For a while it was.For a while we were all thinking "Christ we're going to do it!" and " I'll probably have to sell a kidney to get a final ticket.You can survive on one kidney right?" But it was'nt to be,and our kidneys also took a bit of a battering by the end of the day...
I suppose i should have known really.We'd arranged to meet up in a West Hampstead pub which we'd been assured would open at 10am...it did'nt open till 11am.If i were a believer in portends i would have ripped up my ticket and fucked off home there and then.However i pride myself on being a man of both science and Camden Hell's Lager so decided to stick it out...the vibe in the pub was weird.I'd say it was 95% Watford fans with a smattering of Wolves but it was very quiet.Us lot normally spend pre match talking bollocks but even that was missing.The nerves were kicking in.The Watford fans raised a sing song once but that quickly died in the throat.The whole place had a nothing-to-play-for-game-v Scunthorpe feel about it.Note to self; Next time---and there will be lots of next time's in the not too distant future---i will spend my pre match boozing in a designated Wolves pub.
I don't really like Wembley that much but that walk up Wembley Way is sort of iconic and i have to admit it was pretty awe inspiring seeing thousands of my fellow Wolves fans marching that well trodden path.We were up in the cheap seats close to the clouds.It's a long way up and woe betide anyone who suffers from vertigo up there...we did our bit by holding up our cue cards,or cue plastic bags,in the pre-ordained fans mosaic thingy.I had a black one which means i was part of a wolfs head but don't ask me which part.After the Man Utd debacle from a few weeks ago it was a surprise how well that went especially as there'd been enough booze consumed by many fans to alarm even Brendan Behan...
If i were a neutral i would have loved the game.End to end,one team two nil up but getting pegged back and ultimately losing...but i ain't neutral.It's true i was loving the game for about 78 minutes then Watford pulled one back and we seemed to lose all faith in our ability to see out the game.I don't think we did much wrong really.We'd put so much into the match that we were just knackered by the end.Poor Jimenez & Jota were blowing out of their arses late in the second half so our ability to hold on to the ball in Watford's half when we most needed it was non existent...
Even so we were only a few seconds from actually reaching the final but then...argggh i can still fucking see it.I don't want to but it's embossed on my retinas.Say what you like about Troy Deeney(and many have including most of Mexico) but he has street smarts and everyone just knew he'd get a penalty at the end...bastard.
After that it was no surprise they went on to win in extra time.We were shot to pieces.Even so we nearly grabbed an equaliser at the end of the game but it was'nt to be...It's fucking horrible hearing the opponents fans celebrating a win against you.It's ten times worse in an FA cup semi-final.
Looking at Twitter post match and for a few days later has actually helped with the grief(is that too strong a word? Possibly) The vast majority are praising the squad for their superb season and saying how proud they are of the club...I think we all know that under Fosun this is just the start of many days like this...i expect to see my team in an FA Cup final sometime soon to exorcise the ghosts of the five losing semi's i have seen...
So it was'nt a day of unicorns & rainbows.But one day soon it could be...
