Northern Ireland v Italy (15/11/2021)

PATRIC OUTSIDE THE NAT IONAL FOOTBALL STADIUM AT WINDSOR PARK. HE WILL BE INSIDE THE STADIUM TONIGHT

What are you most looking forward to? Apparently there will be a free burger in the Billy Bingham Lounge, but I think I would prefer a pie - that’s more of a football thing, surely? There might also be oranges at half-time but maybe that’s just for the players. I really want to enjoy the experience and will have an open mind. However, I won’t be singing along with the songs, as I won’t know the words. The only live sporting event I have ever attended was the Schools’ Cup rugby final at Ravenhill in 1979, and I was only there under duress. I remember being handed a piece of paper with the words of the songs which we were expected to sing to spur on our team. Is that still a thing? Any scoreline predictions? Well , I know that Northern Ireland are playing Italy, who I suspect may be the better team on the night . I believe they may even have won the World Cup a few times, so I’m afraid Northern Ireland might struggle to secure a win. Obviously a victory for us would be amazing, and even a draw would be a very good result . I’m beginning to sound like Gary Lineker now. It pains me to say it , but I’m predicting 3-0 to Italy. Still , it’s not the winning that matters, it’s the taking part . Or maybe that’s some other sports thing? Going to a football match is something I can tick off my bucket list , if I had a bucket list , which I don’t . But if I start a bucket list , that’s one less thing I have to add. I don’t think I’ ll suddenly become a football fan by attending just one match, but even with my lack of football knowledge I am aware that this is an important match in the grand scheme of things and if Northern Ireland should happen to win I would be very proud to have been a part of history in the making.

I have a vague memory of watching a Northern Ireland World Cup match on a television in a caravan in 1982, and I was DJing in a bar in Belfast’s city centre on the night Northern Ireland beat England in 2005 (I had to look that up) . The sheer joy on the punters’ faces and the atmosphere in the bar that night was something I had never seen before (or since) , but I did wonder why so many people were asking me to play a particular Neil Diamond song (I have since learned the significance) . What do you envisage tonight’s sporting event will entail, being booked into the Billy Bingham Lounge and all? I have really no idea what to expect at all . I’m thinking there will be big queues to get into the stadium and a lot of noise once I’m in there. After spending so long in relative isolation, thanks to Covid restrictions, it’s going to be quite strange. I like the idea of the Billy Bingham Lounge as part of me is worried that I might be bored. But at least I won’t be bored and cold.

IRISHFA.COM

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