How I watched football: 2023-24

For three years now Doncaster Rovers have been an awful watch. Really bad. I’m talking absolutely abject ‘have these guys ever played football before, or have they just read a description of it in a book?’ stuff.

So when I bought a ticket for their match at Wrexham in early September I very quickly realised I’d done so purely under the pretence of ‘well it would be silly not to given where I live’ rather than actually looking forward to the game in any way. Fast forward seven months and out of seemingly nowhere this same hapless bunch had inexplicably transformed from a team I was watching through nowt more than a sense of duty, to a side playing with so much positivity, that I was truly desperate to see them again. So much so I was rearranging work dates so I could catch them at Colchester. Colchester! One of the worst away days in football. In midweek. 

Reconnecting with a thing you love is a wonderful experience. And nothing illustrates that more than feeling a much greater disappointment at not having been able to witness more matches during Rovers’ record-breaking run of form than that which I felt at seeing them tumble out of the play-offs on penalties. It was still a heartbreaking end, but it’s a refreshing change to end a Rovers season excited for the next one, rather than glad it’s all over.

My relationship with Wales in 2023-24 followed a similar arc, one of a reconnection – in this case, from financially forced absence – ultimately ended cruelly by penalties. But I found much more joy than despair in being back in a full red stadium, most notably in the form of big wins over Croatia and Finland; the former my favourite game of the season.

Beyond this – and a couple of pilgrimages to take in the aesthetics of Goodison Park and the Cadbury Recreation Ground – my season was largely spent locally, off-setting clubs’ fortunes against one another. Chiefly this involved trading Colwyn Bay’s knack of finding new ways to lose in the Cymru Premier with Penmaenmawr Phoenix’ prolificacy for goals. But also for every terrible Conwy Borough performance I endured at Y Morfa, there was the enjoyment of gatecrashing Caernarfon Town’s European qualification party at The Oval.

With a neat symmetry, my season began and ended watching Llanrug United lose 1-0 on Ynys Môn. I arrived at each of these games from long walks along the coast path, as I did my visit to Pentraeth in February. I reached Mountain Rangers via a long schlep through Eryri from Llanberis, and in April trekked back to the coast over the hills from Llansannan. Maybe it’s the clearest sign yet of the onset of middle-age, but walking to and from games like this is becoming one of my great pleasures and, just like watching Doncaster Rovers, I end this season genuinely excited at the prospect of being able to do it again come August.

by Glen Wilson

Below is a photograph from every match I attended this season. All photos were taken using an iPhone.

Match 1 | July

Amlwch Town 1-0 Llanrug United
FAW Welsh Cup 1st qualifying round, Lon Bach

Match 2 | August

Everton 1-0 Sporting CP
Pre-Season Friendly, Goodison Park

Match 3 | August

Penmaenmawr Phoenix 2-0 Llandyrnog United
North Wales Coast East League Premier Division, Cae Sling

Match 4 | August

Colwyn Bay 0-4 Caernarfon Town
Cymru Premier, Llanelian Road

Match 5 | August

Greenfield 0-4 Rhos Aelwyd
FAW Welsh Cup 2nd qualifying round, Bagillt Road

Match 6 | August

Penmaenmawr Phoenix 2-1 Llanfairfechan Town
North Wales Coast East League Premier Division, Cae Sling

Match 7 | September

Mountain Rangers 4-1 Gaerwen
North Wales Coast West League Division One, Cae’r Gors

Match 8 | September

Wrexham 2-1 Doncaster Rovers
EFL League Two, Cae Raes

Match 9 | September

Colwyn Bay 3-1 Aberystwyth Town
Cymru Premier, Llanelian Road

Match 10 | September

Colwyn Bay 2-4 Newtown
Cymru Premier, Llanelian Road

Match 11 | September

Meliden 3-0 Queens Park
FAW Amateur Trophy 2nd round, The Mine

Match 12 | October

Stockport County 1-0 Doncaster Rovers
EFL League Two, Edgeley Park

Match 13 | October

Wales 4-0 Gibraltar
International Friendly, Cae Raes

Match 14 | October

Wales 2-1 Croatia
UEFA Euro 2024 Qualification, Cardiff City Stadium

Match 15 | October

Penmaenmawr Phoenix 7-1 Rhuddlan Town
North Wales Coast East League Premier Division, Cae Sling

Match 16 | October

Cadbury Athletic 0-4 Knowle
Midland League Division Two, Cadbury Recreation Ground

Match 17 | November

Conwy Borough 8-3 Llannefydd
Ardal North West, Y Morfa

Match 18 | November

Wales 1-1 Turkey
UEFA Euro 2024 Qualification, Cardiff City Stadium

Match 19 | November

Penmaenmawr Phoenix 0-6 Rhyl 1879
FAW Amateur Trophy 4th round, Cae Sling

Match 20 | November

Colwyn Bay 2-3 Connah’s Quay Nomads
Cymru Premier, Llanellian Road

Match 21 | December

Llandudno Ladies 0-13 Swansea City
Adran Trophy 1st round, Maesdu Park

Match 22 | December

Accrington Stanley 0-0 Doncaster Rovers
EFL League Two, Crown Ground

Match 23 | December

Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch 0-7 Trethomas Bluebirds
FAW Amateur Trophy 5th round, Maes Eilian

Match 24 | December

Airbus UK Broughton 0-0 Gresford Athletic
Cymru North, The Airfield

Match 25 | January

Bangor 1876 4-1 Porthmadog
Cymru North, Nantporth

Match 26 | January

Menai Bridge Tigers 2-5 Seven Sisters Onllwyn
FAW Amateur Trophy 5th round, Treborth

Match 27 | January

Meliden 2-6 Penmaenmawr Phoenix
North Wales Coast East League Premier Division, Treborth

Match 28 | January

Abergele 0-3 Penmaenmawr Phoenix
North Wales Coast East League Premier Division, Parc Eirias

Match 29 | January

Colwyn Bay 2-3 Pontypridd United
Cymru Premier, Llanelian Road

Match 30 | January

Rhyl 1879 1-2 Newport City
FAW Amateur Trophy 6th round, Belle Vue

Match 31 | January

Conwy Borough 0-2 Bethesda Athletic
Ardal North West, Y Morfa

Match 32 | February

Colwyn Bay 1-2 Penybont
Cymru Premier, Llanelian Road

Match 33 | February

Buckley Town 1-4 Connah’s Quay Nomads
FAW Welsh Cup quarter final, Globe Way

Match 34 | February

Pentraeth 5-3 Glantraeth
North Wales Coast West League Premier Division, Bryniau Field

Match 35 | March

Walsall 3-1 Doncaster Rovers
EFL League Two, Bescot Stadium

Match 36 | March

Llandudno 1-5 Airbus UK Broughton
Cymru North, Maesdu Park

Match 37 | March

Wales 4-1 Finland
UEFA Euro 2024 Qualification play-off semi final, Cardiff City Stadium

Match 38 | March

Wales 0-0 Poland (4-5 on penalties)
UEFA Euro 2024 Qualification play-off final, Cardiff City Stadium

Match 39 | March

Colwyn Bay 1-2 Aberystwyth Town
Cymru Premier, Llanelian Road

Match 40 | April

Morecambe 0-3 Doncaster Rovers
EFL League Two, Mazuma Stadium

Match 41 | April

Comwy Borough 0-3 Holyhead Hotspur
Ardal North West, Y Morfa

Match 42 | April

Llansannan 1-0 NFA
North Wales Coast East League Premier Division, Llan Siro

Match 43 | April

Colwyn Bay 1-0 Barry Town United
Cymru Premier, Llanelian Road

Match 44 | April

Colchester United 1-4 Doncaster Rovers
EFL League Two, Colchester Community Stadium

Match 45 | April

Llangefni Town 1-2 Hawarden Rangers
Ardal North West, Cae Bob Parry

Match 46 | May

Crewe Alexandra 0-2 Doncaster Rovers
EFL League Two play-off semi final, 1st leg, Gresty Road

Match 47 | May

Doncaster Rovers 0-2 Crewe Alexandra (3-4 on penalties)
EFL League Two Two play-off semi final, 2nd leg, Eco-Power Stadium

Match 48 | May

Caernarfon Town 3-1 Penybont
Cymru Premier European play-off final, The Oval

Match 49 | May

Glantraeth 1-0 Llanrug United
North Wales Coast West League Premier Division League Cup semi final, Trefdraeth

Further photographs from each of the games featured in this blog can be found on the popular STAND Instagram account

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