Derby 1 Leicester City 0, Saturday 25 November 2006
The rain had cleared, the motorway was moving and spirits were high. But then we arrived in Derby. It was then that the brakes started to make a screaming sound and the blue smoke made an appearance. We drove onto a garage forecourt with plans of leaving the car for recovery after the match. Fortunately another Leicester supporter was filling up and offered us a lift…in his Bentley (well he was a former club chairman)!
But arriving at Pride Park in style was an abberation. A most disgusting bag of chips from a Pride Park kiosk underlined the “bad” in the day’s trip. But worse was to come. The first half amounted to very little. Both sides played the usual poor quality midfield pinball and there was very little threat on either goal.
With nothing to inspire them, the visiting supporters took to trading a-more-than-usual amount of insults with the home suppporters.
After the break, Leicester offered very little and Derby scored. Once again, it wasn’t until the introduction of Levi Porter that we actually started to play. Suddenly the team were trying and Derby looked vulnerable. Shortly after the addition of MaCauly up front Leicetsr scored only to have the goal, somewhat confusingly, ruled off-side. Sadly, a couple of close misses later and it was all over.
We walked back to the car and waited for a truck to take us back to Leicester.
Leicester City 0 Preston 1, Saturday 18 November
There is an unexplained law of physics that says if it’s cold, it will be even colder at a football ground. Yesterday, as the chill crept through my many layers of clothing, I realised that the players were probably cold too. After all, they were slow to react, weren’t interested in running, and seemed quite content to just boot the ball up field anytime it came near them. So when Preston scored in the first half it was hardly a surprise.
Of course I should have known it would be a bad football day when I woke up with a hangover. Walking to the ground with the customary bag of chips helped. However, a first half performance that at best could only be described as “crap” didn’t exactly lift the spirits. Indeed, feeling fragile - freezing cold - team losing! Not how you’d want to spend a Saturday afternoon.
The second half was more promising. Leicester did at least try to push forward. Preston’s keeper even had to make a number of saves. But football doesn’t follow laws of physics either. Despite all the hard work, a goal evaded us. So we left for home with numb toes and no points. Not a good footballing day.
Leicester City 2 Plymouth Argyle 2, Saturday 11 November 2006
It was a terrible game. Annoying breeze, long ball, more long balls. A goal for us in the first half and within seconds Plymouth equalise. “Your not singing anymore” was an understatement. However, when Levi Porter scored midway through the second half things looked hopeful. But this is Leicester City. You just knew that as night follows day something would happen; and sure enough on 90 minutes a silly free kick and Plymouth equalise again.
On the way back from the game we realise that its almost the middle of November, and we are still wearing only one pair of socks. My feet weren’t even cold. A result for global warming.
