In my busy schedule, I still managed to watch the game in Stamford Bridge. My first time watching a football match. It was an eye opener. English fans are very passionate about their football. Very patriotic. You can never get this anywhere else. English fans are the worst, but then, it is because they are real fans. You don't get an English man in the soccer pitch gunning for Scotland, or France. Never. Or, i just haven't seen any.


Today, in my Chelsea match, we play Bolton Wanderers. Not every one's favourite game, but still, the stadium was full. They close off the roads few blocks before Stamford Bridge, you can see lots of police officers in full force, on foot, on cars and on horses. And the streets were a sea of blue. My friend Katharine said, just follow the blue t-shirts and we will be there.


I wore my blue Chelsea colour hijab, with a black top and jeans. It was good enough coz my blue was Chelsea's blue. At the stadium grounds, it was just awesome. Everyone was chanting all the Chelsea chants, some nice, others with lots of profanities. We were seated on the right hand side behind Chelsea's goal. So, every time one of them boys take a corner, i am there behind waving, "Hi Ma!" Haha. On our right was a tiny portion of seats for the Bolton fans.


I was quite afraid of racist taunts, but, everyone, even the soccer hooligans were not interested in taunting me, they were more interested in taunting the Bolton fans. Which i found pretty amusing. They are a funny lot. Men came with their wives, girlfriends, kids. And the ladies in the game, mind you are rough as well. They all sound like beer guzzling men. But when they turn to talk to us, they are soft and nice. So, it is the game that got them into the mood. I was up on my feet every time Chelsea was going to score. It was fun. But, by the time it was 2nd half, i lost interest as most of the game was played on the other side of the pitch.


I started enjoying Bolton then. But of course, I had to be happy quietly when they scored. haha. And because their fans were just next to us, the Bolton boys come to our side to celebrate. Don't be fooled into thinking that the Chelsea boys are small in size. I always thought that Lampard, Terry and the rest are tiny. They are in actual fact very big sized. Just not tall.


I left 10 minutes before the end of the game just to lose the crowd. It wasn't a satisfying match, but, it was my first match, and I did enjoy it a lot. To the English fans, thank you for being yourself, and thanks for not bullying me racially. I do admit, i turn heads as i walked, but only because i wear the Chelsea colours as a Muslim Woman covering my head. Who said woman must stay at home all the time? I went with a girl, and didn't even speak to any of the burly man near me.


I want to do it again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Not cheap OKAY!!!!!!!!! I can feed me for 3 weeks on that ticket money.


I hope one day, I can get to watch a Man U/Chelsea or Liverpool/Chelsea game. It will be a dream come true! Ah oh....Wimbledon, here I come!


Farah







-PENCES POUR MOYE DV