alternatives you have to get to away games.
At Leeds the other week it was a tenner return, this week a touch of
mix and match, seven quid by coach to Wolves while a 10 pound single
back by train and home by 9.30. At least it made the hurt of a $27
match ticket easier, as for the match, that's another story!
Wolverhampton is a smaller version of Leeds, which is a smaller
version of Manchester. Another open Victorian town built up on the
weaith of the Industrial Reveloution, here mainly coal and iron.
After a four hour coach journey, leaving Victoria at 8am, the down
side of National Express's 'Fun Fares', there was plenty of time to
find a pub and there are several to choose from 10 minutes from the
bus station. I choose the Goose in the City in Litchfield St., a
Weatherspoons type establishment with three pound burgers with a
drink! I stuck to just beer, a pint of Brains at 1.70, like being
back in Cardiff!
15 minutes from there your at the ground and what an impressive sight
it is, one of the top UK stadia. Even better a burger war had
started with some vans selling hot dogs and hamburgers at a quid! I
promise you there was nothing wrong with the food as the silence
around the vans selling at twice the price testified, capatilism in
its puriest form.
Picking up the excellent A Load of Bull fanzine, as I did 10 years
ago, for a good read on the way back, I entered the ground. Now the
away end had changed, we were at the side of the pitch facing the
City and where a gap was between the South Bank and the opposite side
the setting sun was full on in our eyes.....couldn't see a thing for
the first half hour without the fanzine blocking out the sun, not
what I expected for near thirty notes! Thanks guys, though of course
some would say they were doing us a favour!
The game was a microcosim, is that a word?, of our season. First
attack, free kick, Hammell hits the bar. Lots of possesion then
Wolves get a cross in, Darryl, and I must say for the first time this
season, lets it slip out of his hands, nine times out of 10 Barratt,
but he was dropped here, so maybe Spinner, would smash it into the
stands. No, it goes to a Wolves player who squares it for Leon
Clarke, a player who couldn't find the net most of the season, to
smash it home. (Darryl didn't get voted best keeper in League One
for nothing.)
Off to the loo to get rid of the Brains, huge roar, we've let a
second in, a fantastic volley.
Still we try and play football, then another dive on the egdge of the
area, another ref is conned into a free kick, over it goes and the
newly confident Clarke rises above everyone for 0-3!
Second half yields usual Southend domination of possesion and this
time a Harrold goal, good header, but all too late. Wolves did more
than enough to earn the three points and if we give teams three goal
starts, or just keep giving three goals away, what do we expect.
Final whistle goes and I'm so pleased I'm on the train with a two
hour journey this time, except a guy refuses to pay the right fare
and we are all held at Coventry for 20 minutes as the Old Bill turn
up to chuck him off, oh happy days and Colchester beat Cardiff for
gawds sake, even poor Jan got chucked off Strictly Come Dancing,
could the weekend get worse, roll up the All Blacks and a fine French
ref! ("I didn't say engage", give me a break!) Still Chelsea lost I
suppose.