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
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.
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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).
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