Leon Chambers Parillon

[MarkE]

I was at Wembley yesterday to see the Vanarama Play Off Final although I was in the Oldham end I was of course pleased Leon scored for Southend after coming on as sub. His running with the ball and ability to get into attacking positions showed how he has made the step up to the National League with ease.

He probably could have opted to pass a bit sooner a few times but he was constantly running forward attacking space and it looked as if Southend's subs had given them all the momentum as Oldham looked knackered. Unbelievably Oldham found extra energy to win it in extra time.

[Holyport Rebel]

 

Yes.
I know our season finished several weeks ago.
Yes. 
I know yesterday's game at Wembley obviously didn't feature Slough Town.
However, considering the fact that somebody who used to be 'one of our own' up until very recently had a role to play in this fixture, I thought it merited a few lines.
I'm glad to see that MarkE has started a thread entitled "Leon Chambers-Parillon", as up until then Leon had only had a couple of sentences on our forum talking about him.
Yes, this report is about the Oldham v Southend game yesterday, so if you're not interested in reading about my thoughts on the game, I'm more than happy for you to stop reading from this point on. 😀

In case there's anyone left remotely interested, I'll carry on regardless.

I've highlighted on here previously the difficulties put in the way of fans getting tickets to this game.
I wanted to go but didn't want to deprive a proper fan of the two teams a ticket.
I left it till very late before buying  one, when it looked like every "proper" fan of the two teams involved who still wanted to go after all the difficulties imposed on them, had got one.
I was extremely touched by the kind soul on here who went out of their way to  arrange to get me a ticket if I needed one, if I hadn't been able to get one by my own endeavours.
Very much appreciated.

Anyway, on to the match yesterday..............................

Sunday morning I drove to Gerrards Cross railway station, and caught the 10.21 train to Wembley Stadium.
This would get me to Wembley just before 11am, but I didn't mind hanging around Wembley for a few hours before kick off.
I'd much rather get there in plenty of time than have to rush.
Fellow forum member "Bonjour" (John) was also going to the game, as he had done what I had done and bought a ticket just before the deadline for sales expired.
I knew John was at Wembley already ,so a quick text was sent and we met up, and walked around Wembley chatting away to each other which would also make the time before the turnstiles opened pass more quickly. 
The area around Wembley used to be a dump.
Not any more.
There's a very large up-market retail shop area there now.
Many Southend and Oldham fans were sitting outside some of the coffee shops and bars, eating and drinking away  in the sunshine.
The two sets of supporters seemed to have a definite respect for each other, as they are both massive clubs who have both had better times, and both in recent years have come very close to losing their club for ever.
We decided to walk around the Wembley Stadium concourse, which by now was rapidly getting very busy with more and more Southend and Oldham fans arriving.
John spotted  a familiar face among the crowd of people milling around outside the ground.
It was Ash.
We walked over to him, and had a nice, friendly conversation together for a few minutes.
Ash told us the news that Leon wouldn't be starting.
This was disappointing news, but to be honest I'd had the feeling that he was going to be a sub.
I felt pretty confident that he'd come on though.
Just had a  strong feeling that he would.
We then said our goodbyes to Ash and we carried on walking around the outside of Wembley Stadium.
Fans could now by this time get inside Wembley as the turnstiles were now open, so when we  reached the section of Wembley where my turnstile was located, I stayed there while John walked further on to where his turnstile was.
I got my ticket ready to go through the several checkpoints and  turnstile. 

To be continued........................
 
 
 

Edited Monday at 10:39 by Holyport Rebel

[Reading Rebel]

38 minutes ago, Holyport Rebel said:

 

Yes.
I know our season finished several weeks ago.
Yes. 
I know yesterday's game at Wembley obviously didn't feature Slough Town.
However, considering the fact that somebody who used to be 'one of our own' up until very recently had a role to play in this fixture, I thought it merited a few lines.
I'm glad to see that MarkE has started a thread entitled "Leon Chambers-Parillon", as up until then Leon had only had a couple of sentences on our forum talking about him.
Yes, this report is about the Oldham v Southend game yesterday, so if you're not interested in reading about my thoughts on the game, I'm more than happy for you to stop reading from this point on. 😀

In case there's anyone left remotely interested, I'll carry on regardless.

I've highlighted on here previously the difficulties put in the way of fans getting tickets to this game.
I wanted to go but didn't want to deprive a proper fan of the two teams a ticket.
I left it till very late before buying  one, when it looked like every "proper" fan of the two teams involved who still wanted to go after all the difficulties imposed on them, had got one.
I was extremely touched by the kind soul on here who went out of their way to  arrange to get me a ticket if I needed one, if I hadn't been able to get one by my own endeavours.
Very much appreciated.

Anyway, on to the match yesterday..............................

Sunday morning I drove to Gerrards Cross railway station, and caught the 10.21 train to Wembley Stadium.
This would get me to Wembley just before 11am, but I didn't mind hanging around Wembley for a few hours before kick off.
I'd much rather get there in plenty of time than have to rush.
Fellow forum member "Bonjour" (John) was also going to the game, as he had done what I had done and bought a ticket just before the deadline for sales expired.
I knew John was at Wembley already ,so a quick text was sent and we met up, and walked around Wembley chatting away to each other which would also make the time before the turnstiles opened pass more quickly. 
The area around Wembley used to be a dump.
Not any more.
There's a very large up-market retail shop area there now.
Many Southend and Oldham fans were sitting outside some of the coffee shops and bars, eating and drinking away  in the sunshine.
The two sets of supporters seemed to have a definite respect for each other, as they are both massive clubs who have both had better times, and both in recent years have come very close to losing their club for ever.
We decided to walk around the Wembley Stadium concourse, which by now was rapidly getting very busy with more and more Southend and Oldham fans arriving.
John spotted  a familiar face among the crowd of people milling around outside the ground.
It was Ash.
We walked over to him, and had a nice, friendly conversation together for a few minutes.
Ash told us the news that Leon wouldn't be starting.
This was disappointing news, but to be honest I'd had the feeling that he was going to be a sub.
I felt pretty confident that he'd come on though.
Just had a  strong feeling that he would.
We then said our goodbyes to Ash and we carried on walking around the outside of Wembley Stadium.
Fans could now by this time get inside Wembley as the turnstiles were now open, so when we  reached the section of Wembley where my turnstile was located, I stayed there while John walked further on to where his turnstile was.
I got my ticket ready to go through the several checkpoints and  turnstile. 

To be continued........................
 
 
 

HR, never apologise for posting.

The odd one or two might not be interested but I'm sure the majority will be.

 

[MarkE]

Always worth reading 👍

[Irishadrian]

You have a way with words post whatever whenever !

[Holyport Rebel]

I went to get a match programme (costing £8-), ( ouch.), and then headed back towards the first of the checkpoints you need to negotiate before getting through the Wembley turnstiles.
These hurdles were passed ok, and then I rode the couple of escalators up to where my Block was to be found. (Block 221).
As these checkpoints take all drinks off of you when you pass through them, my first point of call was to one of the free water outlet's dotted around inside of Wembley, after which I went to find my seat.
When you pass from the dark, artificial light of the corridors behind the scenes,  to actually walk into your section block and  out into the sunlight and see the pitch for the first time that day, I still find it a magical moment.
Been to Wembley Stadium for matches over 100 times, but that first glimpse of the pitch still fills me with awe as it did on my first visit many years ago.
What must it be like to play there in an important match, and I was sure that one of our old boys was going to have that very experience in only  a few hours time. 
The seats started to fill, and the players came out for their warm ups.
Looking down at Leon, I couldn't help but think it was only a few short months ago that he was playing for us  in front of crowds numbering say 1,000 to 2,000 or even less.
Today if he came on he'd be playing in front of almost certainly 50,000+.
At Wembley !
What a transformation.
Kick off time approached, and the atmosphere inside the ground was fantastic.
Perhaps it was because I was a basically a neutral fan  (apart from a connection with Leon ), that I was able to recognise just how good the atmosphere was.
I wasn't wrapped up  as a fan normally is as to which team won or lost.
I don't know, but it was a superb atmosphere though.
The two teams came out just before kick off time ,and lined up behind the red carpet.
The Southend fans behind their goal, ( I was at that end near one of the corner flags), unfurled a large 'Tifo' , and the fans to either side of this held up blue and yellow cards which picked out the initials "SUFC".
A large and very long banner ran along the front of the Southend end, which read "Never give Up".
The Oldham fans at the other end just waved their blue and white scarves and flags.
It was a tremendous scene, and for the first of many times that day I thought to myself that this is a Non-League match !
Tier 5 !
I've been in many other football crowds of 50, 60 and 70,000 and not felt such energy coming from the terraces. 
The game kicked off, and it was only after a few minutes that Southend went ahead.
Just what was needed to make it a good game to watch for the neutral.
The Southend fans went delirious.
The Southend fan beside me high fived me.
Due to the Leon connection, I had wanted Southend to win the game, but the longer the game went on, the stronger my attachment to them became.
The half carried on, and Oldham looked the more threatening team.
They  missed some great chances, none better than just before half time when their star striker was through on goal with just the 'keeper to beat, chipped it over him and the ball went wide of the goalpost by no more than a coat of paint.
The ref ( who had I thought missed loads of fouls from both teams), blew for half-time and the players trotted off to the dressing rooms.  
During half-time loads of fans took the chance to leave their seats to either go to the toilets or get a pint or suchlike.
Leon was down on the pitch doing more warm ups with the other subs.
The second half was no more than a couple of minutes old, when a long throw from an Oldham player caused mayhem in the Southend six yard area.
There were so many bodies in there it was hard to say what had happened from my viewpoint, but a penalty was awarded, and duly scored.  
This time it was the turn of the Oldham fans to rejoice.
A massive roar came thundering down the pitch to our end.
Flares were lit up by Oldham fans and thrown onto the pitch in front of their end.
How they hell had they managed to smuggle them in ?
The game was delayed while these flares were attended to.
The game was now 1-1, but still there were empty seats at our end where fans still hadn't yet gotten back to them after moving from them at half-time. 
If it was my team playing at Wembley, I wouldn't miss a second of them being on the pitch, even if I had to tie a knot in it !
The second half progressed.
The attendance was announced as 52,115.
How many more would there have been without all the ticket difficulties ?
The moment I had been waiting for came as the electronic clock on the giant screens behind both goals read 63 minutes and about 40 seconds.
Leon was about to step across the white line and come on as a sub.
I tried to imagine what it must be like to be in Leon's shoes at that very moment.
If it was me on the touchline, waiting to come on, I don't think I could have moved.
In that atmosphere and occasion, I think I would have been rooted to the spot, terrified of the possibility of making a mistake that might cost my team and all these fans the chance of achieving their dream, of getting promotion to the Football League.   
Leon ran on, with his picture, shirt number and name "Leon Parillon" illuminated large on the Wembley giant screens.
I was so delighted for him.
The second half drew to a close.
Neither team had been able to score that killer second goal.
Leon had got involved several times, even had a shot blocked, but into extra time we were going.
The first period of extra time began, and Southend launched an early attack down their right.
Their man hit a cross that was deflected up towards the goal by an Oldham defender.
The Oldham goalkeeper was only able to push the ball up and slightly away from his goal ,and the ball  looped towards the far post.
A Southend player was there, in the right place at the right time, to leap up and head it into the net.
30,000 Southend fans went mental.
My first reaction was 

"OH......MY...... GOD "

"LEON'S ONLY GONE AND SCORED !"

Then 0.01 of a second later my brain said to me, 
"Nah, it can't be Leon. 
He surely to God can't have scored such an important goal in such a massive match"

Then another 0.01 of a second passed when my brain said to me

"OH MY GOD
HE REALLY HAS"

I celebrated that goal with as much gusto as all the other 30,000 Southend fans.
You wouldn't have known that I wasn't really a Southend fan.
The last time I saw Leon play live was his last game for us, which was in January away to Tonbridge when we lost 3-1 in front of a crowd of 960.
Fast forward only a few months, and Leon had just scored a massively important goal at Wembley in front of 52,000 fans.
WOW !
I so wanted the score to stay 2-1 to Southend.
Leon would have been the hero of the day, and his name would have gone down in Southend folklore.
At the start of the second period of extra time, a Southend player broke down their right, sneaked into the penalty box, and with only the goalkeeper to beat put his shot too near the 'keeper who was able to keep it out of the net.
If that had gone in, at 3-1 to Southend, that would have been game over.
I was still praying that  the score wouldn't change, and we got down to only ten minutes to go.
By now the ref had gone off to be replaced by the fourth official.
The original ref had stopped the game earlier in extra time and ran over to the benches.
I thought he was going to book someone on the touchline, but instead the ref  just carried on making his way to the tunnel, pausing only to talk to the fourth official who then ran onto the pitch as a replacement.   
Ten minutes to go.
Then came two minutes of heartbreak for Leon and all the Southend players and fans.
First a hopeful punt upfield by a Oldham player was contested in the air by a Southend defender and Oldham forward.
The Oldham forward out-muscled the Southend defender, pushed the ball into the area, took the ball around the 'keeper and struck it into the unguarded net.
2-2.
 Oh FFS !
A very good goal if truth be known, but not what I and 30,000 Southend fans wanted to see.
Oldham had looked not exactly down and out, but unlikely to score an equaliser.
Their fans went ballistic.
Couldn't really blame them.
Again I thought to myself
"Is this a non-league game ?" 
It certainly didn't feel like it.
Things got even worse for Southend.
About a minute later, an Oldham cross from the far touch line was I thought smashed into his own net by a Southend defender.
3-2.
OH NOOOOOOOOOOO   !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It turned out that this cross had been missed by the defender, an attacker and more importantly Southend's goalkeeper, and had gone straight into the net. 
That was so cruel.
The Oldham fans didn't care how it had got there, the ball was in the net and they, incredibly, were leading.
The Oldham fans were outnumbered , but you wouldn't have known it  by the amount of noise that they were making. 
Try as they might, Southend were not able to find an equaliser, and Southend, and Leon, had lost the game.
Their fans poured out of Wembley very soon after the final whistle was blown, probably unbelieving of what they had seen.
It was a cruel way to lose.
So close to the result they wanted.
I felt so disappointed for Leon.
Even if he does nothing more in his footballing career, he will always have the memory of scoring what was at the time a massive goal in front of a  52,000 crowd in an incredible Wembley atmosphere.
And hopefully there could easily be much more to come in Leon's career.
I left Wembley with the Southend fans, and was aware that there might be big queues and delays at Wembley Stadium station with all the transport problems that were happening that day.
As it turned out, it was the easiest journey home I've ever had from Wembley.
Got on the platform after being held in a queue at the station for less than 5 minutes, train came along one minute later, got on it and everyone who did so was able to take a seat inside the carriage.
It's usually a case of being crammed in like sardines.
Not this time.   
Got home at 7.10pm.
Apart from the great disappointment about Leon being so close to being the day's hero, it was a fantastic day.
An absolutely tremendous atmosphere inside Wembley for almost the whole 120 minutes.
Two sets of loud, enthusiastic and committed fans.
Such a shame one of them had to lose.
But what an incredible advert for non-league football.

 

I've put a couple of Youtube links to this game underneath.

The first is about 90 seconds long, showing the scenes at Wembley as the teams came out.

The second is match highlights, about 9 minutes worth.

 

 

   

 
 

Edited Monday at 15:00 by Holyport Rebel