5/21/08

However this was a FAR bigger win....

Manchester United were crowned the soccer European Champions tonight in Moscow after beating Chelsea on penalties.

This was historic. The 3rd time they have won the top prize in the 'club' soccer world, 40 years since their first win and far more significantly 50 years since the Munich air disaster, when the majority of the Man Utd team at the time, known as the 'Busby Babes' were killed in a plane crash.

The last time they won and they came home for the parade, I drove 4 hours (due to traffic) from Watford to Stoke on Trent and then had to dump my car because some twat had overturned a lorry and the M6 was blocked. So then I caught a train into Manc’, spent 2 hours sprinting around the streets to get the best viewpoints along the route, wave, sing, chant and cry. Then I climbed back on a train, with an upset stomach and had to deal with ‘the drizzlings’ and a BR loo back to Stoke. Then had to hitch a lift back to my car and drive home to Watford down the M40 in the most horrendous floods and rain. Stopped for a quick kip I was so exhausted at 2am still on the M40. Made it home, got 2 hrs sleep and then went to work - BUT IT WAS WORTH EVERY SECOND.

It was also the year they did the treble of the Premier League, the European Cup and the FA Cup and I was actually at the final in Wembley Stadium for that game.

Ryan Giggs or 'Giggsy' is to the right holding the cup, my all time favourite player and soccer hero. He just broke the record for the most games played by any player at Man Utd and is a legend, he has played for them since he was a boy. This team also discovered David Beckham as a 10yr old and turned him into who is today.

Ok enough....I know to most of you this is all no big deal, but to me having been a fan since childhood, it means everything :-)

6 comments:

Pam said...

yay for man-u!!!!! we have the fa cup final on dvr and haven't had a chance to watch it yet. john was amazed at the two teams -- portsmouth??? no way!

Unknown said...

One of my bestfriends back home who is also a Man U fanatic and watched the last Euro Cup Final they won with me, has a Pompei fan as her hubby and he got to go to Wembley and is overjoyed.

A-M may well make an appearance here tomorrow - metaphorically screaming at me :-)

Jan said...

I remember going to Old Trafford when Georgie Best, Bobby Charlton and Dennis Law were still on the team.

I guess I'm showing my age, but what the hell. Away the lads. :-)

BTW, I've had an identity crisis. I swapped my e-mail addy and now blogger doesn't want to play.

Janet said...

Congratulations, Sarah. If you read Lord Celery today, you'll see that John and I are fans of the club that didn't win...

Janet

Unknown said...

Jan - I was a big Joe Jordan fan in the 70's, so not far behind you!

Janet - commiserations, it has to hurt being beaten out of a cup twice in 2 weeks by Man U!

Michelle said...

Also the first time for an all English final!!! (I read quickly, so hope I didn't miss it!)

Anyway, Yesssssssssssssssssssss! What a game! Craig had the day off work and I had to work but we watched it again afterward on dvr,dvd of course!!! The celebrations were fantabulous to watch too! WOOOOOOOOT! :) M.