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    Palace                       Wednesday

I was really giddy about this game…I don’t know why but I really fancied us for this game and was sure we’d be making this trip to London to see us put one over on Colin…I was convinced…excited and convinced.

I sent the excited texts out….and Colin was definitely fookin having it today!

I made a bottle of ‘Special Oasis’ and overdid things a bit…when I added the orange, it didn’t turn it orange…sipped a bit off the top so I could get more orange in and we were right as ninepence.

Me and the young un head off to Donny for the train…

We didn’t get lost this time either…it was almost like I knew me way around now…a very strange experience I can tell ya…and a little unnerving.

Having read Michael Grays blog and his comments about Potters tache we searched Donny market for stick on versions, but failed…we could still buy industrial gloves, dust masks, sunglasses, quilted corduroy jackets and padded checked checked shirts, but no stick on moustaches, next time maybe.

I needed some food and as we went past Crawshaws, the smell of cooking meat products was too much to resist…the problem I have with shops like this is, when I’m hungry, I never know what to buy as I like it all, and end up buying loads of stuff.

This time I settled on curry and rice, a bag of curly fries and half a dozen sausages…I really wanted a pork sarnie as well, but held off.

I chuffed the curry down on the way to the station but when it came to eating the fries, they’d turned to a bag of mash…I couldn’t eat it. I love sausage and mash, don’t get me wrong, a classic and one of me all time favourites, but without peas and gravy, well, it’d be a crime wouldn’t it? And it's probably against the law.

We ditched the mash but kept the sausages…they’d be handy later when I was a bit hungry and had forgotten we’d got em.

As we’re crossing the road there was an old bloke heading straight at us in one of them old folks buggies…looked for all the world like Ken Bates and he was taking no prisoners! He split me and Hollie as we walked ower the crossing, as he got to the other side of the road he banked it so hard he was on two wheels… I expected old bugger all the pavement but a sideshift of his arse and the wheels were back down…owd folks though…must have been pension day or the bakers were getting shut of some custard slices or sommat…news like that travels fast amongst old folks…fookin crackers they are!

Anyway, onto the train and a steady journey down…and a bit of a nap…I finished the Oasis off…I always need a nap after that.
              

              

We get down to Kings Cross and meet Baldy who’s now officially had the honour of being called ‘Joe London’ bestowed upon him…Oh aye, he knows the place like the back of his hand now he does…marches us off straight away to the underground and headed out for ‘Bank’ to meet Tommo and Mork.

Anyway, turned out they were at t’Monument, sat outside enjoying a pint in the last rays of September sunshine…after a few there a nice walk over the London Bridge, which looked surprisingly steady and rigid. I was shocked considering the rumours I’d heard about it falling down.

Every fooker in London is always in a hurry aren’t they?

There we are strolling over the bridge, looking ower the Thames and up to Tower Bridge…

It were looking all splendid and outbastardstanding in the setting sun, all shimmery and wotnot… ...and all these folks, dashing about, not giving a fook about anyone else, bumping into folk, barging past each other, not caring about owt going on around em… ...suits everywhere…and lost in their own little hustle and bustle world...

Up to the Barrerboy and Banker and then the George for a few more before heading off for the footy…

The train was a bit crowded and again there were a few suits mixed in with footy fans, and we started a bit of singing…

It started out as humming…just in the background…then a few more joined in…then more…some of the finest humming ever heard on a tube…

That led to a bit of singing…first Wednesday songs…with a bit of pub singing thrown in on ‘I love yooooou We-e-eh-ehdnesday and it is kward alrart ah luuuurv yoooou’…the train folk seemed to like it…

I don’t need much more of an invitation than that really and as soon as Tommo started me off with the Stylistics, ‘I can’t give you anything (but my love)’ we were off….and they loved it even more… I asked them all to join in…’Let’s all sing along!’…..but they declined…’Come on, stop pretending you’re all under 40, some of you definitely remember this’. They did, but they weren’t joining in….

Down the drinks and the long walk to the ground where we get the tickets and in we go…

We go down the front and a quick first meeting with Rob (Berkshire Owl) who I’ve spoken to online for ages but hadn’t actually met before…He told us that Lee Strafford had been over talking to the Wednesday fans which was good to hear, kudos to the bloke again…putting himself about, ya gorra love that interaction from the chairman…
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THE MATCH
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Hmm…not exactly a thrill a minute this game and yes, I’m fully aware that before the match most fans would have accepted a point from this game but I’m sorry, I thought they were pretty poor and it’s easy to see how a team that has to rely on Alan Lee at this stage of his career as their striker is struggling TBH and rather than be happy with the point, I think the game was there for the taking and I feel a bit frustrated that we didn’t take them.

That may seem harsh but I genuinely think that.
We ARE a better side than Palace and in the past they’ve always looked as though they were gonna steal the game from us, no matter how well we played, how many goals we scored, how late in the game, I always expected them to score…I never got that impression from this Palace side and they look in decline to me.

There’s a total lack of spark and creativity about them…I can’t remember any shots on target from them, certainly none that tested Granty.

Now don’t get me wrong, we didn’t have too many shots ourselves but at least we TRIED to play some football at times….and when we did, as usual this season, it’s lovely to watch…fast decisive passing and good movement…but even allowing for those glimpses, this had nil-nil written on it from a long way out

I can’t go over the game in detail because there isn’t that much to rave about as a football match TBH but there were plenty of plus points from our point of view.

The game was controlled by the defence for the main part, for both sides, and the whole of the midfield was very scrappy, Potter and O Connor couldn’t get a grip of the game for any length of time which meant we didn’t get the ball out wide to Gray and Esajas as much as we should. They battled hard in there the two centre mid lads and had their moments but when those two really get a grip, we play better…we distribute the ball well and the wingers are brought into it…we kick on from them…it was all a bit messy, especially first half.

Mindst you, the ref didn’t help for making the match entertaining as he stopped it for the slightest thing and a lot of things seemed to go the home sides way, but for both sides, the stuff he was stopping play for, at times, was just ridiculous. No need at all. He should be there to help the game move along…he didn’t help at all.

I can’t think of many times Palace got past our back 4 or caused them too many problems though. …the odd moment but it was rare and not truly a threat at that.
On those odd occasions Woody or Purse let something go, the other was there to back them up and clean up…they were back to a good understanding between each other which was really nice to see.

All four of em though at the back for us were excellent…

It's very difficult to pick out one as the best as they all had their outstanding moments but I must admit to loving some of the stuff Lewis was doing…and one of his flick-ons to Esajas was orgasmic…second half on the half way line, Esajas goes forward in front of the Wednesday fans, gives him the ball, continues his run, Lewis does some sort of a back and side flick, right into his path….never broke his stride and he were off on a run…

Buxton got forward and he got back…one of his tackles late on when they had ‘an attack’ he took the ball clean as a whistle, out for a throw but their player went down…of course he did….if he misses that tackle, they’re in…he didn’t they weren’t.

Great stuff.

Tommy is getting better with every game and is somewhere near his best again now…growing in confidence too going forward and it won’t be long before he’s on the scoresheet IMO.

There were a couple of moments from The Full Package (Leon)…

The Full Package

...first half…full flight, virtually box to box on one occasion, going as fast as his legs would carry him…lovely to see.                 He just didn’t have enough legs to get far enough away from his defender and as he cut inside on the angle he unleashed the shot…into the side netting…                   On another occasion, when bursting through, he shot over the bar from a similar position, but he was in there having a go…second half, the keeper fumbled, he was on it in flash but again shot over...BUT..he puts himself about does TFP

I’m gonna go out on a limb here and risk getting me head chewed off….

I’m not convinced about the partnership of Leon and Varney…I’m not sure they’re a ‘classic’ combo, that they work well together, certainly not at the moment anyway…I like both players as individuals though and granted, there are glimpses of what could be, if they ever DO gel…But they make the same runs, they’re both greedy and they both want to shoot…now that can be a good thing, we want them shooting as much as possible but they do it to the detriment of the other some of the time…when there’s other, often better options.

I’d stick me neck out and say I think pretty much any of the other combinations are better than this one.

When they changed to Tudders and Sodje, it looked a much better combo IMO, more balanced and I was impressed with Sodjes touch at times…it’s not perfect by any means but some of his passing and flick-ons to Tudders were very good and they both seemed to have a better awareness of where each other were…moving for each other pretty well.
OK Sodje (Or Tudders for that matter) didn’t have his shooting boots on but there was a glimmer of what we’ve missed…faint though it was, it was still a glimmer…We’ve forgotten just what he brought to the side…his enthusiasm, his ability to shrug aside his faults and simply find the net…his talismanic presence…fook me, Laws warmed him up just to get US warmed up…that’s how much he meant to us as fans…it’d be nice to see that again.

Maybe he isn’t that far off.

It really wasn’t a game to warm the heart though overall and that was reflected in the subdued travelling Wednesday fans…a cracking turnout all things considered but we didn’t seem to get the vibe from the pitch to spur us on…strangely enough, the Palace fans who must be watching some of their worst football for ages were about the noisiest I’ve ever heard them.
There were a lot of empty seats on all sides of the homes fans so either they couldn’t be arsed or this recession is really IS biting everyone the same.
Fair play to those behind the goal to our left though, they gave their team plenty of vocal support throughout the game and there wasn’t a lot for them to sing about.

It was muted crowd that left the ground at the end and walked down the street to the train station too….no vibe about anyone, home or away fan. Usually you can pick up on a buzz from one set of fans, but there was none here.
              

              
When we got on the train, again absolutely stuffed carriages…Tommo was in the mood for singing again…as I said before, it doesn’t take much to get me going either…A wonderful a capella Flying Pickets stylee version of The Stylistics that would have pissed X Factor. It was like having a pair of Aled Joneses on the train and when we learn all the words, it’ll be dynamite…commuters beware!

The young lad sat in the seat next to me was quirming a little now though…his mate looked at him and said ‘You dipped out sitting there’

He wasn’t for joining in….

We followed up with Erasure…’Respect’…and again, no joining in…as much as I asked for it, and trying getting them going…and as much as everyone was enjoying it…they just wouldn't join in... I mean, what’s not to like? Quality entertainment this was….the young lad squirmed some more in his seat and tried to hide, he was having none of it…you just know that everyone was humming along inside, they WANTED to join in…but they wouldn’t….

Beastie singing

I asked the young fella to pick a song, he chose ‘Thriller’ and then wouldn’t join in doing thriller arms…Ya can’t win with the youth of today ya know….He wouldn’t let me read his programme either…maungy twat.

An old Palace fan with them decided to have a little dig at us then….started quizzing Tommo on Wednesday players…asked ‘Has there been any famous Wednesday players? EVER?’

Cheeky fooker…that was enough for Tommo…

Des Walker?

Palace fan: He didn’t play many games though did he?

Tommo: TRY 350 games!

Then quick as ya like….Mel Sterland, David Hirst, Roland Nilsson, John Sheridan, Chris Woods, Carlton Palmer…….Paulo Di Canio…You heard of him?

Mick Lyons…Terry Curran……………………………..Lee Briscoe.

And that was it! Lee Briscoe… It ended there….always good for closing an argument on football. Once you mention Lee Briscoe, there’s no comeback. Lee Briscoe rounded the day off and we said our goodbyes as me and the young un went to get the tube to Kings Cross…only to hear an announcement that there was at least a 25 minute delay on the Northern Line…

FOOK OFF!

We’d got just over 30 minutes before our train left…we dashed upstairs and got a taxi…FIFTEEN FOOKIN QUID!
Does ‘The Knowledge’ include lessons in fookin daylight robbery?

BASTARD!

We got there in time though…caught our train home, finally arriving home just after 2am and we felt a bit deflated TBH…

I’d expected so much from the day and it had started out well and full of confidence, and fully expected to be celebrating a victory…instead the whole match had been…well…a bit Lee Briscoe.
Potential was there but never reached the heights we’d all hoped.

Fook it.
Fook Palace. It’s a shit hole and it doesn’t matter where you sit or stand, the view is shit…
Fook Colin.
Fook the mardy Londeners for not singing…
Fook the chirpy London cabby’s
Fook that youth for not doing Thriller arms and let me read his programme…
Fook Lee Briscoe.

It was gone 2 O Clock… we were shattered, a little tipsy and fookin hungry…but we still had some sausages to eat…

Told you they’d come in handy!

              

              

Cheers

Steve:Beastie
Owls Alive


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