Green Army!

The Garrison Field stadium on St. Marys, Isles of Scilly.

I am the mainland football correspondent of Radio Scilly and every Saturday morning I present my review of the past week and look at what is coming up. How many people are listening (most probably online) is a moot point, although I was once stopped in the street in Hugh Town by an indignant local Hibernian supporter in 'see you Jimmy' mode who complained about my lack of coverage of the Scottish game.

When I was appointed to the football role by the then station manager he told me that I need not bother with coverage of the island league which has just two teams and has attracted some publicity as the world's smallest football league. Once the main tourist season is over, the Woolpack Wanderers will play the Garrison Gunners in the Charity Shield, followed by the league and various cup matches. The off islands can no longer raise football teams, although they do manage cricket teams.

I have been treading on eggshells in preparing this week's broadcast because Charlton are playing the most favoured team on the islands, Plymouth Argyle. In part this is because the Pilgrims send across staff to train the islands' football starved youngsters (they have to leave to live on the mainland once they are 16). If one wanted to go to an Argyle match, one would have to hope the planes were running on Saturday morning (the ferry, known locally as 'the vomit comet', does not run in winter). It would then be a two hour or so train journey from Penzance to Plymouth. Return would not be possible until Monday as no planes run on a Sunday.

When I was young we used to go to Cornwall in the winter to pay our respects to my mother's forbears. We would usually head back on a Saturday and as the train meandered through Cornwall, we would pick up Argyle supporters, peaking at Liskeard. My father would become increasingly animated, hoping to start a conversation with one of them about their team.

One of my island friends who manages a utility service also keeps a house in Truro. He then gets the sleeper up to London on Friday night. However, you arrive in Paddington before the underground starts running and although I usually manage to get a reasonable night's sleep, it is not the same as sleeping in your own bed.

Anyway, this week I have already travelled down from Warwickshire to London twice already and I will be setting off especially early on Saturday. My women friends (referred to by one of my children with total inaccuracy as my 'harem') have always viewed my involvement in Charlton with a mixture of amusement and contempt, one describing it as 'hopelessly retro'. What they all agree on is that it is a very down market club. One won't let me take her eight year old grandson who lives in Dulwich on those grounds.

One of my friends who was involved in football through her work had to attend Premier League matches and schmooze with movers and shakers in the game. She was very successful at this, but it gave her a distaste for football. I was telling her this week about the time I went for a pre-match meal at Charlton and was addressed as 'Wayne' throughout. She commented, 'That speaks volumes about Charlton.'

What I have arranged to do this Saturday is to meet some fellow supporters in my birthplace Greenwich for brunch. This has been approved as a respectable up market venue, although I have kept quiet about exactly where we are meeting.