03 05 2006 Blackburn Rovers 1 Chelsea 0
Over a four hour journey. Get the 295 or C3 bus to Clapham Junction. Wait ten minutes. Get the train from Clapham
Junction to Watford. Wait ten minutes. Get the train from Watford Junction to Preston. Wait fifteen minutes. Take the
train from Preston to Blackburn. Then get a cab to my hotel. Which doesn't have a shower in the room, or even one on
the same floor as where I was staying. Spend in excess of £150 to watch a game that doesn't matter, and which is on
Sky. And one we will probably not win.
That was what I was thinking in bed the night before the game anyway. When I woke at 8am on the day, the sun was
shining, and my negative thoughts had been forgotten as I packed for the journey up North. To me it felt like a European
away day for some reason. The time passed more quickly than I imagined. The cab cost £3 from the station (!) and the
hotel was not as bad as I first feared. For fifteen pounds per person I was impressed by the lack of cockroaches in my
room. Even better, downstairs was a decent pub. And so began the all dayer.
Blackburn is not a bad place at all. Near our hotel were lovely detached houses with nicely kept front gardens. It was not
the first time I had been there - for some reason this is my fifth, and we always seemed to play them at night when I went.
The local pubs were half decent, and none were of the "chain" variety outside environs of the ground. We chatted with
some locals and were extremely surprised at how many Blackburn fans were not going to the match. Although their
average season ticket costs less than £600, it appears that many are unenamoured with the way they are treated by the
club. One landlady's son had been threatened with being banned for standing and singing, when only last season
Blackburn had asked if he could lead a "singing section" in the ground. Sound familiar? In any case, I was extremely
disappointed to see that the attendance was barely over 20,000. We took around 3,000 and Chelsea fans were brilliant
as usual. I struggled to see too many spare seats despite the fact we had already won the league. I was amazed that
Blackburn did not sell more tickets especially considering if they won this match, then they were guaranteed European
football in the much maligned UEFA Cup.
As for the match - well the less said, the better. Not because we played badly - I felt we deserved a point at least. I was
more disappointed at yet more woeful refereeing decisions that cost us two - perhaps three penalties. However, I already
feel the veins in my forehead throbbing and can't be arsed to moan again. To be fair, Blackburn played well but a draw
would have been a fairer result. Joe Cole stole the show when he came on as sub, and although we had a few key
players missing, at times we still looked a class act despite a few stray passes here and there.
After the game I thought back to the feelings I had the previous night. I had enjoyed myself despite the result. Blackburn
is a decent away trip - the locals tend to be friendly; the away pub even had "Welcome Chelsea fans" placards on its
walls (probably they have a stack of 100 different ones in the back for various clubs, but who cares - it's the only place I
ever recall doing such a thing - and funnily enough there was no trouble in the pub!); and there are plenty of boozers
about.
As the season draws to a close, I shed a tear as I returned by train today at what will arguably be my last game of the
season. Being a mug, I will probably convince myself to go up to Newcastle even though my bank balance is non
existent. Reading the excellent "Chelsea in the 80s" book (very hard reading about the bad old days) I remembered why
I have always remained loyal to Chelsea: the away trips to the glamorous and not so glamorous places; the fans and the
bumpy rides along the way.
Bring on next season!
Junction to Watford. Wait ten minutes. Get the train from Watford Junction to Preston. Wait fifteen minutes. Take the
train from Preston to Blackburn. Then get a cab to my hotel. Which doesn't have a shower in the room, or even one on
the same floor as where I was staying. Spend in excess of £150 to watch a game that doesn't matter, and which is on
Sky. And one we will probably not win.
That was what I was thinking in bed the night before the game anyway. When I woke at 8am on the day, the sun was
shining, and my negative thoughts had been forgotten as I packed for the journey up North. To me it felt like a European
away day for some reason. The time passed more quickly than I imagined. The cab cost £3 from the station (!) and the
hotel was not as bad as I first feared. For fifteen pounds per person I was impressed by the lack of cockroaches in my
room. Even better, downstairs was a decent pub. And so began the all dayer.
Blackburn is not a bad place at all. Near our hotel were lovely detached houses with nicely kept front gardens. It was not
the first time I had been there - for some reason this is my fifth, and we always seemed to play them at night when I went.
The local pubs were half decent, and none were of the "chain" variety outside environs of the ground. We chatted with
some locals and were extremely surprised at how many Blackburn fans were not going to the match. Although their
average season ticket costs less than £600, it appears that many are unenamoured with the way they are treated by the
club. One landlady's son had been threatened with being banned for standing and singing, when only last season
Blackburn had asked if he could lead a "singing section" in the ground. Sound familiar? In any case, I was extremely
disappointed to see that the attendance was barely over 20,000. We took around 3,000 and Chelsea fans were brilliant
as usual. I struggled to see too many spare seats despite the fact we had already won the league. I was amazed that
Blackburn did not sell more tickets especially considering if they won this match, then they were guaranteed European
football in the much maligned UEFA Cup.
As for the match - well the less said, the better. Not because we played badly - I felt we deserved a point at least. I was
more disappointed at yet more woeful refereeing decisions that cost us two - perhaps three penalties. However, I already
feel the veins in my forehead throbbing and can't be arsed to moan again. To be fair, Blackburn played well but a draw
would have been a fairer result. Joe Cole stole the show when he came on as sub, and although we had a few key
players missing, at times we still looked a class act despite a few stray passes here and there.
After the game I thought back to the feelings I had the previous night. I had enjoyed myself despite the result. Blackburn
is a decent away trip - the locals tend to be friendly; the away pub even had "Welcome Chelsea fans" placards on its
walls (probably they have a stack of 100 different ones in the back for various clubs, but who cares - it's the only place I
ever recall doing such a thing - and funnily enough there was no trouble in the pub!); and there are plenty of boozers
about.
As the season draws to a close, I shed a tear as I returned by train today at what will arguably be my last game of the
season. Being a mug, I will probably convince myself to go up to Newcastle even though my bank balance is non
existent. Reading the excellent "Chelsea in the 80s" book (very hard reading about the bad old days) I remembered why
I have always remained loyal to Chelsea: the away trips to the glamorous and not so glamorous places; the fans and the
bumpy rides along the way.
Bring on next season!
