Bring On The Band

Car today. It’s a busy day. It's pub day, then there’s more training for MD tonight followed by the second leg of the League One play-off, which so far has disappointed in that it hasn’t descended into a blood bath.

John Grisham prevents me nodding off in the traffic but only just, my new book is a bit slow in places.

We finally make the Blessington for lunch. Which is not bad, despite the fact that all our first choices were off. At least we feel we’ve eaten something, the meals were more substantial than the kiddies meals at the Wetherspoons. They’ve actually got it quite nice in there and they had a couple of decent ales on.

It’s drizzling but dog training is still on, whereas last week’s was cancelled when it was glorious. So I drive back from Derby, collect the dogs, drive back to Derby where I do half an hours training with MD before driving back home again to drop the dogs off. Luckily L walks in the door at the same time as me, so at least we can say 'hi' before I head off to hold my mates hand through the trauma of the second leg of Leeds in the play-offs.

After we’ve found some decent seats in the sports bar, in front of the big screen, we are told that a band is going to be on at 9pm and we'll have to move. Everyone looks incredulous because they’re all here to watch the match. This is, after all, a sports bar with big screens everywhere, it’s not like our local where they insist on having the TV on in the corner despite the fact that not one person is showing any interest in and in fact people are usually trying to sit as far away from it as they can.

At half time, it’s 0-0, there’s no sign of the band, but all the same a few people, us included, take a walk in the rain to see if anywhere else is showing the match. A couple of pubs are, but it’s just like in my local. It’s on in the corner with the sound turned down, pleasing no one. So funnily enough, not that we're laughing, we end up back where we started, just a little wetter. Still no band.

Second half, Leeds score, equalising on aggregate and the place erupts. No Millwall fans here obviously. Then Millwall score, retaking the lead on aggregate. There’s one shout of ‘come on Millwall’ which is accompanied by quite a few glares. I think he’s having a laugh.

Personally I don’t really mind who wins. It’s hugely funny to see Leeds struggling to get out of League One but who would I rather Derby be playing next season? Out of the playoff contenders:- Millwall, Leeds, MK Dons or Scunthorpe... well Leeds of course.

The final whistle blows, cue collective cursing. So we're not going to be playing them next year then. Oh, and still no band.