Cod Almighty | Diary

The stars look very different today

9 May 2016

Miss Guest Diary writes: I am not a superstitious person and have been known to poke fun in this very diary at the magical thinking embodied by my partner's lucky shirt or lucky parking space. But I am unable to give any rational explanation for my sudden decision to stay away from yesterday's match, despite having a ticket.

I had woken up feeling a little uneasy from a strange dream about being cast adrift in a space capsule with Paul Hurst and several members of the Town squad – which I put down to having heard an interview on the radio the previous evening about the writing of 'Space Oddity'. Anyway, the feeling passed as I got up and started getting ready for the journey south. I was halfway through buttering some lucky corned beef and pickle rolls when the feeling returned. I recalled that the last time Town won away was the Podge hat-trick game at Woking, which my partner had attended and I had elected to miss, and I found myself telling him that I wasn't going to the match.

Of course, I tried to rationalise it by citing reluctance to endure the long car journey and the possibility of having to stand on a sun-baked open terrace for three hours. I painted it as a no-lose scenario: if Town won I'd get to go to Wembley next week and if they lost I'd avoid the long drive home in a car filled with despair. I'm not sure either of us bought it, but I stayed home anyway. So, of course, you all have me to thank for Town's incredible fightback. Oh, and my partner's complete change of outfit for the day.

I discovered yesterday that I absolutely hate watching Town live on the television; something I've not done before as I'm usually at the game. When actually in the ground, I have become sufficiently football-savvy to recognise when an opposition attack is a real threat. Sat on my own in front of the TV was almost as bad as listening on the radio: every Braintree attack felt like it might result in a goal. How do fans of top-flight clubs do it season after season? Fortunately Braintree didn't have that many chances, but by half time I was a nervous wreck. I spent much of the second half and extra time finding excuses to leave the room, rushing back in at any significant increase in the noise levels. In that way I missed the penalty incident but was just in time to see Podge's successful penalty and Omar's goal, after which I watched the last 10 minutes with gritted teeth and half-closed eyes.

Of course, when my partner arrived home we watched the TV coverage from start to finish, including the wonderful "I’ve got something in my eye" moment with Dizza, which I'm sure everyone has seen by now. But it's worth watching again. My particular favourite moment was Hurst's reaction to the first goal: he's obviously been taking goal celebration lessons from Jurgen Klopp.

So, we're off to Wembley next Sunday to do battle with Forest Green Rovers. Ten years ago they were in the Conference South while Town were in the old second division (now the Championship). I have seen a number of Twitter posts from fans of other clubs urging Town on because the idea of Forest Green in the Football League is unthinkable. Is it any more unthinkable than Stevenage or Crawley or Fleetwood? They are a club with a long, albeit lowly, history and a rich backer – a proven recipe for promotion success.

Last year for the game against Bristol Rovers I felt we travelled in hope; this year it will be in expectation. I hope the players, and fans, can bear the weight of that expectation and come through the other side into the Football League. But if it is not to be for a second year running, have a read of what I wrote after last year's defeat and remind yourselves that supporting Town is what matters, in whichever division we find ourselves.

Much has been written and said about Leicester City over the last week or so and you may feel you've seen and heard enough to last a lifetime. I know I did, until I saw this article by Julian Barnes. Anyone who can write that he has "spent decades poised between mild hopefulness and draining disappointment" knows what it's like to be a real supporter.