By Joan Dawson
If we win tonight and Derby lose or draw on Sunday, then we’re promoted.
Naturally, if that happens, we’ll all be celebrating wherever we are.
But none of us will be in the stadium with 40+ thousand fellow supporters, the players, the manager.
We’ll be at home, in pubs, walking the dog, at work with the radio, or if you’re Roy Keane, in the cinema with your kids.
In re-arranging games, television is robbing supporters of some of the most exciting moments they can have.
Regular Saturday afternoons are bad enough because most of the time, even though you know your own result, you don’t know how it affects your league position, and we rarely now get the chance to cheer a N**c**tle defeat.
Since the likelihood of winning a cup is now virtually nil – though I have hopes that this might change for us in the next few years – the chances of being at a match when your team actually wins something (a trophy, promotion or avoiding relegation) are slight.
Of course promotion may not come until the last match of the season (nervous holding of breath), when at least we’ll have the satisfaction of knowing exactly where we stand at the final whistle.
And it’s always been the case that another match might determine your fate – that’s normal. But a Friday night match isn’t normal, especially with your close rivals playing on Saturday and Sunday.
It may be good for television, and good for the neutrals, but it’s bad for supporters and bad for my health.
Rant over. Ha’way the Lads!!
Despite not knowing if we were promoted, Edwards’ goal on Friday triggered wild celebrations. It was a quality team effort and a stunning finish.
This afternoon, during the Derby game, I’ll be weeding the front garden. I’ll happily forego celebrating with our supporters at Luton next week to know we’re promoted today.
What a night.That game had everything but by crikey it was not good for my already shredded nerves.The early goal should have settled us and indeed we looked very composed and assured in the first 30 minutes.Had Conolly’s penalty not been saved I think we would have won by 3 or 4 butr the keepers save and the absolutely shocking refereeing decision that resulted in the Burnley penalty seemed to stun us a bit.Ward certainly got a hand on the ball to push it away and the Burnley player simply dived.There was little or no contact.How the linesman didn’t see this beggers belief but he was rank rotton all night.
The character we showed to come back and win the game summed up why we have hasd such a great second half to the season.The winning goal would not be out of place on a world stage, the brilliant Carlos strikes again.A fitting end to an excellent night.
I got home at 0130 with my ears ringing like I had been at a pop concert such was the noise generated by the fans last night.And yes my daughter woke me at 6am this morning so I have had 4 hours sleep but all well worth it.