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Bohemian Rhapsody
Nov. 14th, 2019 08:42 pmThe short notice with which England’s friendly in the Czech Republic on Tuesday was arranged meant that, alas, none of the merry band with whom I normally travel to follow the Lionesses were able to make the trip. Undeterred, I booked flights and a hotel regardless, then learned from Facebook that fellow Lionesses fan Amir would also be making the journey.
I was unable to get Monday off work as Diane was on leave that day, and had to stay late clearing the decks, so it was 7pm when I arrived outside Leighton Buzzard station...to find the station closed and a police car and a fire engine outside. Someone jumped in front of a train again. The whole line from MK to London was closed.
So it was a walk to the town centre and a bus to Luton to get a train to London from there. It was close to 11.30 pm when I reached my hotel at Stansted. Straight to bed of course.
Up at 5 am. Made the most of the generous hotel breakfast buffet and headed into the airport.
Amir and I turned out to be on the same flight, though we didn’t meet until after arriving at Prague airport. After consultation with the tourist information lady there, we negotiated our way round Prague’s public transport network to investigate options at the bus and train stations, stopped for lunch at Burger King (I went for a Ghost Whopper, it tasted much like a normal one) in the latter then made the two-hour train journey through countryside to České Budejovice. We were in the same hotel in the city's main square.
In the evening, after a couple of local beers in a city centre pub showing women’s handball on TV, we set off on the twenty-minute walk in the rain to the Stadion Strelecky ostrov. Following the floodlights led us to the stadium’s main entrance, but there was no access from there to the designated England fans’ end. After walking round several streets we located our entrance, where a friendly lady staffing a little ticket office sold me a match ticket for 50 crowns (£1.70).
The ground was pleasant enough with seated stands on all four sides and a big-screen scoreboard in one corner. I couldn’t resist the traditional Czech football ground fare of a paper plate containing a large sausage, a slice of brown bread and a helping of mustard. This cost 60 crowns (£2) – so the food cost more than seeing the game!
Although the FA website had said our end, behind one of the goals, was designated for England fans, the couple of dozen people dotted around the end were Czech. Amir and I were the only Lionesses fans present. Amir put up his Chelsea Lionesses flag on the little fence a few rows up, just high enough for the players to hopefully see.
England defended the goal we were behind in the first half. I was excited about the prospect of seeing Katerina Svitková, a player I greatly admire, but, even with the Lionesses’ recent poor form I was confident this was a game we should be winning. When on the quarter hour, with our defence all at sea like last Saturday, Svitková threaded through a lovely ball for Szewieczková to fire home, I felt the sinking feeling of impending defeat. Happily it wasn’t long before Beth England equalised and then one of my favourites, Lucy Staniforth, perfectly picked out Beth Mead who swung home a pearler to put us in front..
And then it started to snow. As the snowfall went on I burst into song, to the bemusement of the home fans around us :
England girls, are you listening?
It’s a goal that we’re wishing,
So give it a punt
To Beth up front,
Scoring in a winter wonderland.
But it was the Czechs who scored, Szewieczková striking again out of nothing to level while a sluggish England side were unable to break down the resolute hosts.
At half time a friend messaged to say she’d spotted me on the telly, adding a screen shot with me highlighted. The game restarted, still the snow fell. Beth Mead had me out of my seat cheering when she headed home, but my joy was short-lived as the goal was chalked off. Not long afterwards, Mead was brought down in the box for what should have been a stonewall penalty. The wave of ‘play on’ actually drew a boo from me.
The snow went on falling. Beth England was substituted, she stopped to talk to and shake hands with a disabled fan and her helper behind our goal. Was there another couple of English fans there after all? No, Amir said they were Czech.
The Lionesses forced umpteen corners but all came to nothing. Till, five minutes from the end, from a corner the ball went back to Leah Williamson twenty yards out. She struck it sweet and straight. Aided by the penalty area and six-yard box being the condition of pudding, the ball slid over the line and into the net.
It wasn’t the most convincing of performances, and I remain the Neville-sceptic I’ve been for months (I’d move heaven and earth to get Jill Ellis in place), but I’ll take the win.
At the end the snow and rain had stopped, though it was still freezing. Amir and I walked back to the hotel, where in the bar a Czech dark beer made an excellent warmer.
At breakfast there were very tasty frankfurters on offer: loaded up my plate with them and added a couple of slices of rustic brown bread and a couple of chunks of cheese. Then checked out, walked to the station and found there wasn't a train to Prague for nearly two hours. Amir had tipped me off that the buses were cheaper, so I moseyed on to the shopping mall that the bus station was on the roof of. Got to the bus station and was told I needed to go to the offices on the first floor to buy a ticket. Down two flights of escalators; ticket bought; back up two flights of escalators, made it to the bus stop minutes before the Prague bus's scheduled 10.40 departure time. In the end, the bus came 20 minutes late anyway.
I sat down and was soon asked to move. A re-examination of my ticket showed that everyone had designated seats. A bit different from National Express. En route a lady attendant offered us all a complimentary hot drink and Czech newspaper.
We arrived in Prague just after 1 pm. Got to the airport in about an hour by metro and bus. Hit Burger King for something to eat, then to my surprise went through to departures with a passport check but no security check.
Found some biscuits for the girls at work in the duty free shop then called at Costa for a Christmas Irish style coffee. Once in the B row of departure gates, I noticed with relief that every gate had its own individual security check gate. Found a seat and read She Kicks till my flight's gate number went up.
It was pitch black by now. Heard two Brits opposite me talking and said hello. Outside we could see buses ready to take us to the plane. Our bus was chock full; I was left standing. At least it was only a short ride.
Landed at Stansted about 7.30pm. Bought a decaf mocha on the train station platform for the ride to Tottenham Hale. It would have been too late at night to get a bus home from Luton, so had to buy a single to Leighton Buzzard at Euston. Back home about 10.30. Stuck on my new Grange Hill series 7 DVD to relax.
Long lie in this morning. Lazy day. Back to work tomorrow.
I was unable to get Monday off work as Diane was on leave that day, and had to stay late clearing the decks, so it was 7pm when I arrived outside Leighton Buzzard station...to find the station closed and a police car and a fire engine outside. Someone jumped in front of a train again. The whole line from MK to London was closed.
So it was a walk to the town centre and a bus to Luton to get a train to London from there. It was close to 11.30 pm when I reached my hotel at Stansted. Straight to bed of course.
Up at 5 am. Made the most of the generous hotel breakfast buffet and headed into the airport.
Amir and I turned out to be on the same flight, though we didn’t meet until after arriving at Prague airport. After consultation with the tourist information lady there, we negotiated our way round Prague’s public transport network to investigate options at the bus and train stations, stopped for lunch at Burger King (I went for a Ghost Whopper, it tasted much like a normal one) in the latter then made the two-hour train journey through countryside to České Budejovice. We were in the same hotel in the city's main square.
In the evening, after a couple of local beers in a city centre pub showing women’s handball on TV, we set off on the twenty-minute walk in the rain to the Stadion Strelecky ostrov. Following the floodlights led us to the stadium’s main entrance, but there was no access from there to the designated England fans’ end. After walking round several streets we located our entrance, where a friendly lady staffing a little ticket office sold me a match ticket for 50 crowns (£1.70).
The ground was pleasant enough with seated stands on all four sides and a big-screen scoreboard in one corner. I couldn’t resist the traditional Czech football ground fare of a paper plate containing a large sausage, a slice of brown bread and a helping of mustard. This cost 60 crowns (£2) – so the food cost more than seeing the game!
Although the FA website had said our end, behind one of the goals, was designated for England fans, the couple of dozen people dotted around the end were Czech. Amir and I were the only Lionesses fans present. Amir put up his Chelsea Lionesses flag on the little fence a few rows up, just high enough for the players to hopefully see.
England defended the goal we were behind in the first half. I was excited about the prospect of seeing Katerina Svitková, a player I greatly admire, but, even with the Lionesses’ recent poor form I was confident this was a game we should be winning. When on the quarter hour, with our defence all at sea like last Saturday, Svitková threaded through a lovely ball for Szewieczková to fire home, I felt the sinking feeling of impending defeat. Happily it wasn’t long before Beth England equalised and then one of my favourites, Lucy Staniforth, perfectly picked out Beth Mead who swung home a pearler to put us in front..
And then it started to snow. As the snowfall went on I burst into song, to the bemusement of the home fans around us :
England girls, are you listening?
It’s a goal that we’re wishing,
So give it a punt
To Beth up front,
Scoring in a winter wonderland.
But it was the Czechs who scored, Szewieczková striking again out of nothing to level while a sluggish England side were unable to break down the resolute hosts.
At half time a friend messaged to say she’d spotted me on the telly, adding a screen shot with me highlighted. The game restarted, still the snow fell. Beth Mead had me out of my seat cheering when she headed home, but my joy was short-lived as the goal was chalked off. Not long afterwards, Mead was brought down in the box for what should have been a stonewall penalty. The wave of ‘play on’ actually drew a boo from me.
The snow went on falling. Beth England was substituted, she stopped to talk to and shake hands with a disabled fan and her helper behind our goal. Was there another couple of English fans there after all? No, Amir said they were Czech.
The Lionesses forced umpteen corners but all came to nothing. Till, five minutes from the end, from a corner the ball went back to Leah Williamson twenty yards out. She struck it sweet and straight. Aided by the penalty area and six-yard box being the condition of pudding, the ball slid over the line and into the net.
It wasn’t the most convincing of performances, and I remain the Neville-sceptic I’ve been for months (I’d move heaven and earth to get Jill Ellis in place), but I’ll take the win.
At the end the snow and rain had stopped, though it was still freezing. Amir and I walked back to the hotel, where in the bar a Czech dark beer made an excellent warmer.
At breakfast there were very tasty frankfurters on offer: loaded up my plate with them and added a couple of slices of rustic brown bread and a couple of chunks of cheese. Then checked out, walked to the station and found there wasn't a train to Prague for nearly two hours. Amir had tipped me off that the buses were cheaper, so I moseyed on to the shopping mall that the bus station was on the roof of. Got to the bus station and was told I needed to go to the offices on the first floor to buy a ticket. Down two flights of escalators; ticket bought; back up two flights of escalators, made it to the bus stop minutes before the Prague bus's scheduled 10.40 departure time. In the end, the bus came 20 minutes late anyway.
I sat down and was soon asked to move. A re-examination of my ticket showed that everyone had designated seats. A bit different from National Express. En route a lady attendant offered us all a complimentary hot drink and Czech newspaper.
We arrived in Prague just after 1 pm. Got to the airport in about an hour by metro and bus. Hit Burger King for something to eat, then to my surprise went through to departures with a passport check but no security check.
Found some biscuits for the girls at work in the duty free shop then called at Costa for a Christmas Irish style coffee. Once in the B row of departure gates, I noticed with relief that every gate had its own individual security check gate. Found a seat and read She Kicks till my flight's gate number went up.
It was pitch black by now. Heard two Brits opposite me talking and said hello. Outside we could see buses ready to take us to the plane. Our bus was chock full; I was left standing. At least it was only a short ride.
Landed at Stansted about 7.30pm. Bought a decaf mocha on the train station platform for the ride to Tottenham Hale. It would have been too late at night to get a bus home from Luton, so had to buy a single to Leighton Buzzard at Euston. Back home about 10.30. Stuck on my new Grange Hill series 7 DVD to relax.
Long lie in this morning. Lazy day. Back to work tomorrow.
