When the clock struck midnight on the night of 31st December 2017, and all the fireworks started to go off, making Weston Village sound like Kabul, we were certain of one thing… it was the year 2018. Likewise, when we received this season’s Bath City football fixtures, and saw that on New Year’s Day, we would face Weston Super Mare away, there was equal certainty that the game would be called off, due to a waterlogged pitch.

The days between Christmas and New Year had seen a bit of rain – nothing significant, and certainly not enough of a downfall to flood a football pitch. However, when the seaside club announced an early morning pitch inspection, on the day of the match, we all knew it would be off. The pitch was passed playable, following the inspection. We still knew there would be no football that day…

I stayed at home for this one. I was smart. A mixture of die-hard loyalty and foolishness saw many fans, including Claire, make the trip to WSM on a minibus. It was while aboard, somewhere in the middle of deepest, darkest Somerset, that the travelling army of loyal fans learnt that the game had been called off. The matchday referee deemed the pitch unplayable. I felt for those on that minibus.

The reason I took to my blog to write about this, is because this is not the first time this has happened. Nor is it the second, third or even fourth. According to one supporter, this particular fixture has been called off, with very little notice, five out of six times. The only time Weston Super Mare managed to get the match on, when it was originally intended, was when it was played in August!

Like my wife and other fellow fans, I have been stung by this face many a time. I don’t travel away as much these days, but have already sworn never to return to Weston Super Mare. Judging by the reaction of the understandably disgruntled Bath City fans, who attempted to make yesterday’s trip, I don’t think I will be alone in my boycott.