Awayday at the Antarctic, I mean Baggies

A Bitterly cold morning was bad enough, an early kick off in yamland worse but, after my Mom and Dad’s 50th wedding anniversary that started at 1.30 with the Ireland v Italy rugby and ended in the wee small hours with a toast to the Ireland team cricket saw DublinBluenose and I sitting in my car outside the Tram station…in a somewhat subdued state.(most of the people at the party don’t even know what cricket is or that Ireland had a cricket team).

With enough practice at drinking beer over the last 24 hours, we decided to be good Christians and we were drinking Dr Pepper and eating crisps, with the heating on full blast, discussing the prospects for the game we decided that we would be happy with a point.
 We bumped in to Mr and Mrs MIBDave,who had just parked up behind us and I didn’t envy their job for the next hour, selling MIB (only a pound) outside the ground in a bitter wind. Under the stands, the noses were waiting in line for 11 o’clock, when beer was allowed to be sold and a big cheer went up as the first beer was served.
In side the ground, 3000 cold bluenoses filled our allocation and we all watched on the big screen the team sheets appear, just as a snow blizzard started, did I mention that it was bitterly cold? The blues warmed up in front of us and applauded us, especially Clemence and Muamba, for turning out for an early start and a cold morning,which was nice

The noses were in good humour and banter started as the game kicked off, ‘your ground’s too big for you’ sang the blues as we surveyed the empty seats all around the stadium (except our section) and I have to say the silence was deafening during the first half from the yams.
Sleet, snow hail and sunshine sprayed around the pitch in turns during the whole game and even a cup of coffee didn’t warm me up, you know what it’s like when you wear the wrong jacket? And you know you have one at home that Ranulph Fiennes could have worn up the Eiger.
My cousin BublinBluenose, who had flown over for the party and game, was watching the football on the big screen as his eyes are not as good as they used to be, I told him he could have stayed in Dublin and watched on the telly!
I hope that, when we eventually get a screen at stans, that we are not so mean and show the away teams shots at goal, as it is very frustrating to turn around to see what happened only to be greeted by an advert, yet a poor shot that trickles in to our goalies hands is repeated.
Half time saw many noses, including me, warming my hands under the dryers in the loo, so warm had my hand gotten that when I met Andy from SHA and shook hands with him, he wouldn’t let my hand go, as it was so hot!

Blues started off well in the second half and could have been ahead before Gray went missing and allowed McShane to score, a few minutes later Gray got closer to McShane and brought him down and was sent off, by Reilly, who had given every free kick and tight decision to the Baggies, Gray was probably about to be subbed anyway.
Down to ten men and blues started to look the better team and Bruce did what I and many other noses had been shouting for and threw on some forwards, Vine and Muamba had worked their socks off, Tiny was sacrificed in an attempt to equalize.

The Bluenoses were singing their hearts out and a great rendition of KRO resounded around the ground and I’m sure you noses who couldn’t get tickets heard the support the team were given by the travelling hoard.

We were duly rewarded, as were the hard efforts of the team and Brucies last throw of the dice, by a fantastically well controlled volley/pass in to the net by DJ! We were right in line and were celebrating as it was a goal as soon as it left his foot. DJ’s celebrations were wild, as were the fans and the baggies fans started to leave in droves.
The blues fans sang ‘we’re on our way’ and greeted the final whistle with a standing ovation, mind you we had stood throughout the game as blues came over to applaud us.

As I said we would have settled for a point, before the kick off and we headed for the car to be met by a very large Police presence on both sides of the road, where we were let out, I thanked the nice Policeman for looking after my car and told them that I wasn’t giving them all a quid…well, I thought it was funny..

Off we set for Warwickshire and a beer next to a log fire, planning for our next match which is in Dublin next week, Ireland V Wales at Croke Park, I’m teaching our Cricket academy on Monday afternoon and six of them are Pakistani supporters…now, where can I get an Ireland cricket shirt?

KRO and Keep the faith, Murph