On July 26th 2012 I attended one of the Olympic Games 2012 pre opening ceremony Football Tournament preliminary matches at St James Park Newcastle to watch Mexico play the Republic of South Korea (see 2324). I was not impressed by South Korea who appeared well organised but unable to convert the many chances which they created while Mexico had flair but also appeared over cautious and desperate to survive without losing the game. It ended 0.0 and raised my hopes that the GB team (although restricted to English and Welsh players because of the refusal of the Scottish and Northern Island Federation to allow their players to be considered) would progress).
There was also major question marks about the extent of public support with some stadiums only having sold a third or less of the available tickets. I have been allocated two single football tickets in the first national ballot for the games having applied for tickets, albeit at the cheapest end for an event a day throughout the two weeks. It was only subsequently that I was able to acquire tickets for Badminton, Basketball and Boxing (already reported) and for Handball (to follow) and I had debated whether to take up the first of the two London Football tickets on August 1st which as luck would have it was between South Korea and Gabon. Not England, Brazil, France or Spain, countries with more appeal as footballing nations.
After the efforts of the morning and with already weary feet and hungry I left the Olympic Park after a brief visit to Live and to the Orbit and cross back to the Westfield Shopping centre along the middle way as thousands streamed into the stadium for afternoon sessions on either side. In addition to gaining entry into the shopping centre large signs reinforced by the army of volunteers each with a large hand which they offered to youngsters to give them 5 pointed the way to the Stratford International or Stratford town centre stations. In the shopping centre I made my way to escalators going down to the lower level and the food court, celebrating the decision to have checked out the centre and routes on my previous visit to London. As anticipated the food court was packed with no unoccupied seating available.
I queued for a McChicken Sandwich meal with diet Coke and was amazed at the speed of the operation. I was then able to find myself a stool seat at a table and enjoyed the food with time to notice the environment. I was later joined at the table by a couple who had been to an Italian food outlet with both having lamb shanks, one with rice and one with fried potato cubes at around £9 each.
After the food and a visit to the toilet which was very confusingly signed when seeking entry, reaction shared by several others which I found reassuring. I then took the over bridge route Stratford Railway and Bus station which involved going down several flights of steps as there was a good queue for the lifts and where the volunteers demanded that people did not stop to take photos. Everyone uses smart phones these days to take pictures and publish them immediately on face book. I had two phones with me resurrected the one with a camera which had lain under a caret in the car for over a year and had needed a new chip and a restart payment for calls. I promised myself to remember to bring this phone and leave the other back at the hotel.
I had worked out a route by underground but as I passed through the ticket barrier I overheard a volunteer saying the best route to Wembley was via the London overground. I asked him if I had heard correctly and he confirmed adding that when the train approached West Hampstead station I should give his house a wave. The overground platform was the furtherest along a tunnel under platform level trains and there are West Hampstead is the 13 stop so this part foot of the journey is a long one. On the previous London Visit I had got to Stratford after taking a train from East Croydon to Victoria and then the Victoria Line to Highbury and Islington for the Overground line to Stratford so I was familiar with the first part of the route. At West Hampstead there was a short walk and a crossing of a busy main road to Jubilee line stopping train to Wembley Park and in the report on the visit for the Badminton I mention taking the Jubilee line route from Green Park having also travelled from East Croydon to Victoria.
There is always a sense of occasion when exiting Wembley Park station and standing at the top of Wembley Way and looking ahead to the stadium. Again the volunteers pressed spectators not to stop on the stairs to take photos. By this time I was aware of a developing foot problem and took my time. At the stadium I was required to place the contents of all my pockets into a see through bag as occurred at St James Park but was also given a full body search. There were separate turnstiles for the ladies. It has only just occurred to me if children were also hand searched.
My seat was about midway in the top tier of the stadium and here was opportunity to watch the majority of the audience arrive while listened to Olympic report on BBC Five Live radio. On the previous morning before departure I had taken the lift down to the street at South Shields and walked to purchase a sandwich from Gregg’s and then to Argos to get a new pocket radio as the two in the House were not working and the available batteries also failed and were discarded. I had debated getting a pocket DAB in the hope it would counter the interference on the five live channel which occurs where lines are electrified. In the end I settled for what proved to a very small set and a new pack of A A batteries. The set fits into a shirt top pocket. I had bought a small headphone set the evening before. However when I attempted to use the set while waiting with a cup of coffee on Newcastle station I could not get a connection and also failed with the second battery. That evening after I arrived in Croydon booked in and unpacked I went to the Argos in the Street I knew at a child from Reeves Corner and the 654 Trolley bus up to the Surrey Street market and presented the radio. It proved to be the two batteries although the others in the pack subsequently worked. The faulty one was replaced with an extra one for the other I had been tempted to use and the radio has worked well since apart from the problem of interference when on an electrified railway. Sitting High up in Wembley stadium there was no problem except in this instance I was using the ear pieces provided and which as was confirmed by the experience that day, I am not good at using and not find comfortable. I had an additional problem which added to the sense of bodily discomfort because of a skin breakage on the bridge of nose arising from the use of the Sleep Apnoea machine and wearing spectacles. I was able to deal with by placing a small pad of tissues under the glasses but this made me too self conscious to use in public.
I mention these problems because in other circumstances they would have dominated the rest of my stay and although the exceptionally sore feet did affect mobility the atmosphere of the people in London for the Games was wondrous and inspiring. There had been what I considered good crowds for football matches not involving local or national teams at St James Park despite the availability of alcohol as usual there had been a relaxed family atmosphere in Newcastle. This is also what happened at Wembley stadium but with a distinct difference in part created because the stadium became more than three quarters full, with more people than at some friendly games involving England in the past. The crowd had come to enjoy itself and be part of the Olympic experience and while the appearance of a GB athlete transformed the audience in an extraordinary an un British way it was evident that people had come to have fun regardless of who was performing.
South Korea performed in the same way they had at St James Park. They demonstrated professional organisation at breaking through the defences of their opponents, The Gabon team, but as at St James Park repeated failed to convert their many opportunities to score a goal. Possibly because of my location and the increased size of the crowd I could not locate the same group of young supporters who had gathered behind one goal and created a constant sound of support. There were two school age boys created a two men cheer leaders for Gabon, one singing the national anthem with great passion. The result was 0.0. Again. Somehow South Korea went on to beat England, on penalties again but failed in the semi final but still they went to take the bronze. There were some 70000 present
I was experienced in the after game crush after games at Wembley, the rows of police horses and lines of police to stop crowds as the train filled and other were yet to arrive. Inside all routes south went to Baker Street and from there you chose your route. There was a merry go round getting from the Jubilee line at Green Park to the Victoria Line passing the extension which existed to St James Park. My feet were very sore now and I could have done without this. Back at East Croydon I enjoyed a breakfast sausage roll before going back to my room. Later I went out to the supermarket for sandwiches, BLT for the morning and Prawn Mayo for the now with Diet Coke and Water.
I have already described my journey back to Wembley on the Saturday for the Badminton and then entering the stadium early for the quarter final game. This could have involved England if they had not topped their group. Instead it was the Mexicans once more playing Senegal, the homeland of one Mohammed Fare, although his time was yet to come that evening. This was to me an enjoyable game with an even larger crowd of over 80000. The Mexicans had come to win and went two goals up but Senegal were to show their mettle drawing the game at full time 2.2. When Mexico scored their fourth goal in extra time I left with 14 minuets still to go and beat the crush a little, finding that the train went on passed Baker Street to Kings Cross/St Pancras and the route to East Croydon. Mexico went on to beat the favourites Brazil, silver medal winners in the previous two Olympic Games. I went home still in a sense of wonder at the way the British people were responding, unaware of the greatness to come
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