Two games were on my mind on this day. My local team Frome Town were playing Hanwell Town at home, while Chelsea were also at home to Hull City. If I am honest, I wanted to see both. Frome were riding the crest of a fine recent wave – three wins, fifth in the league – but I knew that I would be attending the Chelsea match. This wasn’t to be something as serious or as life changing as me having to decide between the two.

“The first temptation of Chris?”

Not quite.

But I knew that I wished I could have been in two places at once. One day I will have to decide between Chelsea and Frome Town. It will be the toughest of decisions, the toughest of days.

At 6.50am, I set off for London.

The Half-Moon Cafe

We have been visiting “The Half-Moon Café” on the Fulham Palace Road for a few years now. I had dropped PD and LP at “The Eight Bells” at 9.45am, where they breakfasted at “The River Café”, but I had to park up near Queens Club, so tied in a visit to this excellent café first. Everything lined up in a traditional 4-4-2.

Bubble

Bacon – Bread – Butter – Fried Egg

Baked Beans – Liver – Black Pudding – Mug Of Tea

English Mustard – Brown Sauce

I wolfed it all down. Not only tasty but cheap; all this for just £11.50.

The Eight Bells

From my spot on Kinnoul Road, I decided to walk the mile-and-a-half from the bottom end of Hammersmith to the bottom end of Fulham. The District Line was closed, so many supporters going to the match would be faced with alternative methods of reaching Stamford Bridge and their usual watering holes. I got my steps in and was happy that I walked into the pub at 11.19am, not 11.20am, one minute ahead of schedule. We’re always happy to beat the GPS predictions, aren’t we? Deano had just joined Salisbury Steve, Lord Parky and P-Diddy.

The People Who Grinned Themselves To Death

I soon took a photo of the lads and shared it on “Facebook”. Deano had just mentioned that he had played some Beautiful South in the morning, but chastised himself for the links to The Housemartins, and thus Hull. So, I jumped in and gave the photo a reference that stemmed from The Housemartins’ second album. Rather that, on this day of days, than the title of their first one; London 0 Hull 4.

PD And Deano

The Perry Boys. Steve was wearing a Fred Perry polo-shirt too, and to complete the roll-call, Parky was wearing a “Pretty Green” polo shirt, and I was wearing a “K-Way” polo. After all, Hurlingham was just a stone’s throw away.

Selfie

My friends Nat from Kansas and Sujin from California arrived at 12.30pm and settled down for a chat alongside us. I last Saw Nat at Cardiff City last year, but I had not seen Sujin since a match at Manchester City a few years ago. Nat is a keen University of Kansas college football fan and when she mentioned their rivalry with Missouri, I reluctantly mentioned that the latter’s band, “The Marching Mizzou” once appeared at Stamford Bridge before and, infamously, during a game that I attended against Derby County in March 1975. Her face dropped. Nat was aghast that Kansas’ big rivals had a link with her beloved Chelsea. There was also a predictably sad moment when I asked where their two seats were located. Whenever friends say “West Lower” I always feel like giving them a pacifying hug and say something sympathetic, knowing that it’s a quiet section of the stadium, full of folk that never feel the need to join in with our hundred and one songs of support. We spoke about a lot of football and I absolutely loved it that both Americans saw the logic of me and my boycott of the 2026 World Cup.

Chelsea Smiles

We caught a bus on Putney Bridge to Fulham Broadway, then made our way towards Stamford Bridge. Time was moving on but there was time for photos.

London Five

Wiltshire, Somerset, Kansas, California. Ironically, we had not mentioned the match in the pub. But Hull City were riding high and yet to concede a single goal.

Fly The Flag

I was in, rather too rushed for my liking, at 2.45pm. I took my place alongside Alan, Clive and PD, fresh from the nine-goal jamboree on Wednesday. I spotted a new addition among the flags and banners in The Shed Upper; an old-school Union Jack that carried the same Chelsea font as an infamous flag featured in “The Football Factory” in 2004.

Teams

I was looking forward to seeing the fine lines of the classic Hull City kit. In my mind, it’s the best of the bunch of this season’s Premier League teams. I love the broad stripes and far from intrusive sponsor. It’s class. Ours isn’t too far behind.

Xabi Alonso lined up his troops in a 4-2-3-1

Emi Martinez

Malo Gusto –  Wesley Fofana – Levi Colwill – Jorrel Hato

Reece James – Romeo Lavia

Pedro Neto – Cole Palmer – Morgan Rogers

Joao Pedro.

Hands Up

Oh those lovely kits.

Flap

In the early-exchanges, I caught a shot of Emi Martinez attempting to catch a high ball. His form over the course of the game would be variable, to say the least.

Goal

After just seven minutes, a lovely break up field. Palmer carried the ball up the right, guidede the ball inside to Joao Pedro, who passed the ball on to Rogers. A burst of speed, a low shot at goal. It wasn’t apparent to me, straight away, that the ball was in. The roar of the crowd, and the lack of a linesman’s flag, was enough.

Joy

I love the smiles on the face of the scorer and the supporters in the East Lower.

Leap

And I love this leap against the backdrop of supporters too.

Remembering

Just after another lovely passing move that ended with a shot from Gusto, many of the crowd – literally thousands – clapped on the twelfth minute in memory of the much-loved Agi who passed away during the week. I stood, too, as did a few around me. Although I never see it on a match day, there is a large Cyprus Blues flag that hangs on the wall of the Matthew Harding to my immediate right, overlooking the West enclosure. Agi was proud of this permanent fixture at his beloved Stamford Bridge. I took a photo of a flag that usually hangs at the other end of the West Lower. It’s the flag that father and son Tony and Kyle Broadbent took to Munich in 2012. Sadly, not long after Munich, Kyle died in a terrible accident at work, and then the grief-stricken Tony died of cancer a few years later. It seemed appropriate to commemorate all three on this day.

Loft

Here, Neto tries to hit a blue shirt from a free kick. On twenty-one minutes, Palmer was in a very similar position to his goal on Wednesday, and I was hoping for the same cool shot to the left, but he passed outside to Neto and the chance was lost. Until then, we had carried the bigger threat but looked slower than most occasions this season in moving the ball forward. Not long after, the Hull City ‘keeper Konstantinos Tzolakis went down injured, and there was a break in play.

Punt

After the extended stoppage, the visiting goalie took a goal-kick that was punted long. The ball bounced high inside our half, but the next time that a player touched it was when it was a couple of yards from the goal-line below me, and Gusto was trying to shadow his marker and hope that the ball would go off for a goal-kick at our end. Alas, a stronger challenge would have been better. Ryan Giles was able to hook the ball in, high, but Hato made a complete mess of the flight of the ball, decided not to meet the bounce. Mohamed Belloumi was on hand to smash the ball past the dive of Martinez. Bollocks.

You’re So Vane

I wonder how many in our global support base – millions upon millions of the buggers – can name the former player who is depicted on the old weathervane that sits high upon the East Stand roof. Down below on the pitch, Hull created a very similar chance that resulted in Leeds’ second goal on Wednesday. A cross, a lay-off, but thankfully Martinez saved the effort this time.

Catch

Martinez caught this one, and so did I.

Tigers

The visiting Hull supporters packed out their allocation of three thousand. I have enjoyed visiting Hull over the years – five games, five wins – and it is a city that now shuffles its love for both rugby league and football. We once memorably stayed in a hotel / pub in Hull for the mighty sum of £7.50 per person for the game in 2020.

Chasing The Game

Six minutes after the equaliser, a corner down below me, and a free header from Semi Ajayi with Martinez unable to reach the cross. His effort crashed against the bar. It came back and Belloumi was able to slam the ball in via a deflection. Buggering bollocks. Soon after, the away supporters sang “we’re gonna win the league” but nobody believed them. Not even them.

Wide

This shot from Gusto was deflected wide.

Spot The Ball

There had been a terrible lack of movement from the lads in the forward positions as the first half fizzled out.  Two lame corners ended a frustrating half. Sadly, down in Frome, Dodge were losing too; 0-1. Hanwell Town’s home ground is just eight miles from Stamford Bridge. I was hoping for a “Frome / Chelsea doubler” this season but it won’t happen; shame. At the break, we were all disappointed with our wilting in the second part of the first period. Alan handed out some treats to cheer us. He did the same midweek. Would his lucky halftime Cadbury’s chocolates do the trick like they did against Leeds, or were these ideas of mine just a careless Wispa? At the break, Alonso replaced Hato with Chavarria.

Twist

This was a classic Cole Palmer move. I love capturing these moments.

Threatening

We hoped a new vitality would dominate as we attacked – here via Rogers – the Matthew Harding. Down in Somerset, joy as Jon Davies made it 1-1.

Line

I often try to capture the jostling for position at throws and corners. It’s almost like a sub sport these days; a sport within a sport. Or rather, a non-sport.

Face-Off

Joao Pedro, up to his antics.

Sir!

“He’s being naughty, sir!”

Who? Me?

“What have I done?”

Waiting

Reece James takes aim.

Shot

Sadly this flew wide.

Waiting For The Ball To Drop

All eyes on the prize.

Claimed

The Hull City ‘keeper just about reached this. At the other end, Martinez blocked well from Regan Slater, then reacted to stop the ball from reaching Oli McBurnie.

Wing Play

Neto put in another good shift out wide, but I am afraid that his final ball was occasionally lacking. Nevertheless, this felt like we were turning the screw.

Pace

On sixty-six minutes, I captured the pace of Cole Palmer on film, as he raced past his marker down below me. He nutmegged a second defender, and the ball was played perfectly to the waiting Joao Pedro.

Wallop

I only caught the follow-through of the strike; the ball was well on its way into the top of the goal net. It was absolutely slammed home.

Thumbs Up

Phew.

Let’s Go

There were no celebrations; just a desire to keep going.

Close

More wing play from Neto. Down in Somerset, Frome were 2-1 via a first-ever goal from left-back Zack Ali. On seventy minutes, much applause for Valentin Barco who replaced Romeo Lavia. The Chelsea world has been purring about Barco of late. Alan said that he was reminded of N’golo Kante somewhat, what with his nimble-feet and effortless passing. Chavarria down below me was enjoying a fine game; something about his running style and his gait reminds me so much of Cesar Azpilicueta.

At The Other End

On seventy-five minutes, a low shot from James was saved. On seventy-eight minutes, Danny Welbeck replaced Gusto. He hadn’t had a great game, but I didn’t like the roar as his name was announced. At the other end, Brooke Norton-Cuffey broke well but this shot did not worry Martinez. An effort from Welbeck – his first touch I think – was saved.

A Late Chance

A strong run from Rogers suggested we had it in us to nab a late winner, but his low shot was saved by Tzolakis. However, with five minutes to go I admitted to Clive “I’ll take a draw now.”

A Low Cole

This lad’s close control was amazing, even when off balance.

Outnumbered

Five against one, he still maintained possession. At the other end, a super low cross was met at the back stick by Mohamed-Ali Cho, but Martinez scrambled across to smother brilliantly. Down in Frome, Hanwell Town scored a very late equaliser, and it ended 2-2.

Fresh Legs

On eighty-six minutes, Alonso replaced Neto with Estevao and Fofana with Lacroix. The Brazilian soon tested the Hull ‘keeper at his near post.

Closing In

Here, the zesty Brazilian tries to race away but our marked man sees his space closed down.

Pink Boots

What would Chopper have made of all of this? Estevao was upended soon after this photo, and we sensed one final chance.

Summit Talks

Five Chelsea players figure out the best way to steal a winner.

Decision Time

Cole or Reece? I wasn’t sure, but it was more suited to an inswinger from Cole.

Over

The ball ballooned over, the final moment.

So, two 2-2 draws for my two teams, and that was that. It took me a further thirty minutes to walk the one-and-a-half miles back to the car; at least I had given myself a nice cardio-vascular workout between the breakfasts and the football. I back-tracked down to “The Mitre” to collect my fellow passengers and we headed west.

It had been a disappointing game of course; there is no doubt. But I had to keep reminding myself that Xabi Alonso has only had six games – and only four Premier League games – to test his ideas and to get some sort of plan together.

He knows where there are shortcomings.

He knows the score.

We’ll be OK.

See you at Brentford.