it happened many years ago, probably late 70,s , myself and 3 friends were having a jar or 8 in the local watering holes around
Reading when the conversation got onto Readings away game at Stockport the following day..the drink was talking at this time as it was about 10pm, anyway one of us mentioned that wouldn`t it be a good idea to hitch-hike up there
like a load of idiots we all agreed..so as soon as the pubs chucked out we split into two groups and headed off..to say I regretted that decision till this day is an understatement..there was the girl that picked us up and was going to drop us off in Birmingham, but she chucked us out near to Oxford after I chucked up in the back of her car
we did eventually get to Stockport after getting a train for the final leg of the journey, we missed the 1st twenty minutes or so, it was hard to get into the spirit of the game because quite frankly we were both absolutely knackered, at half time we heard someone shouting from the seated area..it was one of the other two guys, they made it there with somet time to spare..he said that another friend of ours was there and he was willing to give us a lift all the way back to Reading..and to meet them outside after the game. naturally this made us feel much better.
after the game (which finished 2-2) we made our way to the meeting point, but couldn`t find them anywhere..as this was before the days of the mobile phone we had no way of knowing just where they were, it turned out that they meant a different corner of the ground, and we missed them altogether..so after about 30 minutes we knew we had the awful option of hitch-hiking all the way home again..neither of us had slept for over 36 hours now so this was not going to be a pleasant journey!
one of my vivid memories is of sitting on a metal barrior at a motorway intersection while my mate held out his thumb when a police car pulled up, we told them our story and they kindly gave us a lift to a nearby transport cafe where there were loads of lorries parked outside, we asked nearly all the drivers there if anyone was heading south..none were..so we started to walk, we saw the signs LONDON 100 MILES..after what seemed an eternity we saw the next sign LONDON 98 MILES..I thought thats it..I`m going to die here, we walked for about 2 more hours when a car pulled up..where you heading guys?..the man said.. Reading..I`m not going to Reading..will London do?...F*ck me man yea yea!!!..we got in the car and headed off..inside a minute I was asleep, next thing I know I`m waking up outside Paddington station as he dropped us off..I finally fell through my front door at around 2.30 on Sunday afternoon.
my mum had just finished cooking the Sunday roast..the best meal of my life I went to bed..and woke up 8am Monday morning...just in time for work.
Did we win?
