April 13 2004

Crystal Palace

A visit to the land of his father's fathers on Easter Saturday and a Monday excursion to Selhurst have kept Jamesey smiling over the Holy Holiday...

Some unfinished business in south Wales was a fine excuse to take in our away game against Cardiff City.

I decided to make it a nostalgic Easter and jumped on an Intercity express from Paddington to Cardiff Central.

Express? As ever, the best laid plans went pear-shaped. The Severn Tunnel was closed for engineering works but the extra journey time was well compensated for by train-window views of the ravishing border countryside around Chepstow.

I hadn't visited Ninian Park (home of Cardiff City) since before my family "emigrated" to south London from the Principality in the mid 50s (of the last century, of course!).

In those days Cardiff City was a big team in the old First Division. Even the late and legendary John Charles graced the shirt in his career...and at what point did the red-and-whites change colour into Bluebirds?

I was prepared for the worst when I reached the ground. But apart from the usual sad menagerie of nutters whose only interest in football is to abuse the away fans (every club's got 'em), I found the majority I encountered friendly and unthreatening.

I must, however, confess that I didn't goose-step down St Mary's Street chanting "Engerland, Engerland", and I didn't call every Welsh male I met a "sheep-shagger". It does help...

The game is history now but it was a thoroughly accomplished performance by the red-and-blues - or should I say the blue-and-yellows on the day.

A solid first half, a satisfying 0-0 scoreline at half-time, a cracking goal from AJ in the second half and Wayne to put the seal on it late in the fixture.

A classic away victory.

After a Sunday in the seaside town of Barry looking for childhood landmarks, of which surprisingly many were still there, it was time to return to London.

I had hardly unpacked and sorted myself out before the hour arrived to board the Selhurst stopper for Easter Monday's clash with West Ham United.

I can remember a time when the Hammers had a reputation for playing cultured football and their supporters were renowned for being tough but witty and fair-minded. Well, those days have certainly gone.

The Irons were petulant, niggling and dirty and even the bloke who was trying to kick himself a new car in the half time competition was booed and abused by their supporters. Why?

Anyhow justice prevailed and after a scrappy first half, Palace turned up the pressure and should really have won by a few goals. But no complaints, one was quite enough and my lovely Easter egg holiday ended up with a cracking half dozen ...six points from two games and the play-offs a serious possibility.

FOOTNOTE

Some of the Easter Sunday newspapers ran a story about our old chums Millwall whingeing that Man U were getting a slightly larger allocation of Cup Final tickets than they were.

Now, I know that to say anything about Man U which isn't seriously abusive is considered treason in some quarters here, but allowing for the fact that Old Trafford hosts five or six times more punters than the miserable bunch in Bermondsey, why shouldn't they get more tickets?

Answers on a postcard to: Theo Paphitis, the New Den, Bermondsey, London SE16.

Email Jamesey with any of your comments to Jevans3704@aol.com

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