Hey guys,
It was a match day with a difference for me, I didn’t go! Your probably wondering why I’m writing a blog but I thought it would be interesting to understand the reasons and highlight disabled access at football, plus I still chatted with friends and had predictions!
So let’s rewind a bit when the applications opened for palace bare in mind i tend to apply for every away game. But I have memories of palace and the more I thought about it the more I decided to let this go, the final day came and I didn’t apply. When the ballot results came in friends got tickets and I did think oh I’ve made a mistake, but then remembered it’s palace. United said it wasn’t sold out and we could ring for tickets I still wasn’t feeling it. The day before I got an email saying there was still tickets but they understood why, I thought that said it all. To be honest I did think of reconsidering but I knew I wouldn’t enjoy.
I have been to palace once before, I had to collect my tickets from the ground that time to. I’d got a train to Watford and met my friend Andy and then drove to palace. The first issue was parking, what a nightmare that was. We eventually found a blue badge spot at the top of the hill! Then collecting tickets was strange, there was a ramp up to the window, that wasn’t even lowered for wheelchair users then it was steps down, had to ask people to move so we could reverse down the ramp!
The placement of wheelchairs was in the away end, which is good. However once everyone is in place you just can’t see a thing and then people have to walk passed you as your on the walk way to seats but worse still people group together and if you score it’s a bit scary. I know many wheelchair users who won’t go to palace or go reluctantly. I have been told there’s been improvement but it’s still not great. Paying £30 for 90 minutes where you can’t see and it gives you many issues around the match it’s just not worth the stress for me. There’s not many grounds that I refuse to go to but it’s just issue after with palace
The day of the game
Now I’m going to be brutally honest about my feelings here, so please excuse my honesty with my mental health.
After waking up it was weird not going into match day mode with my normal prep, however I did charge my power pack ready for Saturday!
I had a great chat with Ben we talked cameras & Paris tips as many of us are heading to Paris next week. I was glad to hear Ben was doing well. I enjoyed talking photography well cameras as photography has been a passion of mine for a long time, I even did A Level photography!
I had planned to go to a national trust house but ended up picking up my camera and just taking a drive around Worcestershire & taking some pics. Some of my favourites I put on Instagram (same name as twitter). I find it so relaxing just listening to music and being in the countryside wether that be in a wood or a marina it’s just so relaxing and really chills me out, I’m truth it’s something I needed as my anxiety was playing up.
After getting home I had another chat to Ben and he predicted a win for united against palace! I sent Neil a text to wishing him a safe trip, now he didn’t reply and I was thinking oh no, but I’d sent the text so I was 50/50 confident!
Now I’ve been going home, away & Europe with united for a while now and I love it, seeing my mates, the build up and general chit chat. Today was different, I wasn’t going to watch the match at all, I just can’t watch united if I’m not there! But the truth was I had to detach myself from the fact there was a football game even on. For the last few years I’ve been having some trouble with a fan and the fact I wasn’t there made me so anxious that he was and that he’d be talking about me, making it a big thing I wasn’t at the match, not a real fan, doesn’t turn up to the none important matches, talking about me In a negative way, it really frustrates me I fear that he’s doing this, it was my choice not to go for valid reasons and yet he makes me worried about not going.
During the match I was chatting to friends online and even played with the dog, well my brother had taught him a new trick, getting his own biscuits so I was seeing if he would do it with me .. he did to!
At the end of the match Neil text me, the universe obviously knew he meant to text! Yeah I’m superstitious haha!
We did win 3-1 get in lads!
I went to bed worrying about what people might think of me if they’d spoken to him hence my blog really.
I woke up to a message from Gary saying night and I was glad to see he & Neil & others had arrived home safely.
I was listening to the UWS podcast as I always do when Neil predicted 2-0 he later text saying he thought he’d text and what he’d have said and he was tempted to tell me it was 3-1 .. I’m 1 step of you Neil haha!
It’s always nice to hear from my friends at football, although I see them as just mates not exclusive to football and if it wasn’t for the likes of Neil, Ben, Gary, Andy & Jamie I wouldn’t be going to matches, so thanks again guys for giving me the confidence just knowing your around helps.
Vicky xx
