Fulham 1-0 Bolton Wanderers, Championship, att. 17,207
 |
| Welcome to ..... |
Final game of the season and where better to finish than underachieving Fulham versus relegated Bolton? For me, as a Barnsley fan, it was a scouting mission for whichever division we'd be in next season - the Championship or League 1. Plus, on a stunning day, a chance to enjoy a scenic cycle to the game, much of it along the Thames. I have thus decided football should be a summer sport. I rather like being able to wear shorts and t-shirt while idling watching some 'athletes' (I use the term loosely) run about.
 |
| Tha' she blows! |
Mind, despite the idyllic nature of a trip to Craven Cottage (surely the most pleasureable of the capital's grounds to visit) it wasn't my idea. A mate suggested it...after all, there'd be no more (league) football for 3 months. So it was that I joined an Ipswich fan and a Darlington fan to watch a stress-free game without anything riding in it for us. Basically, we didn't give a s***.
 |
| Pre-match on Stevenage Road |
And good job too, where an outrageously-priced round at the Crabtree pub (nice pub garden though, as we basked) was followed by even more outrageous entry prices: £30 to pay on the day in the 'mixed area' Putney End. Jesus, I think I'm still recovering. 30 quid, for a bottom end of the second division game with nothing on it. We are fools. (I even looked up the price the day before; £25. I presumed Fulham wouldn't possibly increase it by any more on the day. How wrong I was.)
 |
| Cheer now - there may not be chance later. |
However, can you put a price on seeing the legendary Emile Heskey for (surely) one last time on a football pitch? Yes, we didn't realise he was still going. 'He must be older than you' said my mate (who's only about 4 months younger than me, cheeky tw*t). And when Heskey's effort was the only one which even came close for Bolton (by 'close' I mean over the bar) then it's no wonder the Trotters are wandering into the 3rd tier. Their one redeeming feature was their fans, who maybe numbered 1500 and sang non-stop. It must be some season when you chant 'Let's pretend we've scored a goal' before everyone goes nuts. It's been that kind of season for them.
 |
| The cottage; under repair. |
The match was generally poor, though Fulham went close several times. Only Bolton keeper Amos kept them in the game, making some super saves as he dived around trying to rescue his ailing defence. (Maybe they, like us, couldn't give a s***. Probably off in the summer.) And just as we'd settled for nil-nil - surely our punishment for being stupid enough to pay £30 to see this shambles - Fulham's Cairney popped up on the right, cut inside and drove a left footer into the far corner. A great finish, entirely not in keeping with the game.
 |
| Match panorama |
Then it was back to the pub and another pint. And a Bolton fan wishing my team luck the next day at Wigan. 'Hope you beat the tw*ts. They're our biggest rivals.' How times have changed at
Burnden Park the
Reebok...well, whatever it's called these days.
The Damage:£30 entry
£3.50 programme (even the programmes are more expensive than I'm used to)
 |
| Bicycles must be pushed...cars driven. A posh riverside estate. |
 |
| Craven Cottage from across the Thames. |
 |
| The Hammersmith End. |
 |
| 'Still believe.' The Grade II listed Stevenage Road Stand (as was). |
 |
| Looking towards the Hammersmith End. |
 |
| Those Bolton fans. |
 |
| The Cottage under repair. |
 |
| Back of the Stevenage Road Stand (on my way home, hence empty!) |
No comments:
Post a Comment