Tuesday 1st. Meet Paul, Sam & Rob at Finsbury Park station then towards The Arsenal Stadium stopping off at the Plimsoll pub (now renamed the Auld Triangle for some reason) for a quick Guinness. Rob parts company to go into the Everton corner whilst the 3 of us go into the thronging mass of Gooners just in time for kick off. Scrappy start with a lot of fouls and a couple of early yellows. Never good for the ref – then starts to lose control. Crowd getting on his back. Then the Everton goal – off side by 2 yards at least – everyone in the place could tell. Goal given. Then they show on the screens (very unusual for a controversial incident) so the ref trots off the to the linesman. Unbelievably gives the goal and prompts the predictable panto style barracking for the rest of the 1st half. Second half and we keep up the pressure on the ref to make amends to no effect. Not even Fab Fab in the tunnel could convince him to give us a break (shut up you miserable git Moyes). I wouldn’t say that I ever lost hope as Everton were solid but average – and we were keeping calm. Then on time we score. And another. Never in doubt were the 59,000 Gooners and that was that. Meet up with Rob and other Toffees after and towards Islington to celebrate / commiserate with a swift few. Another good result ground out so there’s hope for the title! Highlights of the match – Arshavin scores, Bendtner’s overhead kick (if missed), 1980’s style refereeing (amateur) with associated crowed participation.
Wednesday 2nd. More footie. 5-a-side in Stockwell. Not the 13 as 2 weeks ago but 7 of us there. Cold and damp. In the team with 3 but we are all over the 4 (well, at times). I have the best game for a while. OK, since 1976, and even then I didn’t score as at left back. Some cracking goals (if I say so myself) – driven, placed, nutmegs. Alex back from long term injury and testing the old legs. Of course most of us feel a twinge or 2 the next day (the ones the wrong side of 40). But the pain is worth the fun, and primal need to compete and run around after a small round bladder…
Hurts again. Thursday 3rd. Free tickets for Hurts at the Town and Country Club (now HMV Forum) – thanks Craig and Denise. 3rd time of seeing them. First in a Leeds church, then in a field, now in an old music hall. Drop the child at friends in Camden then wander up in the cold wind. Upstairs unfortunately so avoid the seating and private tables to lounge against the top rail next to the bar. Not so great for me as not drinking. Don’t like to publicly do people down so won’t say what support act Clare Maguire (or summat) was like. OK, it was like a cruise ship cabaret according to Debbie. With less charisma. And rubbish dancing. Then for the main men themselves complete with band (which we really didn’t see and weren’t introduced – shame). Hurts were very competent and I guess that being at the back didn’t help the atmosphere – although no one dancing really at the front. All the classics plus an opera singer. Seemed to be a bit camper than last time we saw them – especially the singer dancing and posturing. And the keyboard player sat down in tail coat. Debs critical faculties sharpened by commenting on the cabaret singer points out that they are like Gilbert and George. Very apt description. Anyway, back to the music. Built up to a big climax with the keyboard player off on guitar and much slamming of of mic stands to the beat. Even got the crowd going and jigging about. Once we get the encores (a repeat song which is nostalgic) and the last of the flowers has been flung into the audience we trundle off into the breezy night air and back to Camden for a drive through central London back home.
And sign this www.38degrees.org.uk/page/s/save-our-forests and also copy the Enclosure Act opponents – the peasants are revolting!
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