I had a pretty average weekend. I failed to do my housework and ironing but I did do the work I brought home. I didn't do my supermarket shopping or my writing group homework. I squabbled with Traybake, I upset the Surly Niece by asking her what she thought she'd get in her finals, (apparently NOBODY asks that!!), I didn't manage to post a birthday card to the GYS even though it is her 21st tomorrow and I went to see Arsenal playing at home.
I have never been to a football match in my life before and while it was a bit disappointing that no goals were scored, I still found the whole experience incredibly exciting. The only Arsenal player I've heard of is Theo Walcott and he hasn't played for ages due to an injury. I only know about him because he features in the Metro and my ex-next door neighbour has been commissioned to write his biography. When she told me that she was writing about him I initially thought her book was about a slave trade abolitionist. Although personally I think mixing up Theo Walcott and William Wilberforce is a mistake that anyone could make.
I lived near the Arsenal ground for years and match days were always slightly annoying for residents especially when the new stadium opened and the local public transport systems collapsed around us. Quite often all of the nearby tube stations would close and it would become very difficult to go anywhere.
When you're part of the crowd going to the ground it feels very different indeed. There were six of us altogether - it was an outing organised by some lawyers that I used to work with. We had lunch in the stadium which was surprisingly good and there were few bottles of wine consumed (although not by me as I am, as you know, good-living).
Unfortunately one of our party got a little bit drunk and enticed Charlie George - famous footballer from the 1970s? Long stringy hair? - over to our table and insisted that we have our photograph taken with him. Luckily no-one could get their phones to work so they had to use my camera which means I am the only person who has a copy of the evidence.
So that's it - I'm going to have to start being nice to the people I know who have season tickets for Arsenal. Who knows what I'll be doing next weekend.
I remember Charlie George being a pinup in Jackie. He didn't do it for me then.
Posted by: Nelly | March 01, 2009 at 11:39 PM
Well I doubt if he'd do it for you now.
Posted by: ganching | March 01, 2009 at 11:46 PM
ah, Jackie, those heady days of frantically searching for the poster in the middle of David Cassidy with those yeti boots and Marc Bolan
Posted by: curious | March 02, 2009 at 01:58 AM
I had a similar invite last year to a Bayern Munich match. It's definitely the way to do it as the usual seat is like a bird perch with leg space for a seven-year-old. Our executive box had all you could eat and drink, seats with arm rests and room to stretch and a great view of the VIP area. You could have spat on the head of the ex-premier of Bavaria and footballers' wives are really all they are made out to be.
Posted by: David | March 03, 2009 at 07:26 AM
Oh that is just wonderful. Did you get him to lie down on the floor?
I'm referring to this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=so_QY7IkYFc
of course, not asking if there were any drink-related shenanigans.
Posted by: John Green | March 04, 2009 at 08:58 AM
Well my friend - the one who was drunk - did suggest to Charlie George that I wanted to have a photograph taken while sitting on his knee. He looked a bit startled and said he had a bad knee to which I could only respond that it would be worse if I sat on it.
David I didn't see anyone remotely famous and we didn't have a box but there was an awful lot of free drink around.
Posted by: ganching | March 04, 2009 at 11:52 PM