LFCMariners
Well-Known Member
As I said yesterday pre-match, I felt unusually stoic. The only time I previously recall feeling such a way was during the penalty shoot-out that concluded the 2022 FA Cup Final. I was in a packed Cheers bar and suddenly had this realisation: they're on the other side of the world, they can't hear me, Liverpool were winning trophies and penalty shoot-outs before I was even born so clearly how I feel or how much I want (insert LFC player) to score it or for (insert Chelsea player) to miss or have Allison save it is irrelevant. All I can do is watch and what will be, will be. Worrying about this is pointless.
That game finished in LFC's favour, but it could've gone the other way just as easily. So during last nights' game, despite my feelings about Australia's Shame, I'm watching after we go down 1-0 and I'm standing there thinking all the games between these two have been tight, low-scoring affairs this season and we were lucky with the win in Melbourne. There was a chance and Geria took it - as you'd expect to - and it paid off for them. Been the story of this season against the Victory and it could be the GF now too. No shame in coming up short this time, we've had a great season considering. I thought of the hypothetical Grand Final scenario I spoke of earlier too, thinking Well, if it WAS ever going to turn out like that, this is what the 'Before' scenario would look like so maybe it's not over yet, despite how the game has gone up until now...Beyond just making a conscious effort to help keep the noise going in Bay 16 so we finished on a high, I knew there was nothing I could do about the game itself but watch. I was indifferent as that.
When Edmo scored if anything I felt happy for the casual fans who came - and my parents who were at their first game since the 2018 NYE disaster - that at least they got to see a CCM goal and a fight-back and we took the game to extra time at least. Messaged a SFC friend (whose wedding I missed the prelim against Adelaide last season for) and said: Don't care from here, always want to win but that was epic and will bring a whole lot back next season.
When MDP slotted in the cross it was funny - I was up standing on the seat waving my scarf with all these youths around me jumping about going crazy and I'm trying to stay upright, but feel myself buckling under the surging mass of bodies, until I realised yeah I can't stop this and went under with the crush. I was lying on the concrete flat on my back beneath the seats, looking directly up at the night sky with all these people above me, guys too young to get a beer with their shirts off jumping about, heads yelling YEEEEEEEAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!! and going mental. It was surreal and funny and for some reason their expressions made me think of those memes of dogs making funny expressions, and how meme-able some of the yelling faces above were. I don't know how long I was actually lying down there on the concrete for, but it was long enough to consider trying to grab my phone out of my pocket so I could snap some funny yelling face shots from my vantage point. But then some kid - probably no older than 14 - reached down and helped pull me back up to my feet. I continued singing and clapping and by that stage it felt like we had the momentum (physically and emotionally) to go on and win it. But again, all i could do was sing and clap.
When Edmo scored the 3rd then it was time to celebrate and I was messaging friends who support other teams saying how great it was to rip their hearts out like that and f**k the Victory etc. Was so grateful (again) my parents got to see a game like this and that Gosford got a home GF like this and it all came against an opponent I've wanted to beat in a GF for 15 years. All coming together at once.
Then there was the impromptu pitch invasion, that'll be part of Mariners and Central Coast folklore for the next 75 years - as long as anybody who remembers it and was there is alive to recall it. So many people who weren't there last night will wish they could've been - and we got to experience it first-hand. Also brilliant was gesturing to the away bay en masse showing them we are #1. This was before I heard about them slashing tyres. Amazing how much more accommodating police and security are when you don't throw buckets or flares at people and leave the pitch in an orderly fashion, isn't it?
Ended up back at Drifters' into the early hours, got my hands on the actual toilet seat and let the whole nights' events sink in. That feeling of relief when you've won a Grand Final at home against Australia's Shame AND completed the treble.
Went to the presentation at Erina Fair this time and glad I did, just to get that feeling of closure (even if I saw all the boys with their medals/ trophies last night) and also to hear the official word from Richard on Danny's behalf. The fact Danny got Richard to make the announcement instead of doing it himself, and the way Danny dipped his head when Richard confirmed what many of us already suspected, was probably the most emotional moment of the previous 24 hours.
@priorpeter I assume after last night you've vowed to never drink again, @Josho Howe go and talk all the shit you want about Poppa on all of the socials, the rest of you?
I'll finish with my FB update:
There was getting beaten 8-2 - at home - twice in the space of a calendar year…
There was the NYE match where the goalposts down one end collapsed, causing the match to be delayed by 45 minutes while they installed new posts, by which time at least half the crowd (including my party) decided they’d rather leave to go watch the fireworks on Gosford waterfront…
There was having to hear people say we shouldn’t be in the competition or relocate to North Sydney or Canberra because we were a dead-weight in the competition…
Then, thanks to a few people (Alan Stajic, Nick Montgomery, Richard Peil, Mark Jackson and a number of others) we turned from doubters to believers-
Then the last 12 months manifested. Last night was truly something special, probably the biggest night Gosford has seen since I moved to the Coast on my 7th birthday (it had nothing to do with that- Mum and Dad didn’t decide to move us to the Central Coast because I wanted it for for a birthday present)…
But- remembering so clearly the past 5 years of this club, makes the last 12 months even more special.
And the previous 45 minutes of the game last night, made what came next even more special…
Well done and thank you to everyone who played some part not just in the previous 12 months, but last night.
You’re heaps good!
That game finished in LFC's favour, but it could've gone the other way just as easily. So during last nights' game, despite my feelings about Australia's Shame, I'm watching after we go down 1-0 and I'm standing there thinking all the games between these two have been tight, low-scoring affairs this season and we were lucky with the win in Melbourne. There was a chance and Geria took it - as you'd expect to - and it paid off for them. Been the story of this season against the Victory and it could be the GF now too. No shame in coming up short this time, we've had a great season considering. I thought of the hypothetical Grand Final scenario I spoke of earlier too, thinking Well, if it WAS ever going to turn out like that, this is what the 'Before' scenario would look like so maybe it's not over yet, despite how the game has gone up until now...Beyond just making a conscious effort to help keep the noise going in Bay 16 so we finished on a high, I knew there was nothing I could do about the game itself but watch. I was indifferent as that.
When Edmo scored if anything I felt happy for the casual fans who came - and my parents who were at their first game since the 2018 NYE disaster - that at least they got to see a CCM goal and a fight-back and we took the game to extra time at least. Messaged a SFC friend (whose wedding I missed the prelim against Adelaide last season for) and said: Don't care from here, always want to win but that was epic and will bring a whole lot back next season.
When MDP slotted in the cross it was funny - I was up standing on the seat waving my scarf with all these youths around me jumping about going crazy and I'm trying to stay upright, but feel myself buckling under the surging mass of bodies, until I realised yeah I can't stop this and went under with the crush. I was lying on the concrete flat on my back beneath the seats, looking directly up at the night sky with all these people above me, guys too young to get a beer with their shirts off jumping about, heads yelling YEEEEEEEAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!! and going mental. It was surreal and funny and for some reason their expressions made me think of those memes of dogs making funny expressions, and how meme-able some of the yelling faces above were. I don't know how long I was actually lying down there on the concrete for, but it was long enough to consider trying to grab my phone out of my pocket so I could snap some funny yelling face shots from my vantage point. But then some kid - probably no older than 14 - reached down and helped pull me back up to my feet. I continued singing and clapping and by that stage it felt like we had the momentum (physically and emotionally) to go on and win it. But again, all i could do was sing and clap.
When Edmo scored the 3rd then it was time to celebrate and I was messaging friends who support other teams saying how great it was to rip their hearts out like that and f**k the Victory etc. Was so grateful (again) my parents got to see a game like this and that Gosford got a home GF like this and it all came against an opponent I've wanted to beat in a GF for 15 years. All coming together at once.
Then there was the impromptu pitch invasion, that'll be part of Mariners and Central Coast folklore for the next 75 years - as long as anybody who remembers it and was there is alive to recall it. So many people who weren't there last night will wish they could've been - and we got to experience it first-hand. Also brilliant was gesturing to the away bay en masse showing them we are #1. This was before I heard about them slashing tyres. Amazing how much more accommodating police and security are when you don't throw buckets or flares at people and leave the pitch in an orderly fashion, isn't it?
Ended up back at Drifters' into the early hours, got my hands on the actual toilet seat and let the whole nights' events sink in. That feeling of relief when you've won a Grand Final at home against Australia's Shame AND completed the treble.
Went to the presentation at Erina Fair this time and glad I did, just to get that feeling of closure (even if I saw all the boys with their medals/ trophies last night) and also to hear the official word from Richard on Danny's behalf. The fact Danny got Richard to make the announcement instead of doing it himself, and the way Danny dipped his head when Richard confirmed what many of us already suspected, was probably the most emotional moment of the previous 24 hours.
@priorpeter I assume after last night you've vowed to never drink again, @Josho Howe go and talk all the shit you want about Poppa on all of the socials, the rest of you?
I'll finish with my FB update:
There was getting beaten 8-2 - at home - twice in the space of a calendar year…
There was the NYE match where the goalposts down one end collapsed, causing the match to be delayed by 45 minutes while they installed new posts, by which time at least half the crowd (including my party) decided they’d rather leave to go watch the fireworks on Gosford waterfront…
There was having to hear people say we shouldn’t be in the competition or relocate to North Sydney or Canberra because we were a dead-weight in the competition…
Then, thanks to a few people (Alan Stajic, Nick Montgomery, Richard Peil, Mark Jackson and a number of others) we turned from doubters to believers-
Then the last 12 months manifested. Last night was truly something special, probably the biggest night Gosford has seen since I moved to the Coast on my 7th birthday (it had nothing to do with that- Mum and Dad didn’t decide to move us to the Central Coast because I wanted it for for a birthday present)…
But- remembering so clearly the past 5 years of this club, makes the last 12 months even more special.
And the previous 45 minutes of the game last night, made what came next even more special…
Well done and thank you to everyone who played some part not just in the previous 12 months, but last night.
You’re heaps good!
