My first thoughts of going to the final came on the night of the semi-final 1st leg versus Chelsea. I was in London at a meeting that morning listening to Chelsea fans around the meeting table talking about going to Istanbul. I was just sat there thinking to myself are there not 2 games to play first? I travelled through London in a cab after the meeting and saw all the reds in Trafalgar Square getting boozed up and with banners everywhere. It looked great. I got to the airport and got my plane back to Newcastle and eventually ended up in my local club where my mates were waiting for me. I had missed 20 minutes of the match, but it was nil-nil so I was happy. We got a draw and Baroš was unlucky not to have scored with a great header.

I was walking back home after the game thinking job done, we’ll do these at Anfield - I think I’ll book a holiday to Istanbul. A couple of days later I was in Liverpool with my mate for the Boro game, I don’t think anyone could be bothered with it we just all wanted the Chelsea game to come. I wisely took my car to the Boro game so it was my mate's turn to take his jalopy for the Chelsea game, so I could enjoy a few beverages in Redkop35’s favourite place.

So this was it, make or break, winner takes all. García scored, or did he? Who cares, not me for sure? We held on at times and my heart was in my mouth on 95 minutes when the ball dropped to Eider Gudjonsson. How that one kick could have changed everything. Luckily he missed, the whistle went and the place erupted.

I had been to all of the home Champions League games before the Chelsea game (bar Olympiacos d’oh) and every game the atmosphere was better and better. But the Chelsea game was something else. I have never ever seen Anfield like that before, but hopefully Rafa and the boys will be bringing nights like that back on a regular basis.

So what followed was trying to organise tickets and travel. I eventually got sorted on a one night stay through Lonsdale and booked into Spike_starski, Stevieboy2k and Spike's mate Steve’s trip. Job done, Lonsdale even rang me to sort it out after I sent them an email.

Spike kindly let me sleep at his house the night before flying. I got to Spike's about 8 o’clock Monday and was greeted with a can of lager. Then we went out for a few scoops at his local followed by a kebab. Back to Spike's, we had some Martini but I couldn’t finish the glass as it was stirred and not shaken.

I woke up the next morning feeling ill. I was sick then had a shower and we set off to pick up Stevie. Spike dropped his car off at work where I was again sick in the car park and inside his work. I think it must have been the roofie Spike gave me the night before. Stevie turned up and we set off for the airport.

We got to Istanbul, dumped our bags in the hotel and headed out for some beers. We had a good few in what must have been the dearest bar in Istanbul - 14 lira for a corona, so we quickly started on the 2 pint glasses of beer. We then headed into Taskim Square. We got in a taxi and I stared telling the Turkish driver a few jokes and it’s hard enough for English people to understand me so Fowler knows how he felt. But the lads in the back were enjoying it so I carried on.

The bars in the square were brilliant. Full of reds all having a great time singing etc… Me and Spike then met some fellas from this site. We were in this back lane drinking beer from this guy who had a keg outside. I was talking to a few local tramps and was trying to get the lads to give them beers. One who looked like a slim-line version of Pavarotti kissed me on the lips when we left. Spike ended up leaving so I stayed out with the YNWA’ers and ended up going for a really nice kebab.

We then went for a taxi. Them together and me alone even though Jonesy kindly said I could sleep on his bedroom floor. I got in the taxi but I had forgotten my hotel card. All I could remember was it was called something Paris. So me and the driver drove round for ages, me drunk and smoking his tabs (and I don’t smoke) until he eventually found the hotel. Much to my relief and probably more so to his.

So this was it, the day of the match. The biggest game I would probably ever go to in my life. We went out for a bit scran, Spike looked like he was going to die which was nice. He perked up and we had some beers which Spike kindly paid for all day which was even nicer. We went to the square, it was just full of reds singing, getting boozed up and generally having fun. We then met the lads from this site including Ginger nob which made my day.
We headed for a taxi at 5 o'clock which would give us one hour to get to our hotel to catch the bus transfer to the stadium. The taxi driver was completely clueless. He couldn’t find the hotel, kept stopping and asking people. At one point he stopped and a little lad reached in and stole Spike's phone. We eventually got back to the hotel but had missed the bus. We got a taxi to the ground. On the way to the ground the traffic was at a standstill. So me and Spike got out for a slash and lost the taxi. So we had to walk the rest of the way to the ground. We found the bus and the 2 Stevies and put our bags on and headed towards the ground. We even saw Mr Snorky.

We met some more YNWA’ers outside the ground including Molby, the walking drinks dispenser. He had some kind of bottle of aniseed vodka in one pocket and a bottle of whisky in another.

We went into the ground - the place was a sea of red, pure class. The game started, one nil straight away - I couldn’t believe it. Then the other two followed. Half-time came, I came away from my seat and away from the lads just to collect my thoughts. My phone was going wild with messages, I was gutted. I was thinking of going back home and all the stick I was gonna take. I walked and saw men sitting down crying. I didn’t feel like crying myself I was too shocked. Then I witnessed the nicest thing I saw all trip. Some guy went to every single person crying pulled them to their feet and said “come on lad, get in there the team need you, and sing your heart out.” I got back to my seat and said to Spike “I hope we just at least get a goal so we have something to cheer.”

But instead we got out and Gerrard scored a header - the place erupted. We hadn’t calmed down and Šmicer banged a great goal in. I think then Milan panicked and we got the 3rd. There was only going to be one winner then I thought. Dudek’s double save was amazing. To think all of the stick Šmicer and Dudek receive and these guys had such an impact on our win. Dudek was class for the pens. Normally I had him down of a bit of a wimp but the way he handed their players the ball and put them off was great.

When he saved the last pen it took a few seconds to sink in what had happened. I was lucky enough to be there to witness the best match ever and soak up the atmosphere. We stayed in the stadium for a while celebrating and watching the presentation. The texts poured in from my mates back home. As “Champions League we're having a laugh” boomed out I felt like the proudest man alive.

We were lucky enough to get back on the coach and almost immediately get to the airport, board the plane and get way home. We got back to Stevie’s, had a brew and watched the goals, well they did I fell asleep. We then went back to Spike's and I drove home completely wrecked. My lass rang me on the way up home too, she’s not even keen on football but she said she watched it and was crying at the end. I had a voicemail off my Mam and she was singing we are the champions and she’s not to keen on football either. I got home and everyone I spoke to was overjoyed. I got told the Geordies were going wild in the bars for us.

It was a pure class trip worth every penny. I spent it with 3 really nice lads and was glad we met up with the guys of this site too as everyone I have met from here seems spot on. (Even Matty ; - ) ….. ).

Peter
(Slapnuts)