The game on Saturday 8th March 2014

On Friday morning my tickets for the game had not arrived in the post and I had to call Arsenal 3 times to get this problem sorted.  Eventually a lovely sounding girl confirmed that my membership card (which is the ticket) had not even been posted out (???) and she arranged for me to collect it at the Southwest ticket office on match day. The ticket office would close shortly after kick off at 12:45

This was an unbelievably awesome experience from the moment I arrived in London on Friday at 17:13. It was probably not the best time to arrive at Euston station and it took me a further 50 minutes to fight my way through a million people and figure out which tube I should be getting to Paddington. I eventually arrived in Paddington and met up with an old friend Mandy Earle as she was also in the big smoke for a business trip.  We had ordered a twin room in the cheapest hotel we could find (£63 for the smallest room in the world and the twin was two single beds that were so close together that it may as well have been a double).

Taken on match day by Mandy as she toured the city

Taken on match day by Mandy as she toured the city

                We dropped off bags and got down to drinking. 2 vodkas and one bottle of tonic seemed to average around £8.50 in these parts.  We had a few rounds and went for excellent Lebanese food (Paddington seemed to be full of Lebanese restaurants and hookah pipes).  After eating we got on the tube and got off at Oxford Circus.  The bad move was to drink 2 bottles of red wine! We walked past a club off Carnaby Street and were offered two drinks vouchers – we went inside and ordered the standard two vodkas and 1 tonic and the drinks came to nearly £12. We asked about the drinks vouchers and were told that it would normally cost £18 – we walked out without paying or having the drinks.

                On the tube we met 3 guys who ended up taking us to another club (by this point I had no idea where I was or what my name was). I have a vague memory of being in a building that seemed like an American University Fraternity house and then I woke up in my side of the twin with a stinking hangover and no recollection of getting home - a good night indeed.

                We went to the Pride of Paddington for breakfast and I had eggs Florentine on muffins that had been toasted by a mouse with a candle and I said goodbye to Mandy and headed for the game – it was 11:30 and according to my phone it would take 25 minutes on the tube from Paddington to Arsenal; via Kings Cross.  I had plenty of time… so I thought.

                It took 15 minutes to get to Paddington station and buy a ticket and then walk the whole length of it to the circle line tube next to the canal. I waited a further 20 minutes for the tube to arrive. It was 12:05 and it would take 25 minutes so I had plenty of time…

                I got off the tube at Kings Cross - jumped on the Arsenal train and felt excited, nervous and hung over. The tube was busy but not ridiculously packed – loads of people had Arsenal tops.

                We got off the tube at Arsenal and the madness began. A battalion of people got off the tube and we could hardly move. An army of red tortoises ambled their way towards the exit and the pace slowed as we crawled up the tunnel - time was passing and the 1 hour 45 minutes I had given myself for a 25 minute journey had been significantly dented.  I saw light at the end of the tunnel and emerged like a mole into the gorgeous sunlight! I could not help but smile.

                 It was amazing. The streets smelt like burgers and the atmosphere was electric.

                Small houses next to the station had turned their front gardens into shops selling Arsenal (and Everton) merchandise.

            And burger stalls – this was brilliant.

I turned a corner and saw a huge wall, but couldn’t see the stadium.  I went inside the Arsenal shop and asked where the Southwest ticket office was and a not very helpful man said ‘not here. Go up the stairs and over the bridge.’  Time was running out as it was about 12:35.  I didn’t know where I was (for the second time that day) and I was aware that the ticket office would shut at 12:45ish.

                I went into panic mode and rushed up the stairs and across the bridge – the stadium was huge and impressive.  I still didn’t know where the bloomin ticket office was and I had to run around the whole stadium, against people-traffic until I found it. It was 12:42. I ran to the office and from that point on the Arsenal ground staff were nice and excellent.  My ticket was a red credit card! It had not information on it and all I had was an email with area 11, seat 326. I had no idea which entrance I was going in or where my seat was. I asked and a friendly guy told me area F. I ran to that and another friendly guy checked my bag. I entered the ground and it was 12:50. I’d already missed kick off, but once I got in, all the rushing and hassle was worth it.

                I have been on 3 other Premiership grounds in my life time and none of them even compare to the awesomeness of the Emirates. 

           

                The ground was great; the sun was shining in my face and I soon forgot about my hangover.  The atmosphere was great in my area and the fans were really, really, really freakin friendly.  Everyone seemed happy and smiley and they seemed like a big happy family. Every time Arsenal scored they were all shaking hands and hugging and after the game they all shook hands again and hugged each other like a group of mates that had known each other for years – this seemed like the whole stand, so surely they didn’t all know each other! I have never witnessed an atmosphere like this before in Premiership football and I loved it.  I don’t know if it was just my part of the ground or if the whole of the Emirates is like that, but I’d like to thank the fans in area 11, entrance F for being so friendly and welcoming (perhaps if they knew that I wasn’t an Arsenal fan it may have been different… or if Everton had won).    

                As for the game – I’d say that Arsenal were the better team. They played well at the beginning and seemed in control after their early goal. The defending was shocking when Everton scored and Everton had a good period of possession but never really threatened.

                The second half was equally matched until Arsenal scored their penalty – then they seemed in control.

             

                The fans left the ground and I felt warm and happy because I’d had a great time.

                It was too nice a day to get back on the tube so I decided to walk back to Euston station (55 minutes according to my phone and it was correct).

                I leisurely strolled in the sun and contemplated how nice my day had been before arriving at Euston for my journey home.

                A group of Everton fans seemed to be having fun outside the station as they were singing and I think one of them had managed to get hold of a match ball! I will be saying goodbye to Everton and Goodison for 2013/14 after following them for 3 games.

                Join me next time for excellent geeky stats time and then to find out about Wigan.  We have gone full circle. This blog started out by talking about Wigan and my first game was as close to Wigan as I could possibly find… they are the only North West team left in the tournament and the current holders of the FA Cup.  It was a great result for them to beat Manchester City in Manchester so the semi-final against Arsenal is shaping up to be a great game (let’s see if we can get a ticket… or two).