Fulham vs. Blackburn Football Match

Wednesday the 11th, (almost the second we got off the plane) we rushed to get to our Fulham vs. Blackburn Premier League Football (soccer) match. We got off at the Putney Bridge tube stop and made our way through a really cute park (though it was 7:30pm and dark so I couldn’t see too much of it) for about a mile to get to Craven Cottage, home of the Fulham Whites Football Club (FFC). The stadium was really cute and we had awesome seats, right behind the goal, about 10 rows from the front. It was SOOOO awesome!

Craven Cottage!

Getting ready to start the game!

We sat right behind the goal!!

So Fulham was 10th in the standings and Blackburn was 18th, and the odds that Blackburn would win were -12 to 1. Things got off to a great start, Fulham scored within the first minute and a half of the game and we were pumped, it looked like a great game already!

FULHAM GOAL!!!!

The rest of the first half was goalless and then Blackburn scored twice in the second half, winning the game against the odds. Despite Fulham’s loss, it was just a great game. It was fun listening to (and shortly after, joining in with) the chants and the cheering. It was a lot of fun!

It was also interesting at the end of the game leaving the stadium. When you book your tickets they have the sections clearly marked so that if you are a Fulham fan you sit in certain seats and if you are there for the away team or are neutral you sit in others, so during the game the two sides are separated. Well at the end of the game all of the fans have to walk together through the park to get back to the tube station. The Blackburn fans were just endlessly taunting the Fulham fans because they won and it was just SOOO funny. I don’t mean like a little bit of making fun of here and there, I mean like obnoxious taunting and cheering and provoking and it was really funny to see.

I also really liked how the stadium prohibits alcohol from the seating area of the stadium. If you want to drink you go outside during the game or wait until half-time. Personally, as a fan at a FLYERS game who sat next to a REALLY drunk guy whose beer was sloshing all over as he would yell, I was appreciative that I didn’t have to worry about it at this game. I just thought it was a really great policy.

After we got back to Baker Street, Bridget, Michael and I headed to McDonald’s for a late-night snack and then returned to school so that Michael could pack and get ready for his return flight to Philadelphia the next morning. It was a great end to a great visit with Bridget's brother.

Although the game helped to enhance how much I miss playing soccer, it was such an amazing time and I would love to go see another one if we had the chance!!