confessions of a part time glory hunter

I have lived in Australia for 10 years, came back for the FA Cup Final, and have "supported" the bluebirds since the early 1970's. I used to go down regularly in the late 70's and early 80's but have frequenlty strayed from the path when I went away to Uni, played parks soccer, had a young family, and then left the country. I cannot claim to have been there when crowds were really low, or been to Grimsby on a wet Tuesday night, however, you may (or may not!) be interested in my experience on Thursday morning when the game was going on...this is an email I sent to my brother in law (names changed to protect anonymity). It's a bit long, so maybe not to everyone's taste...

"went to bed after texting you, looked at XXX and said "it's like going to bed on Xmas Eve as a kid", I was so excited about getting up in the morning and seeing the result.

we had a storm at about 4.30 am which woke us up, so I checked the score on the laptop, had difficulty working out what was going on for a few minutes, then realised the second half of extra time was about to start. Decided to get up to follow the score via the messageboard and try to tune in to radio Wales. Went upstairs on our main computer, for some reason xxx wasn't grasping the enormity of the occasion and remained in bed. Had both lap top and main computer going trying to get radio link connections, slow and dropping out, then not available in your territory....then I found a "stream" from sky THAT I COULD WATCH!!!! whenever I've tried it before, it hasn't worked, but this one was perfect!!!! watched that on main computer, whilst trying to piece what had gone on through the message board on the laptop...bloody hell it was a roller coaster reading it so god knows what it would have been like actually experiencing it, or even following live score updates. On the lap top,Sky sports live score update was reporting that Leicester had gone though on away goals....I knew it wasn't true 'cos I could see them playing the second half of extra time on the main computer....1 minute to go, Leicester break, dressing gown in mouth I silently cheer as Quinn brings him down, and peep through my fingers to see Marshall easily save the free kick...penalties...I don't think I've never seen a team that I want to win, be successful, at a penalty shoot out, let alone a team that I realise mean so much to me at times like these...glory hunter, part time supporter etc etc....their first was one was despatched so effectively I could already sense the disappointment I would feel when one of the bluebirds wings would be clipped and they would fire it high and wide, or the keeper would save it....dressing gown in mouth, again peeping through fingers I watched with increasing anxiety as the players from both sides scored with such efficiency...then ....what the hell was that....straight at the keeper....hopes raised...it'll hurt more to have them cruelly dashed....they're just playing with me.....Kennedy...get in there...Marshall you hero....ran down the metal spiral stair case at great speed to share the news with Claire, slammed the bedroom light on punched the air emphatically and realised that through her half closed eyes, Claire was not quite sharing my joy...ran back upstairs to see the post match analysis and interviews....should I wake the boys and tell them...too early, by now about 5.20am...should I have woken them to see the penalties...too bloody late now.....had to experience the joy alone....for the time being....watched the interviews, the analysis...no point in going back to bed...waited until I could wake everyone to share the love...had a message form my brother on the Gold Coast whose first child (xxx) was born on Tuesday..."been on the verge of tears for a few days, bon't let the football tip me over the edge"...my response "xxx is a bluebird, xxx is a bluebird la la la la"

sorry lack of punctuation, was only meant to be a short email, but got a bit carried away in the emotion of it all, don't know how you will survive between now and next week, thinking of you wish I was there...

Really enjoyed reading that, hope you enjoy the final. Was almost too tense to look most of the time, spent most of the game not looking. My daughter didn't watch any of the penalties just covered her ears and hid her face,

i couldnt work out the name of xxx,then you gave me a clue by writting CLAIRE