As thick fog covered the Moss Lane ground, he might hardly see what was going on in a first-round video game being telecasted live on BBC Two.
“One of the more challenging of my long career, that’s about 35 years now,” stated Bower about the experience.
“I was reminded by a colleague – maybe I’m a jinx – that we had a similar thing on the BBC about three years ago when we did York against Wigan in the first round and the fog came in.
“Tonight was even worse. From where we were, opposite the dugouts, when the play went to the centre circle and beyond, we could not see a thing.
“We couldn’t see which team had the ball, let alone which player had the ball after about the 60th minute. Bearing in mind it went to extra-time, it was challenging.
“I simply kept looking down at my phone and it was text after text from individuals stating, ‘You’re sounding excellent, however I can’t see a thing’. In the end, you need to roll with it and do the very best you can.”
National League Altrincham were on for an upset when they took a 2-1 lead versus the League One side however a late Callum Roberts equaliser for County took the video game to extra-time before the checking out side won on charges.
“The aggravating thing is that for an hour it was an actually excellent FA Cup tie, it had whatever,” said Bower.
“It was on for another giant-killing script however then the discouraging thing is that it ends up being a non-event since, without mentioning the apparent, individuals can’t see half of it.
“Also, it’s not then about the tactics, or the shape of it, or the aggression, or the effort because you just can’t see it. As a spectacle in trying to describe a game like you normally would, it’s impossible.”
Bower’s radio coworkers were not faring better as they attempted to exercise what was going on.
“I can just about see the bright white numbers on their shirts, but I am struggling to see what is happening on the far side of the pitch,” stated BBC Radio Nottingham analyst Adam Hassell.
Previous Notts County striker Mark Stallard, who was likewise speaking on BBC Radio Nottingham, stated: “We’re looking around, and here in the press box no-one knows where the ball is! It’s like a spot-the-ball competition.
“I played in the Notts County cup side versus Wimbledon when it was deserted – they equalised in the 2nd half and I didn’t see any of it!”
Stallard later said: “We really can not see the linesman or the gamers on the far side. It’s somewhat farcical needing to commentate for radio listeners.”
Martin Paterson stated credit to Altrincham, they were the much better group in the very first half and, when it comes to the 2nd, I could not see it. He was chuckling,” said Bower.
“Neil Gibson, the Altrincham supervisor, was stating, ‘We were attempting to come down to pitchside to look tactically at what they had actually done after those 4 alternatives. Have they altered shape? Is it a back 4? Have they gone to a box midfield? We simply could not see’.
“So even from a tactical point of view, the players had to stop playing long diagonal passes and things like that because they couldn’t see, they were just having to play short five, 10 yard passes so the game changed in that sense as well.
“It was extremely, extremely near to getting aborted.”
Bower said some of the players told him they couldn’t see both goals or the corner flags from the centre circle.
“It will live long in the memory, that’s for sure,” said Bower. “Even on the charges, you were needing to depend on the crowd’s response before dedicating to the tale.
“You couldn’t see the goalkeeper’s save, for instance, until the first replay came in.”
The charges happened in front of Altrincham fans and, while Bower had replays to contact, the Notts County fans “couldn’t have seen anything” from the other end as they needed to go on “crowd reaction”
“Obviously, the Altrincham fans all had their phones on with the lights trying to put the Notts County players off as well in the fog. A unique evening all around.”
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