What a (wroth) day! ...if you can be arsed...

Met jafski at Morrisons for breakfast at 8.30 - I was early - he was even earlier and taking advantage of their toilet facilities - "In Mozzers, I'm having a dump - be out in a bit". Breakfast was adequate. No booze before midday rule established.

Off to the station to meet Disco, APB and Jamie out of Lynn. Train boarded - no booze before midday rule broken. Arrival at LST early - a glorious, sunny day. Hamilton Hall already packed with Norwich including Teddy Bear. Await arrival of Nasie. Confusion over Broadgate and Bishopsgate results in late arrival of Nasie.

Hotfoot to London Bridge and The George Public House on Borough High Street - already a fair few Norwich fans enjoying bears in the sun. Huge beer kitty established under Nasie's watchful eye.

Tricky turns up with small Tricky - it seems Sellers has come up trumps on the ticket front once again and the old "but it's nearly the end of the season, there's only a few games left, we could go up today.." excuse comes into play and Tricky is off to the match!!

Yellalee arrives - Jamie out of Lynn only used to go to Primary School with him. The kitty dwindles as Nasie dishes out rounded twenties for rounds of ?19.95 - all 5 pence pieces are demanded on return from the bar.

Then...it happens again. On my return from the bar:

"Excuse me mate, has anyone ever told you you look like Mark Curry?"

Fucking Mark Curry! - Cheers - KDDD! KDDD joins the table and receives a warm wroth welcome. The beers and conversation are flowing, food is eaten. Megson arrives to shouts of "Meggers!" More bears are embibed.

All too soon Dad for the day (jafski) raises his brolly and shouts for pints to be finished - it is time to head for the station - he means it and a barked second order sees the troops rally. We arrive and follow the brolly to the wrong platform - a quick rushy-over-the-top and we are on the other side, on a train and Charlton-bound. Arrive at Charlton, a brief bumping into Kenton at the station and it's off to the ground.

Tricky meets Sellers and entourage - all attired in various pink hats/bits of clothing?! - the ticket is successfully acquired.

The match - lots of comment already on this. Forster was superb, thought Nelson did well! We had to dig in second half but did it well. Celebrations at the end - superb!

All meet up again outside the ground - prolonged wait for Nasie. To the pub!!! - the pub is shut. To join the queue for the train. Lappin and Mrs Lappin stroll past to huge chorus of KoS song - he smiles, applauds and smiles. Some inferences from those less subtle in the queue that he may be off for celebratory bonkoff!

Alight at Cannon Street and a walk through a deserted city, passing Tricky's place of work to LST. Tricky soon realises that his offer of taking us via an alternative, very slightly longer, but far more interesting route is taking second place to the desire to find a pub that is actually open. We eventually find a pub that is actually open - the last of the kitty is spent and we all chip in again. The mood is good, the bears are good - everyone is happy.

jafski turns and points outside the pub "Thass Greeno isn't it?" We all turn, look and, he's right you know, it is Greeno - phone clamped to his ear about to walk past the pub. Cue huge "Greeeno, Greeeeeno!" chorus from the pub as the man himself turns, looks horrified and does one, right quick. The seed is sown for Nasie to join us on the Promotion Party Express back to Norwich and The King's. That seed grows, flowers and explodes in his face and he's off to LST (via an offy to get train bears and snacks) to get a ticket for the 7.30. Those left get another round in.

We're on the train - lots of familiar faces as we walk through the train trying to find a carriage with the requisite number of seats and the bears are opened. Good atmosphere - banter with other fans and the odd song or two. Nasie has a surprise! At Ipswich a bottle of Promotion Champagne is uncorked - pop! (It's not a screwtop). It is swigged from the bottle as only promotion champagne should be. Arrangements are made with Tumbly (who has been to the bean bag and celebrated with champagne at home) and Yellalee to meet at the station at 9.30 and leap into taxis Kingsward. The journey flies by and in no time at all, we're back in the Fine City. We're early. We don't realise we're early, there's no Tumbly because we're early. We're into cabs and Kingsward sans-Tumbly.

A table in the conservatory is secured and the bears continue. Arganth joins us and it's celebrations all round once more. The bears have continued so much during the day that Yellalee kindly helps me with my last. It's late - we're all merry and tired and happy. Everyone's off - me and Nasie grab a lift home with Toni out of The King's.

What an absolutely cracking day! Great company, great weather, great bears, laughing, singing, dancing and promotion!

brill
smp
falco

Posted By: malkybarkid on April 18th 2010 at 13:47:59

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