ANY DREAM WILL DO..
It`s Saturday morning. In the palatial surroundings of Sydmonton Court, deep in the Hampshire countryside, the telephone rings.
"Hello. Lord Lloyd-Webber speaking."
"Andy, it`s Julian. Look, I`ve just finished recording Elgar`s Cello Concerto and I`m at a bit of a loose end, so I wondered what you`re up to today."
"Not much, Jules. Tell you what. Why don`t we get ourselves down to St. Mary`s this afternoon and see the Saints take on Leyton Orient?"
"Nice one, Andy. See you there."
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And so it came to pass. As I took my seat in Block 8 of the Itchen Stand, I glanced behind me and there in the posh seats were the Lloyd-Webber brothers joining the other guests for what turned out to be an afternoon of mixed fortunes. We had the beautifully observed minute`s applause for Markus Liebherr and it was touchingly good to see a large gathering of his own family there for the occasion. There was a poignant and emotional atmosphere as the whole stadium - including the visiting Leyton Orient fans - paid its collective tribute to Markus and for what he had meant to Southampton Football Club, the city and Saints fans the world over.
As to the game, well it started brightly with Saints playing some of the best football seen for some time. They deservedly went ahead through Rickie Lambert Southampton`s Goal Machine (RLSGM) only for the O`s to level the scores a minute or two later. From then on the game deteriorated as strenuous endeavour was met by frantic defending, quivering woodwork and an Orient goalkeeper in inspired form. The end came with a flurry of yellow cards, desperation hoofing and a feeling of a game lost rather than ending in a 1-1 draw.
I wondered what the Lloyd-Webber brothers made of it all and I wondered too if the enduring mystery that is the Starlight Express of Southampton Football Club will ever fulfill the tantalising promise it sets before its expectant audience. But if, like me, you`re simply a Saints supporter, then I guess any dream will do.
2 comments:
Snopper
One of the joys of my recent vacation was the absence of television and computers. That said, the Sky TV in the local bar worked wonders when our gay icon pacey flanker did the business for CAFC.
What I did miss on the techno front however, was my daily dose of Snopper. But I've now caught up with Snopper in a similar way that daughter has caught up with Soaps, so we're feeling back to normal in our respective worlds.
Sadly, our much hoped for combined nine points yesterday didn't materialise. Nor did my appearance at Priestfield; I failed a late fitness test due to my first migraine attack for about three years. Back to full fitness now though, ready for the fairways of Bearsted Golf Club tomorrow pm, weather permitting.
Keep up the blogging!
Thanks, Slightly. Glad you`re home again and back to normal (whatever that is.) Sorry about your indisposition on Saturday, but I expect you were glad to have missed the Gills` unexpected reverse to the Imps. My lot failed to overcome a determioned O`s side but to be fair that`s football and at the end of the day you`ve just got to draw a line in the sand and move on.
Whilst you are hobnobbing around the fairways of Bearsted this afternoon, I will be at Poult Wood trying to score my age which, with a little creative accounting and a flexible handicap, I might just manage. More on that story later.
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