By Stevie (Robbo) Robinson

Away to Bolton 1^st September 2007

Well lads the first minibus trip to an away game this season for ESSCA and even at my age, and all the games I have been to, I got out of bed this morning buzzing.  

Let's be honest this is what a Saturday is all about, a 3 o'clock kick off and the family of the Blues making the journey to support the lads from wherever we are.

Walked into Parkway nice and early to be greeted by Tom Carr already there reading the paper, bag of ale and pasties next to him.  No sooner ordered a coffee and in came Skinny Dave followed by John and Andy.  Greetings all round and the start of a perfect day.

8.15 and round the bend comes Eddie driving the van (must get some utility bills so I can take a turn).  All the regular die hards in the back and away we go.  

Loads of good crack on the way to Winchester where we pick up some new lads to the club, who are welcomed by everyone with the usual greeting of "alright lad how you doing?" ....then off to Bolton.

Got me head down best I could in between a couple of stops on the way up.  We made good time and got to Bolton just before 1pm.  Horwich R.N.I Club was the venue for a pint cos we had to meet up with Big Fred and John's brother plus a few of us, me included, had mates to see.  

A few pints and we are in the mood for the game, the utmost fear building up as we get back in the bus to do battle with Happy Al's for a speck in the Bolton car park.  Well we got in the car park no problem.  Met my lad Craig and his mates then into the ground.  

As usual great turn out by our support.  Can't compete with the newspapers to report the game (failed O Level GCE in English!) but good start to the game when we went 1-0 up after great ball by Pienaar, then Johnson's turned and gone, looks up and finds Yak to send 4,000 Blues into ecstasy.  Even better for our Craig and his mate, cos they had a tenner on him for the first goal.  

Seemed to sit back a bit after that until Anelka hits a hell of a goal for them and Moyesy makes a few changes, Jag to mid field then Neville to right back, then on comes (yellow boots and all) ohhh Tommy Tommy, Tommy, Tommy, Tommy, Tommy, Gravesen.  

The game changed and when Arteta squared to Osman it had to be 2-1 but he leaned back and it went over.  Still playing well but running out of time we get a corner, Arteta says to Gravesen you take (been kicked all day).  Tommy floats one in, Lescott goes up and 4,000 of us were off our seats, heading it in with him!  BRILL!!!

Happy days all round.  A few hugs and handshakes to family and friends at the end and we are all back on the bus happy as you could be.  Off we go back to the South believe it or not out of the car park and on the motorway in 10 minutes.  Eddie's doing a great job driving and gets us back to Newbury for a couple of pints in great time.

All the lads chatting about the game and old memories on the way home.  About this time Pompey Pete tells me its my turn to write a report of the day for the website. Well I've had a go lads expecting some stick over it next time we meet.

Stevie Robbo

Little add on lads - listened to Jimmy Ball on the radio Sunday morning.  Gave ESSCA a shout said how proud he was to the Honoury Club Patron of ESSCA to follow in his dad's footsteps and referred to Everton as his team.  Also said he would try and get on the bus for one of our trips this year if he could work in round his commitment to his job as Manager of Winchester.