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What were you up to and how did you feel?

1000 hrs: At about this time we were just about to set off. The Mrs had done us a packed lunch (she wanted to be part of it Bless her) and the butterflies were getting increasingly aggetated. Steve arrives and we set off with my lad, step-lad, and his mate (both Rags btw), in the works Kangaroo.

Come On City!!!

"1 week". Nice idea for a banner. :)

I was 3 hours in on the motorway..I look back now and find it incredible about the lack of rags we saw on the way down..stopped off at that services near the toll road and it was a sea of blue..saw about two niited buses on the whole journey and that was when we hit Oxfordshire!

I was shitting it and seriously thinking about going somewhere where there is no TV and no way to check the results.

1100 hrs: Just made the M1 after a nice trip across the tops. Seen loads of Blues on route and there are plenty of smiles all-round. Like Beeks, not seen many Rags apart from the 2 who are sat behind us. We're well on our way and those butterflies are turning into hornets, buzzing round like they want to rip me apart. AC was shitting it, I was with you all the way there pal.

What next?

1200 hrs: Just left Watford Gap services and the mood has changed somewhat. We'd pulled in after just passing a Rag coach followed by a couple of Blue ones. The lads got out and went off for a bit more food and drink (the packed lunches were long gone) and I stayed with the car and sat on the bank having a ciggy. Loads of Blues were coming in and doing the changeover of driver, one even jumped back in his car with a new can of Fosters in his hand, which I thought quite strange. Lots of smiles, lots of winks and you could clearly see that all and sundry were just up for a good day out - there were even 5 Rags sat behind a bush about 20 yards away who had brought their Shisha Pipe for the trip and were puffing away quite happily and letting on to all who came through.

Then, 3 coaches pulled in, 2 Blues and 1 Red, and you could see that many weren't happy to get off. There seemed to be a stand-off for a few minutes until a couple of Blues, who obviously needed a nicotine fix, strayed off and duly sparked up. This then lead to more of the lads getting off and with all credit, never caused an ounce of trouble. But that was it, the point where I realised that this isn't just another game, not just another Derby, this was a day when we could show the whole world who we are, not just as a team, but as a club with the best fans in the whole wide world. My hairs started to stand on end and the butterflies had fluttered away, replaced with the fire that I used to feel many years ago at Maine Road. I was up for it and the club motto started to resound in my head. I want this fucker and none of those fuckwits were going to take it from me. This is Ours, This Game is Ours, This Day is Ours, and there was no way they were stopping us.

Back on the road and now heading for Watford, I'm driving, and any Rag fuckers who I see on route are getting some stick, regardless. Let's see how it goes, eh?

12.19 - Been in London almost 3 hours and was near the London eye with my lad. Wandered into the Namco arcade and had a few games in there, came out and saw a family that sit 3 rows in front of us at Coms, then walked to Waterloo tube station .

Despite being constantly wished good luck by complete strangers, I wasn't in the least bit confident

12:32 Green Man pissed up.

12.42 Hampton Court station. Late as usual, missed Surrey Sky Blue, and had a terrible hangover. Bought a bacon roll and 20 Bensons (I usually smoke roll-ups) and was beginning to think we would win 3-0 a-la 1926

Was at Warwick Services this time last week.

Interesting points about not seeing many rags.......Warwick services were mobbed with blue, only a very small handful of rags were present. I noted on the drive down that until Birmingham I didnt see a single rag coach, and only a very small number of cars.

After Birmingham there were noticably more rags on the motorway. It is not for me to say, but it appeared that there is truth to the suggestion that few are from Manchester.

That's the spirit boys, tell us your story, even if it is from the armchair, pub or from the stadium. I'm still smiling now btw ;-)

1347 hrs: 5 minutes away from Watford.

14.10 - After spending around 40 minutes chilling in the sun near Tower Bridge, we started to head back towards Tower Hill tube station and then heading on to Wembley Park

1355 hrs: We eventually arrive at Watford after a bit of a slow run through roadworks (and a slight diversion for a pee stop). The trip from the services was a little bit more interesting and plenty of honks and smiles were shared. We also met with quite a few more Rags on this leg of the trip with one particular mini-bus coming in for a bit of stick. It was a Trafford Van Hire bus and they'd donned the back windows with a Rag badge and a piss take 35 year logo with some miserable Blue Noses on it. They were sat in their usual middle of the road position so I cut up the inside and started giving the fat miserable bastard in the passenger seat some shit. His retort, and those in the back was one of pure anger, giving us the bird, wank hand and screaming 'Another 35 years' - and they call us bitter. Winding Rag's up is just too easy nowadays.

The trip into Watford was good and it was quite evident that it was a predominently Blue stop off. We seen Blues all the way in and the pub at the side of the station was a sea of Blue. A few jeers and a couple of songs later, we hit the patform ready for the train.

ooh I was just leaving Wealdstone FC to make the long 6 mile journey to Wembley.

1443 hrs: Enjoyed that, got to speak to many a Blue on the train and especially a lad from Stockport who I recognised from Maine Road. Looking around it was mainly Blue with a sprinkling of Rags. You could tell who they were, jacket on or the customary Norwich scarf to prove they were a true fan. Had a good chin-wag with a couple of lads who've not missed a game in about 10 years, home or away, and they had some right nuggets of stories that made me real envious of their exploits, although they were similarily impressed with mine, even though some not City related. Strangely, it was a bit quiet on the train and only a couple of songs came out. I put it down to nerves and we didn't want to upset the locals as they did the Saturday run into London - I think that's where the Norwich fan was going, I'm not quite sure.

Around 7 stops and we're coming into Wembley Central (luckily the girl at Watford who got us cheap tickets, £11.50 return for the 5 of us, put us off going to Wembley Park, a Rag stop I found out later) to plenty of Blue chants and an even bigger sea of Blue, sporadically dotted with Rag shirts, of which 2 were with me. I told them not to hide it, we aren't scum like some of their supporters. The walk up the stairs lead us out into the sunlight and what looked to be a lot of lost people, and as usual, no copper to give you advice, just there to move you on. You could see though, many Blues pointing the way with big happy smiles and pats on backs. We were there, at Wembley, the first time in m life. I was getting excited and those butterflies were definately back with style, they had me flying up that road.

I wonder where the lads will be drinking?

15.41 Munching down the pricey fish n chips at the top of the escalators in the top tier at Wembley. Said hello to another City lad from Halifax, who was way too pissed to recognise me! Heading to our seats in about 10 minutes time

17:00 Singing my head off in the concourse, full as a rocket and shitting myself!!!

Would appreciate someone covering the game, I've been unavoidably detained (and not in the cells either ;-)).

1700 hrs: The atmosphere has been growing for hours and strange to see ud Blues being in position for upto 2 hours before whilst the Rag fans are still getting to their seats. Can't wait now and it seems everyone around me are now my best friends. This is what the City family is all about.

[scroll]Bluemoon, you saw me standing alone.............................[/scroll]

17.13 Filming the pre-match atmosphere on my phone, including around about now as the teams come out

1715 hrs: That Poznan while they were calling out the Rag team was so childish.........................but absolutely ace to start us off ;-)