(no subject)
Jan. 6th, 2008 09:45 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
eiffel_71
We took three coachloads to Swansea yesterday; the word was that with people making their own way there, we'd have 400 in all. Set off from Westleigh Park at nine. After a rendition of Under The Moon Of Love as we pulled out of the car park, the journey passed quietly until we arrived at Leigh Delamere services at 11. What seemed like the whole HawkSupport army immediately descended on Burger King! As we entered Wales a few people made sheep noises, and someone shouted "Are you happy now, Aly?" (she's Welsh) but Aly, being from North Wales, replied "This isn't Wales proper, they're just wannabe Bristolians."
As we neared Swansea one of the kids, seeing some floodlights, excitedly asked if this was the stadium. As I'd already seen the H-shaped goalposts, I said "No, it's a rugby pitch." That set the kids off gibbering something about football and rugby that no-one could make out but which they found highly amusing.
We reached the Liberty Stadium about 1.30. A very impressive stadium, but there really is nothing to do in the area around it unless you can afford a meal in a fancy restaurant or fancy negotiating busy roads to get to a fish and chip shop or taking a walk across a long bridge to a McDonalds, KFC or Starbucks. We were all full of BK burgers, and as it was raining nobody was prepared to get wet just for a cup of coffee, so despite there being an hour and a half to kick-off there wasn't much choice but to go into the ground.
We all milled around the refreshment area under the stand talking, watching Sky Sports News on the two TV screens and going for the occasional nibble or drink. There I met Matt, the Scottish based Hawk, who told me about the deep snow they'd been having round his way then about his journey to the game - he'd travelled from Scotland to Havant on Friday, crashed at Malc's then come on the supporters' coach, and would be doing the whole thing in reverse after! He reckoned it worked out cheaper than going straight from Scotland to Swansea and back, which would have involved two nights in a hotel. There's dedication for you - or lunacy. Meanwhile, his wife could be giving birth any time between now and six weeks' time so he's constantly keeping one eye on his phone.
And so to the game. Despite fears that he wouldn't be fit, Charlie Oatway was in the side. The Hawk support kept up non-stop singing the whole time. A couple of renditions of 'Stand up if you love the Hawks' led to us getting told to sit by stewards; cue a new song, 'Sit down for the fussy stewards'! On the pitch Swansea had some shots on goal but all went high and wide, Kevin Scriven made a couple of super saves, Oatway was superb in midfield, Alfie Potter kept harrying them down the wing, and Jay Smith and Phil Warner were magnificent at the back, frustrating countless Swansea attacks. As time rolled by with the score still 0-0, we were all sensing the real possibility of a replay.
Matt got a text from his wife. "'What happens if it's still 0-0?'", he read. "I'm going to really wind her up now," he said, and texted back "'There'll be a replay which I'll have to go down to Havant for'". (In fact he'll watch it on telly.)
"She hasn't popped her chavvy out yet, then?"
"No," Matt grinned.
On 73 minutes, we watched with a sinking feeling as a Swansea free kick curled towards the goal - and in. The previously quiet Swansea fans found their voices for a moment. Although we all believed it was all over, we upped the noise level with a rendition of 'We are the Hawks' and never stopped for the rest of the game. Brett Poate was red-carded for an admittedly bad tackle, but straight away a Swansea player gave him a shove and next thing almost every player on the pitch was in the mêlée. The Swansea captain, who'd run fifty yards to join in, was rightly sent off, though some of us felt their keeper, who'd covered an equal distance to aim a swipe at a Hawk, should have gone as well. A couple of Hawk attacks came to nothing and we were sure our cup run was now ending in gallant defeat.
Since before half time, several of us had been muttering among ourselves that Rocky Baptiste should be substituted. We were gloriously made to eat humble pie in the 87th minute when Tony Taggart lofted a brilliant cross to the far side of the box and Rocky ran on to shoot. The ball, seeming to move in slow motion, sailed into the far corner of the net. Cue pandemonium in the away end - I got hugged by total strangers and pecked on the cheek by Matt - and a chorus of 'We've got Jairzinho' (Rocky's actual first name).
The official indicated four minutes of time added on; at that announcement the air turned blue. During the third minute added on Swansea got a corner, but Scriven saved comfortably. At last the final whistle sent us all into a loud rendition of Under The Moon Of Love as the players came over to acknowledge our applause.
We had Radio Wales' sport round-up on the coach for the first hour of the journey home. Every mention of the Hawks was greeted with a huge cheer. Maddeningly, we lost the signal just before they were going to talk to Shaun Gale. Word went round that the replay was going to be on BBC1 rather than Sky. Steph wondered if Gary Lineker'd be coming, but Ian said he'd be sitting in the studio in London. During the rest of the drive, a few of our party, mostly the kids, were idly dreaming about going through to the fourth round while most of us sensibly just focused on the magnificence of the team's achievement so far.
Stopped at Leigh Delamere again - once again what seemed the whole three coachloads all piled into Burger King.
The young guy next to me, a student and dual Portsmouth/Havant & Waterlooville fan, said he just might be tempted to pack in watching Pompey and follow the Hawks full time. Steph and I both strongly encouraged him in that direction.
Home for Match of the Day, where our game was on after the four headliner Premier League giant-killings. That'll do me.
Got to go buy the two Non-League newspapers.
As we neared Swansea one of the kids, seeing some floodlights, excitedly asked if this was the stadium. As I'd already seen the H-shaped goalposts, I said "No, it's a rugby pitch." That set the kids off gibbering something about football and rugby that no-one could make out but which they found highly amusing.
We reached the Liberty Stadium about 1.30. A very impressive stadium, but there really is nothing to do in the area around it unless you can afford a meal in a fancy restaurant or fancy negotiating busy roads to get to a fish and chip shop or taking a walk across a long bridge to a McDonalds, KFC or Starbucks. We were all full of BK burgers, and as it was raining nobody was prepared to get wet just for a cup of coffee, so despite there being an hour and a half to kick-off there wasn't much choice but to go into the ground.
We all milled around the refreshment area under the stand talking, watching Sky Sports News on the two TV screens and going for the occasional nibble or drink. There I met Matt, the Scottish based Hawk, who told me about the deep snow they'd been having round his way then about his journey to the game - he'd travelled from Scotland to Havant on Friday, crashed at Malc's then come on the supporters' coach, and would be doing the whole thing in reverse after! He reckoned it worked out cheaper than going straight from Scotland to Swansea and back, which would have involved two nights in a hotel. There's dedication for you - or lunacy. Meanwhile, his wife could be giving birth any time between now and six weeks' time so he's constantly keeping one eye on his phone.
And so to the game. Despite fears that he wouldn't be fit, Charlie Oatway was in the side. The Hawk support kept up non-stop singing the whole time. A couple of renditions of 'Stand up if you love the Hawks' led to us getting told to sit by stewards; cue a new song, 'Sit down for the fussy stewards'! On the pitch Swansea had some shots on goal but all went high and wide, Kevin Scriven made a couple of super saves, Oatway was superb in midfield, Alfie Potter kept harrying them down the wing, and Jay Smith and Phil Warner were magnificent at the back, frustrating countless Swansea attacks. As time rolled by with the score still 0-0, we were all sensing the real possibility of a replay.
Matt got a text from his wife. "'What happens if it's still 0-0?'", he read. "I'm going to really wind her up now," he said, and texted back "'There'll be a replay which I'll have to go down to Havant for'". (In fact he'll watch it on telly.)
"She hasn't popped her chavvy out yet, then?"
"No," Matt grinned.
On 73 minutes, we watched with a sinking feeling as a Swansea free kick curled towards the goal - and in. The previously quiet Swansea fans found their voices for a moment. Although we all believed it was all over, we upped the noise level with a rendition of 'We are the Hawks' and never stopped for the rest of the game. Brett Poate was red-carded for an admittedly bad tackle, but straight away a Swansea player gave him a shove and next thing almost every player on the pitch was in the mêlée. The Swansea captain, who'd run fifty yards to join in, was rightly sent off, though some of us felt their keeper, who'd covered an equal distance to aim a swipe at a Hawk, should have gone as well. A couple of Hawk attacks came to nothing and we were sure our cup run was now ending in gallant defeat.
Since before half time, several of us had been muttering among ourselves that Rocky Baptiste should be substituted. We were gloriously made to eat humble pie in the 87th minute when Tony Taggart lofted a brilliant cross to the far side of the box and Rocky ran on to shoot. The ball, seeming to move in slow motion, sailed into the far corner of the net. Cue pandemonium in the away end - I got hugged by total strangers and pecked on the cheek by Matt - and a chorus of 'We've got Jairzinho' (Rocky's actual first name).
The official indicated four minutes of time added on; at that announcement the air turned blue. During the third minute added on Swansea got a corner, but Scriven saved comfortably. At last the final whistle sent us all into a loud rendition of Under The Moon Of Love as the players came over to acknowledge our applause.
We had Radio Wales' sport round-up on the coach for the first hour of the journey home. Every mention of the Hawks was greeted with a huge cheer. Maddeningly, we lost the signal just before they were going to talk to Shaun Gale. Word went round that the replay was going to be on BBC1 rather than Sky. Steph wondered if Gary Lineker'd be coming, but Ian said he'd be sitting in the studio in London. During the rest of the drive, a few of our party, mostly the kids, were idly dreaming about going through to the fourth round while most of us sensibly just focused on the magnificence of the team's achievement so far.
Stopped at Leigh Delamere again - once again what seemed the whole three coachloads all piled into Burger King.
The young guy next to me, a student and dual Portsmouth/Havant & Waterlooville fan, said he just might be tempted to pack in watching Pompey and follow the Hawks full time. Steph and I both strongly encouraged him in that direction.
Home for Match of the Day, where our game was on after the four headliner Premier League giant-killings. That'll do me.
Got to go buy the two Non-League newspapers.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2008-01-06 11:05 pm (UTC)Good luck in the replay!
no subject
Date: 2008-01-07 12:24 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-01-07 03:23 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-01-07 08:42 pm (UTC)