Let’s party
Two more sleeps, then let’s get it on.
I fly home Friday night, land Saturday morning, will grab a large Costa Coffee at Gatwick, change into fancy dress and will make my way after picking my son up to the promised land of The Valley SE7. Or maybe, just maybe we will pop in the pub first.
This is the most games I have seen in a season for many years, encouraged mostly by the spirit the team have shown under Chris Powell, and I wouldn’t miss this one for the world. It is not every day you see a Charlton team climb a podium in the middle of the pitch and lift a trophy.
The club are advising fans to be in the ground at 2.10pm for the various pre-match festivities including Capital’s Dave Berry, tenor Martin Toal, soprano Victoria Stanyon and a ‘special event’ just before the Champions emerge from the tunnel at 2.45.
The ‘special event’ is expected to be a display by the Red Devils who I am told may well fly in the League Championship trophy with Kevin Cash freefalling onto the centre-cricle. Okay, now I’m being silly.
Hartlepool fans, god bless them, are all coming as Smurfs and no, I haven’t been drinking. It is this year’s look after last season’s Oompa Loompa’s. The year before Pools fans dressed for their final away game as Mexicans.
It would be an understatement to say that I am really looking forward to Saturday. It is not just a game, but a day, and a treasured lifelong memory. I am particuarly pleased for my son, who doesn’t get to anywhere near as many games as he would like.
His first ever game was Bolton at The Valley in January 2003 and although he tells me he remembers it, I am not convinced he does. Youri Djorkaeff got a late equaliser in that game just after he spilt his drink everywhere. Then as he got older and ‘more into it’ we basically became worse and worse ending up where we were last season.
He has stuck with it though, with the team that if I’m honest I have brainwashed him into supporting. I remember him looking at me with that look that only kids can give their parents, after we sat through the embarrassment of Barnsley in 2008. We’ve had some good days though and Bournemouth away this season was one of his favourites, but he ain’t seen anything yet.
I think never have I been to a game when it’s not essential that we win, and of course we all want a win to add the icing to the cake of a glorious season. However as the league play-off’s kicked off this week I think we all sighed with massive relief and joy that we don’t have to go through those dreadful emotions. But that is of course what happens when you are Champions.
See you all at The Valley Saturday and various drinking establishments nearby.
Safe journey over, CA.
Great that you can share it with your son. I’d love to have my little lad with me (and my Mum for that matter). Maybe next year!!!
What a day to look forward to!
Have a good trip. I can’t wait till tomorrow, my ‘brainwashed’ 6 year old son can’t wait either, my mum will be there too, very handy when he constantly needs the loo. Remember Barnsley only too well, that game always stuck in my mind as the lowest point, for the first time ever I left the game early probably 30 minutes early! Not in protest, just realised it was really starting to depress me and was totally unenjoyable. Thankfully those days seem a distant memory.
Champions!!!
Isn’t it lovely to know we only have to go along and enjoy ourselves. Just tell the upper north its a party please and to lay-off the Pools fans – I doubt I would be going to Hartlepool if they had won the league to watch everyone else having a great time. If we had another season to face in that awful division I’d have my head buried under the pillow.
Tell your son to savour every moment.