I don't know what to say

We won.

I cried tonight when we scored the 3rd, it wasn't like Rob Lee's Wembley effort... it was relief, we HAD won!!!

I'm very pissed so apologies for speelling and incoherence....

Got to 'that London' around 5 and at the Drayton by 5:45... too much alcohol but heh!
Met Screach, Pete M and 'Getting less Mysterious' Terry just before heading off to the groond.

Found my seat (padded!... best seat this Geordie's arse has ever had the pleasure of being abutted against) and sat down to watch the ritual humiliation.

After 10 mins I was about to walk out as the w&^%kers around me had obviously no knowledge of the beautiful game.... "yeah all right mate we should do x on Monday. I'll see you all right with Y shares etc...."! That's ok until they start with the "we should've scored then" when they hadn't even been watching the bastid match. I held my calm.....

-- Anonymous, December 18, 2001

Answers

The view from the half way line was excellent and it could have been an excellent match but for the buffoon of a ref. Parlour was causing mayhem and I wa glad to see the back of him, and the 2 incidents were bookings BUT.....???

anyho.... 1-0 down and I thought bugger this I'm back down the rub-a- dub. (did I mention the handball in the build up to their goal? never mind, I don't care now ;-))) )

anyho,.... forced a Bud down the gills and decide to take up my luxury accomodation for part 2 of te slaughter..... but wait! what! eh? Wanker Poll decides that 10 v 10 is fairer(to be honest I didn't see why Bellamy was straight red carded but the Arse folk arond me thought it wasn't anything.... but off he goes.. we conclude he must have whacked someone but ????)

PENALTY! ... welll from where I was I thought Robert was going in the nice officials little book but NO!!!! I thought it was a dive but I'll wait to see the TV replay. (who cares??)

-- Anonymous, December 18, 2001

bed now.... must slleeeppppp

-- Anonymous, December 18, 2001

...result never in any doubt. I'll take the three points over the loss at Stamford Bridge any day of the week. Beautiful. Goodnight!

-- Anonymous, December 18, 2001

seen the highlights and neither sending off was correct. The penalty probably was. Poll said "it was a clear tackle from behind" so that's a sending off then! ... and hes was the last man.. so that's a sending off then!

-- Anonymous, December 19, 2001

What a night. Can't speak this morning. Hobbling away due to wacking my knee against the seat in front. After so many nearlies and nowhere nearies, the jinx seemed to fall the other way. We met the challenge, took our chances and rubbed their pompous noses in it.

Game only marred by them closing the Drayton afterwards limiting post match celebrations to an extent. Which pub did you end up in afterwards, Geordie?

-- Anonymous, December 19, 2001

Mornin all. Just got in to the office, sore head and ditto Pete Millers sore legs (ooh missus). Rang my Dad just before I got home after the game - he was in bed but happy to get up and talk footy with a drunk for half an hour. Can't remember the last time I felt so elated at a game. I nearly kissed Pete M when the third goal went in (just looking for an excuse Pete). Arse fans looked sick as pigs walking up the Holloway Road. I told you Dougal, you should have been there so that you can tell your grandchildren what you were doing when we tonked the Arse. It's like the Keegan days, when suddenly we don't fear anyone, home or away. We might not win it, but the opposition has now got to think carefully about their tactics against us, not the other way around. Thought Luax2 played a blinder - his passing was superb, and I never thought I'd say that. And credit where it's due, the back four did an excellent job against a very pacy Arse team. They never really let them have a clear/easy shot on goal. Well, maybe the one. O'Leary must be having a good headscratch about how to play us. Screacher, where did you go after the game when the bu..ers shut us out of the Drayton? Trust you got home okay. We Are Top Of The League.

-- Anonymous, December 19, 2001

THOUGHTS FROM AN ATTIC FLOOR IN KENT

I don't really know what to say. Today has been an emotional exerience, to say the least. It all started a few weeks ago when I was invited to an orifice Christmas Party in a pub near Lahndaan Bridge. Wednesday 19th December. "Yeah. OK, I'll come down". Then I checked the callendar. Arse on Tuesday - and we're not talking sexual deviances tho based on last season's erformance, a right old stuffing might be on the cards. Undaunted, I asked for two tickets for Screach 'n' Peach and Dougal duly came up trums with three. Then I realised Peach couldn't make it but managed to swap an Arse for a Harrods voucherwith Ginga.

I set off on Saturaday for the Blackburn match and haven't been back. Mebbes I should not gan back hyem until after the season ends! This morning I awoke in Bournemouth, and left work at 15:00 to dump the Stealth Astra and get changed in Beckenham, ably guided in past Biggin Hill by mine host. A quick dash along to the station and I was surprised to find Mr Connex's rain set was running to time. An SMS from Dougal to say she couldn't come as she'd been forced into some S&M (or was it M&S?) so I made my way to the Drayton Arms, where I was immediately accosted by Mysterious Terry and Pete "Windy" Miller. Broons aal roond and then Geordie arrived, somewhat the worse for wear thanks to his train journey from Winchestre area (not to mention the buffet car). A couple of beers in grand Geordie company (aal of them!) and a quick(ish) sprint to Highbury and we took our seats places in the away end - apart from Geordie who joined the toffs with wads in Corporate Hostility.

The game started with us defending wor end. Well, I thin that's what we were supposed to be doing but in all honesty, after 15 mins, I'dhave settled for last year's score at the end of the game. 5-0 looked like we'd get off lightly, and eventually @rse made their posession count (not to mention wor slack marking in m/f) and Pires steered the ball home. No more than @rse deserved. It could have gone a lot worse but for some poor finishing by Wiltord and Henry. But hey, that's what the game's all about and the half ended 1-0 to the Goons. Indeed, thigs took a remarkable turn for the better just before half time when Ray Parlour received his marching orders for a second yelllow.

It was clear that Graham Poll was intent on spoiling the game and he gave us sod all, apart from sending off Parlour, which evened up the game very nicely. Up to then, Parlour had bossed the whole midfield and we didn't get a look in. I commented at HT that Poll was having a 'mare but that I exepcted we wouldn't finish with 11 on the pitch, Bellamy having been booked yet again for mouthing off. Surprisingly, there was an air of cautious optimism (or was it blind faith?) among the Toon Army at half time. Perhaps it was just relief. The scoreboard showed 10 attempts on goal from @rse with 4 on target and no attempts from Toon. Perhaps they were expecting an OG by @rse as a Christmas Present?? Anyway, YBR's half time chat clearly worked, and Mr Hyde's team appeared for the second half instead of Dr Jekyll's.

I won't dwell on detail, but suffice to say that the introduction of Lua x2 for Nobby and Robert for Elliott (Bernard dropped back to cover) made an immediate difference and Lua's corner found Andy O'Brien in space to stoop and head the ball home. No mistake this time and he was clearly relieved. Shearer looked canny chuffed as well. The game continued with @rse still having the better of midfield despite being down to 10 men, but Graham Poor evened things up by sending off Bellamy for a rash challenge on Ashley Cole, who went down like a deck of cards, only to rise like Lazarus when Bellamy left the field. This play-acting is getting on my tits.

If anything, this seemed to spur us on and we came more into the game with both Robert and Little Kevin taking on the mantle left by Bellamy to make darting runs though the middle. But it was Shearer who found himself clear, ending on his posterior in the box after a challenge by North Lahndaan's favourite mercenary. Poll duly obliged with yet another controversial decision by pointing at the spot. It was one of those that had it been at the other end, we'd have been livid. Shearer picked hiself up, with a determined look in his eye, not wanting to miss his second capital penalty in a month. He fair whalloped it and put us ahead. The Toon Army went wild. Could this be the night? Some quizical glances were exchanged. Unbelieveably, the board went up with 6 minutes showing. Surely some mistake?? Ginga was in a world of his own and suggested it just left more time for us to score another. Anyway, @rse pressed forward but wasted more and more chances. This left gaps at he back (an @rse hole?) and Robert left their defence languishing in his wake to be one-on-one with the keeper. Had it been Bellamy, I suspect the corner flag might have been in danger, but instead it was the corner of the net where the ball ended up. Pandemonium broke out among the faithful. We atarted to think the unthinkable. Crikey, I thought time was supposed to fly when you were enjoying yourself? After what seemed hours, Poll finally blew the whistle. Could it be true? Was this Highbury, in norf Lahndaan? Yes it was - and Pit Bill had been proved right (for once!). "Say, we are, we are, we are top of the league!" We may not end up there at the end of the season, but I know which of the 3 north east clubs positions I'd rather be in right now! I here there were queues on the Monkwearmoth Bridge tonight.

So, we had finaly achieved the impossible. TIme to celebrate and it was back to the Drayton Arms. Ayeee! It was shut. However, the littel door at the side, which is the back entrance to the flat above was open and a few of us were shephered in by a lie wizzened old lady. She looked the most glamouous bird around, such was the feeling among the assembled Geordies. Sadly, Pete, Geordie and Mysterious didn;t make it. Just enough time to see YBR's interview (but not hear it) and a couple of pints to celebrate before it was back underground and off to bed. The happiest I'd felt in the capital for donkey's years. Please don't let me wake up in the morning to find it was all a cruel dream. That just wouldn't be fair.

-- Anonymous, December 19, 2001

Wonderful stuff.

Mysterious, if I EVER don't go to a game again on financial grounds will someone shoot me: for the sake of about £50, I missed a truly glorious Toon night.

I'm as chuffed as f**k, though, too.

-- Anonymous, December 19, 2001

I went straight back to Waterloo and caught the 11 o'clock home... a couple of cans of Stella to see me on my way. My head is SO sore this morning.... but I don't care... I was there!

-- Anonymous, December 19, 2001

Hey Screacher I saw you on the telly !

-- Anonymous, December 19, 2001

kats, THAT was corrie

-- Anonymous, December 19, 2001

It's true - I really wasn't there. That's why I said it was Shearer that got the pen instead of Robert, having read the Daily Mail (not my choice) which said it was Al. I was there - honest :-(

-- Anonymous, December 20, 2001