Sat Feb 13, 2010 7:33 pm
We arrived at Earls court car park at 10.30 am and then had to walk about a mile and half to Chelsea FC...Through Old Brompton cemetery.
I had tickets to be collected so had to wait outside the shed end with Vince until the kick off...a few times small fights broke out as small groups of Chelsea fans tried attacking City fans queuing UP...The police and stewards cleared it easily...the closer it got to match time, the less the Chelsea fans seemed to be interested as the lads turning up now were not the earlier families but larger groups of City fans, mostly men.
Finally went in about 12.20 having getting fed up waiting outside for the lads I had tickets for...got in time to see our goal but our end lower tier was packed and the view was bad but I though the team did us proud and our fans were fantastic.
Second half we kept singing and the players kept trying but Chelsea had the class to win with ease in the end but City deserved the ovation they got from the 6,000 City fans at the end.
For some reason they let both sets of fans out Together...6,000 City fans marching into a main road and pockets of 100 or so Chelsea outside in groups trying to start trouble...a few were hurt mostly Chelsea fans and they were mostly hurt because the police were battering them to shift them away...a few City were hurt but mostly Chelsea fans.
After 15 minutes of police dogs, horses etc and fans trapped in a huge bubble we finally moved on and made the uneventful march back to the coaches...sirens were blaring all the time and police were seen running here there and everywhere but I seen no other problems...not sure how the non coach travellers got on but it was not really bad Today compared to how it was in the past.
I enjoyed the day out but not the final score, it was unpleasant at times for the women and children but the lads who were there looked like they were having a good time especially the older ones..not really trouble compared to trips to Chelsea in the past it was very mild Today...but I was part of 3,400 who travelled by coach...so others may have had a rough time.
I thought considering the circumstances and injury rumours our players were very good Today especially first half.
WELL DONE TO THEM.