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Blog: We Went To See England

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On Friday after work I went to the PUB to meet my Step-Father Mr CM Smith, for LO! we were FINALLY going to redeem the VOUCHER what we gave him for his 70th birthday some NINE months ago, and go to Wembley to see ENGLAND!!

We had a pint and then some tea before heading off to get the Metropolitan line to Wembley along with approx 9,000,000 other people. I thought we had PLENTY of time to get there, but the train took AGES and then it was the usual slow stagger down Wembley Way to get to the ground. Halfway along there was a big sign saying "BAG CHECKS" so I dutifully went over to get someone to check mine, and was told that it was "too big" and would have to be placed in the special Bag Storage Place. This, apparently, was "in that car park" but when we went to look the car park contained only cars. "Sod this", I thought, and put my rucksack on UNDERNEATH my coat. As we got closer to the ground I felt a bit NERVOUS about getting DONE, but also quite relieved when I heard other people complaining bitterly about having to pay a TENNER to put a bag in the "cloakroom". When we got to the gates I leant backward, thinking this would make me look like a fat man with unusually forward legs, and continued in this pose while I was FRISKED by security. I felt quite the REBEL when I got through, although it did make me wonder QUITE how good security is.

The game had already been going for a couple of minutes when we got in, so it was a rush to get sat down, which meant that it took a while to fully appreciate WHERE we were. I've been to Wembley TWICE before, both times to see Posh, both times VICTORIOUS, but I'd never been right down at near ground level before. We were 17 rows back from the pitch, more or less in the same spot we sit when we go to Posh, and the pitch looked WEIRDLY the same size. I mean, I know it IS the same size, but when you see international football on telly it looks MUCH bigger, but here there were a bunch of normal sized blokes haring around who, every so often, you realised were REALLY famous. "He's got a Dele Alli haircut," I thought. "Oh. He IS Dele Alli."

In retrospect the game itself was GRATE, but at the time I had assumed my usual attitude at The Football of sitting there unimpressed. This is because I have been to a LOT of unimpressive football matches, often with the aforementioned Mr CM Smith, during which we sit quietly, occasionally go "What was THAT about" and more often try and work out why the referee blew the whistle just then when we weren't paying attention. THIS time however there were Actual Silky Skills on display, and the team WE were supporting were the ones that HAD them! I was very much hoping Raheem Stirling would score, because I think he is dead good, and CRIKEY he scored THREE of them! There was much cheering, and indeed some jumping around.

After it was all over and we'd eventually got back to Kings Cross to catch our respective trains there was time for a Swift Half in the station pub, where they were showing a replay of the match on telly. It was weird, because it LOOKED like what it always does on the telly, but NOT how I remembered it. Also, it looked REALLY EXCITING - and I realised that I had actually BEEN there, and suddenly got a late delivery of all the excitement that had accrued over the evening. I mean, COR! We actually went to see England!

posted 26/3/2019 by MJ Hibbett

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