Club colours around town, up the motorway with the club sticker in the back window, scarves and songs on the train, ‘who will he pick up top?’, ‘surely we can’t be as soft at the back as last week’.
Lights of the city suburbs on the way home, the darkness warmed by the voices of fans on the phone-in. ‘Did you see that? What a goal.’ ‘He’s got to go; it’s just not good enough.’ Watch it all again on the telly that night.
And FA Cup Third Round Saturday is no normal Saturday. English football’s finest day of the year, it’s 11 against 11, snowy pitches, so many stories…
Premier League vs non-league. Barrow have never reached the fourth round of the FA Cup, have never knocked out a Premier League club. Maybe today will be the day, Sunderland the victims.
York City still talk of their great day, when they Arsenal in the fourth round in 1985. Unbeaten in 11, the Minstermen go to Stoke, who haven’t scored in their last three. Surely not.
Reading haven’t got a manager, if they win this afternoon maybe Liverpool won’t have one either.
The fans finally forced Gary Megson out, so caretaker Chris Evans leads Bolton against Lincoln, 22nd in League Two.
Paul Ince back at MK Dons, but no tail between his legs. A big-time boy, a first chance to show them he’s not finished. Burnley don’t enjoy playing away, their afternoon won’t be an easy one.
Billy Davies played under Alex McLeish at Motherwell. Birmingham haven’t lost in 11, Forest in 16. Only one will play in the fourth round.
Pompey bottom of the league, an uncertain future. 2008 FA Cup glory seems a lifetime ago, Coventry won’t have any sympathy.
Three all-Premier League games, Villa and Blackburn will play again in the Carling Cup semi-final on Tuesday. But this is the FA Cup.
Seven all-Championship ties. Newcastle go on an 820-mile round trip to Plymouth.
Tomorrow is derby day. Hammers haven’t forgotten beating Arsenal in the 1980 final. United – Leeds, now two divisions apart, rivalry undimmed.
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