Back To St James Park

It  was the Sela Weekender at St James Park this afternoon.  Two matches.  First Newcastle Women  V Atletico Madrid Women - kick off 1pm... and then at 4pm it was the turn of the men's teams. The prize for the winning teams was The Sela Cup.

I decided not to go to the  Women's match and got to town around 2.30pm.  I sat on a bench in Old Eldon Square for a while.  Someone sat down beside me...fortunately  it wasn't a stranger wishing he was dead.... it was someone I knew.  Mr S lives quite near me and he taught Becky and Neil in Primary School.  Its been a while since Ive seen him so we had a quick catch up.  He didn't realise there was footie on and he was surprised to find town was so busy.  

I got to the ground around 3pm in time to see the teams warming up.   My blip shot shows some Newcastle fans watching the Atletico Madrid team warming up.  There seemed to be a bit of a buzz about seeing Antoine Griezmann - he's one of the Madrid forwards. 

I wasn't sitting in my usual seat as it wasn't available when I booked my ticket.... but I wasn't far away.  I was sitting next to a very chatty bloke ---- I had to try hard to " keep my end up " during all the football chat.  I think I managed.  His wife and young children were at the match but they were sitting in a different stand.  He spent a lot of time on the phone to them and waving at them. 

Madrid were the better team and they scored two goals. Alvarez  on the 50th minute and that man Griezmann on the 63rd minute.  Griezmann had only come on as a substitute on the 61st minute.  The Madrid coach actually substituted his whole team on the 61st minute ... 11 players went off and 11 new players came on.  Never seen that before.   So Newcastle lost the match 2 nil.  And the Newcastle Women lost their match .... 2 nil.  So no Sela Cups for the home teams.  

Newcastles pre - season tally is zero wins, two draws and four defeats.  I hope they do better when the Premiership season starts.

I didn't bother staying for the presentation of the Cups to the Madrid teams and headed off to get my bus home.  Only had a few mins wait. Bus was full but I got a seat.

The weather at the match was HOT and SUNNY.  I really needed a sun hat and sunglasses and I had neither with me.  

Steps today - 7,751