Obviously the great day was the second Sunday we were at Wembley!
Two years previously I had almost wept (OK, I had tears in my eyes) as Birmingham's killer goal knocked us out. Remember that emotional moment when, seconds after the lads, gutted, dropped to the pitch, and as of one voice 25,000 United fans sang "You'll never walk alone"? This year there were tears too. This time it was different. After the trauma of the penalties shoot-out we HAD won. And to stand there at the home of English soccer singing again with thousands of Cumbrians "We are the champions" is something I'll never forget. But the offbeat story of the weekend concerns myself, with David Oliphant - one time darling of the United fans now the darling of the Carlisle - and The Horse and Farrier - karaoke circuit - and the young lady Fiona from the Cumberland News. We also went to Twickenham - after all there was another Cumbrian team winning all the glory there. David had many times watched on TV the traditional car park picnics at Twickers, when hampers of pheasant and champagne were opened and consumed. He'd taken a couple of bottles of red plonk and a couple of corn beef sarnies. Trouble was that the wine was in glass bottles. Forbidden from the ground! The options were simple. Ditch it in the waste skip ...or drink it there. We did. Two bottles between three of us. Fiona fell asleep as the RU boys played their hearts out. We were sitting in front of one of the hospitality boxes. David chatted a fella into serving him more wine. I had a glass of water. Then we went out to a pub at night! What a great weekend! Can we do it again?
Laurie Kemp
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