Plans Being Laid As Best I Can

So there we have it, Wycombe twice then Wembley. The weekend kind of went as planned, although there was a smack of Heath Robinson about it for me. Months ago, when the play-offs (never mind top two) were but a distant dream, my nieces planned a surprise birthday party for my sister and my partner Suzanne and I said we’d be there. How was I to know they would choose the final Saturday of the regular season?

There was no way I was going to risk not being there if we were going to be promoted automatically, so before the Wrexham game I bought a ticket for Burton. Thought perhaps I might just ‘nip out for some fresh air’ and hope nobody noticed my absence for a few hours. The pressure eased, for an obvious reason, so in the event I was able to party with the rest of the family for a while then head off to The Valley to get in for the final 20 minutes of the game, before post-match drinks and a ruby with fellow Addicks (having been given a pass for good behaviour, or something, by Suzanne). I didn’t get to see a goal, but that’s no problem, more are coming at Wembley.

The game itself was notable only for the fact that we secured the win and with it (and the Wycombe v Stockport result) fourth place, the blooding of youngsters (including the debut for Fullah), the resting of those who needed it, and Godden’s two superb goals, which meant he ended the regular season as the league’s joint-third top scorer and a minutes-per-goal stat (140) bettered only by Barry. Jones was for sure a worthy winner of the Player of the Year award (my vote went to Coventry), but Godden would also have been (with Campbell, Edwards and Gillesphey getting mentions in dispatches).

The rest of the season really should be straightforward – but seems it isn’t, yet. I watched the two Doncaster games in a bar in Old Lyon (before the trip to Wembley) and assumed I’d be able to do the same this time around. Apparently not. It seems no broadcaster in France is showing the game and CATV isn’t allowed. So much for my plans. I’m still investigating ways and means and more than fingers are crossed.

Then there’s the question of Wembley, if it happens of course. It’s tempting fate to book a London trip for the weekend, but each day you wait the price goes up. Sure, when push comes to shove I will pay the cost whatever (and may end up like last time sleeping at Heathrow for an early flight back to Lyon), but perhaps there is the possibility to book flights with the option of rescheduling if the unthinkable happens. If I do that it is sending the message (to whoever may be listening) that I don’t believe it’s guaranteed we will get there – but it’s guaranteed that if we do get there I will be there too. (One small aside, I’m never ITK but seems one of the other International Addicks post-Burton chatted with Thierry Small on the train home and was told that he, Lloyd Jones and Luke Berry would all be fit for the first leg against Wycombe.)