Tottenham 2 - Liverpool 1

Yesterday started with the basic London tourist stuff. Buckingham Palace, Hyde Park, Bad Teeth, etc....

We jumped in an internet cafe with hopes of finding directions for the Shakespeare walking tour. I also wanted to look up a possible match to attend on Tuesday evening, Fulham was playing somewhere in London. I knew Liverpool was playing a home match on Sunday since the schedule noted Tottenham v. Liverpool. I'm used to reading baseball schedules where the 'v' can be replaced for 'at'. I saw 'White Hart Lane' (Tottenham's home grounds) as the location upon closer inspection which was just a bit north of the cafe - 3 hours til kickoff but sold out. What the heck. Worth checking out the atmosphere and watching in a pub.

We hop on the tube and there is one Liverpool supporter sitting near us. I ask him how much tickets go for on the street and he laughs and says, 'at least a few hundred quid for the cheap seats'. Pub it is. We get off the train and I overhear a few offers from scalpers - £250 being the cheapest ($400 per ticket). Pub it is. We walk around the stadium among the 99% male crowd. We stop and get ice cream. My stomach was a bit nervous as I brushed shoulders with the ticket holding Liverpudlians so I just had an apple cider popsicle.

Anyways, we reach the ticket office, near where we originally started circling the stadium. I was looking for a pub nearby but decided to at least ask if they had released any late tickets. I walk up to the guy at the gate and ask and he says with an ironic smile..."Tickets? Nope, this game sold out within about 20 minutes of going on sale." Pub it is.

I turn to walk away and meet back up with Shannon, not the least bit disappointed, when I hear an older man ask, "are you alone?".
I turn back and say "yes, I'm alone.".
"I'm just picking up my two season tickets, and I'm alone too," he says. "Wait right here."

The guy at the gate just starts laughing and says, "mate, today is your lucky day".

Long story short, Richard gave me his extra ticket for free and they were great seats. He's been going to Tottenham games for the last 70 years - since he was 6 years old. I couldn't thank him enough. As we entered the stadium, he informed me that it was a big climb and it may take him a bit longer in his old age and I replied that I was so excited I could probably carry him the whole way if he wanted.

I found myself cheering wholeheartedly for Tottenham, even booing Fernando Torres for a dive, as I got caught up with the amazing home crowd. Sounders game are fun, but NOTHING compared to this. There were no ignorant soccer critics or horns blowing in your ear. Just a stadium of supporters chanting in unison. Applauding every quality trap and switched ball and composed pass - the subtleties were appreciated.

The game was absolutely the highlight of my trip and Shannon enjoyed sitting in a McDonald's reading since the neighborhood is pretty run down. I've been on the receiving end of so many people following Hilda's "it's nice to do nice things" philosophy. I will definitely work to make that my mantra back home.