Who are ya! Who are ya! Who are ya!
Yesterday Mike managed to get us two tickets to a football game, Arsenal vs. Burnley. It is only the 2nd football (soccer) game I have been to while living here for 10 years, and this one wasn’t a pre season friendly game, but a deadly serious Premiership match. We had great seats. Although in the top tier we were in the very first row, so we had a fantastic view of the game. Things were a lot more comfortable after I got over the feeling I should be getting vertigo!
A football match is quite different to a rugby match and it was a bit strange to see the away crowd completely segregated by seating, entrance, rest rooms, food etc. I understand this is quite normal in football matches due to the tribal nature of the games supporters. But I still find it very odd. However, when Mike asked me to go to the bathroom just before half time I was like no way I am watching the away crowd rile the home crowd and then the home crowd retaliate. The away crowd seemed way more vocal than the home crowd and there must’ve only been about 1,500 of them, and the total crowd attendance was 60,043 (to put it in perspective that’s more than the entire population of Nelson or Napier).
It was an exciting match with lots of action, there were so many shots at goal. Arsenal won, but they did make very hard work of it… I am not kidding. They missed so many opportunities! I think they must’ve missed at least 10 easy shots and at least 6 of those were ones that should’ve gone in. Apparently they are currently missing a view strikers due to injury… Or something!
Would I go again? Yes and next time I would take some more socks and a blankey as it was very cold.
