find it, well done Copper! A quick stop at Morrsions to collect more Lager & try to convince a shop assistant to warm a pasty for me. Her reply was that goverment legislation & my "well hic I've just been drinking with hic Mr Tony Blair hic & he told me to tell you its ok hic". Surprisingly, its didn't work! In my drunken mind, for a minute, I was sure I'd convinced her.

So, nil points for Stanley. £200 in the coffers of Intack private hire, £80 into Esso, £410 into Mark Wrights anti Nazi campaign in Wales, £180 into Michael Welch's dads back pocket, Balti Stan got a bit, so did the Adelphi, Greyhound & Crown public houses. But, the big winner, laughing into his cash stuffed pockets was ALL NIGHT BOOZE who collected £76 for 2 crates of lager & some ciggies when oru efforts to find lager took desperate measures. Good Work Bubs! Bad work to the friggin worlds most miserable barmaid from the Greyhound-males me wanna go tea total miserable witch!

The football season is back! God Bless Accrington Stanley & all who sail (drink) with her!