Tears for Heros Dressed in Grey

At the very last minute... 9.30 on Saturday Evening, Himself and Toolibelle decided that the Euro Finals could not be watched In Scotland. 

Tooli found us a hotel in Carlisle - the first place over the border; confirmed that they were showing the match.   I sat up and did work till 11pm so that I didn't have to be at work at 9 am on Monday morning. 

On Sunday morning, I took the painkillers, and took my seat in the car, perched on one buttock. 

It was a relatively quick ride down, the hotel had car parking and it was in the centre of the town.   Even driving through a town awake with excitement was a thrill.  

In our room - the window backed onto one of the bigger bars in town.  I thought they had music playing, - No it was the fans singing. 

Tooli did a quick reccy of the pubs - every single one of them was booked.  So I sat in the bar in reception and waited, while she and her Dad played Pool. 

Then we ordered a pizza, and then the game commenced. 

There was one bampot in the pub, drunk beyond comprehension who started spouting racist abuse, which was very upsetting to us, especially since we had Italians sitting next to us.  

Yes!! Shock Horror!  Fans from both sides, in the same room, enjoying the football together.  It can happen. 

The security at the hotel rounded the troublemaker up and handed him over to the police.  He started racially abusing them too, and rather than being put on a train, he was escorted to the police station! Yay!

it was fun just to look outside into the high street, the kids were going crazy.  "Taps aff"  dancing in the street, and just singing their hearts out. 

England didn't do enough in the second half.  It was almost as if the play had reversed, and everything England did in the first half, Italy did in the second. 

The extra time was just two level teams playing back and forth. 

Penalities.  Always going to be a killer; what a way to go out. 

But what joy to watch the match with like-minded people - enjoying the game for the game's sake.  

And Bumping firsts and shaking hands with the fans of the winners.