Xmas fixtures etc
We’ll I’ve not done much posting over the Xmas hols so I thought I’d do a review of the Xmas games. This will consist of a very short match report and a brief report on the awayday’s
Bolton
Poor game but at least we managed a point.
Blackburn
Got to the Greyhound at 12:15 to find it CLOSED! Eventually opened at 12:40 and managed a pint before boarding the bus and off to Clitheroe. On the journey down we were entertained by Butch trying to mend the toilet door; he put a ‘full shift’ in and eventually got it mended - could this be perhaps a portent of things to come and Butch making a re-appearance in the jobs market in 2006? On the radio it said that the Bolton vs Smogs game had been cancelled but no mention of our game. When we got to Clitheroe it was very cold and icy but we made it safely to the pub where we settled in for a few drinks. I got in a round with my two marra’s from Kella and we had some good crack and a few pints (although Steph was grumbling about me drinking £2.40 lager and him and Thomas being on the £2 John Smiths!). All was going well till 6 o’clock when rumours began circulating round the pub that there was a pitch inspection; at 6:30 the police came into the pub and announced that the game had been called off! We boarded the bus and trooped off back to the NE, getting home at 9 o’clock. At least we didn’t get beat!
Everton
We should have had the game won comfortably but, once again, let it slip away and came away with nothing. I know we’re not a good team but I can think back to a number of games where we’ve dropped points against poor teams which might have kept us in closer contention (WBA, Birmingham, WHU, Everton etc)
Bolton
Poor game but at least we managed a point.
Blackburn
Got to the Greyhound at 12:15 to find it CLOSED! Eventually opened at 12:40 and managed a pint before boarding the bus and off to Clitheroe. On the journey down we were entertained by Butch trying to mend the toilet door; he put a ‘full shift’ in and eventually got it mended - could this be perhaps a portent of things to come and Butch making a re-appearance in the jobs market in 2006? On the radio it said that the Bolton vs Smogs game had been cancelled but no mention of our game. When we got to Clitheroe it was very cold and icy but we made it safely to the pub where we settled in for a few drinks. I got in a round with my two marra’s from Kella and we had some good crack and a few pints (although Steph was grumbling about me drinking £2.40 lager and him and Thomas being on the £2 John Smiths!). All was going well till 6 o’clock when rumours began circulating round the pub that there was a pitch inspection; at 6:30 the police came into the pub and announced that the game had been called off! We boarded the bus and trooped off back to the NE, getting home at 9 o’clock. At least we didn’t get beat!
Everton
We should have had the game won comfortably but, once again, let it slip away and came away with nothing. I know we’re not a good team but I can think back to a number of games where we’ve dropped points against poor teams which might have kept us in closer contention (WBA, Birmingham, WHU, Everton etc)
Fulham
I picked up Jimmy at just after 7 o’clock and we had a good run through to Darlington Station. The roads were very quiet due it being a Bank Holiday. Got to the station in good time and had a coffee whilst waiting for our train at 08:03. At approx 07:50 I asked Jimmy to have a look at the tickets and see which carriage we were in. To cut a long story short I thought he had the tickets and he thought I had them! Jimmy had them when he got into the car but he’d handed them to me as he’d got in; my fault! I made a dash back to the car park and retrieved the tickets and got back with a few minutes to spare. The train pulled in but no coach G where our reserved seats were located. However there were no reservations on any of the seats and the train was almost empty so we were able to get sat at a table and enjoyed a quiet journey to Kings X, arriving on time at 10:52. When we got there we made our way to Putney Bridge where we met up with the Miller possee in the Golden Lion pub and were soon joined by Alan. Had a bit crack and a few drinks then off to the game, Alan and I collecting some fish and chips on the way. They cost £5:15 (!) but the fish was massive and accompanied by a mountain of chips so well worth it, especially as we were ‘starving’.
Got to the ground and took up our seats. Although it’s an old ground the view was excellent and the facilities quite good. Sunderland played OK but never really looked like they were going to win and inevitably surrendered all the points to an average Fulham side. Met up with Clive at half time and as we were talking to him the Police pulled to one side these young lads who were standing beside us and asked them to turn out their pockets. The Police must have been watching them and they were pulling out half bottles of spirits from every pocket so that soon it was like a brewery! Needless to say they got chucked out and the drink confiscated.
The second half came and went and our one goal advantage was overturned to a 2-1 defeat but nothing different to what we expected and we left to make our way home, Miller having left a few minutes before the end to go for a pint. When we got to the pub Jimmy and I decided to get nearer to Kings Cross so phoned Miller to tell him that’s what were doing. Said goodbye to Alan and got back to Kings Cross at 5:55, just in time to find the 6 o’clock train ready to go! Although our tickets were restricted and for the 7 o’clock train we decided to ‘give it a go’ and got on the 6 o’clock train. When the conductor came for our tickets Jimmy ‘played a blinder’ and convinced him to let us stay on the train and not charge us the full fare of £100 which was due. A top performance by Jimmy, aided and abetted by frequent references to his broken arm. Jimmy phoned Miller to tell him that we’d got on the earlier train to find that they’d missed the 7 o’clock train (detained in the pub?) and would be catching the 8 o’clock one. How did it go Ian? Were you able to blag your way home without paying any extra? We got home at 9 o’clock having enjoyed the good day out but, once again, not because of the football.
Got to the ground and took up our seats. Although it’s an old ground the view was excellent and the facilities quite good. Sunderland played OK but never really looked like they were going to win and inevitably surrendered all the points to an average Fulham side. Met up with Clive at half time and as we were talking to him the Police pulled to one side these young lads who were standing beside us and asked them to turn out their pockets. The Police must have been watching them and they were pulling out half bottles of spirits from every pocket so that soon it was like a brewery! Needless to say they got chucked out and the drink confiscated.
The second half came and went and our one goal advantage was overturned to a 2-1 defeat but nothing different to what we expected and we left to make our way home, Miller having left a few minutes before the end to go for a pint. When we got to the pub Jimmy and I decided to get nearer to Kings Cross so phoned Miller to tell him that’s what were doing. Said goodbye to Alan and got back to Kings Cross at 5:55, just in time to find the 6 o’clock train ready to go! Although our tickets were restricted and for the 7 o’clock train we decided to ‘give it a go’ and got on the 6 o’clock train. When the conductor came for our tickets Jimmy ‘played a blinder’ and convinced him to let us stay on the train and not charge us the full fare of £100 which was due. A top performance by Jimmy, aided and abetted by frequent references to his broken arm. Jimmy phoned Miller to tell him that we’d got on the earlier train to find that they’d missed the 7 o’clock train (detained in the pub?) and would be catching the 8 o’clock one. How did it go Ian? Were you able to blag your way home without paying any extra? We got home at 9 o’clock having enjoyed the good day out but, once again, not because of the football.
Well that's the Xmas fixtures over, now we can look forward to our next two games - Northwich Victoria on Sunday at home in the FAC and Chelsea at home in the Premiership the week after! Not much to look forward to, for different reasons! After that we'll all somehow have to get through to the end of the season with the certainty of relegation to come.
posted by Billy @ 2:01 PM
4 comments
4 Comments:
Disgusting Billy. How on earth can you pay that ammount of money for fish and chips? I understand that your waist size is still increasing. See you in the BCB.
It's always the same story Billy; I seat completely relaxed before reading both yours or Jim's awaydays' review. And the point is that i'm never disappointed at the end of it.. Brilliant once more, especially providing details that i really appreciate, bearing in mind i've unfortunately never attended any Sunderland game (yet).
Billy, there is an aire of acceptability and inevitablity about your posts these days. Very little by way of excitement and it seems you have accepted your fate.
Will the discarding of the season ticket follow thereafter with the "one disappointment" too many kicking in?
GNER wanted to charge us £90 a piece for missing our train and catching the 8pm - but Miller being a drunk Miller blagged it all the way back to Durham with no extra charge - though we did have Ashy prepared to come for us at Peterborough where we would have been chucked off!
Another great London awayday, the 'fulham only' pub was friendly enough, it had Stella at Kelloe Greyhound prices and sausage, beans and chips at £3.....better than the £5+ Fish n Chips!
I remember the lads with the small spirit bottles now - hilarious....
PS: The reason why we missed the train was the fact that The Flying Scotsman actually had a nice looking stripper on for once so we though we'd hang on and see the rest of her!! Probably worth it in the end.......
Post a Comment
<< Home