Saturday 10th May 2026 ko 15:00

Alex Horne’s Comedy Trophy

CHICKEN CITY 6 (Adam 18 Grant 29 75 Smith 79 Robins 35 90)

EGG UNITED 7 (Euman 6 Daly 14 Key 52 59 Baker 56 McQueen 77)

Egg won 4-4 on penalties 😉

Att 3,992 (all ticket-sold out) at Chesham United

Entry £12

Programme & Teamsheet £3

Now there are plenty of grounds you’d happily visit once, but very few you’d revisit time and time again, so when Chesham United volunteer Giles Stevenson suggested an end of season charity game, and one I could pair with the North Berkshire cup final that evening, Robyn and I jumped at the chance. And now I think of it, the suggestion came on March 1st, just after Giles handed Robyn a bunch of Daffodils as it was St David’s Day. The joke that Bristolian Robyn is basically Welsh is a long running joke. A joke you see….

The root of this game is that comedian and “Taskmaster” creator Alex Horne is both a director and shirt sponsor at The Meadow, and this was the third time a charity game here has been organised by him. He clearly has some high profile friends, the likes of John Robins, Hugh Dennis, Nish Kumar, Aisling Bea and Maisie Adam all turned out to prove in footballing terms at least, what came first, the chicken or the egg?

Add to that a half time fancy dress competition as to who could dress up most like a pig- “Chess Ham” and no end of food and drink on offer on what was a hot day! And yes there were some “supplementary” laws of the game- one was if “Sit Down” by James played over the tannoy all outfield players had to sit down. The net result that both goalkeepers scored, and the penalty shoot took place because it was decided that a one goal differential at full time wasn’t deemed sufficient! But how can a side win 4 each on penalties? I’m afraid you’ll have to ask Alex Horne that one!

It was good fun, in fact such fun that Robyn decided to have our own fun. I always post what we’ve watched on social media and so we decided to post this game “straight” and wait for the inevitable reaction amongst the groundhoppers. In fact we made a list of who we thought might react with something like “You can’t count that” or “That’s not a game” and “I couldn’t watch that!”

Yes we got every single one! And with all due respect to them, they missed the point completely, and yes I did write the first two paragraphs straight with them in mind. Because the point is this, a crowd of nearly 4,000 raised a massive sum for local charities, and everyone had a lot of fun in doing so. And if going to football isn’t about enjoyment, then what on earth is it for?