Guest Report - Norwich City 2 - 0 Middlesbrough - Play Off Final - Monday 25th May 2015

My third outing to see Norwich this season following a trip to Fulham with my Dad and his friends in tow, and a mid-week hop to nearby Charlton. This was obviously the best of the three! My Dad managed to time his holiday to clash with the release of tickets but roped in one of his mates to log on and sit in a virtual queue for several hours to get us tickets. His mate was on holiday (in Southwold!) so I got his ticket.

On our trip from home to Wembley the first Canaries I saw were about 2 stops into our bus journey. We saw a few more on the tube but didn't see any red shirts until we hit Baker Street. We arrived at Wembley at about 1pm and it was already much busier than I expected. Wembley way looked great with the two distinctive colours.

Wembley Way

The arch

One proud Canary

Some fans looked like they'd raided all their Canary accessories and had brought them out all at once, Others went for the minimal look like this one ...

Even I dug out my canary and blew him up whilst drinking an overpriced pint of generic lager pre-match.

A well travelled canary - he's been to Sri Lanka and Wembley

We had great seats, right near the halfway line, so close to the Boro fans we were within range of projectiles so I wasn't keen when some Canary fans around us started baiting them, but they didn't bite.

So close, yet so far

I knew we were going to win because we'd brought two mascots along to Boro's one.

Captain Canary and Sport-o-saurus

Once the teams had warmed up they let each of the teams tannoy announcers loose, shouting so loud in regional accents you couldn't actually hear the team news.

Literally rolling out the red carpet for the teams

Almost full stadium

The match got off to an exciting start, we hit the bar then Boro charged up the other end and did the same but 10 minutes in our supremacy showed and we went one up, and a few minutes later it was two! Unbelievable! We dominated the first half despite what the stats may say, although there were a couple of wobbly moments with Ruddy not quite taking the ball as cleanly as you'd hope for a former England number 3.

First half action

My half time entertainment was seeing how many different shirts I could spot - this was my favourite ... shiny and the club badge woven into the fabric - it just screams 20th Century!

The second half was mostly taken up with wondering when we'd throw it all away - maybe I've spent too much time watching Barnsley this season - but we didn't.  We held on to our advantage despite the scrappier play.

Second half action

The excitement started to grow in the last 10 minutes when we realised that as they hadn't really had a good chance since they hit the bar we might actually do it.

Almost there, don't get excited quite yet

Wave your blow up canary like you just don't care!

The final whistle!

We were in the tier above the dug outs and royal box so had to watch the medal giving on the big screen.

Celebrity directors

But we got a great view of the celebration (great if you have a posh camera like me).

Someone's got to clear up all that mess afterwards

The newest Premier League Scottish manager

We stayed until the end of the presentation and photocalls, unlike some people ... but fair enough they had just lost their 5th match at Wembley in a row.

Where have they all gone, there's a trophy presentation going on!

YELLOWS! YELLOWS! YELLOWS! YELLOWS! YELLOWS! YELLOWS! YELLOWS!

Hendon 0-1 Margate, Saturday 16th May 2015

Hendon 0-1 Margate, Ryman League Premier play-off final

'I p***ed the bed last night'**

Welcome to ............

With the Ryman League Premier play-off semi finals held up by the expulsion of Enfield (deducted 3 points for fielding an ineligible player), I was able to sneak in a cheeky extra fixture.  3^rd placed Hendon, victorious over the Metropolitan Police had home advantage (albeit as tenants at Harrow Borough) over Margate, victors over Dulwich Hamlet in their semi.  Makes a change – the seasiders coming to London for the day!  Myself, the match was just reward for earlier clothes shopping in Oxford St.  In fact, who knew you could get a tube direct from Oxford Circus to Harrow?  (Well, Northolt. My geographical knowledge of north-west London is a bit iffy; Do Harrow not even play in Harrow?)  I’d have timed it nice as well, if the tube turned up quicker, or it was a shorter walk to the ground.  Still, it was a fine day and there was no rush to see kick-off.  There was no queue, save for a father and his pushchair.  No problem – just open the main gate.

The final league table, handwritten (not inc. pts deduction).

The match was interesting, but awful.  How can anyone play football on a pitch completely made up of bobbles?  It was no wonder the sides elected to hit it long.  Then, after 20 minutes, Hendon had a player sent off for a bad challenge.  A few around me thought it was a yellow card at best and I was a bit surprised too, given the ref let an earlier one go.  That was it, for the rest of the half Hendon retreated while Margate always had a spare man able to loft the ball in. 

The Hendon Massive

Still, Margate were restricted to long shots and the Hendon keeper made several good saves before the breakthrough came.   A run down the left resulted in a low cross which was scuffed home.  0-1 half time and I changed ends, firmly expecting a Margate onslaught 2nd half.  Instead, I don’t remember anything happening.  Hendon didn’t really gamble, and Margate wasted several chances to make chances.  Their fans still made plenty of noise though (a few hundred) while baiting the home fans with ‘Your support is f***ing s***’ (which it was).

Margate celebrate the opener.

Afterwards, there was a presentation of the trophy and medals, which the unfortunate Hendon players had to stay and watch.  I think they expected to be given losers medals, but this isn’t the FA Cup Final, so they got nowt.

All in all, another thoroughly agreeable time at a non-league ground.  If I had one complaint it’s that the clubhouse, large as it is, has the tiniest of bars and the queue was far too long.  Anyone I saw coming out with a beer missed at least 10 minutes of the second half.  I was though able to buy a postcard of a non-league ground (not even Harrow Borough) at the club shed.  Maybe it was Hendon’s old ground, I dunno.


Attendance: 1,228

The Damage:
£10 ent
£2 prog
£0.50 postcard

** I bumped into an away fan in the toilets.  Why would ANYONE admit to having wet the bed last night, let alone to a complete stranger?  Well, he did and he did.  

The back of the stand.  Fans' frustration?

The car park end.

Margate's #1 fan.

The Main Stand.

The Margate Team Coach Minibus

Gutted.  A Hendon player reacts to full time.

The team tunnel.

Margate fans celebrate promotion.

Not the busiest press box...

Or else!

I love the homemade sign.

Old and unwanted.  Shame.

Sion 3-1 FC Zurich, Thursday 13th August 2015

Sion 3-1 FC Zurich (att. 9,700)

Welcome to ...

Sion’s stadium is easy to get to, signposted from the railway station. It’s also a pleasant walk, crossing the river before ambling along the ‘Promenade du Canal’ (does what it says on the tin) which leads straight to the stadium, 20 minutes totes. And all the while you can admire the Alps which overlook this small city in the south west of Switzerland, not far from both the French and Italian borders.

Match action in front of them big hills.

It’s a very traditional stadium too, 4 separate stands, 3 of which follow the same design, with wooden beams and joists to the fore, a delicious Alpine twist. Then there’s the roofs, containing lots of little arches and a terraced home end, perfect for atmosphere, holding c.5,000. A trip to the Stade de Tourbillon is far more enjoyable than Berne, or even Basel (though the latter has its idiosyncracies). FC Zurich were the opposition tonight and I thought they brought a decent turnout (350) for a midweeker. Even more impressive was their orchestrated unfurling of their banner and subsequent pyrotechnics.

Zurich's pyrotechnic crew

I was on the home terrace, directly opposite the away fans. I’d arrived at the stadium on one corner and the ticket office I came across only sold tickets for Block B – the terrace. Perfect. So I paid my money and went in (I’d not had much time to spare). The first thing I noticed was the smell of dope (same in Berne…the chilled neutrality of the Swiss?). In fact, the imbibing of Mary Jane was more open than I’ve seen at any stadium, with at least 2 groups skinning up at the back. Rascals.

A Swiss 'casual'.

Another quirky aspect to my visit was the beer ordering. With glasses of 250ml, naturally you need more than one. So, for those getting a round in, the refreshment stand had piles of SHOEBOXES to put them in. Where did they get them all from? Anyway, always good to see some recycling. It’s also the first football ground I’ve seen where you can buy a bottle of wine. So, beer comes in 250ml portions, yet you can buy a 700ml bottle of plonk!

Full time on the terrace.

I presume the match was on TV. There was the presenter and the lights by the side of the pitch. Sion (‘See-on’; I’ve been pronouncing it as ‘Shun’ all these years – I think they played Aberdeen once, back in the day) looked the part. In a fast flowing first half they took the lead when the centre forward broke clear to finish. But while the Sion ultras (who stood directly behind the goal, replete with usual banners and a cheerleader – a man with loudhailer) were still celebrating, Zurich hit back, a right wing cross met with a left peg at the back post.

There was still time in the first half for the pick of the herd, Carlitos curling a beauty of a free kick into the top corner, off the underneath of the bar. If Swiss headline writers don’t bill this ‘Carlitos Way’ I am sorely disappointed.

The kids get the best view.

In the second period, Sion refused to leave their own half. Given their attacking potency in the 1st, this surprised me. Or had Zurich upped their game THAT much? Of course, sod’s law dictated that it was Sion who grabbed a 3rd, 10 mins from time. A Zurich shot was charged down on the edge of the box and Sion broke up field. A neat bit of skill from the outside left bamboozled his man and gave the winger time to pull the ball back. His teammate made a hash of the attempted shot but the ball went across goal to be stabbed in at close range. Sion had made the game safe!

Alpine charm...the home end roof supports.

Afterwards, I walked around the stadium. Fans were encouraged to stay on with beer tents galore. One could wander in and out of the stands without any stewards chasing you out. Sion is a very pleasant evening out indeed. (Note: the city centre is the opposite side of the railway from the stadium and you’re not missing much by not going there.)

The Damage:
CHF 25 ent
CHF 4 beer (x2)
CHF 6 hotdog
= CHF 35 (£23)

1st view of the stadium.

One side stand.

The Main Stand side.

Never forget where you are.

Ultras' flags top left.

Mr TV readying himself.

The floodlights.

Someone's made an effort.

Away banner, start of 2nd half.