Thanks to the vagaries of TfL underground I had my best-laid plans totally buggered yesterday. Leaving at 5.30pm aiming to arrive at the Crown & Sceptre at 7.00 a series of unscheduled tunnel holds on red lights saw that I didn't get to Shepherds Bush Market till 7.25 leaving me no option but to head straight into the ground. What an atmosphere, everyone was really up for it and the plastic sheets which produced the hoops round the stadium really gave the feeling that this was our night. The noise we made seemed endless, despite a brief drop-off after Wigan got their goal we were soon cheering the lads on in what was one of their best team performances of the season. I thought Kranjcar, in particular, was really up for it and he really put himself about as well as mesmerising the Wigan defence with his silky skills. However, for me the Man of the Match was Ned, despite a cut head early on he was immense, never putting a foot wrong and often starting play out from the back, in fact Dunne's stock ball seemed to be a square pass to Ned sometimes when in shouldn't have been. Where would we be without Charlie? Sure-footed from the spot and a classic poacher's goal for the winner, he is closing in on legendary status in his first season and his work-rate last night was superb. Barton really ran himself ragged and every player could be proud of their contribution, it was a proper team effort and the timing couldn't have been any better, let's hope we can take this into the Final. The scenes at the end were fantastic, pure unbridled joy & relief and the poor Wigan buggers above me, who were full of themselves at half-time were getting it back with knobs on. I remember similar scenes on the Saturday afternoon after we beat Leeds in 76 and never thought I'd witness anything like that again, but last night ran it close. Finally escaping the ground just after 10.30 I headed back to the station getting a thorough soaking as it was pissing down. Just as I got to the platform the doors were closing and I just made it onto the train and with a cold damp shirt stuck to my back I thought I can't wait for the warmth of home. However, I'd just made my first mistake, the train I got wasn't the Hammersmith & City Line, it was the Circle Line and by time I realised my mistake I was heading for Aldgate instead of Whitechapel for my connection to Norwood Junction. I changed platforms at Aldgate just in time to miss the train back to Liverpool St forcing me to wait nearly 15 minutes for the next one. When I got to Liverpool St I changed platforms just in time to see the Whitechapel train disappearing into the tunnel and to cap the lot, by time I got to Whitechapel at 11.55 the last train to West Croydon was departing without me. With three trains left to closedown, all terminating at New Cross gate I was f*cked. I had visions of trying to find a cab in New Cross in the pissing rain as I had no idea of any buses that might still be running. Then I remembered that the N68 stops outside the Palace ground near my place and I'd seen daytime 68s at Waterloo. So departing the overground at Canada Water and getting the last Jubilee Line train stopping at Waterloo I finally managed to get on the night bus at 12.30 and finally arrived home resembling a drowned rat at 1.20! Two and threequarter hours after setting off. But did I care? Not bloody likely, I was so pumped up by our win I'd probably have walked home if I had to...
Great story Soopy. You lads made one hell of a noise last night! (Did you eat that cake or did you freeze it? )
