Saturday 29th February 2020. 5pm. A strange day for many reasons, and a very cold one. As I walked along the Aylestone Road, myself and my Dad reflected on our afternoon. We had just witnessed a tight 14-8 victory for Leicester Tigers over Worcester Warriors, in what had been a poor, low quality game, but one where Tigers had just sneaked home to secure a vital victory. Could this be the win that kickstarts our season we mused as we walked home.
Wednesday 4th March 2020. 10pm. An equally cold night. This time, a friend and I walk back along the Aylestone Road, reflecting our evening. We had been witnessing a tight 1-0 victory for Leicester City against Birmingham in the FA Cup 5th Round, in what had been a very scrappy game, with Leicester turning in a poor performance. However, doing just done enough to progress onwards. As we walked home, we both reflected that the Foxes would need to improve dramatically to get to the later stages of the cup, but both in agreement an FA Cup run would be great to witness.
The reason for describing two very nondescript sporting events, that saw equally scrappy and dull performances? Well, because they were the last time that I stepped foot into a sporting stadium and saw my teams play. Until now. For 15 long months, as the world descended into chaos, and slowly began to stop, as so like many others, the only way I got to watch my teams in action was from the safety of the sofa. Whilst there was no queueing for the bar, and the beer prices being a lot cheaper, the experience just was not the same, despite the excellent work from BBC Radio Leicester and the various TV broadcasters. As much as we all love the sports themselves, part of what makes being a fan so great is the act of going to the games in person, being part of a shared experience with thousands of others, and enjoying the ecstasy and deflation together. To take that away has made being a supporter a weird experience. Having access only through the TV has made it almost seem a reality show, where we are distant viewers, sort of part of the action, but just not quite like really being there.
However, this has now changed. The love affairs that had gone quiet, the relationships that had been turned into a long-distance one has been rekindled, after 15 months apart. This is due to being privileged enough to be at Wembley for the FA Cup Final, and at Twickenham last Friday night to watch Leicester Tigers take on Montpellier in the European Challenge Cup. Yes, after 15 months apart, these relationships were not brought back together over a quiet drink, this was quite the opposite. This was penthouse suite, room service and numerous bottles of champagne levels. Having been lucky enough to attend both, I can happily report it is like we weren’t away at all.
Starting with the FA Cup final, an experience made different due to this being a Government event. So a Covid test had to be arranged prior to attending. This in turn led to irrational fears of testing positive, having not tested positive for Covid-19 in the 15 months prior. This irrational fear and paranoia even led to the contemplation of whether my fiancé should take a test every day to ensure that as a teacher, she was not in contact with any child with the virus. This may seem excessive, but missing out on Leicester first FA Cup final in 52 years due to a pesky child would have been too much to bear. Thankfully the only virus I tested positive for was Cup Fever and a place at Wembley was secured.
As for the day itself, it was perfect from start to finish. From the atmosphere created by the travelling Leicester contingent, who made up 80% of the population and noise on Wembley Way, to getting to my seat and receiving the free gifts kindly provided by our owners, and being reunited with the vision of a real life football pitch was a feeling of pure joy and relief of actually getting in. The first bars of Abide With Me, with the Leicester end filled with raised scarfs and cracked voices from the emotions of seeing the Foxes in an actual FA Cup Final after so many missteps along the way.
And then there was the goal. One of the greatest goals I’ve ever witnessed in the flesh. One that made time stand still as the ball seemed to go in slow motion past the despairing goalkeeper’s hands, and into the only corner of the goal the ball could go. And then the noise. The release of pure emotion. Where for that 60 seconds, nothing else in the world mattered apart from that joy, that raw ecstasy, that pure unfiltered happiness that only goals in a Cup Final can produce. And looking around in the madness of it all and seeing thousands of fellow supporters also lost in their own personal excitement. Nothing ever compares to those moments. They are the moments you miss when sat on the sofa at home. They are the moments why we keep attending week after week, like addicts, because we never want to miss out on them. Never want the feeling of not being there when they happen.
And then the late drama. The gut punch of Chelsea equalising, through the pantomime villain Ben Chilwell, sliding into the corner in front of the Chelsea fans, themselves now having their own moment of celebratory chaos. The sickening feeling of throwing it away being turned into a sickening feel of a different kind, as VAR stepped into to disallow the goal. The noise and the madness returning, as we’re now so close to winning. We’re actually going to do it. And then the nerves kick in, or is it excitement? Definitely nervous excitement. The final whistle goes and the joy the ecstasy and the emotion all come flooding back, as you think of all those who weren’t there to share that joy with, either those who couldn’t get a ticket or those who had passed. As Leicester City – little old Leicester, the bridesmaid of 4 previous finals but never the bride – finally were the winners of the FA Cup.
Fast forward 6 days to Friday night, as Leicester Tigers made their long-awaited return to a Twickenham final after an 8 year absence, and their first European final since 2009. Being honest, being a Tigers fan over the last 2 years has been tough and has been compared to being in an abusive relationship. However, over the course of the last 12 months, there appears to be light at the end of the tunnel, with Steve Borthwick leading the revolution back towards competing at the right end of table again. Friday night was the first step towards that goal, and hopefully this will prove to be the first of many more final appearances across different competitions.
To compare and contrast fortunes as both a Leicester City and Tigers fan is fascinating, as over the course of the last 15 years, roles have been reversed. City have gone from being a middling team and club on a road to nowhere, to one that is the envy of many of fan. Tigers however have swapped endless Titles and European forays for relegation battles at the bottom. And it is in this that makes being a Tigers fan so special, and it is linked to the joy everyone at Wembley all felt. Most of those at Wembley had a story from when Leicester City were diabolically bad, it was that that made the whole day so much sweeter. And so it is and will be for Tigers fans. We have seen the team be disappointingly bad, and escape relegation twice by the skin of our teeth. As a result, it is why 95% of those at Twickenham were Tigers fans, it is why the optimism is starting to come back. Because the only way is up, and having been at the bottom, we are determined to enjoy the ride, and we will appreciate the wins and big days out an awful lot more.
And so Friday night saw a 10,000 crowd, predominantly filled with Leicester Tigers supporters who were both raucous and passionate, as the noise made as the terrific Tigers maul sprinted towards the try-line from the 22, flinging Montpellier bodies out of their path. The seemingly wild celebrations as Nemani Nadolo seemed to score in the corner, before having it ruled out due to an earlier indiscretion. The fun has returned to Leicester Tigers, and the sun is starting to shine again over Welford Road.
Ultimately Tigers came up short, but it was certainly not for lack of effort or trying. And now attentions now return to domestic duties, as Tigers face trips to Worcester and Wasps, as well as a tough home encounter against Bristol. Tickets have been acquired for the Worcester game – after 15 months away, I cannot just leave it at only 1 game. The addiction is back, the love affair rekindled.
Sport is for the fans, don’t let anyone tell you that it is not. To Leicester City and Leicester Tigers, you are at times disappointing and a pain in the arse, but ultimately you are the greatest clubs in the world, let’s see each other more often now please?