Sunday, 13th April 2014
Semi Final
Hull City v Sheffield United
Wembley Stadium
Wembley
HA9 0WS
K.O. 4.07pm
Half time 1-2
Final score 5-3
0-1 Jose Baxter 19
mins
1-1 Yannick Sagbo 42
mins
1-2 Stefan Scougall
44 mins
2-2 Matty Fryatt 49
mins
3-2 Tom Huddlestone 54 mins
4-2 Stephen Quinn 67
mins
4-3 Jamie Murphy 90
mins
5-3 David Meyler 93 mins
Attendance 71,820
Miles travelled approximately 60
Well, I never thought I’d get this far or so close and if it wasn’t for
Keith offering me a ticket for the Semi Final it might not have happened.
The days seemed to drag. Just how long does it take to
decide on how to sell tickets?
Hull City finally posted details and did it properly. Season
Ticket holders took priority with whatever tickets going on General Sale at 9am
on Monday 7th April on a first come first served.
Any E Mail I sent to Hull City got lost in the fog of the chaos of the
moment. I bet every man and his camel wanted a ticket to the Semi Final.
Before all of that was happening the FA pulled a rabbit out the hat. Now,
let’s be honest, I’ve been very critical of the FA and TV companies over the
last few blogs, so let me give credit where credit is due.
The FA contacted the four clubs and decided to split the tickets into
un-equal allocations.
Wigan 22,807
Arsenal 42,882
Hull 32,011
Sheffield 31,796 (The FA would later send Sheffield an extra 1,531
tickets making their complete allocation 33,327)
Personally, I think it was an act of complete genius. I understand that
Wigan were happy with what was being done and if that’s true… WOW! Words fail
me…
Also, it’s the fourth year in a row that FA Cup Semi Final tickets have
been frozen with tickets ranging from £30 to £60.
Wigan Athletic – 22,807
Category 1 - £60 – 2,545
Category 2 - £50 – 9,809
Category 3 - £40 – 6,509
Category 4 - £30 – 3,944
Wheelchair Spaces – 77
Personal Assistant Seats – 77
Ambulant/Visually Impaired – 100
Category 1 - £60 – 2,545
Category 2 - £50 – 9,809
Category 3 - £40 – 6,509
Category 4 - £30 – 3,944
Wheelchair Spaces – 77
Personal Assistant Seats – 77
Ambulant/Visually Impaired – 100
Arsenal – 42,882
Category 1 - £60 – 7,985
Category 2 - £50 – 16,033
Category 3 - £40 – 12,953
Category 4 - £30 – 5,911
Wheelchair Spaces – 100
Personal Assistant Seats – 100
Ambulant/Visually Impaired – 100
Category 1 - £60 – 7,985
Category 2 - £50 – 16,033
Category 3 - £40 – 12,953
Category 4 - £30 – 5,911
Wheelchair Spaces – 100
Personal Assistant Seats – 100
Ambulant/Visually Impaired – 100
Hull City – 32,011
Category 1 - £60 - 3,941
Category 2 - £50 – 13,252
Category 3 - £40 – 9,886
Category 4 - £30 – 4,932
Wheelchair Spaces – 100
Personal Assistant Seats – 100
Ambulant/Visually Impaired – 100
Category 1 - £60 - 3,941
Category 2 - £50 – 13,252
Category 3 - £40 – 9,886
Category 4 - £30 – 4,932
Wheelchair Spaces – 100
Personal Assistant Seats – 100
Ambulant/Visually Impaired – 100
Sheffield United – 31,796 (not including the extra 1,531
tickets)
Category 1 - £60 – 3,420
Category 2 - £50 – 13,682
Category 3 - £40 - 9,668
Category 4 - £30 – 5,026
Wheelchair Spaces – 100
Personal Assistant Seats – 100
Ambulant/Visually Impaired – 100
Category 1 - £60 – 3,420
Category 2 - £50 – 13,682
Category 3 - £40 - 9,668
Category 4 - £30 – 5,026
Wheelchair Spaces – 100
Personal Assistant Seats – 100
Ambulant/Visually Impaired – 100
Normal service will now resume…
The Semi Finals should not be at Wembley. They should be at a neutral ground. I’m not
going to have an argument over this. Anyone who thinks different is wrong.
We all know the Semi Finals are held at Wembley for money. We all know
it helps cheapen the FA Cup. We all know it makes a mockery of getting to Wembley.
Que
sera, sera
Whatever will be, will be
We’re going to Wembley
Twice…
Whatever will be, will be
We’re going to Wembley
Twice…
It’s
hardly the same is it…
Moving
on.
I
woke at 7am stupidly excited and two hours before my alarm clock was due to go
off. WOW! I bounced around the flat like it was the morning of the Semi Final
of the FA Cup… D’OH!
The
sky was a dazzling bright light blue just like in 1989 and it was difficult not
to think back to that day and those days that I spent as a Liverpool fan as a
kid. Whatever the day was to throw at me, I was not going to be morbid. I was
not going to wallow in false self-pity.
Last
year was the 25th anniversary of the Monsters of Rock, Donington
1988 and it could have been me or you. This year it was the 25th
anniversary of Hillsborough 1989 and it could have been me or you.
Having
been over to Wembley the day before to buy everything that I wanted to buy, all
the pressure was off and I slowly plodded over to Wembley and parked the car. I
got to Wembley just after noon and the place was buzzing, unlike yesterday.
Yesterday was such an anti-climax, it was one of the reasons that I didn’t buy
a ticket when I was offered one, but today, today was special.
I
walked up to the stadium, all the stalls that used to appear on the side of the
road selling merchandise were all missing. There were two official ones, one on
South Way and one on Olympic Way. It helped kill the vibe. Something was
missing. Today was still special, but it could have been better, who ever made
the decision to stop them or take them away made the wrong call.
I
made my way down Olympic Way. IT IS NOT WEMBLEY WAY! It is Olympic Way. Wembley
Way is a tiny little street in the housing estate across the tube line. Stop
the internal dialogue you’re wrong. It’s Olympic Way.
I
meet up with Keith. I picked up my ticket. I made a small donation to his fund
raising activities - www.justgiving.com/keith-raymond/ - and we proceeded to yak and gossip like it was going out of
fashion.
As we
chatted we discovered that we were Liverpool fans in a previous life. I asked
him if I should write about what I saw yesterday and my feeling about the KO’s
and he assured me that I should.
Eventually
we parted. Keith went off for food and I went off to explore and find
adventures. I also wanted to get into the stadium early to take photos of the
96 scarves.
I
walked up Empire Way towards Wembley Hill Rd. Where the two roads join there
is, or there was, a massive triangular green, but everywhere I looked was red
and white. Every window had a flag or scarf hanging in it or out of it.
Singing. Chanting. Drinking. Eating. It was like a scene from a medieval
carnival, 2,000 or 3,000 United fans and around 20 police officers, not one
hint of trouble or disrespect. It looked so impressive.
I made
my way back to the stadium and made my way inside. Entrance B Block 120 Row 38
Seat 253. I walked into the massive void that is Wembley Stadium to be greeted
by the sight of a bright white arch against that bright light blue sky and I
genuinely gulped.
Straight
down to the 96 scarves.
I
went for a walk and ended up behind the goal. The stadium was filling up. My
thoughts drifted back to that Friday night and that very first game Hoddesdon
Town v St Margaretsbury and I started to laugh like a drain.
CLICK!
Photo of this. CLICK! Photo of that. Is that the FA Cup over there? CLICK!
CLICK! CLICK! It was. That’s the third FA Cup I’d seen this weekend.
The
stadium continued to fill up. I went back to my seat. United fans were making
all the noise. The teams were announced. No Matty Fryatt? Is Steve Bruce having
a Toffee Crisp? The blokes an idiot. No Matty Fryatt means no Cup Final. Silly
fat fool.
Groovy
massive flags were passed around the stadium. The pitch got a last minute
watering. The atmosphere continued to build. Hull fans started to find their
voices and you won’t believe how many Hull fans passed me with painted faces,
most of them over the age of 21 too… Brilliant stuff.
4pm
arrived and the players made their way onto the pitch. The place erupted. What
a wonderful noise. Once the teams had done that daft hand shake nonsense David
Mayler stood on the edge of the centre circle by himself with his head bowed,
um…
The
players and officials made their way to the centre circle to honour the 96 with
a minute’s silence. The whistle was blown. The minutes silence lasted all of 5
seconds before someone near the half way line started to clap. Before I could
tut my disapproval, that single clap had turned into a round of applause.
Really, what hell is wrong with people that they can’t simply shut up for 60
seconds. Is it such a difficult thing to do? Can you imagine a round of
applause on Remembrance Day? It’s only 60 seconds… SHUT THE FUCK UP!
On
the subject of the “silence”, during it, the names of the 96 were put up on the
electronic score boards that they have around Wembley and I almost lost it. It
was such a simple and such an emotive thing to do. Again proof that someone
somewhere was thinking.
Finally
it was time for the football to do its talking.
The
game kicked off and moved on at a cracking pace. United took the game to City. City
tried to respond but they were all over the place. The long haired hippy up
front plodded around the pitch like that pony tailed waste of skin from West
Ham. Hull fans started to get on their players backs. Frankly, if I’d have been a
Hull fan I’d had walked across the pitch and slapped a few players. I don’t
think they understood that this was the FA Cup Semi Final.
United
and their fans on the other hand knew exactly what it meant. They went after
the goal and on 19 minutes the predictable happened. Baxter met a well
delivered cross and United took a well deserved lead. Baxter took off his black
arm band and kissed it as he ran towards the corner flag and I cannot begin to
describe the cheer that came from the other end. It was more of a scream than a
cheer. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up and I went all tingly in my
special place. GAME ON!
The
Hull fans around me were getting really pissed off with their team’s lack of
passion. The atmosphere was definitely changing. This is what happens when you
don’t have Matty Fryatt on the pitch.
There
didn’t seem to be any urgency from Hull.
Eventually
the Hull players began to understand what was required of them. Slowly and
surely we had a game on our hands. None of that horrible cagey stuff either, a
good old fashioned FA Cup tie.
United
started to take the piss by passing the ball between themselves, 0-1 up in the
Semi Final of the Cup and they are taking the piss. If I hadn’t seen it I
wouldn’t have believed it.
On 42
minutes Sagbo got the equaliser and while the Hull fans were still celebrating
and the Hull players were getting themselves together Sheffield went straight
up the other end and restored the lead thanks to Scougall. The United end went
proper tits up and tonto. This was fantastic stuff.
2
minutes later and the Ref blew for half time.
My
head was spinning. The place was buzzing. The players ran off the pitch. I went
off for a coffee and during half time Boyd went off for Fryatt.
Steve
Bruce actually made a double substitution during half time Figueroa and Boyd
going off with Aluko and Fryatt coming on and I was beside myself.
The
second half kicked off with a different Hull City team on the pitch. Aluko and
Fryatt were the injection of pace they needed.
A
nothing ball into the United box was headed backwards and into touch. A right
footed in swinger came over. It bobbled around before falling to the feet of
Matty Fryatt who just inside the six yard box span on his right foot and meet
it with his left putting the ball between three United defenders and the
keeper. Frankly I would expect nothing less from the lethal Ex Walsall goal
scoring machine.
60
seconds later and he went and did it again. I went proper mental. The Hull fans
around me started to move away. Like I care. What? Off side? WHAT!? Are you on
drugs? NEVER! My seat (and you’ve already got the details and I’ve got the
photos) was right in line with that linesman and his golden retriever, the pass
even took a deflection off a United player, the damn thing bobbled so high it
almost went over the arch…
2-2
in a Semi Final, I could hardly believe it. Then Tom Huddlestone decided that
it was time to go on a run so he did. He picked the ball up just inside the
United half, a quick one two and he was in the box sliding a left foot pass
passed the advancing keeper and am I the only one that thought of Gazza, well,
apart from the fact that Tom Huddlestone is tall slick and black while Gazza is
short fat and white… WHAT!?
1-2 down then 3-2 up in the space of 9 minutes
and the Hull fans going mental. “You’re not singing anymore, you’re not singing
anymore…” If Carlsberg did football chants…
The
United fans were having none of it. Once they were over the shock they continued
where they had left off, making one hell of a noise. The United players
responded too. Never a team to lie down and die they continued to go at Hull
and make a game of it.
On 67
minutes Hull scored a simple goal, they picked the ball up deep inside their
own half, moved the ball to the right wing, into the box, a little dink across
the six yard line and it was met by Quinn who guided it in with his head. He’d
only been on the pitch 3 minutes... 4-2. GAME OVER!
It
was one of those goals that‘s so simple to score that you very rarely see them
because they are so easy to stop, if that makes any sense. I could have gone to
the shops and bought a newspaper and still got back in time to stop it.
The
Hull fans around me were going crazy. None “normal” fans were waving flags,
singing, chanting, laughing, joking, I bet you £50 a lot of the people around
me couldn’t find the KC Stadium from Hull town centre but here they were
having a fantastic time.
“We’re
all going on a European tour, a European tour, a European tour…” (Yellow
Submarine).
And
still United wouldn’t lie down. They still went at it.
And
on 90 minutes they got it. A lovely drifted, dinked, cross to the far post
where it was met with a diving header back into the danger area where Murphy
slammed it in through a crowd of bodies.
4-3…
GULP! Surely it can’t go to extra time. Or can it. The fourth official puts the
board up, “3” minutes of injury time. A United player gets the ball inside the
Hull half and decides that its his time, his moment to shine, past one player,
past a second player, everyone expects him to pass, but he doesn’t, he
continues, the blood goes to his head, you can tell he’s never been this far up
the pitch in his life, he reaches for his Sat-Nav but he’s left it in the car,
he doesn’t panic, but he still doesn’t pass, the goal is getting closer, what…
does he think he’s Ricky Villa or something, he shoots, but he’s tired and its
blocked, the ball bounces kindly for Hull who strike faster than the London
Underground, one end to the other, 10 seconds later and Meyler finds himself…
on… the… edge… of… the… box… and… everything… goes… into… slow… motion… the
ball sails past the keepers right hand and into the net…
The
game barely has time to re start before the final whistle.
Hull
fans go crazy. United fans still make all the noise (if that’s not a
contradiction). Did I just witness a 5-3 Semi Final? Did I just see one on the
best Semi Finals in the history of the Cup?
Everyone
around me is texting, or E Mailing, or phoning, I’m taking photos and smiling
like a loony.
The
players from both teams applaud their fans and do a mini lap of honour.
Sheffield United players spend a lot of time in front of their fans. They have
done our division proud.
Once
everyone had left I went back down to the 69 scarves.
Eventually
I left the stadium and made my way back to the car. My phone was dead but I
managed to re boot it and get a message to Keith and by 7pm I was leaving the
car park.
I
crawled all the way to the A1 and then it happened. At 8.15pm as I let two Hull
City coaches into the outside lane my clutch went. I hit the hazards and slowly
rolled into Mill Way. It’s at that point that I realised that I don’t have a
phone. I got my location confirmed and just as I was about to go and bash on
someone’s door and ask to use their phone mine buzzed. I couldn’t believe it.
From about 2pm onwards phone had been dead and now, it was suddenly alive and
ready to go. I almost burst into tears.
I
phoned the AA and explained the situation (It’s at this point that I should
tell you that I was on the way to Cumbria to pick up my daughter for the half
term holidays) They sent someone from a third a party who said, I’m not doing
that and I can’t help you, before driving off. I’m not sure who went more
mental the AA or me.
The
AA then said someone would be with me ASAP. They gave me the choice, Cumbria or
home. I chose home. Eventually Dave turns up, he’s an Ex Para, he loads my car
on his truck and we’re off. Somewhere close to 00.30 and I’m in the kitchen
making a cuppa and trying to work out how to get to Cumbria.
More
phone calls from the AA and I’ve got some coming around first thing in the
morning. Which they did. I got the car back on Monday evening at 5.30pm, £531
lighter…
1
bill £531 while Sheffield United were sent an extra 1,531 tickets.
Martin
Birch and Number of The Beast anyone…?
Noggin xx
