| from the march to BZ what a day 11:39 - May 25 with 913 views | enfieldargh |
This is just my experience of the march to Wembley so only how I observed it.
My two sons and I arrived at loftus road about 10:20, the march had already left but there were loads of little groups all following the route so don't know how many were assembled at 10AM.
We started catching up with the tail end by the Pavilion and made our way up Wood Lane. As we crossed the Iron Bridge just before car giant mini roundabout there was a Qpr fan on the opposite side of the road completely paralytic, can of beer in one hand fag in the other, he crumpled to the floor, first faller. (His mate stayed with him , doubt he got to the game)
There were loads of tipper trucks turning into a yard(Irish guys) and they started blasting on their horns made such a racket....was fantastic, that's when the singing started(in our section anyway). All you had to do was start off a song and everyone joined in. As we neared the Harrow Road there seemed like thousands ahead of us. We were determined to make our way to the frontish which was what we intended to do had we got out of bed earlier.
We were gasping for a drink so went into the petrol station just on the Harrow Road/Wood Lane junction. The queue took ages and everyone we passed slowly trooped by, but then we were off again.
We could just make out the Wembley Arch in our sights
We could not see the front of the march but we stayed with a load of guys and sang our hearts out through Harlesden, there were what seemed about 60/70 in our little group with loads more ahead and behind. One guy with a big flag was banging on bus windows in time to our chants, it was like going to away matches in the 70's/80's singing and bigging up but this time all the locals were smiling and waving and giving us encouragement, no looking ahead waiting for an ambush....
Around the one way system we caught up with the coffin which was of a fine design made from polystyrene with rope handles and black and white flowers on the lid with the RIP DCFC on it. It also had a handy hole in the front which they stored a golf umbrella in.
By now we were heading down Church Road, at the bottom there is a park entrance just by the roundabout at top of Neasden Lane, this had become the official piss stop, I'm sure there will be plenty of larger trees and beer bushes growing there in the near future! Do not eat any of the berries on one bush there, you will be pissed for a month.
A police van pulled up across the top of Neasden Lane blocking the traffic from going down which meant we could spill off the pavements so we walked down the centre of the road. Remember all this time we must have worked our way through a good 2, to 3,000 marchers, the groups got thicker as we thought we must be nearing the front. As we went under the rail bridge before walking up to Neasden tube station we saw the big banners for the first time which we guessed must be near the front. We got our second proper sight of Wembley, then the Wembley chants rang out. Also saw Saxbend. Saxbend Saxbend give us a song Saxbend give us a song!!!
By now I was starting to tire(57 and unfit) but we settled into the vanguard as we climbed what seemed mount Everest up to the Neasden roundabout. There were so many police and bike coppers all holding up the traffic. I would think that the back of the March was still in Harlesden by this time, we had got to where we wanted to be near the front and I was just amazed at the traffic chaos we had caused..it was wonderful.
On the roundabout there were overhead foot bridges where one nutty eastern European was dancing and shouting at us(No idea what he was saying).
A chorus of JUM JUMP JUMP rang out. We then went down Neasden High Street which I haven't been down since I was a kid from the area. Remember we had not stopped singing all the way since Neasden Tube. Anyone started a chant, everyone else joined in. At the bottom of Neasden High Street we had to walk through an underpass under the North Circ.
As we spiralled down I saw a guy with dressed as Denis the menace outfit(homemade head)
Once inside the underpass it went totally mental and the crescendo of noise and chanting was deafening. We got out the other end and I felt everyone started re charging their batteries cos it went a bit quiet(That or we all went deaf).
We were about two/three hundred yards behind the front banners by now. The traffic jams were solid but we are QPR a we go where we want. (This was sung much of the way)
We went passed MacDonald's and up Blackbird Hill. No northbound traffic only piles of cars heading towards Neasden, although they weren't going anywhere.
At the top of blackbird Hill I turned around, all I could see we thousands of Rangers, they must still have been coming out the underpass at the North Circ, it was like watching an all conquering army on the march.
One guy was taking a leek by the bus stop just a bottom of Forty Lane, he dropped his flag right in it...hope he didn't bring it with him.
Just passed Brent Town Hall we got our first close up look of Wembley Stadium, our marathon trek was nearing its end. We then saw our first Derby fans, three of them scurrying up towards the town hall...typical of sheep to get lost.
As we rounded the corner, there was THe Torch brimming with Rangers Fans.
We Walked all the Way, We walked all the way, Were Queens Park Rangers we walked all the way rang out and was met with We are QPR from the pub, it was magical. All the way down Bridge Road to Wembley Park tube this was sung.
We got to the top of Wembley Way and down onto it it was mostly Derby fans but a fair load of Rangers. We turned around and everyone was strung out. (They probably disappeared into the torch(God knows how the could fit it was bursting at the seems).
It now seemed like we were on our own, just the 3 of us. But we sang our way up the ramps to the Stadium and all busting to go to the loo. We reached the Stadium went to the toilet only to be told it was closed because the drains were blocked!!!
I had been apprehensive of the game all week, all this went completely from my mind during the walk which was such a thrilling event.
We saw the Rangers team getting onto the Team Coach leaving at the Wembley Hilton(Fkuk me they could have walked its only 500 yards)!!!
We saw the players Harry all get on. I was standing by a woman who was doing a live broadcast for some Radio station. She interviewed a Rangers fan who gave sensible and forthright answers to her questions about our chances, financial implications ets.... I thrust my Harry Rednapp mask in front of her and she said into her mike thingy,
'oh we have Harry Rednapp, well his mask anyway. Tell me what do you think of your chances today?
(Remember several cans of larger and 6 miles of walking later) I replied. I don't care, win or loose, I've just marched with 5,000(poetic licence) other passionate Rangers fans from Loftus Road. Supporting QPR is a roller coaster, one minute your up, then years your down. If we win we win, I'll be happy cos I support the best club in the World...I then walked off.
Had fantastic seats met the Crazy Indian Guy at half time and Grandad with his sombrero was near me with his horn and ratchita rattle.
Sat, sang, stood calmly throughout the game, even when GO got sent off I didn't even feel any distress or despair. When we scored it was the greatest feeling I've ever had in 46 years following the Rangers, beating Furs goal V Oldham etc...
When Bobby Zamora scored went absolutely mental, I don't think I stopped jumping around like a kid until they asked me to leave the stadium.
There is so much more that happened on the day that will come back to me....what a fantastic day |  |
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| from the march to BZ what a day on 12:08 - May 25 with 832 views | DaBurgh |
Excellent, just like being there. |  | | |
| from the march to BZ what a day on 12:12 - May 25 with 816 views | enfieldargh |
there was also a group of guys dressed for a wedding in waistcoats and smart trousers with flower corsages.
Quite a few Scandinavians, saw Swedish & Norwegian flags | |
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| from the march to BZ what a day on 12:54 - May 25 with 753 views | terryb |
Great post enfield.
I almost wished I'd been on the walk but my 62 year old body is suffering from walking to Wembley from the pub in Kingsbury! |  | | |
| from the march to BZ what a day on 14:43 - May 25 with 633 views | Aunt_Nelly |
Nice write up.
(Not my pics) |  | | |
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