View from S Horsham by HatterDon & WhiteWitch

So good, that it needed to be recopied. The WhiteWitch reports on the o.g fusa were just great reads and she teamed up w/HatterDon on his & Mrs. Hatter's recent trip from San Antonio to the Man City match. The 'Mikey' mention is our own AmericanMike aka WW's son-in-law. Just had a DOH moment and the Clint look-a-like WW mentions must be the newly signed up DempseyTwin.

HD: Thanks to the neverending parade of Fulham faithful who took their time this past week to make me and my child bride feel welcome. It truly felt like coming home. We love you all.


WW: The Witch report revived
The Hordes of Texas are Upon Us


HD: ‘ere! Ooo you callin’ an ‘orde?

WW: One of the nicest things about living a million steps from nowhere in the depths of West Sussex is renting a house big enough to invite the Hatter and his missus to come and stay over for a match. The second nicest thing is getting up really, really early and seeing the mist on the meadows and the deer munching your rose bushes.
This particular morning a quick check on the Gatwick arrivals site put an end to the musings on venison recipes as the flight got in 20 minutes early (i.e. NOW) and the terminal had changed to North Terminal. Now I spend many happy hours at Terminal 3 Heathrow, picking up the outlaws from Lawnguyland, and I’ve even been found at South Terminal GTW on occasion but the North Terminal might as well be right behind the Angel of the North for all I know of it.
No worries – a very tall man with a distinctive beard and a lady with a great Texas drawl are passing time with an airport rep with a clipboard and answering questions on the service with a gentility not often found in these here parts.
Using the accordion approach we fold ML into the back of my tiny Micra ( I think they use two of those as roller skates in San Antonio) and manage to concertina The Hatter into the front. A scary journey on English roads is much alleviated by seeing some green after the hottest and driest summer on record in SA.

HD: I approached match day in the best possible form, having spent Saturday evening in the company of HatterMom, Jaki, Keith, Richard, Mikey, Katy, and The Silver Fox. There was much wine disposed of, much cheese, no sausages[!] and lots of Fulham talk and laughter.

WW: The Silver Fox was enticed from his lair with promises of English cheese and a seat on the balcony at the Cottage (Don’t ask – his irresistible Gallic charm and his endless supply of French chocolate has found him a new friend). Once the Hatters and the French Connection were in place around the fromage (fresh from Lyon market that morning) the rest of the coven needed no second invitations. A great evening was had by all. If you meet WHITE warlock junior do ask him to tell you the joke about the officer’s mess and the Tiger or maybe you need a dozen bottles of good wine to fully appreciate it.

HD: I was, therefore, fully ready to take on the Dirty Northern Bastards du jour.

WW: The Hatters were up and breakfasted early as the rest emerged for bacon and eggs and numerous cups of pre-match coffee. I have to confess that most would have bitten your hand off for a point at that time although no-one expected to get even that. Sad tales of last year’s Citeh visit brought the mood down very fast and were all glad to don our various lucky shirts and get onto the A24 Northward bound. I should note, and take complete responsibility for what came later, that I found the very shirt I was wearing when a certain Mr Kamara turned around our statistical relegation a wee while ago.
Having two very small cars we took pity on our two extremely tall visitors and took both cars up to the ground – Mr Ww dropped the Hatter off at the pub and the ladies followed at a more sedate pace – parking outside the famous Tintos and then hiking up the FP Road with a takeout cappuccino each.

HD: But first, there was the pre-match meet-up at The Old Suffolk Punch. The first person up to shake my hand said, “Hello, Hatter; I’m Gold Coast White.” Having met the REAL version on Friday, however, I knew that this must be Freddy. I immediately began drinking with American Mike, Equalizer, Rambling Syd, Matt the Swede, Dan Crawford, the Real Gold Coast White, and a couple of others when young and old[er] giants Lork and LBno11 dropped in. I managed to keep my quaffing under control until the missus showed up with The White Witch of Horsham. We then proceeded to the ground.

WW: At The Old Suffolk Punch it was a hug fest as I renewed acquaintance with FatFreddiesCat, Eq, and LBno11 and met RamblingSyd, Matt the Swede, Dan, the gorgeous Lork and many others for the first time. Even SadOldGit – sad no longer alongside his lovely new wife [Don edit: American wife] – turned up to say hello. I should mention at this point the charming Michael from Dallas, with a Denver entourage in tow, who we met two days before on the Cottage Tour (another long story for the Hatter to tell you). Michael is the spitting image of a certain Mr Dempsey and is also a big fan of that gentleman. I introduced him to my son-in-law and by mysterious circumstance he was also invited onto the cottage balcony where the players were amazed by the likeness. The Silver Fox will have to tell you that one as he was there and mayhap he can post you a photo – it’s uncanny.
A gentle stroll down the river path from the Crabtree and we were rubbing shoulders with the faithful coming to the service. A squeeze and a hollow iron rattle through the turnstiles, then we were beneath the rumble of feet in the Hammy above us and the buzz of conversation and greetings as the congregation assembled on the riverside walk.

HD: We were sat in the Riverside stand, hard by the Hammersmith End. My sightline [about 1 yard behind the goal line] allowed me to see all the goalmouth action very clearly. It also allowed me to see that Citeh’s first goal was clearly offside. Similarly, it allowed me to notice that what easily could have been Citeh’s second was NOT flagged offside, even though the ‘non-interfering’ player stood between the shooter and Mark. I also had a perfect view up the channel that allowed me to watch in horror as City’s second went in. No chance for Mark, but where WERE our heads in the first 20 seconds? All around me figured ‘that’s that’ and I found myself looking forward to the trip to The Brick afterwards.

WW: Not the greatest seats for a match where you aren’t expecting to score but either the Pope or JH was smiling down at us as we looked across the Hammy goal. We had the best of SuperDan running towards us after he did what he does best and made something out of absolutely nothing. SuperDan I salute you and offer thanks to whichever misguided and fickle Tottenham demon kicked you out of that particular hell and into SW6.

HD: Some things you don’t pick up on television:
(1) the friggin’ Hammy End faithful put up a HUGE wall of noise – that got considerably louder when we dropped 0-2 behind. The acoustics of the stand guarantee that the majority of the noise they generate gets scooped up and deposited along the river bank. Even given that disadvantage, their passion rolled over the pitch at a great volume.
(2) Senderos is a monster, isn’t he? When he, Sa, and Ruiz started limbering up in the first half, he charged down the touchline like he was going to commit GBH on the corner flag, stopped and saluted the Hammy End. Thankfully, he did NOT make a left turn at that point, vault up into row H and slosh me in the chops in retaliation for my ceaseless drumbeating for Aaron.
(3) I was pleased to see the home supporters welcome Joe Hart down our way at the beginning of the second half. Not all clubs do this, and I appreciated it as much as England’s #1 did.

WW: We also had a great view of the first ever Hammy End Poznan which was a superb moment in our history. The atmosphere was electric and the noise was deafening. There were folks in the Riverside who threw away their prawn sandwiches and jumped in the air with the rest of us and I would bet our beloved chairman was one of them!

HD: About the match: I learned that although Steven Kelly is of slight build, he’s obviously as strong as an ox. He was impossible to bully off the ball, and City was unable to turn him the entire match. Dembele played better than I’ve ever seen. The one time I remember him dribbling into a cul-de-sac, he was able to get himself clear. In the second half, he was the indispensible man. Murphy and Zamora got the goals; Zamora and Dempsey got the assists, but Dembele was the man. The absolute truth of this match was that the crowd would not allow Fulham’s players to give up. The lads played hard and did not give City a moment’s respite throughout the second half. There was a ferocity about The Whites in the second 45 that was best embodied by the look on Murphy’s face when we equalized. Don’t try and convince me that our players don’t care. It was a brilliant day, filled with very good football and it was a great result. I could bitch about the crap lino in front of the Johnny Haynes Stand, but that would be petty.

WW: Afterwards, by previous arrangement, we handed our Texans over to Airfix and The Equalizer for the traditional walk back through the park and re-assembly at The Bricklayers Arms where more of the faithful were waiting to receive The Hatters. First we waited by the Statue to watch the players leave and young Matthew Briggs appeared in his smart suit and signed autographs for the crowd before he went to find his car – nice gesture young Matthew and much appreciated – we wish you well for a great future and, hopefully, some of it with us. The Citeh looked like they had lost – in real terms I think they did – good!

HD: After the match, HatterMom and I followed The Equalizer to the Brick to meet and drink with other FofFers – including new folks to meet: Admin, Kaz, Airfix, and the incomparable legend that is Big Mamma. We were all bristling to tell stories of an amazing comeback. I was told several times that we should remain for another month or two, since we seem to be some sort of favorable talisman. Back in San Antonio, Ag was saying the same thing for a different reason: San Antonio received its first meaningful rain in months shortly after we left. 2.79 inches were recorded over the three days of the weekend. At the same time this miracle occurred, London was mostly clear and comfortably warm.

WW: At the Brick my very first favourite yank – bless his little lawnguyland socks – awaited us with the attendant coven. Big Mamma and Fof’s founder (AKA Admin) Kaz (the other half of Fat Freddy), The Otter and MrSka and the ever active Southfield White plus many of those from the OSPunch were all imbibing excellent beers (The Brick is the beer lovers haunt). It was a triumphant day. Sometime just before the Twente match something gelled with our boys – or maybe something was tweaked – anyway I’m not as pessimistic as I was and I am warming to Mr Jol. All reports say he is well liked at MP and a very positive and friendly sort of guy. Mostly I think he wants to be here with us and that comes across – how could anyone NOT want to manage the most charismatic and quirky club in the Prem?????

HatterDon’s Man of the Match: All the home supporters no matter where they stood. They were strong and mighty, and I am proud to have been one of them on this day.

WHITEwitch’s MOTM. Hard to choose but I think SuperDan just pips it to the post. Twice during the Twente match I watched as he went into a brawl of 3-4 players and strolled out the other side with the ball. On Sunday afternoon he was happy to repeat this feat right in front of me and then again in their half. There’s something about pure class which I just can’t resist. Hail SuperDan and long may you reign – you bring a lot more to the party than just the highest number of successful passes in the Premiership last season.

HD: There will be a full trip report, and HatterMom’s photos will be linked – probably sometime next week. If there’s any Colonials thinking of making the trip – please don’t hesitate. Fulham have the most brilliant supporters imaginable. We could not have felt more welcome. As friendly as everyone seems on the message board, they’re that much more in person.

WW: Thanks for reading fellas – it’s nice to be back.

As HatterMom and I trailed WHITEWitch’s Keefy back to his auto – the Brick retreating into the evening chill -- El Bee let loose with one more round of “We Are the Whites.” Windows rattled in Watford.

 

A resemblence but they may have overcooked it