We were in November now. And after the glorious sun, if not the glorious result, at Brighton, it now felt like the winter had hit with a vengeance. The temperature had dropped and heavy coats and rain jackets were the order of the day. My new Barbour jacket was getting an airing for the first time. I hoped that it would pass the test. It was about 4. Just a few steps ahead, I am sure I saw Scott Minto edge onto the pavement.
I walked ahead, got up alongside and β yes β it was him. Scott looked back and hands were shaken between the two former Chelsea defenders. I liked Scotty when he played for us and it was quite a surprise when he left for Benfica in the summer after us winning our first trophy in twenty-six years. He was replaced by the returning Graeme Le Saux. Alex, from Houston as featured in the last report, was first in my view, but just behind him was David from Nashville.
I introduced both of them to each other, and also to Chopper. We disappeared upstairs to the Millennium Hotel bar where further photo opportunities took place. New to the match day team is David Lee and I had a quick chat as a current workmate is a mutual friend. I think we were all surprised to see Bobby Tambling there again. He spent an engaging five minutes talking to me with great enthusiasm and humour about a recent charity match in Cork, his adopted home city, to raise funds and awareness for those suffering from dementia.
Bless him. It was a joy to see him so well. The bar was ridiculously quiet on our arrival. Alex, as I mentioned previously, is originally from Moscow. He told me that his childhood team in his home city was Dynamo, and this suited me well. I told the story of when I went to the Champions League Final in Moscow I purposefully bought myself a Dynamo Moscow scarf β beautiful blue and white β in honour of the game at Stamford Bridge.
Alex was working in Moscow at the time of the game at the Luzhniki Stadium, and although he had purchased a normal ticket, he bumped into an old friend who invited him into his private suite. After huge amounts of vodka, Alex remembers little of the game. It is probably for the best. Ah , I have mentioned it before. Of all of our previous matches, it is the one that I wish I had attended, the and finals excepted. I also showed him the photos of spectators perched on the old East Stand roof and surrounding the pitch.
