Got back last night, what a journey! I've had sod all sleep, even by my standards.
On the day of the match, I watched the videos on VillaTV. When McGinn said they didn't want to be a 'nearly team', and wanted something to show for it, I got all emotional thinking of everything that has happened since those two league cups, all the times we've failed at the last hurdles and had to watch others go on and lift a trophy.
Istanbul was amazing, everywhere you turned it was Villa. I didn't even mind when a guy grabbed me in the street for looking too angry and told me to smile! Or the people in front of me giggling every time I booed the opposition (apparently, when I boo I sound like a baying hound).
Hats off to the Freiburg fans. They came early and loudly (teehee), with a plan to drown out the Villa. But as we got closer to kick-off I think it dawned on them that our end stretched all the way to theirs and it was going to be an uphill battle. They kept going though. And quite a few congratulated us in the street after, which was classy.
We watched the match again after with beers in the Eylul Cafe, on that corner near the Dubliner. Everyone was celebrating every goal as if it were live, and when wee John McGinn lifted that trophy again we fucking roared!
We didn't land at Stansted till 1620, and raced through the airport to get to the car in time to watch/listen to the parade on Villa TV. It was awesome seeing everyone celebrating who couldn't be there on the night. I think we've made quite a few young people Villa fans this week. Even my fella donned one of my Villa shirts and went off to join the party!
Got in, ordered a curry, and sat and watched the goals again and the coverage / celebrations with the fella.
Don't think it has fully sunk in yet. I haven't been alone since Sunday, so I am looking forward to this weekend, sitting down on my own with some bourbon, a few Villa vids, and fucking off thirty years of frustration!
UTV.
