h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

... was not getting a ticket for the Sheffield Unitd versus Arsenal, 5th round FA Cup replay played at Bramall Lane on the evening of Tuesday 1st March.

I had decided not to go for two reasons.

First, as you all know, I lost my job a couple of weeks back. So the cost of £20 for a ticket, plus about £40 for the petrol (or more if I drive faster), £4 on a programme, plus at least a tenner on pies and ale is quite a chunk of finance to lash out when your weekly income is in the region of £55 per week.

The second, and to be honest more important, reason that I didn't go was that I didn't believe that we had a hope in hell of winning. I thoroughly enjoyed my time two weeks ago at the first attempt of the fixture at Arsenal's Highbury ground. The 1-1 draw was a wonderful performance and sent all Blades away from North London with melon-slice wide grins on our faces.

Frankly I believed that that was going to be that. I didn't think that Arsene Wenger would field a weakened team again, and that as a result they would roll over us and crush us flat in the replay. I didn't fancy the idea of 500 mile round trip, much of it in the company, down the M1, of gloating Arsenal fans.

How wrong my decision turned out to be.

For 90 minutes plus 30 minutes of extra time, we battled the London team into the ground. It wasn't pretty football, but then we can't afford to play pretty football against a team who are that much better than us in every position on the pitch. It was tough defending football, stopping Arsenal playing as much as possible and then grabbing our chances wherever and whenever they cropped up.

At the end of the whole thing, the score stood at nil-nil. Not the most interesting of scorelines I know, but it was one of *those* nil-nil's rather than one of the more mundane and boring version.

The game was settled on penalties. Arsenal won 4-2 in the shoot out. This didn't come as any great surprise given that our goalkeeper, Paddy Kenny, played the game injured. But we didn't really care about the result. We'd played with great courage and fortitude for a total of 3 and half hours against the current League Champions and one of the best teams in the World, and had not been found wanting.

I leave it all busting with pride for my team and my city.

I just wish that I had been there, that's all.

Yeah, you were a bit unlucky last night I reckon.
I could hear the chanting from Collegiate. Would've been quite inspiring if I'd cared.

Hard lines

As I said elsewhere, I reckon you'd have been more gutted had you gone and then watched the Blades go out on penalties after they should have won 2-0. Invariably, in my experience, you feel you've deserved it by then.

B

As I've just said elsewhere. You're wrong