January 6 2008

Crystal Palace

Jamesey went to Watford and was more fed up with other factors than our 2-0 cup exit.

A few years ago, I was tipped off that there was a fast train to Watford from Clapham Junction that would save all the fiddle-faddling around of the train-tube-train route.

However I wasn't told that the train first called at Gatwick and East Croydon.

Consequently, by the time it arrived at Clapham J, it contained what seemed like several thousand Palace fans travelling to the game.

Now much as I love my fellow supporters, being stuffed into a train with them in acute discomfort for 40 minutes didn't appeal, and subsequently I have always travelled to Vicarage Road by the longer but less cattletrain-esque method.

And so on a bright Saturday morning (Jan 5) I hopped on a Victoria-bound service, en route to our Watford cup tie.

First whammy... no tubes were stopping at Victoria due to engineering works so a bus took us to Pimlico from where we came all the way back again and onwards.

Second whammy... entirely my own fault, but I absent-mindedly went to King's Cross and, of course, once more had to retrace my tracks to Euston.

Purchasing a return ticket, as usual I proffered my senior travel pass which for the past five years has allowed me free travel to the border of Greater London and only charged me from thereon.

The jobsworth behind the panel looked at my pass as though I had laid down a diseased weasel's nose and told me that the rail company no longer granted this concession and I would have to pay the full price. Unsmilingly I duly coughed up.

Anyhow I missed a Watford Junction service by four seconds and had to wait 20 minutes for the next one.

As a result of all these shenanigans, instead of relaxing with a beer and sandwich at a Watford hostelry, I found myself scurrying through the shopping centre towards Vicarage Road gulping down a piece of toxic fast food, desperately hoping not to miss the kick-off.

My ill luck continued when my seat was in between two middle-aged numpties who kept up a constant barrage of hysterical abuse at every decision of the ref and linos that didn't go our way.

It would have been far more use if the aforesaid numpties had harnessed their vocal energies to backing the team instead of wasting their breath on completely lost causes. Still I suppose they, and we too, are better off that they merely shout at football officials than take out their frustrations by wife-beating or child-molesting.

As for the game, I did wonder why Neil Warnock chose to start a 15-year-old, two 17-year-olds and a Flinders at an important game, away to one of the top teams in the CCC.

I am extremely grateful for what Mr Warnock has done for us so far, and can only assume this was a kamikaze way of concentrating on the league and promotion.

And, incidentally at Watford Junction I missed a Euston-bound train by 4 seconds and had to wait 20 minutes for the next one.

Email Jamesey with your comments to Jevans3704@aol.com

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