Thursday 22 January 2009

Game Forty Six - Yeovil away

19 January 2008

One of the most eagerly anticipated games in the calendar is finally upon us and thanks to the morons at Sky TV, we're having to make the long trip down south to Yeovil on a monday night instead of the traditional saturday afternoon. Open terraces are not a common thing in league football now so there's always a buzz when we're unleashed upon them and we wern't going to let common sense rule and sit down in front of the TV becomming armchair fans.

After a rather busy morning at work, I left at lunch to head to the Walkers to meet up with Jodie and collect our tickets to Northampton and Walsall (the former being like gold dust so I was rather relieved to get my hands on mine!) and then onto the coaches with a random traveller - Joe B.
As is tradition at fox travel, we left 15 minutes later than planned but were soon underway and in good spirits on the coaches with some good banter between Jim and the other folk - 20p ponchos on sale brought many jokes especially when Jim went on the mic declaring that the price had now gone up to £5 each as the rain had just started.

After a couple of hours on the road and a broken Joe B I-pod later and we made our usual stop off on the way to get something to eat and stretch our legs. Bumped into Katy and some others at the services and she set the tone for the day with her camera in hand, taking photos of anything and everything that moved.

45 minutes, and a KFC later and we were back on our way, travelling further and further south passing along a road with Wales on one side and England on the other! Lots of laughs and jokes on the journey which you probably had to be there to understand but Jodies fear of cameras was one, and her asking where we were every five minutes and getting stupid answers in return. Classic.

We arrived in Yeovil at about 6 and met up with Katy and co off the coaches and set about looking for the nearest pub.... easier said than done as all the locals insisted on pointing us in different directions. A call to 118 and google maps on Carl's phone and we were soon sitting in the warmth counting down the minutes.



Me, Katy, Carl, Lisa, Joe and Jodie didn't stay too long though as we headed back towards the ground to meet up with C-Man to give him his ticket and some of the other Foxestalk lot.

I don't envy the presenters of Sky having to stay in this hastily built studio though.... serves them right for messing up our weekend plans though!

The away end was the third time this season that we'd been left without a roof and with the night air full of rain it seemed inevitable that our luck wouldn't hold out this time and we'd feel the full effects of the elements. Apart from the quirk of that away stand, the stadium at Huish Park is pretty much like any other in this league and bares quite a resemblance to that of Colchester's new one at the Cuckoo Farm. At least it was another one to tick off the list though and hopefully one that we won't have to visit many times in our future unless Yeovil turn into a team capable of competing in the higher levels.

Inside the ground we met up with a huge collection of Foxestalk regulars including the elusive Jamie who insisted on standing for the game without a coat on - madness. C-man in fact was the complete opposite and insisted on spending the whole match with his hood up in case he was spotted on TV when he should have been at Uni studying for an exam the next day - now that is hardcore and earns massive respect!! Even Daggers and Hullfox could be seen wandering around - it really was an impressive turnout.

Yeovil also appear to take the award for worst mascot so far in league one if not the entire football league with this ridiculous thing.... and don't get me started on the giant cigarette!

As kick off approached, we were all enjoying a good laugh and Katy was enjoying taking photos of the night - this one I've stolen of a few of us gathered together... Jodie's hair on the left after running off scared of the camera, me, Andy (SUAS), JoeB at the back, Lil' Dave at the front (reading my stolen programme!) and Mikey on the right. The Ivory Coast scarf proudly on display which was apparentley spotted on sky by people watching at him and insulted by Jim on the coach down - not impressed Mr Donnelly!

The teams emerged from the tunnel but we were having such a laugh on the terraces that its fair to say that the thought of a game going on was playing second fiddle - it was great just be together as a massive group having fun. It's nights like this that are truly memorable as a football fans and you knew it would be a good night regardless of the result.

With city attacking the goal furtherst away from us, our view was very limited what with being low down. We weren't going to miss Matt Oakley's miss then - his second open goal miss in two games as the keeper palmed out a Fryatt shot into his path only to hit the shot high and wide. A few minutes later, Lloyd Dyer came close to opening the scoring but screwed his volley into the side netting when it could be argued that he had time to control the ball and placing his shot rather than simply lashing at it. Mark Davies then nearly grabbed his second goal for the foxes with a simply brilliant run. Picking the ball up inside his own half with nowhere to go, he put his head down and charged through the defence like Moses parting the red sea. They had no answer to his pace and quick feet and only a good save from the keeper kept him out.
Meanwhile in the terraces......

.... Fez and the famous foxestalk flag were unleashed on the fans and Katy took the opportunity to wrap up in the massive thing creating the image of being the Virgin Mary... nice try but no ones buying that one!
Midway through the first half, Howard had a header hit the top of the bar as his ridiculous bad luck in front of goal continued - no one can have had as many disallowed goals or hit the woodwork as much as he has. Yeovil meanwhile offered nothing at all - the closest they came was a wayward volley which flew wildly over the bar.

At half time we all regrouped and took stock of things.... except for Lil Dave who insisted on trying to steal my scarf like a man possessed. Sorry... did I just say man? I mean boy!

Obi-Wan C-man was still under his hood and the jokes were still running thick and fast as the players emerged back for the second half - all we needed was for three points and then this had the potential to be one of THE classic away games.

Katy "The Camera girl" was still being snap happy and with her Princess Leia style ear muffs, she barely moved from this pose throughout the night.

City started the second half quite brightly and forced a few corners which resulted from nothing other than heading practice for the defence.

Ironically though, it was from one such corner that the breakthrough came. A corner was headed out but came straight back at the defence.... some great play by Howard and Davies down the left resulted in the ball being pulled back to Big Steve who crashed a low shot into the corner with the aid of a couple of deflections. Now this is where terraces come into their elements - bodies everywhere as we all dived around like maniacs jumping on each other in celebration. Arms flying smacked into faces and we all piled in together in one massive pile - painful but brilliant!! Bring back the terracing if we can do that when we score!

Happy times!! City nearly doubled the lead not long later when Oakley's free kick was headed just wide by Matty Fryatt who is actually due a goal after his incredible run earlier in the season.
Me and Katy took our random picture of the Yeovil game - doing Chandler's sex face from friends.... random but that pretty much sums up the entire night. Standing on terraces in Yeovil on a monday night? If that's not random then nothing is!!
Tom Cleverley came on for his City debut with not long remaining and had a hand in making sure the game was beyond doubt. He squared the ball to fellow substitue Joe Mattock who bamboozled his defender before curling his shot right footed past the keeper - a great goal resulting in mass celebrations once more. No smack in the face this time but got a dead leg somehow - worth it though!
And then came out moment of fame. As the clock ticked down, we got the flag out propally and held it aloft in the wind while dancing underneath. Sky picked up on this and showed us on screen for about 6 seconds bouncing away which was spotted by everyone back home - brilliant!
That wasn't the end of our night of fame though as when the final whistle sounded, the legend that is Jimmy Bullard was on hand to take pictures of us celebrating by the pitch which soon appeared on the official site. Not a great picture but the thought was there Jimmy!

A great night and the Leicester faithful were in great voice standing long after the players had left the pitch. Truly was a night for the hardcore Leicester fans and I'm so glad that it was as that made it even more special. With it being on sky, it would have been so easy to have stayed at home or gone to the pub, but we'd done the hard thing and travelled over 400 miles to be there and experience what was a truly amazing night as a Leicester fan.

And with that we headed away from the stadium and back towards the coaches for the long journey back to Leicester. There was a real buzz on the coach and no one could wipe the smiles off of our faces. The journey home was too much for some people though and it wasn't long before Joe B was sound asleep - face down on the seat in front! Good work that man!!
It had truly been one of those nights that you could say "yes - i was there." Another success story in what is a truly amazing season to be a Leicester fan. It seems like the away games are just getting better and better all the time and we're yet to have a bad one. From Hartlepool to Brighton, Carlisle to Yeovil, each game has left us with our hearts filled with the magic of being a football fan and memories that will last a lifetime. Leagues may change, players may come and go, but nothing can take away the friends that I have made through football - each one special in their own unique way... the same with all the memories too. With nights like this, and things happening in my personal life, I can safely say that at this moment in time, I've never been happier.... I just hope that that can continue!
See you back at the Walkers for Huddersfield!!

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