SEASIDE ADVENTURE

POET AND WRITER CHRIS TOWERS HEADED TO WESTON SUPER MARE TO SEE THEM TAKE ON ENFIELD TOWN IN NATIONAL LEAGUE SOUTH

- chris towers

E VER had a sinking feeling? There was I on a bright, winter morning on the beach at Weston-super-Mare, out on my morning run on wet sand and unaware, at least for a time, that this was sinking sand.

The pier looked grand, and the wide expansive beach was flanked by flats and hotels. The tide was far out but there were warnings of sinking sands. I quickly returned to the softer sands by the coastal road.

Meanwhile, a man was walking with a stick so far out that it reminded me of a famous poem from Stevie Smith - 'Not Waving but Drowning'.

The only problem was he was waving, a stick in fact, at a woman who shouted at him 'not to feed my dog' as the hound ran after this man with foodstuff in his hand, along with the proverbial stick.

The man retorted angrily: "I am not feeding your dog." Perhaps the dog owner was concerned for the dog on wet sand. This incident seemed to set the tone for my trip and indeed the game.

After consuming fish and chips on the sea front, in one of the many cafes, I took a taxi to the ground and the driver informed me that the population of the town had expanded but it needed investment.

He said, however, that Weston had plans for a university and this could provide that.

He talked with enthusiasm about the town and the club and I thanked him for his informative chat. From there, I went searching for my club contact who had given me guest status.

Sitting in one of the clubhouse bars, I was welcomed with warmth as I was afforded an interview with a member of the staff team who informed me that Weston nurtured Ollie Watkins, Aston Villa and England, who won a place in England's European Championship side last summer.