Now where do I begin? Should I gloat about Manchester City beating Manchester United 1-0... No! Should I prematurely over-react about Manchester City reaching their first FA Cup final in 30 years... No! What impressed me the most was the Manchester City fans because I have never felt so proud of being a blue in my life!!!
My journey began at 6:30am on Saturday morning, which is a big deal for me because I have not been up early in a couple of years. I had no problem getting myself out of bed, making my way to the shower and eating my bowl of cereal. My dad drove my brother, his girlfriend and myself to Manchester Airport where we were due to meet our coach that would take us all the way to London. Within an hour of being sat on the coach my bum was aching, I could feel myself constantly adjusting position which made the journey feel like it lasted forever. The highlight of the journey down was the DVD the driver put on for us, it was of course the Manchester City review for the 08/09 season. I heard someone close to me say, “You know what, just as I was waiting for this coach I was thinking to myself I would love to see a review of the classic 08/09 season”, brilliant!
On the way down I kept one eye on the road next to me, looking out for both Manchester City fans to wave to and Manchester United fans to erm... ‘wave to’. I was quite surprised in the end, as on the way I only saw one car that clearly contained Manchester United fans compared to hundreds of mini buses, cars, coaches and even limousines filled full of blues. We stopped off at a service station half way in the Birmingham area that I can only assume was a designated Manchester City only service station... I ate my pot of pasta & drank my drink of Lucozade and we were back on the road.
My journey began at 6:30am on Saturday morning, which is a big deal for me because I have not been up early in a couple of years. I had no problem getting myself out of bed, making my way to the shower and eating my bowl of cereal. My dad drove my brother, his girlfriend and myself to Manchester Airport where we were due to meet our coach that would take us all the way to London. Within an hour of being sat on the coach my bum was aching, I could feel myself constantly adjusting position which made the journey feel like it lasted forever. The highlight of the journey down was the DVD the driver put on for us, it was of course the Manchester City review for the 08/09 season. I heard someone close to me say, “You know what, just as I was waiting for this coach I was thinking to myself I would love to see a review of the classic 08/09 season”, brilliant!
On the way down I kept one eye on the road next to me, looking out for both Manchester City fans to wave to and Manchester United fans to erm... ‘wave to’. I was quite surprised in the end, as on the way I only saw one car that clearly contained Manchester United fans compared to hundreds of mini buses, cars, coaches and even limousines filled full of blues. We stopped off at a service station half way in the Birmingham area that I can only assume was a designated Manchester City only service station... I ate my pot of pasta & drank my drink of Lucozade and we were back on the road.
You could tell we had arrived when the coach lit up with City fans pointing at the Wembley arch that had appeared over the horizon, instantly the butterflies in my belly appeared. We stopped off at our destination, a Manchester City fans only men’s club called Willesden. The club was a bit run down when you looked closely but it was hard to notice with the songs filling the place with blue passion. All the usual songs came out like the “invisible man”, “blue moon” and “the best team in the land and all the world”. One song in particular stuck in my mind, maybe it was because it was sung non-stop for about an hour and that was “Never felt more like singing the blues, when City in and United lose... Ooooh City, you got me singing the blues”. People were using notice boards, glass bottles on tables and stamping their feet like drums, you can see my brother’s video of the place, here.
Finally the time came for us to get the tube which was actually above ground to Wembley, we waited on the platform for about a minute and we all pilled on and mingled in with a couple of United fans. The songs started straight away, I will not repeat them as they are far too explicit for this family orientated blog but I am sure you can imagine. We exited the tube at the station, walked through one of those annoying little gates that snatch the ticket out of your hand and there it was in all its glory, Wembley.
Finally the time came for us to get the tube which was actually above ground to Wembley, we waited on the platform for about a minute and we all pilled on and mingled in with a couple of United fans. The songs started straight away, I will not repeat them as they are far too explicit for this family orientated blog but I am sure you can imagine. We exited the tube at the station, walked through one of those annoying little gates that snatch the ticket out of your hand and there it was in all its glory, Wembley.
We were surrounded by Manchester United fans, they were stood on top of the bridge and walkways hurling abuse, drinks and anything they could get their hands on in our direction. We just stuck to the middle and smiled at them, what a bunch... They were constantly looking for trouble, groups of United fans were picking out City fans hoping for a reaction, apparently it was the other way around after the match. The police did the best they could using horses and man power to maintain the gap between the sets of fans but the United fans were angry beyond reason, maybe they should try and enjoy the day rather than try and spoil somebody else’s. Don’t get me wrong, of course there were City fans causing trouble too and that is something I disagree with, but its all part of football and as long as it’s two fans of opposite teams that are both looking for a fight then let them get on with it. They should be arrested within minutes anyway.
We walked up the platform to our side of the stadium, arranged a meeting point for after the game and I separated from my brother and his girlfriend, I was now alone but I didn’t care. I scanned my ticket at gate H and went straight to the toilet, best to get that out of the way before kick off if you ask me... Then it was time, the size and height of the place takes you back, I mean it wasn’t as big as the Nou Camp but the shape and beauty of the place was something to behold. I wasn’t too keen on the colour of the red seats but after fifteen minutes our side turned blue. I read an article in the Guardian that read:-
“There was little doubt, even several hours before the kick‑off, who wanted it more.”
“City's fans had poured into north London early in the afternoon while United's hordes were still sauntering through the satnav nightmare imposed by a scrapyard fire under the M1. The light blue masses were in place in the stadium's western half long before their red counterparts had taken their seats, and with that bizarre backs‑to‑the‑pitch dance, borrowed from Lech Poznan, and the dozens of flags, beach balls and inflatable bananas, the City end looked and sounded like a giant street party.”
“United's support merely stood there, as if this was the kind of spectacle to which they are accustomed every week, warranting no special display of exuberance. If perhaps half of all the United supporters had turned up wearing replica shirts, the figure at the other end must have been closer to 90%.”
“There was little doubt, even several hours before the kick‑off, who wanted it more.”
“City's fans had poured into north London early in the afternoon while United's hordes were still sauntering through the satnav nightmare imposed by a scrapyard fire under the M1. The light blue masses were in place in the stadium's western half long before their red counterparts had taken their seats, and with that bizarre backs‑to‑the‑pitch dance, borrowed from Lech Poznan, and the dozens of flags, beach balls and inflatable bananas, the City end looked and sounded like a giant street party.”
“United's support merely stood there, as if this was the kind of spectacle to which they are accustomed every week, warranting no special display of exuberance. If perhaps half of all the United supporters had turned up wearing replica shirts, the figure at the other end must have been closer to 90%.”
I could not have written it better myself. It was a blue party and we were all invited and very much involved. I was sat in an area of the ground that was considered slightly more family orientated but even the elderly and children were singing and swinging scarfs around their heads. I looked to my left at the United end, it was only a quarter full and I could have swore I saw a tumble weed blow by... One of my Manchester United fan friends told me it was “just another semi final to them” and we couldn’t half tell. Right in front of me was where the City substitutes were warming up, Dzeko, Viera, Boyata, Milner and Wright-Phillips.
Kick-off was around fifteen minutes away and I will talk more in depth about my thoughts/experience of the match and journey home during Part Two of this BlueBlog which will be available in a few days time, so keep your eyes open if you’re interested...
Please leave a comment with your thoughts on the FA Cup Semi-Final and what you thought about this blog using the comments section below... why not follow me on Twitter too @AndySlow.
