Random Diary

This is a bit of a catch up Blog, as I have been on Holiday and got lots to tell you, about all sorts of different things.  I am going to do it diary style.

 

Saturday 8th of May – Celebration of Steam at the Historic Dockyard.

 

H and I decided that we would go down to the Celebration of Steam, not sure what it would entail, but we had a great day.   Our £12 ticket, got us entry to HMS Warrior, which I had wanted to go on for ages, a Harbour tour on a

Traction Engine

boat, where we got to see part of the British Navy that is docked in Portsmouth.  As well as this there was a collection of traction engines and steam powered memorabelia including the world record holding fastest steam car in the world, which took the record by going nearly 150 mph.

 

There was also an Ale and Sausage Festival where we had a local tipple and an Ostrich burger.  Which I can say is very nice.

 

Monday 10th May – Natural History Museum – London

 

As we were flying to Riga Early on Tuesday we had decided to stay at Stanstead the night before which gave us the opportunity to go to London.

The Natural History Museum Dinosaur

  We had wanted to get to the Natural History Museum for ages and it didn’t disappoint.  It is spectacular but we could have done with having more time. 

 

After a swift meal in China Town we headed to Wimbledon to meet with May-Z who unfortunately wouldn’t be there for my birthday.  We had some great conversations about professional quiz-masters among others.

 

Tuesday 11th May – Riga

 

We flew to Riga from Stanstead on Ryan Air.  It was ok.  It was also my Dad’s birthday, so happy birthday to him.  I will write more about Riga in another Blog, but it was great fun.

 

Saturday 15th May- FA Cup Final

 

Pompey were in the FA Cup final, after a turbulent season with Relegation administration, numerous owners and players jumping ship, we had battled our way to Wembley. 

 

We defended brilliantly in the first half and were saved by the woodwork on 6 occasions and went in at half time 0-0.

 

Daring to dream in the second half, we had a penalty, which Kevin Prince Boateng scuffed and was saved, and then Didier Drogba scored the winner.  Not what the fairytale deserved.

 

Sunday 16th May – World Twenty-20 and Gigs.

 

Well done to England, World T-20 champions.  It was a brilliant final, with all parts of our team on fire.  Bowling was economical, Craig Kieswetter and KP were on fire, and we were finally steered home by Paul Collingwood and Eion Morgan with 3 overs to go, a huge margin in this form of the game.  To beat the Aussies was the icing on the cake.

 

As soon as this had finished I rushed out the door to go and see North Atlantic Oscilation at the Joiners. The Sarah Griffin Band were great, the Rebs were average and NAO were probably the best band that I had seen this year.

 

There you go, brief, but good.  I will catch you up on Riga later.  

Wish I Knew more Spurs Fans

Well, well, well, you would not believe it would you.  Football, its a funny old game isn’t it.  Pompey, struggling with debts, dodgy owners, transfer embargo’s, administration and points deductions were relegated on Saturday.  West Ham had won one-nil to make it mathematically impossible for us to stay up.  It was a sad day, but one that had been coming for a long time. 

 

At least we had one last hurrah at Wembley on Sunday in the FA Cup semi-final against Tottenham.  Nobody thought that we would do well, I just hoped that it wasn’t an embarrassing scoreline.  Spurs had benefited most from our downfall, with Jowly Insurance hound and former manager Harry Redknapp picking over the carcass for our best players. To make it even easier for he

Ex-Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp

wouldn’t let Jamie O’Hara play in the semi.

 

To have our makeshift team facing up to Spurs was a massive task.  But to a man, our team played like heroes.  Over the 90 minutes it was an even game, with real end to end stuff.  Chances were squandered at either end, with David James making some world class saves (C’mon Capello, pick him for the world cup) and Mullins, Moekoena, Finnan and Rocha (didn’t get sent off, which is a first) making last ditch tackles all over the place.  Kevin Prince-Boateng and Hassan Yebda both recently back from injury played like men possessed, Michael Brown was solid in midfield and Marc Wilson played the game of his life.  Dindane and Piquionne ran their socks off and all will deserve a day off today.   

 

After 90 minutes for it to be nil-nil was a massive achievement.  For the next 30, Pompey fans would go through a whole range of emotions.  9 minutes into extra time a dubious free kick was awarded, Dawson slipped and Piquionne scored a deserved goal.  the roar from the TV was deafening, the roar from my livingroom was pretty loud too, as me and the house-mate jumped off the sofa.

 

2 minutes later we screamed in despair as Crouch knocked one in for Spurs, and then cheered as for some reason be-known only to the referee it was disallowed. 

 

The second half of extra tike was played at the same pace, lightning quick end to end stuff.  Palacios brought down Dindane in the area and we had a penalty.  Kevin Prince-Boateng slotted home the penalty and al of the Pompey fans went mental.  The spurs fans went home.

 

The stats might show that Tottenham dominated the game, which according to Harry Redknapp they did, but it doesn’t change the fact that they lost 2-0.  

I really wish that I knew some Spurs fans.

Cowering Behind A Cushion

I have just spent 45 minutes cowering behind a cushion on the sofa watching the FA cup quarter final between Man Utd and Pompey.  For the neutral fan that must have been a good game to watch, for most of the 2nd half for me it was painful.  Still for Man Utd fans, the next couple of days will be quite bad with the amount of stick they will get.

Sorry, but I feel the need to put a few stats on here:

Possession

Man Utd 64%-36% Pompey

Shots on Target

Man Utd 10-4 Pompey

Shots Off Target

Man Utd 10-2 Pompey

But the only one that really matters is

Final Score

Man Utd 0-1 Pompey

Honestly you cannot take anything away from our defence, they were amazing.  Sylvan Distan making an almost impossible intervention on the line, David James again making an outstanding save.  Diarra seemed to be everywhere in midfield.  OK, we probably should have lost the game, but we had luck on our side.  But as we all know its only the goals that count.

In the pre-match interviews Alex Fergusson said “I can’t name a strongest team. I could pick four different starting XIs and say every one is as strong as the other.”  Now thats showing off a bit. 

But what I really loved is what Harry said about our team:

“We’ll go there with exactly the same system that has won us so many games away from home. Two wide men (Utaka and Kranjcar) who can’t defend to save their lives and a striker up front (Kanu) who can’t run around that much. That is it really.”

Also I love the fact that we have wiped that smug self satisfied grin off Fergies red face.

Now I am looking forward to getting tickets for the semi’s and seeing Pompey come out at Wembley.