My day at Wembley Great write up Col....and it was great to see you and the lads coming down Wembley Park Station steps...you and Wubba were the only two I met during the day, which was the only downside to my otherwise awesome day. I don’t write reports, but to finalise my memories I have this time (sorry ) Up early. Lucky clothes put on (Stan Bowles Legend shirt, fleece, _ETH shirt)...see I am only half the woman you think I am under this amount of layers of clothes. I caught the (7.50) early train out of rural Bucks to meet Ezwaldo at Shepherds Bush Market to pass over some tickets. The place was already full of Rs going to and from the ground. Ezwaldo told me that the Walk to Wembley was going ahead, but unofficially...it was so large that it needed "special permission" from the police which they did not have time to get. So the club "called it off". I got to the ground, bought a playoff shirt and a playoff scarf for my soninlaw...and already the march was forming outside. By 10am there were at least a thousand, probably two thousand people at HQ, and we were joined at Wood Lane by more coming from the green. The march was eventually 8000 people and a mile long (impressive). At the front were 4 lads carrying a black coffin (DCFC) with black and white flowers on it, just as in 1967. We were joined by a young guy walking barefoot, famous QPR blogger with an odd name that I cannot remember, he said he walked to all matches barefoot, but was suffering a bit by the end. It was a great march, loads of songs, no trouble, people hanging out of windows cheering, flags and banners everywhere, shopkeepers coming out to cheer and shout, people filming us and videoing it. I do not even think it rained. We were led by a policeman with a A-Z (reassuring!!) and we amused ourselves by singing to him “You don’t know where you’re going” and to the motorists, who were held up by the mile long blue-and-white crocodile, “you’re not going anywhere”. Police were excellent, keeping us in line, all very sensible, no aggro on any side especially as it was so large and so unofficial. As we entered the top of Wembley Way we met the Rs in the Torch and what a welcome they gave us.....we lost a lot of marchers at that point. I stepped out of the march at the tube station, to meet up with DevonHoops and his very excited family for another ticket drop. I was so pleased to meet WUBBA and Col and his very excited family. I met up with my son-in-law Josh, Lizzy my youngest daughter’s partner. Liz is in the middle of uni exams and decided against coming (I am proud of her for that, and promised her she will go again, so Rs please remember I have made that promise). The walk to Wembley was brilliant, the entire atmosphere, the Derby fans were great and friendly. Josh who is a fervent footy fan, a real fan, but has affection for teams where he has spent time including Stuttgart, Plymouth and now Bournemouth...has never been to a big match, and was blown away by the atmosphere and the crowd, he was drawing it all in and loving every minute. A quick beer and we were desperate to get in to see the stadium build up. Secretly I was disappointed at only being able to get tickets in the third tier, but when I got in and saw where we were I was amazed and delighted. We had the most perfect view of Bobby’s goal; as though we were on top of it...to me it nearly happened in slow motion. I have a real memory of my thought processes at the time. The ball goes to Junior (from the throw in), I thought just go to the corner, you cannot beat them both, especially when he slips, but then he regained his feet, which seemed to disturb the Derby defenders and he hopefully crosses, but not even into Bobby’s run. That cross seemed to take an age to get to Keogh, who seemed to slash at it and there it was at Bobby’s feet. Even then I thought it is too close, he cannot do anything with it, and then the net bulged, and Bobby was running away. I hugged Josh and everyone else. It was a complete relief, when we came back to earth I noticed the clock had gone from the score board, so we were in extra-time, we cannot lose it now, can we?...We spent more time discussing who knew how many minutes were left, as no one knew. The relief, the shock, the complete and absolute incredulity of the moment when the whistle blew will live with me forever. I truly feel for the Derby fans, it was their match, they had us pinned and that slight complacency that... “Patience will prevail, against 10 men in extra time we will score” may have been their downfall. I feared for us when I saw the Austin was playing in midfield, but Clint insisting that Junior stay on the field for an “outlet” was inspired. Remember next season when the “Junior is only a younger version of SWP” argument comes up again. He turned the semi-final around; with his run into the penalty area, and his determination on Saturday to get passed his man...is why we are in the premiership. But in Josh we have another R, he is now one of ours. When O’Neil was sent off his head went in his hands, he sobbed, he thought we had lost it.I told him we would get one chance, it wasn’t over. When we scored he went looney, he sang with us and danced. We stayed in the stadium for about an hour enjoying, singing and dancing. He collected an extra flag for Lizzy, as he wanted to keep his. He went home to Bournemouth wearing his playoff scarf, waving his flag....a real R....you only need to be bitten once (Liz is telling me he talking about us being a real team, his team...he does not know about last year obviously) A long winded report, but it was a day I will never ever forget...they do not come too often. Enjoy this moment, this day, this summer, because it will be a slog through next season. It will be a difficult with ups and downs,...because we are the Rollercoaster Rangers and this is the team we love.
Loving all these reports. Thanks for taking the time col, Beth and others, it really helps us non attendees get a feel of the magic of the day and wish even more that I'd been there!!
Great write up Col. A gripping tale of an epic day in the life of an R. I still can't believe it mate. The pain and agony when playing with ten men, I couldn't muster any noise, it was pure pain running through my body at the time. To sheere elation when Bobby scored, you can't put a price on it, once in a lifetime moment. I had no fear from that point though. Finglas said 1-0 win and Zamora scoring at half time, and Fin is one special lad so I knew we were safe. We were standing there afterwards, grown men with tears in our eyes just looking at each other in some sort of disbelief. How did we f**king do that? I'll come back stronger when I'm back in Norway with my thoughts on an absolutely amazing experience. To meet so many fantastic people, before, during and after the game, thank you for making it a day to remember. Can't wait to get Mourinho to Loftus Road! Let's be havin' ya!!
Great write up, Col, and also by Beth. Winning promotion by automatic placing is fine and compared to the play offs, usually relatively stress free, - but nothing beats winning the play offs, especially 10 men with backs to the wall defending resolutely and stealing it in the 90th minute. Football euphoria doesn't get much more acute than this! Even Leicester and Burnley must have been envious on Saturday
Unbelieavable!! First time Ive been able to get on laptop! I was in Hennesseys and met a few on here Queensland, Dubai , Eamon etc but obviously missed a load more faces and probably guys I may remember from 20/30 years ago. Saw a Gerry Francis stunner on the box I had never seen before as well. I think it was more than an Aguero moment because the goal was so unexpected and our only shot on target the whole game. I was emotionally and physically drained yesterday and back in Dorset but a fantastic, amazing day on Saturday shared with my 20 year old son who said "probably best day of his life" so priceless.
Great report col & canadahoop. Really impressive how many of us were in Hennessy's with staines & col taking the lead & trying to introduce one poster to another as they arrived. Just think how good it would have been if you had joined me & Iain walking from the pub to the stadium! What a great day. "When Clint goes up to lift the Play off cup. We'll be there, we'll be there"
Nice report. I'm the bloke who went barefoot. I recorded a lot of video on Saturday. Here's the end result. I included most of the stuff from the walk in it, and quite a bit from in the ground as well. [video=youtube;CgUaz3WFNKY]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgUaz3WFNKY[/video]
Col and Beth! Great write ups - thanks. It was an amazing day just watching it on the TV, and celebrating after, but as you both describe being there must have been much more than amazing, whatever word there is for that!
Hi Saxbend and welcome I was the woman walking next to you at the start of the walk. I loved hearing your stories Welcome to Not606 Thanks for the photos, perhaps a mod can add them to Ubers Sticky at the front Lest we forget I hope the feet were OK, I moved a bit ahead as we came upto Wembley as I was bit late for a rendez-vous Great day wasn't it Edit> Watched it all now, reliving the moment. Just so you lot don't think I was skiving from turning up at Hennesseys.... a few cameo performances from Beth on the video...most obviously skulking in the background at 1.12 Saxbend...thank you you are legend
My feet were absolutely fine thanks, though my ankles did get a bit stiff, and it got a bit painful when sitting relatively still during the game. My knees were fine though, so that's something, and a couple of grams of ibuprofen later I was right as rain. I will have to rewatch my own video when I get home this evening so I can pin down exactly who you are/were.
