Posted 7:12 PM

Yay, tickets!

Next Saturday is what is probably Coventry's biggest game since we got relegated, some 6 or 7 years ago - an FA Cup quarter final at home against Chelsea. This is the first time we have got this far in the cup for 11 years.

Now my darling wife & I were planning on going to watch Coventry next Saturday anyway - they would've been at home to Barnsley - but now with this cup game I was even more excited and more looking forward to. The problem being - getting a couple of tickets. For a normal league match this is easy peasy, as we have never even got close to selling out our stadium (attendance circa 32,000, average attendance about 17k, highest attendance to date about 27k).

There were strict rules in place about getting tickets - season ticket holders, people who have seen either of our most recent games came first. So that was 22,000 tickets accounted for - with the remaining 10,000 going on general sale on Saturday. I set my alarm for 8:40am so I would be up to start calling them from 9am when they opened. Those of you who know me well, know that I normally wake up fairly late on Saturdays, but such was my excitement I woke up at 7;40!

So anyhow, I got calling their hotline to be greeted by an automated message thanking me for calling and to hold for the next available operator - however this was then followed by a cut-off signal. So I tried again, and again, and again... this went on until 11am, still no luck. Then I stumbled across a Coventry supporter's website, saying that people had more luck calling a slightly different number - so I tried that instead. On my 4th or 5th attempt, at about 11:20am - I finally got through and was actually properly put on hold :) 20 or so minutes later (as the people on this forum had indicated), I finally got to speak to someone and got 2 tickets. Hurrah! It was only about 30 minutes later that they stopped selling tickets by phone (in order to accommodate as many of the thousands and thousands of people queueing outside the stadium) so I got in there just in time.

I am now very excited, very bouncy and will probably have trouble sleeping all week :) This'll be one of the 3 biggest footie matches I have ever been to see, along with Scotland vs Switzerland in Euro '96, and the Swansea vs Barnsley play off final a few years back. Also, this'll be the first time ever our stadium has sold out. Should be a great atmosphere and a day to remember, even if we lose as expected.

Labels: Coventry, football

1 comments

Posted 10:06 PM

ANNOUNCEMENT : Euro 2008 & forums

I am please to announce a couple of extensions to my website. First off are some forums for people to discuss on - this is only open to people who I know in real life (everyone signing up has to have their application approved by me).

Secondly, those of you who have known me for more than a couple of years may remember that during the world cup in 2006, I ran a prediction game on my website, which went quite well and evidently was enjoyed by all. Therefore I have brought this back for the upcoming European Football Championships 2008, commonly known as Euro 2008. There are a couple of minor improvements this time, and of course the forum to discuss on (if I don't know you but you sign up to the euro 2008 game, then you can still sign up to the forum). It's a simple game really - guess the results of the games in Euro 2008, and the closer you are the more points you get.

Many people who took part last time didn't know too much about football but they said afterwards that taking part made the real football a lot more interesting and fun. So go on, why not sign up?

Links to both are in the sidebar on the left, as ever.

Labels: Euro 2008, football, forum, prediction game

0 comments

Posted 1:06 PM

Birthday fun

Well I celebrated my birthday over the weekend before last, and it was probably my best birthday ever. All the sporting results went my way, and those who know me well know I can get quite excited about sport. First off, I went to watch Coventry play and they finally won after many attempts (see previous post), also Wales kept their Grand Slam ambitions alive with a win over Ireland, Scotland beat England (fantastic!), and then Chelsea got knocked out of the FA cup against the mighty Barnsley. Even more fantastic!

When we got home in the evening, I saw my wonderful birthday cake that my wife made - it was a christmas cake (at my request!) iced-up like the welsh flag - very impressive (pictures will be forthcoming). So all in all, the best birthday ever!

(A post saying "woo we won the grand slam" will be forthcoming soon, don't worry...)

Labels: birthday, cake, Coventry, football, rugby, Wales

0 comments

Posted 1:24 PM

What? No Photos?

Yes I know I haven't uploaded any more photos, despite saying I would, but this is because the internet connection at home hasn't been working since the wedding. Rest assured that when it gets fixed I will be uploading some photos.

In other news, it's my birthday this weekend, and to celebrate it I'm going to see Coventry lose. For those of you who don't know, my record with seeing Coventry play live looks something like this...
Arsenal at home... LOST (mid-late 90's)
Liverpool away... LOST (mid-late 90's)
2 or 3 other games I have wiped from my memory... LOST
QPR at home... LOST
Cardiff away... LOST
Crystal Palace at home... LOST (October 2005)
Southampton away.... DRAW (March 2006)

I celebrated that Southampton draw like the greatest victory :) Still, defeat is the standard I am used to and I would be a fool to expect or hope for anything better on Saturday...

Labels: birthday, Coventry, football, Southampton

0 comments

Posted 12:56 PM

Post-op post

Hello! Should probably let you all know that my operation last Friday went well. Much scarred tissue was removed (or something like that) and I should have a lot more movement in my wrist when it s fully recovered. Since the op I've done a lot of nothing. My wife has been looking after me very well, and I've been sleeping 10 hours plus every night. Very nice :) I'm only eating about 60% of what I normally do but I guess this isn't so strange as I'm not really doing anything that requires energy. I should be back at work sometime next week, and on Thursday my bandage on my wrist will come off and I can see my shiny new scar. I'll probably be getting a removable splint too - no cast for me his time, thank goodness :)

I'm venturing out of the flat for the first time today as there is a rather important football match which I simply must watch. Come on Scotland...

Labels: football, operation, Scotland, sleep

0 comments

Posted 1:25 PM

The 92

Had a fun day out on Wednesday as we went to watch Chelsea vs. Leicester in the Carling Cup, which is number 70 done now out of the 92 for my wife. Seeing a seven goal thriller was great, as was cycling home from the train station at about half past midnight - the roads were so blissfully quiet. We made up for it though by singing Christmas carols the whole way back :)

My operation is a week today.... I'm not particularly worried about it. I managed OK last time with help from my wife, and it shouldn't be quite so bad this time.

Labels: 92 Club, Chelsea, football, Leicester, tube

1 comments

Posted 12:34 AM

Woooo!

I can't beleive how happy I am now. Scotland just beat France in football.... AGAIN... giving us a real chance of reaching Euro 2008 despite being in the absolute most difficult qualifying group in the history of international football. Also, my beloved wife returns from her study school tomorrow, which she has been at since Saturday. I've been missing her so much and the thought of having her back is awesome.

"Then I realised it is good and proper for a man to eat and drink, and to find satisfaction in his toilsome labour under the sun during the few days of life God has given him - for this is his lot." (Eccl. 5:18)

Praise be to Him through which all good things come!

Labels: Ecclesiastes, football, Scotland, study school

0 comments