Happiness

This is to mark January 21, 2011 as the conclusive end of perhaps the defining sub-plot in the GSG story.

Alright, so I borrowed a line from something I wrote before, but I couldn't think of a better way to describe what has happened today. There's a lot of joy, there's a lot of relief and there's a lot of vindication in the belief that people who put their heads down and work hard eventually get what they want. But most of all, there's immense pride. For something that has been a looming sub-text in, quite frankly, both our lives for eight days short of six years now, it seems improbable to believe that this, too, has passed.  

But it has. And she has. And that's something that's going to make us (and a lot of other people besides) remember today for the rest of our lives. What an absolutely "brillaint" day. :) 

Jush mish, part II

There's no disgrace in losing to this Arsenal team. No disgrace whatsoever because you played like you wanted to score for the entire ninety minutes. No disgrace whatsoever because Bradley Johnson scored a goal that every player remaining in the FA Cup this year will struggle to better. No disgrace whatsoever because thirty-eight thousand, two hundred and thirty-two people were still cheering when the whistle went for full-time.

Yes, it could've been all over in the first half an hour. Yes, Somma should've scored at 2-1 down. Yes, Bromby should've followed Van Persie to the back post. Yes, O'Brien's injury is a worry. Yes, Howson was the best player on the pitch barring Nasri. Yes, Huddersfield were there for the taking in the next round.

But so long as we manage to pick up points at Fratton Park on the weekend, there will be no anguish over this loss - just a re-doubling of the effort and desire to ensure that, from next season, the fixture list requires us to play this Arsenal team at least twice a season, every season.

Hilary

The wind is howling again, the rain is spitting again and that streetlight on Iffley Road is shining through into my room again. I've endured a nine-and-a-half hour flight that took off forty-five minutes late, spent another forty-five minutes waiting for my luggage at Heathrow, another fifteen minutes to get out of Terminal 3, another hour-and-fifteen by bus to St. Clement's and another half-an-hour unpacking. Tomorrow, the reading resumes. It might even be a relief.

Also, United 4 Scunthorpe 0. Who's your daddy now?

Jush mish

It was, they tell me, unfortunate that Leeds United didn't beat Arsenal at the Emirates in the third round of the FA Cup on Saturday. It would've been great to win, of course and there's every chance Arsenal will win the replay, of course.

Which is why my happiest memory associated with the game was Simon Grayson's press conference where he said that the priority, "without question", was Saturday's game against Scunthorpe United. Someone give the man a medal. He deserves it. More than that, he deserves a chance to manage in the Prem.

"Without question", I'd pick happiness at the end of May rather than happiness in front of thirty thousand-plus at Elland Road next week. It is the Grayson way.

Lend a hand, in return for grace

"See I can never find such things to say."

But you don't have to. Don't you know, you've done more than I could ever have asked for?

On September 3, I'd said that I continue to be amazed. Today, I can only continue to be thankful. You've changed my life, you really have. :)