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The weather continues to play havoc with my football watching plans. On Saturday Fleetlands v Downton was waterlogged off. Then on Sunday I set off for Watford FC Women v Charlton Athletic Women knowing to keep an eye on Watford's socials for news of a pitch inspection.
It was no real surprise when the news came at 10 am that the pitch was waterlogged. I turned to my Plan B, Ashford Town (Middlesex) Women v London Seaward, and messaged Dan to ask whether that game was still on. He replied that it looked unlikely as there was standing water, then came back to me at 10.45 to confirm that their game was indeed off.
Rachel, of course, was going to the women's North London Derby at the Emirates. On her Facebook post about being on her way there, I commented that, as my games were off and I was on a London-bound coach, if their game hadn't been a sell-out I'd have joined her. To my total surprise, Rachel replied that she had a spare ticket, and sent it to me on WhatsApp. She added "You're in the most vocal section of Arsenal fans so be prepared to sing!"
The only fly in the ointment was that the game kicked off at 12.30. The coach delivered me to my destination Wandsworth (from where I'd been due to catch a bus then tube to Ruislip, home of Watford Women) just after 11. Without a bus to Vauxhall in sight I summoned an Uber, relieved to see the fare was only just under £30 when I'd been fearing double that.
The Uber driver was friendly, especially when I said where I was going as he was a massive Arsenal fan. He had to drop me at a garage from where I had a little walk along a side road to the Emirates. By now I desperately needed the toilet. Happily, a helpful steward outside the stadium pointed me to a staircase, at the top of which was a large public loo.
Emerging from the toilets, the entrance to my stand, the West Stand, was bang opposite. It was my first visit to the Emirates and the stadium is undoubtedly an impressive sight. I reached my seat about three minutes before kick-off.
For a while I continued to drink in the occasion of being at one of the Blue Riband fixtures of the English women's football calendar, watching two teams studded with international stars in one of the country's finest stadia. I wasn't next to Rachel, but she messaged that she could see me and said where she was, in the next block of seats two rows in front of me. I could see her if I stretched.
On 42 minutes Rachel appeared in the aisle near me, said an effusive hello and said she was going to get a hot dog and a beer. I joined her in heading for the tea bars. I went for a hot dog (first class) and a packet of Piper's Cider Vinegar and Sea Salt crisps.
We went to stand at one of the slim tables in the concourse. Rachel enthused that it was too long since she'd seen me. I pointed out that we'd met at the England v Holland game in December. She said "That was last year!"
She had another bombshell for me - Jules, Alice, Kathy and Angela were also at the game, though sitting elsewhere. They were all planning to meet in the Coronet pub after.
Rachel asked how my hot dog was, I said "Excellent." She also loves the ones on offer there. She sounded shocked when I said it was my first visit to the Emirates; I think she sometimes forgets that not everyone is an Arsenal fan like her.
Early in the second half Alessia Russo put the Gunners in front and it turned out to be the only goal of the game. Rachel hung back at full time to applaud the players as they walked round the pitch.
We each needed to visit the loos, then we walked out of the ground and I followed her to the Coronet. Rachel's a well known figure among the Arsenal fanbase and so we kept bumping into mates of hers so had to stop for her to chat. That was to prove costly to me.
As we entered the pub Rachel confirmed that Jules and Co were already there. As Rachel queued for a drink I logged onto National Express to change my coach home. Alas, although my ticket had been billed as 'fully amendable', there was no mechanism for changing my departure point from Wandsworth (which would have been an arse-ache to get to from Highbury) to Victoria. I had to take it on the chin and shell out £17 for a new ticket from Victoria.
Figuring that we'd all be in the pub at least another hour, which would take us up to 4.30, I booked my coach home for 6.30.
Rachel came up to me, accompanied by Jules. After we'd said hello and hugged Jules said "I've got someone to see you". I followed her to a table where Kathy, Angela and Alice were all sitting. We all said our hellos. They were all well into drinks so, not wanting to be left out, I said "I'm going to get a drink" leaving my bag at their table, Rachel said "Good luck" and I went to join the scrum at the bar.
Three people were served before me. All of them bought big rounds so all were ages getting served. After a quarter of an hour or so, it was 3.30. And right then Kath came up to me, handed me my bag and said "We're going". She added "Don't lose your place" but then a fourth person was served in front of me - and she too ordered a big round. I'd had enough sickeners then and gave up on getting a drink, figuring I'd just hang out with Rachel, Jules and Alice for a while. I'd assumed it was only Kath and Angela who were leaving.
But when I returned to the table everyone had gone. I was not only drinkless, but friendless in the entire pub. I couldn't believe they'd all just abruptly leave like that. I went into full-on crisis, but with no-one to talk to I could only bear my anguish in silence. I asked the doorman where the tube station was.
I messaged Jules to say 'safe journey' and nice to see her for a moment, hoping it didn't sound sarky.
I walked along a main road for what seemed an eternity, looking for a tube station, seeing a direction sign here and there but no stations, till finally I saw a sign pointing me down a side road to Highbury & Islington tube.
It was a relief to have a straight run to Victoria but my mental crisis remained unabated all through the tube ride. Called at Burger King at Victoria train station for much needed grub. Then walked to Victoria coach station to sit there for the hour and a half until my coach set off.
I passed the time listening to an interactive music chart decided by listeners' votes on my earphones on my phone, joining the listeners' Facebook chat. Jade also listens and was in the chat. The show had a bit of a calming influence. Jade DMd me on Messenger at one point. I told her I was in a bad place and would tell her more when we met on Tuesday. Jules also DMd me, she said Alice had felt unwell and that was why they'd all headed back to their hotel. Hmm.
Listened to the last half-hour of the show on the coach then spent the rest of the journey scouring Amazon Music for tunes to suit my mood. Back home to stare at the TV and lie in bed churning over my anguish until sleep finally came after 1 am.
Monday evening went to Southampton to see Copa 71, a film about the Women's World Cup held in Mexico in 1971. Some of the players from the tournament were talking heads, interspersed with footage from the actual matches from Mexican TV. It was lovely to learn that the Mexican public lapped up the tournament, treating the players like rock stars wherever they went. They packed out the stadia too; the 112,000 attendance at the final at the Azteca Stadium is still a world record for a women's match.
The tragedy was that because the tournament was independently organised without official help, instead of seeing the massive potential for the women's game, the dinosaurs who ran the football federations of four of the six competing countries - Denmark, Mexico, Argentina and France - responded by suppressing women's football by ignoring it. The Mexican FA even banned women's matches from all affiliated grounds.
And so women's football returned to the shadows for another twenty years. But it was gratifying to see Brandi Chastain, a top US player in the 90s, on screen at the end saying that when people praise her and her colleagues for being trailblazers, she replies "We weren't the first. There are some women I have to tell you about".
After the film we had a Q&A with Louise Gardener, who was in the Great Britain squad at the 1971 World Cup. She revealed that she still plays today, for an over-65s 5-a-side team. She recalled that as well as Mexico '71, her independent GB team had toured Italy, playing in the San Siro and the grounds of Juventus and Sampdoria. I asked her whether she thought the exploits of her GB team helped provide impetus for the Women's Football Association to start the official England Women's team in 1972. She said yes, she thought they had stung the WFA into action.
Waiting for my taxi outside, the rain turned Biblical again. I knew straight away Tuesday's match would be off. I really have had enough of this weather now.
Tuesday I ordered a Domino's and stayed on in the office to watch the Women's Euro Qualifiers draw, joining in with the Lionesses fan chat on Messenger. England got France, Sweden and Ireland. Everyone started looking forward to the trip to Dublin.
With the game indeed off, Jade and I wouldn't be meeting that evening so we spoke on the phone, allowing me to get things off my chest to a degree.
Today the fixtures came out. I won't be making it to Dublin as it clashes with a rehearsal of my am-dram group, but I will be at the France home and away games in May-June and the Ireland home game in July. France away is in St Etienne. Flights and hotel booked.
It was no real surprise when the news came at 10 am that the pitch was waterlogged. I turned to my Plan B, Ashford Town (Middlesex) Women v London Seaward, and messaged Dan to ask whether that game was still on. He replied that it looked unlikely as there was standing water, then came back to me at 10.45 to confirm that their game was indeed off.
Rachel, of course, was going to the women's North London Derby at the Emirates. On her Facebook post about being on her way there, I commented that, as my games were off and I was on a London-bound coach, if their game hadn't been a sell-out I'd have joined her. To my total surprise, Rachel replied that she had a spare ticket, and sent it to me on WhatsApp. She added "You're in the most vocal section of Arsenal fans so be prepared to sing!"
The only fly in the ointment was that the game kicked off at 12.30. The coach delivered me to my destination Wandsworth (from where I'd been due to catch a bus then tube to Ruislip, home of Watford Women) just after 11. Without a bus to Vauxhall in sight I summoned an Uber, relieved to see the fare was only just under £30 when I'd been fearing double that.
The Uber driver was friendly, especially when I said where I was going as he was a massive Arsenal fan. He had to drop me at a garage from where I had a little walk along a side road to the Emirates. By now I desperately needed the toilet. Happily, a helpful steward outside the stadium pointed me to a staircase, at the top of which was a large public loo.
Emerging from the toilets, the entrance to my stand, the West Stand, was bang opposite. It was my first visit to the Emirates and the stadium is undoubtedly an impressive sight. I reached my seat about three minutes before kick-off.
For a while I continued to drink in the occasion of being at one of the Blue Riband fixtures of the English women's football calendar, watching two teams studded with international stars in one of the country's finest stadia. I wasn't next to Rachel, but she messaged that she could see me and said where she was, in the next block of seats two rows in front of me. I could see her if I stretched.
On 42 minutes Rachel appeared in the aisle near me, said an effusive hello and said she was going to get a hot dog and a beer. I joined her in heading for the tea bars. I went for a hot dog (first class) and a packet of Piper's Cider Vinegar and Sea Salt crisps.
We went to stand at one of the slim tables in the concourse. Rachel enthused that it was too long since she'd seen me. I pointed out that we'd met at the England v Holland game in December. She said "That was last year!"
She had another bombshell for me - Jules, Alice, Kathy and Angela were also at the game, though sitting elsewhere. They were all planning to meet in the Coronet pub after.
Rachel asked how my hot dog was, I said "Excellent." She also loves the ones on offer there. She sounded shocked when I said it was my first visit to the Emirates; I think she sometimes forgets that not everyone is an Arsenal fan like her.
Early in the second half Alessia Russo put the Gunners in front and it turned out to be the only goal of the game. Rachel hung back at full time to applaud the players as they walked round the pitch.
We each needed to visit the loos, then we walked out of the ground and I followed her to the Coronet. Rachel's a well known figure among the Arsenal fanbase and so we kept bumping into mates of hers so had to stop for her to chat. That was to prove costly to me.
As we entered the pub Rachel confirmed that Jules and Co were already there. As Rachel queued for a drink I logged onto National Express to change my coach home. Alas, although my ticket had been billed as 'fully amendable', there was no mechanism for changing my departure point from Wandsworth (which would have been an arse-ache to get to from Highbury) to Victoria. I had to take it on the chin and shell out £17 for a new ticket from Victoria.
Figuring that we'd all be in the pub at least another hour, which would take us up to 4.30, I booked my coach home for 6.30.
Rachel came up to me, accompanied by Jules. After we'd said hello and hugged Jules said "I've got someone to see you". I followed her to a table where Kathy, Angela and Alice were all sitting. We all said our hellos. They were all well into drinks so, not wanting to be left out, I said "I'm going to get a drink" leaving my bag at their table, Rachel said "Good luck" and I went to join the scrum at the bar.
Three people were served before me. All of them bought big rounds so all were ages getting served. After a quarter of an hour or so, it was 3.30. And right then Kath came up to me, handed me my bag and said "We're going". She added "Don't lose your place" but then a fourth person was served in front of me - and she too ordered a big round. I'd had enough sickeners then and gave up on getting a drink, figuring I'd just hang out with Rachel, Jules and Alice for a while. I'd assumed it was only Kath and Angela who were leaving.
But when I returned to the table everyone had gone. I was not only drinkless, but friendless in the entire pub. I couldn't believe they'd all just abruptly leave like that. I went into full-on crisis, but with no-one to talk to I could only bear my anguish in silence. I asked the doorman where the tube station was.
I messaged Jules to say 'safe journey' and nice to see her for a moment, hoping it didn't sound sarky.
I walked along a main road for what seemed an eternity, looking for a tube station, seeing a direction sign here and there but no stations, till finally I saw a sign pointing me down a side road to Highbury & Islington tube.
It was a relief to have a straight run to Victoria but my mental crisis remained unabated all through the tube ride. Called at Burger King at Victoria train station for much needed grub. Then walked to Victoria coach station to sit there for the hour and a half until my coach set off.
I passed the time listening to an interactive music chart decided by listeners' votes on my earphones on my phone, joining the listeners' Facebook chat. Jade also listens and was in the chat. The show had a bit of a calming influence. Jade DMd me on Messenger at one point. I told her I was in a bad place and would tell her more when we met on Tuesday. Jules also DMd me, she said Alice had felt unwell and that was why they'd all headed back to their hotel. Hmm.
Listened to the last half-hour of the show on the coach then spent the rest of the journey scouring Amazon Music for tunes to suit my mood. Back home to stare at the TV and lie in bed churning over my anguish until sleep finally came after 1 am.
Monday evening went to Southampton to see Copa 71, a film about the Women's World Cup held in Mexico in 1971. Some of the players from the tournament were talking heads, interspersed with footage from the actual matches from Mexican TV. It was lovely to learn that the Mexican public lapped up the tournament, treating the players like rock stars wherever they went. They packed out the stadia too; the 112,000 attendance at the final at the Azteca Stadium is still a world record for a women's match.
The tragedy was that because the tournament was independently organised without official help, instead of seeing the massive potential for the women's game, the dinosaurs who ran the football federations of four of the six competing countries - Denmark, Mexico, Argentina and France - responded by suppressing women's football by ignoring it. The Mexican FA even banned women's matches from all affiliated grounds.
And so women's football returned to the shadows for another twenty years. But it was gratifying to see Brandi Chastain, a top US player in the 90s, on screen at the end saying that when people praise her and her colleagues for being trailblazers, she replies "We weren't the first. There are some women I have to tell you about".
After the film we had a Q&A with Louise Gardener, who was in the Great Britain squad at the 1971 World Cup. She revealed that she still plays today, for an over-65s 5-a-side team. She recalled that as well as Mexico '71, her independent GB team had toured Italy, playing in the San Siro and the grounds of Juventus and Sampdoria. I asked her whether she thought the exploits of her GB team helped provide impetus for the Women's Football Association to start the official England Women's team in 1972. She said yes, she thought they had stung the WFA into action.
Waiting for my taxi outside, the rain turned Biblical again. I knew straight away Tuesday's match would be off. I really have had enough of this weather now.
Tuesday I ordered a Domino's and stayed on in the office to watch the Women's Euro Qualifiers draw, joining in with the Lionesses fan chat on Messenger. England got France, Sweden and Ireland. Everyone started looking forward to the trip to Dublin.
With the game indeed off, Jade and I wouldn't be meeting that evening so we spoke on the phone, allowing me to get things off my chest to a degree.
Today the fixtures came out. I won't be making it to Dublin as it clashes with a rehearsal of my am-dram group, but I will be at the France home and away games in May-June and the Ireland home game in July. France away is in St Etienne. Flights and hotel booked.
