Now I’m finally home with a brew after train journeys and car rides, a few thoughts as always on the past few days …..
Humility makes the man.
Of all the things this mad weekend, some Geordies late last night by our hotel, to a mates 13-year-old son as we congratulated more of them, saying ‘
This is what football is all about. The highs and the lows. And you’ll experience more lows through your football supporting life. But handling the lows like you just have to us, in such a humble way, is the mark of a man.’
I really like that. Just rounded off what, an absolutely abysmal showing from L’pool aside, has been a really enjoyable final weekend in that there London. When you go to three different boozers this morning, on Paddy’s day no less, to be told there’s
NO Guinness as ‘
they’ve all run out’, you know the Scousers and Geordies have been in town all weekend!
That was quite possibly the booziest, and friendliest, Wembley final I’ve ever been to. I absolutely hate that the club is owned by the despicable Saudi regime, making it super hard to like them any more, as I couldn’t be happier for the Geordies per se to experience a day like yesterday that tops anything in their football supporting lives. They are just like us when you boil it all down. Love a drink. Love to be out having a great time. And love their football club. Very similar City’s. Just they talk dead funny.
It was a pleasure last night to be out among there celebrating hordes without a hint of aggro or animosity. Belting out all the league winning songs/ telling City to hand it over/ give it back, went down a storm with them as much as their own celebrations. Genuine mutual appreciation between us both. Funny how quickly you get over final disappointment when you’re staying over and don’t want the match to ruin your trip. Even coming back up to Leeds this avvy was good to just take a step back and enjoy seeing genuine happiness after 70 years of F all on a train rammed with them.
I guess I should say something on the actual game. As much as I can’t be A. L’pool got exactly what we deserved. Second best in every facet. Newcastle completely bossed it as we never got going at all. The maddest thing of all to me was you knew exactly what Newcastle would do. And how they’d fly out the traps at you. Yet the only people that seemingly didn’t know that were L’pool themselves. We are historically poor in finals but that was a whole other level of bad. Funny reading people narking about FSG and not adding in January. Like that makes a lick of difference? The owners could have given Slot 10 new players. Doesn’t matter if he won’t F rotate and play them!
I thought he got his selection and subs wrong again. But then I wouldn’t pertain to be anywhere near as knowledgeable and informed to all the information in making those decisions as Arne. It’s all a learning process and he’s been absolutely incredible his first season in England with the debut title win.
About the only thing the Geordies let themselves down in all weekend was in their mad intensity of their bootlicking in singing the national anthem to our standard protest of it. While holding up scarves branded and provided by there S sponsors. I never have got how the North East bows down to the British elite? When the British elite have consistently S all over them and left their region to rot. Proper weird attitude to take to me and about the only thing we topped Newcastle at on the day.
Really disappointing to not have retained our trophy. But that will all be forgotten in May when we are the envy of 91 other English clubs after being crowned the best team in the Country bar none.
Congratulations Newcastle and thank you for taking the edge off the disappointment of losing, by playing your part in making it a memorable weekend off the park.
C’est le vie. Football is a humbler indeed.
You may have finally won your 70 year silverware battle.
But we are about to win the season long football war.
Up the Reds!
