Dry Roasted Peanuts

Coalville Town  3  Kings Langley  0

Southern League – Premier Division Central

It was a deeply wounding accusation, apparently, I am a dry roasted peanut snob…..

I was sat in the car on the way to Coalville, with Derek alongside me and Mrs H on the phone, when the subject matter arose, and it started with Mrs H said she would have some tea ready for me when I get home later that night.

Anyway, based on the fact I had a very nice frittata waiting for me back at Casa Hatt, I was under instructions not to ‘spoil it’ by having any chips, burgers or the like at the footy. I asked the question about a bag of dry roasted peanuts with my pint, and then it kind of escalated.

You see, I’ve got a bit of a thing about dry roasted peanuts, I will ONLY eat them if they are KP. Nobbys offends me, it’s the style of the packet to be honest, whereas Lichfields taste awful, you may as well eat polystyrene pellets. I’d never really paid any great attention to my strange habits around nuts, until I went to Kibworth last Saturday.

I walked into the Coach & Horses and asked what brand they had, I was sadly disappointed as it was Nobbys, I declined to buy any, and the barman was actually on my side…

“I don’t blame you mate, I’m with you, they have to be KP, but we have no choice, it’s the brewery.”

So, as we trundled down the M1, I found myself getting quite passionate about the subject matter, firstly to Mrs H, and then I repeated the whole rant again to Derek. I got the feeling, certainly with Derek, he wasn’t arsed about peanut brands like me.

So, I did it again. Got to the bar at Coalville, ordered some drinks, and enquired about the peanut brand, and I was pleasantly surprised by the outcome. Not only were they KP, but I had an ally in the barman.

“It’s got to be KP, nothing else comes close mate.”

Yes, I’m not a snob you see, it’s quite normal to be particular, you can all do one!!

So, Coalville Town, it’s been a while, 2014 to be precise when I saw them lose a Play-Off Semi-Final to Mickleover Sports, the very same Mickleover Sports that we at Belper Town went on to beat in the final a couple of days later.

I do like a visit to Coalville though, I first went in 2003 and saw them play Boldmere St Michaels, before inadvertently going again the following season against Stratford Town when I had a wasted trip to Coventry only to find out the Massey Ferguson game I was planning to watch had been called off.

I had a boozy session with Mrs H down at Owen Street one Saturday in March 2012 when we took advantage of the Belper Town supporters coach (which ended with a BTFC player in an inebriated state, drinking out of a dog bowl at Castle Donington Services). I can also recall a much hyped game against Kings Lynn Town in 2013 which ended 0-0, and when I say much hyped, they were neck and neck for the title and the previous games, including a Vase Semi-Final,  had been marred with crowd disturbances.

The history of the Ravens is an interesting one. They started out life known as Ravenstone, then became simple Coalville FC in 1995, before becoming Coalville Town in the latter part of the Nineties.

They were a Leicestershire Senior League side until 2003 and having won the title for two consecutive seasons they were promoted to the Midland Alliance League. In years 2009, 2010, 2011, they finished third, second and finally first, which was enough to see them elevated to Step 4 and the Northern Premier League.

The NPL journey was not a dull one. They finished second in successive seasons, losing to Chasetown and Mickleover respectively in the Play-Offs, the first time was a real blow as they were odds on to win the league until a late implosion saw Kings Lynn pip them as I alluded to earlier.

Finally they won promotion in 2016 when big spending Basford United and equally big spending Shaw Lane Aquaforce were beaten in the Play-Offs, they had finally, and deservedly got to Step 3, where they remain.

Two years in the NPL Premier were tough, but at the start of last season they were moved laterally to the Southern League, where they just missed out on the Play-Offs, whereas this time around they sat in third spot and are well in with a shout of the end of season mix up.

The national cups have been good to the Ravens. The year they won the Midland Alliance they got to Wembley in the FA Vase Final, only to lose to Whitley Bay, while in 2004 they got to the First Round Proper of the FA Cup as a Step 5 side, only to lose 1-0 at Wycombe Wanderers.

The ground at Owen Street has improved steadily over the years. Located close to the centre of the town, you drive down a track to the car park behind the goal where the turnstiles bring you out adjacent to the two storey building that used to be the dressing rooms and the clubhouse, but now it just serves as a clubhouse. To the side of this is a small seated stand, while beyond it, straddling the half way line is the impressive new changing room block and club offices, complete with hospitality facilities.

Behind the far goal some covered terracing stretches the width of the pitch, while the shallow main stand runs along the side opposite the dressing rooms. Behind the car park goal is another area of covered terracing, albeit somewhat smaller in comparison to it’s mate at the opposite end.

Other bits and pieces of buildings are dotted around the ground such as the tea bar, the club shop and a small café area, but all in all it’s tidy, it’s welcoming and it’s homely.

They are also a good bunch at Coalville. Chairman Glyn Rennocks has been a player and a manager previously and is always happy to have a chat, while the fella in the club shop was superb, taking us into a hospitality area to have a look at the superb club history journals that’s he’s been involved in putting together.

The game was against Kings Langley, and this is one of the foibles of the Southern League Premier Central. You’ve got the Midlands based sides, but also some from the top side of the M25 (like Kings Langley) and also the trio over in East Anglia, namely Lowestoft, Needham Market and Leiston, that are a couple of changes of clothes away!

It proved to be a comfortable win for the Ravens, with Thomas McGlinchey giving them the lead ten minutes before the break. Matters were not helped for the visitors early in the second period when Kyle Connolly got his second yellow card of the game, and then shortly afterwards Kalern Thomas smashed in a second for the hosts.

Coalville wrapped up the victory inside the final ten minutes when substitute Kairo Mitchell found the target. The victory took them to third in the table.

The attendance was 172 on a chilly night in North Leicestershire, which to be fair is at the lower end of what they’ve been getting through the gate this season. They’ve been averaging a healthy 282 having only played six league games at Owen Street.

An enjoyable night at a welcoming club, and one that sells KP Dry Roasted Peanuts, and I would urge you to pay them a visit, for that very reason alone!