An Irish tale in small world...

Here i am stuck in Ireland on the weekend of a home game that will hopefully start to see a change in fortunes. I wasn't too disappointed as I have access to the world player and the hotel bar shows all the sky sports games and theres a group of old men that are football mad and up for the crack.

After spending a couple of days drinking with these guys it is apparent that one or two know a thing about the game and are also connected with the hotel in a way that is more than just 'regulars' or locals (the clue was when one of the guys just walks behind the bar and starts pouring everyone a drink without paying!)

So everything is fine and dandy then yesterday the internet connection goes down and has been down ever since - calls to the reception have no effect and I'm getting slightly anxious that the problem is going to carry on through to today.

To calm my nerves I decide it's time take myself off into the town centre and down a few Friday night bevvies and end up in a bar that is part of the hotel group and at the bar is the guy that was helping himself to beers back in the hotel (in my head I'm thinking free beer) so sit down and get talking to him.

It turns out this guy is the owner of both the hotel and the bar and, after a few drinks, I offer to look at the internet problem and see if I can fix it for him in the morning... We then get on to why I am so desperate to get the connection fixed and tell him I'm a Swindon fan and it's the only way I can listen to the match at which point he burst out laughing... now, I'm not sure how to react at this point cos my heads thinking 'cheeky cunt' but suddenly he stops and says " your season's not going to well is it? It's a bit of a surprise cos you did all right last season but losing Greer and Paynter can't have helped but your lad Austin at least has kept you in with a chance of staying up"

So now I'm thinking what the fuck - I knew these old guys were up to speed on the game but how the fuck does he know so much about Swindon?

"So how's our lad Alan Sheehan getting on? You know he's from around here and you were drinking with his father the other day?! - we always follow Alan so we know quite a bit about Swindon... You haven't got a clue who I am have you? I'm Paddy, Paddy McCaul, President of the Football Association of Ireland"

The rest of the evening is a bit of a blur but I think it was all about football and I'm here until Wednesday - me thinks the liver will be pickled by then...

Internet connection is back up so all set for the game...