The Anonymous Widower

You don’t have to be mad to support Ipswich, but it helps!

On Friday, I bought my train ticket to go to see Ipswich play Leicester at Portman Road, so if I had decided not to go because of the weather it would have cost me £23.55. I could afford that and knew that as I walked along the Ball’s Pond Road to Dalston Kingsland station, the weather didn’t look at all promising.

I did get as far as the cash-point on the corner, but immediately returned home and then went to a pub where I had some lunch and some cider.

At about two, I thought that I’d go as snow often makes for good entertainment. So I retraced my steps to the station, bought a paper and then found that the station was closed. So I had to taske the alternative route, via Dalston Junction, Whitechapel and Mile End, where I got the Central Line for Stratford, to get the fast train to Ipswich.

The Olympic stadium looked good in the snow.

But at least the Olympics are in August not the winter! 

I actually fell asleep on the train to Ipswich, but that had nothing to do with missing the first twelve minutes or so of the match. The move has been tiring and I just needed the sleep. I completely missed the first goal and only heard the roar of the crowd as the second went in.

I just managed to see the third through the snow, but as most of the action for that goal happened just in front of me.

The second half was much of the same, as 16,728 souls peered through the snow. 

Football in the Snow

But all thanks go to the referee, who resisted all efforts by the Leicester players to abandon the match. And of course to the ground staff, who kept the game going.

I had a wait at the station for a train back to London, but when it arrived it was new, warm and comfortable and arrived at its destination without gaining any more delays. It was then a tube to Liverpool Street and a taxi from the station to home. The only bad information I received on the journey home was from the charming policewoman at Liverpool Street, who said that the taxis weren’t running. But they were.

Interestingly, her colleague was in a uniform which said Politie, so he could have been Dutch. Are we that short of police these days that we have to borrow them from other countries? I made a mistake in not taking a picture.

But I suppose, when Ipswich fans talk over a drink in a few years time, I will be able so say “I was there!”

Isn’t life wonderful.

December 18, 2010 - Posted by AnonW | Sport, Transport/Travel | Football, Ipswich Town, Olympics, Trains