![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Hurry Up Harry
Aug. 20th, 2011 10:30 pmTo Chichester for Fisher's return to the FA Cup after two years' enforced absence following liquidation (thank you, Mr Muduroglu). Arrived in Chi just before noon and hit the Globe Inn for a basket lunch of chicken goujons and chips, a Doom Bar and the first half of Arsenal v Liverpool.
Walked through the busy city centre past lots of buskers, a samba band and a horde of mobile vendors. At the top of North Street, just before the turn-off for the ground, Mark came walking up the street towards me and said "Everyone's in the George."
Joined a gathering of Fisher fans in the George & Dragon. Jude, a real ale connoisseur, displayed his pint of Boondoggle with delight. I mentioned that I'd had a Doom Bar in the Globe and he said with disdain "Oh, that's brewed by Coors now." We talked about other formerly independent breweries that have now been chained. Chatted with a few other Fish; it came up that this was my local game this season, so naturally they wanted to know how someone from Gosport came to be a Fisher fan - I explained that it was down to the '50p for students' admissions back in the heady days of the Conference in 1990.
On to the ground, where, bizarrely, after paying and entering the ground, you had to go through a side door, back out into the public car park, to go into the clubhouse.
The wall around the ground was fairly low, prompting Dan to launch a sweepstake on how many balls would go over during the game. With 12 of us entering, Steve wrote numbers from 1 to 12 on ancient business cards advertising the services of a jazz band (and I mean ancient - the phone numbers were 081). I asked what would happen if no balls went over - would there be a rollover? Amusement all round. Tim, Dan and Steve all pointed to the lowness of the wall and said "There's no way there won't be some balls going over." I drew 5.
Danny Hunt gave Fisher the lead after 8 minutes, sending all of us behind the goal dancing around like loons and singing 'Feed the Hunt and he will score'. Chichester were awarded a penalty, and the pessimists among us (not me) gloomily reminded us that Danny had saved pens in the last two matches so couldn't possibly do it again. He saved it. But Chi equalised later to send the teams in all square at the break, with only one ball having gone over the wall.
Kofi put Fisher two up from a corner halfway through the second half. Chichester constantly attacked, while more balls went over the wall - depending what number we had, we shouted 'One/two/three/etc more' or 'Keep it on the ground now, lads', and 'oooh'ed at near misses. With the tally at four and 15 minutes remaining, Joe said I was favourite. Time passed, another ball went over, I raised my arms in the air in celebration - but it wasn't long before yet another ball cleared the wall. Ben, with 7, ended up winning.
By then we were more concerned with the late equaliser that Chichester had finally netted after threatening for a long time. Everyone groaned at the prospect of a replay on Monday night, especially Jevon who now has to rustle up a programme. The whistle went, Ben asked me for my vote for Man of the Match, and I wandered back to the station to get home for the Dave Cash show.
Walked through the busy city centre past lots of buskers, a samba band and a horde of mobile vendors. At the top of North Street, just before the turn-off for the ground, Mark came walking up the street towards me and said "Everyone's in the George."
Joined a gathering of Fisher fans in the George & Dragon. Jude, a real ale connoisseur, displayed his pint of Boondoggle with delight. I mentioned that I'd had a Doom Bar in the Globe and he said with disdain "Oh, that's brewed by Coors now." We talked about other formerly independent breweries that have now been chained. Chatted with a few other Fish; it came up that this was my local game this season, so naturally they wanted to know how someone from Gosport came to be a Fisher fan - I explained that it was down to the '50p for students' admissions back in the heady days of the Conference in 1990.
On to the ground, where, bizarrely, after paying and entering the ground, you had to go through a side door, back out into the public car park, to go into the clubhouse.
The wall around the ground was fairly low, prompting Dan to launch a sweepstake on how many balls would go over during the game. With 12 of us entering, Steve wrote numbers from 1 to 12 on ancient business cards advertising the services of a jazz band (and I mean ancient - the phone numbers were 081). I asked what would happen if no balls went over - would there be a rollover? Amusement all round. Tim, Dan and Steve all pointed to the lowness of the wall and said "There's no way there won't be some balls going over." I drew 5.
Danny Hunt gave Fisher the lead after 8 minutes, sending all of us behind the goal dancing around like loons and singing 'Feed the Hunt and he will score'. Chichester were awarded a penalty, and the pessimists among us (not me) gloomily reminded us that Danny had saved pens in the last two matches so couldn't possibly do it again. He saved it. But Chi equalised later to send the teams in all square at the break, with only one ball having gone over the wall.
Kofi put Fisher two up from a corner halfway through the second half. Chichester constantly attacked, while more balls went over the wall - depending what number we had, we shouted 'One/two/three/etc more' or 'Keep it on the ground now, lads', and 'oooh'ed at near misses. With the tally at four and 15 minutes remaining, Joe said I was favourite. Time passed, another ball went over, I raised my arms in the air in celebration - but it wasn't long before yet another ball cleared the wall. Ben, with 7, ended up winning.
By then we were more concerned with the late equaliser that Chichester had finally netted after threatening for a long time. Everyone groaned at the prospect of a replay on Monday night, especially Jevon who now has to rustle up a programme. The whistle went, Ben asked me for my vote for Man of the Match, and I wandered back to the station to get home for the Dave Cash show.
