And so to Highbury for the very last time. Today’s fixture against Wigan was the last of the season. There was also the small matter of the fact that we needed to beat Wigan while hoping that West Ham could hold Spurs to a draw or better. That way, we’d finish fourth and get a guaranteed Champions’ League place. As it stood, we needed to win against Barcelona next week to ensure that Ashburton Grove saw Champions’ League football.
Although we’d been wearing redcurrent all season, today every seat had either a red or a white t-shirt on it. Highbury was turned red and white as a consequence.
As is the way with these things, it was a tense afternoon. We took a 1-0 lead very quickly while West Ham took the lead against Spurs. Then both games equalised and Wigan took the lead through a sloppy free kick. Spurs saved a West Ham penalty from Teddy Sheringham no less, and we equalised.
Into the second half and my radio was at full volume following events at Upton Park. Henry scored another and then another – getting his hat-trick in the process. Bergkamp came on, and at the same time, West Ham went 2-1 up. Now, with around ten minutes left, we were 4-2 up and coasting, while Spurs needed two goals.
Everyone around me wanted to know what was happening, as false information sweeps around all the time – for some reason in the first half, large numbers of the crowd thought that West Ham had gone 2-0 up.
The scores ended the same, and a day of drama ended wonderfully.
The celebrations went on for quite some time, including players from yesteryear parading around the ground, a performance (of sorts) from Roger Daltrey and assorted presentations. They ended with fireworks of a kind, although since it was still light they were the smokey kind.
A great day out. We head to Paris in 10 days to face the spectacle of the European Cup against Barcelona. The perfect send-off.