Isle of Wight to Filbert Street .......and back.

Peter Gilbert August 1997.

I remember when the fixture list for this season came out;some time in June I think it was,or maybe July.I

thought then what a mouth wateringly lovely opening fixture we had against Villa.I didn't really look too

carefully at the date,it was months away and anyway I was still wallowing in the success of '96/'97 season

which was an absolute pearler.

Then as time elapsed I began to realise that the season was going to start one week early this year...oh no

I'll still be on holiday......on The isle of Wight.. What could I do? This was a disaster.I rang Andy (fellow

city fan) who was to be on holiday at the same place at the same time. We hatched a cunning plan it was

kind of crazy but we just might get away with it.

So there we were on this campsite with all sorts of different people who just couldn't help but notice how

many Leicester Fans were there(our kids in City shirts, letting the world know) The campsite football

match was a thrilling event Dads v Lads; we were 2-1 down, I said to this bloke in a Chelsea shirt 'Lend

me your shirt mate and I'll dive in the box for a penalty ! 'He wasn't amused really.

And then we were on the beach,then in the arcades,then in the pool the bar the prom......just how do you

bring the subject up?

'I reckon it's possible.'

'Nah too far we'd never make it in time.'

'It's worth a try.'

'You'd never get on a ferry at this time of the year.'

'We might.'

'Have you brought your season ticket ticket then?'

'How long do you think it would take?

Eventually this vague rather irritating but somehow intriguing conversation began to get a hold and create

a bit of a ripple of unease across the pages of our our wives' holiday novels.

'What on earth are you two wittering on about.'

'Oh nothing.'

'Nothing you've been on about it for days whenever we sit down on the beach,or go for a drink.'

'Well it's just this crazy idea Andy had.'

His wife looked at him suspiciously over her sunglasses.

'It's as much his idea as mine really.'

'So what is it I'm dying to know.'

'Yes it must be important or you wouldn't keep going on.'

'Well Andy reckons...'

'We reckon we could make it, if we got up early to drive up to Leicester's first home game.'

There was a stunned silence as the waves gently lapped on the shoreline,I played with a little bit of sand

and ran it through my hands like an egg timer,the sun beamed at us,all around people were happy and

relaxed,all except that is for two City fans on the beach at Ventnor on The Isle of Wight,with an obsession

burning brightly inside.

'You'd never get on the ferry,you'd have to book at this time of the year.' (We had)

'Any way you need your season tickets with you.' (We had)

'You'd have to be up early.' (We know)

'And make your own breakfast.' (We didn't bless 'em)

'Yes I suppose you're right,just a thought really.'

'Still it would have been a great day out.'

'Yes well never mind,I'm sweltering I'm going in the sea.'

'I'll join you.'

'Aaah it's cold.'

'It's all right once you're in.'

'How do you think it went?'

'I dunno,can't really tell.'

'Leave 'em talking for a minute or two.'

'Blue Army.' I whispered.

'Blue Army.'

The date was Saturday 8th August 1997 I was stood by Andy's car strategically placed outside the

campsite,so as not to wake the world at 6.55 am.

Away we went.

'Got the season tickets.'

'Yep.'

'Got the ferry tickets?'

'Yep.'

'Got any sandwiches?'

'No.'

'OK we'll go to that Cornish pastie shop near the market and have a pint in Yates's.'

'Sounds perfect to me.'

I opened the window and let out a 'Yihoo.' shout of joy with a 'Blue Army Blue Army' just for luck.

We were on the way with our wives (partial) blessing and several southerners including Chelsea ,I might

add, wishing us all the worst with such comments 'Flash in the pan mate.' ringing in our ears. Mind you

my impersonation of a Chelsea player diving into the pool was beginning to irritate them somewhat,but it

was no more than they deserved.

Onto the 8.00 am ferry across the Solent to Portsmouth enveloped in a thick sea mist. There was one heart

stopping moment when I heard someone say 'Might not sail in this mist you know.' It was a good job we

had booked the tickets,otherwise we would have never got on.

Onto the motorway network,heading north in the heat.Lots of Chelsea and Arsenal scarves,Filbert dangled

a very stern look at them out of the window.

Leicester was hot hot hot. You know the score of course,personally I think we could have won 3-0 but

there you go. It just goes to show that if you add £7m worth of striker to a team it won't amount to much if

he's a dickhead. Collymore's threat to the kop said it all for me, it was his type of threat all talk , hype and

no action.

I thought we dealt with Simon Grayson rather well, just silence and disinterest,I don't know what else he

expected. Poor Julian though,Villa clearly don't want him.

I love the new PA system wow it was a real mind blower,and Filbert and Vicki(I suppose) and finally the

Foxy ladies could hear the music they were dancing to,great stuff. But who is Dennis? He seems to be just

one furry creature too many.

Back in the car for 5.20 pm down the motorway,did those Chelsea fans look sad or what?

You won't believe this but I swear it's true......we caught the 7.30pm ferry! It was slightly delayed due to

the sea mist in the morning which threw the whole timetable thing into disarray. This was an epic trip and

as we sat quietly sipping Coca Cola of course toasting the sunset over The Solent we had to admit that it's

pretty good being Leicester Fans. We clashed our plastic cups 'Up the City!'

When we got back we saw Messrs Chelsea and Arsenal and the obligatory Man Utd in the bar and do you

know what we said to them.........Nothing,we just smiled. What's more do you know what they said to us

after the Liverpool game........Nothing.

Sometimes nothing is the sweetest sound of all............you somehow know you've scored then!

So my Foxy friends the moral of this story is............when it comes to Leicester City Football

Club.......anything is possible......and when we get no credit for our achievements don't worry we still did

it......DIDN'T WE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Copyright.