Ireland Wielded the Dagger, but will not wear the Rugby World Cup Crown

In politics the old phrase goes that he who wields the dagger, never wears the crown. It could well be said of Michael Heseltine. Ireland, are the 2011 Rugby World Cup equivalent of Michael Heseltine.

In those 80 minutes against Australia in the group stage which resulted in that stunning 15-6 win, they blew the 7th Rugby Union World Cup wide open. The expectation of a titanic first ever New Zealand Vs Australia final was instantly blown to smithereens. Suddenly it was now an all-but dead cert that we would have a clear cut South Vs North Hempisphere final - all thanks to a heroic Irish display.

You would feel then that Ireland deserved to reach the final to face the All Blacks, South Africa or perhaps a re-match against the Australians for their efforts. But fate can be a cruel mistress and so it proved today.

Heroic Ireland
As a Welshman, I was obviously jubilant at the fantastic result this morning. But as a neutral, I would have been desperately sad for the Irish. Despite their earlier heroics in the tournament, it was an equally brilliant defensive performance today by Wales that meant Ireland would not reap the rewards that they had sown.

In his graceful blog post this morning, Stephen Glenn rightly noted that this was the last opportunity for the likes of Brian O'Driscoll, Ronan O'Gara, Gordon D'Arcy, Donncha O'Callaghan and Paul O'Connell to shine on the world stage. They had set themselves up to do so in incredible style with that earlier result, but it was not to be. We will not see their likes again in another World Cup and it is indeed likely that this will be their international swansong. What has arguably been the best decade in Irish rugby history is reaching a critical moment in its development and those that we will not see grace an international rugby pitch again will be missed. This was the golden opportunity for them to sign off in a blaze of glory but instead it was with more of a whimper that they left the field of play. It is sad that this has proven to be the case.

Wales Rampant
For Wales however, it is of course a different story.

When the World Cup started last month, as I blogged here, my hope and expectation as was that of the Welsh nation was that we should at least reach the Quarter-Finals. After our shambolic pool stage exit in 2007 however, we knew that nothing could be taken for granted. It was nevertheless expected that we would just about get through the so called 'group of death' by defeating Samoa and Fiji and would gracefully and respectfully bow out to the might of the Tri-Nation Champions Australia in the last 8.

But that's where reality took a different course and Ireland played those 80 minutes against Australia for which we owe them a debt of gratitude. It is Wales and not Ireland however that has taken a growing momentum into the knock-out stages and demonstrated their potential at a yet higher level. Our narrow opening match defeat to current champions South Africa showed that the potential was there but how ironic it now is that had we have won, we would have ended up playing Australia in the final 8 anyway! As it turns out, that narrow loss was followed by a battling win against Samoa and then impressive performances in defeating Namibia and particularly Fiji.

The try count has been high, the level of play has been fast-flowing and the defence has been stern. Indeed, Wales' points difference in the pool stage was only bettered by the All Blacks themselves.

We now look ahead at a French team whose only consistency is its inconsistency. They turned up and played well against England today but who knows which French team will appear next Saturday. Either way, Wales have got a wonderful opportunity to reach a historic first ever World Cup Final.

Shane Williams Scored his 57th Welsh Try Today

Whatever happens, Wales are now guaranteed two more matches in the tournament - matches that, similar to the likes of O'Gara and O'Driscoll today, are likely to see the final flourishes in international ruby from Stephen Jones (if he plays) and Shane Williams. It was Shane who showed just what he brings to the team when he scored his 57th Welsh try to put Wales on their way this morning (his 59th Test try in total - 2 scored for the Lions). It is not inconceivable that what we saw today could be his last try for Wales. I certainly hope not but it reminds me that the thought of a Welsh team without him is not one I can easily get my head around and yet the burgeoning young talent in the team, led by the likes of George North should leave us in no doubt that the future is looking incredibly positive for Welsh rugby.

But that's for tomorrow. The here and now is a golden opportunity to write ourselves a great slice of Welsh sporting history and our boys are up to the challenge.

But at this time of great hope and excitement for Welsh rugby, I spare a thought for a gallant Irish side and those players who will have to put their hopes in a new generation of young Irish hopefuls.

The longest headed goal in footballing history?! Arise, Jone Samuelson!

I can't believe that I missed this stunning headed goal from Norway last weekend.

As shown here on the BBC News website, Jone Samuelsen has written himself into footballing folklore with what is surely to be confirmed as the longest headed goal in the history of the game. It was scored for Odd Grenland in injury time to cap a 3-1 victory after the opposing Tromso IL goalkeeper went up to the opposite side of the pitch to take part in a corner for his team.

What makes it remarkable is that the goal was from within Jone Samuelsen's own half and is reputedly some 57m from the goal itself. It has now made an internet sensation out of this unheralded Norwegian footballer - such was the outlandish proportions of this freakish footballing act.

Well done Jone Samuelsen - you've just created a little bit of quirky footballing history and I salute you for it!

A World in Union - Welcome...to the 2011 Rugby World Cup!

Tomorrow sees the opening match of the 2011 Rugby World Cup.

I can't really believe how quickly the past 4 years have flown but here we are awaiting a feast of  sport - and all in the early hours of the morning!

If Wales qualify for the quarter-finals (particularly after the shambles of 1991, 1995 and particularly 2007) I'll be content. But time will tell.

I also decided to join a sweepstake for the event. Having won a handsome £28 in the football World Cup sweepstake last year when Spain came out victorious I felt it worth having another punt. But drawing Italy means my hopes are severely restricted!

But in the meantime, with thanks to Harry Hayfield on Youtube, here's a jolly message of good luck to all of the competing nations in the weeks ahead to the tune of the Rugby World Cup anthem 'The World in Union'.

Come on Wales...and Italy!

It's all just a little bit of history repeating (not)

No, I don't mean the London Mayoral election that will see Boris Vs Ken Vs Brian next year as it was in 2008.

No, I'm talking about tonight's Welsh football result.

A year tomorrow, Wales lost their opening Euro '12 qualifier away in Montenegro. It was the catalyst that brought be back to blogging a day later. That first blog post here lamented a lifetime of frustration in following the Welsh football team.

It didn't get better either as they went on to lose their next 3 qualification matches. The ignominy of being cast in the same qualifying pot for the 2014 World Cup draw as the likes of the Faroe Islands, Andorra and San Marino as a result, really is the lowest of the low.

But the talent is there and tonight, a year on, we managed to inflict on an impressive Montenegran side, their first defeat of the campaign in a worthy 2-1 win. The hope for Wales must now be that we can go on and overcome Bulgaria and Switzerland in the group to finish a respectable 3rd to give us momentum going into the World Cup qualifiers next September.

So, to cheer what was a rare but much welcome result for the Welsh football team, a tribute from one of our own.

From 1997, it's Shirley Bassey and the Propellerheads.



It's all just a little bit of history repeating (not).

The Splendour of Spa-Francorchamps

Back in May I gave a rather loving tribute to one of the top race tracks in motor racing - the Monaco Grand Prix. A victory there as I stated then, is one of the most prized achievements any racing driver could claim.

As an officiando of sporting and Forumla One history, there are in my mind a handful of others that are righfully prized in the same bracket as a win around the streets of Monte Carlo.

When it comes to history and motor racing heritage, the only race tracks that can equal Monaco are at Silverstone, Monza and Spa-Francorchamps.

The Monaco, British, Italian and Belgium Grand Prixs for me are akin to a Formula One equivalent of a holy quadruple alliance. It so happens that these race tracks supplied 4 of the 7 Grand Prixs in the inauguaral F1 World Championship of 1950 (along with the Swiss GP at Bremgarten, the French GP at Reims-Gueux and the Indianapolis 500).

To this end, as today sees the running of the 55th Belgium Grand Prix at Spa, I felt it worthwhile to extole the virtues of another of my favourite F1 circuits.

A Little Bit of History
Belgium and the Spa circuit in particular, oozes motor racing history and heritage. The first GP held there was 84 years ago back in 1925 and was won by Antonio Ascari (son of future 2 time World Champion Alberto Ascari) in an Alfa Romeo. The race was held at Spa a further 7 times before the outbreak of WWII and as mentioned above, became in integral part of the original World Championship series when it was launched in 1950. With the exceptions of 1957, 1959 and 1969, it was an ever-present on the F1 calendar until 1970.

A 1970s Exile
Concern about safety at the track however would mean that Spa-Francorchamps would go into a near 15 year exile as the Belgium GP alternated instead between the un-loved circuit at Nivelles (1972 & 1974) and at Zolder (1973 & 1975-1982 & 1984). Unfortunately, the 1982 weekend saw the death of the legendary Gilles Villeneuve at the Zolder circuit and its name, more than for anything else, is remembered for this one tragedy alone.

Re-Incarnation

Formula One returned to a modern Spa-Francorchamps circuit in 1983 and from 1985 it became the sole venue for the Belgium GP once more. Apart from its controversial removal from the F1 calendar in 2003 because of the Tobacco advertising ban and again in 2006 due to circuit maintenance, it has remained an ever-present drivers favourite for the past 25 years.

A Firm Favourite
Spa is loved by both fans and drivers alike. Most F1 drivers will testify that it remains one of the most challenging and enjoyable races to drive with the famous Eau Rouge acting as one of the most famous sections of any F1 circuit world-wide. The same could be said of the fabled bus-stop chicane at the end of the 4.3 mile lap. But it all begins at what must be the most dramatic first corner in motorsport. The La Source hairpin is an extraordinary near 180 degree right-hand corner which always sets the heartbeat-a-flutter at the start of every Grand Prix.

Us fans love it for these above examples and also because it's 4.3 mile length makes it the longest race-track on the F1 calendar at just 44 laps in length. It means that the connotations weather-wise for the drivers can be mind-bogglingly complex to decipher. It is not unknown for drivers to have to confront one part of the course as dry and clear from rain and then another part that is wet and slippery. Indeed, such is the unpredictability of the Belgium weather that there was a time in its history when it had rained at the Belgian Grand Prix for twenty years in a row.

World Champion Winners
The Grand Prix at Spa has been won by the very best in the sport's history. Michael Schumacher has won it an unprecedented 6 times mainly in the 1990s whilst Ayrton Senna won it 5 times mainly in the 1980s. Jim Clark and Kimi Raikkonen won at Spa 4 times each in the 60s and 00s respectively whilst Juan Manuel Fangio won it 3 times in the 50s alongside Alberto Ascari who won it twice in that same decade.

Other notable World Champion winners at Spa include Jack Brabham, John Surtees, Alain Prost, Nigel Mansell, Damon Hill, Mike Hakkinen and Lewis Hamilton.

1998 Belgium Grand Prix
Indeed, of all of the Formula One races that I have watched over the past 20 years, a handful of them stand out.

One of the was the rain soaked GP at Spa in 1998. The horrendous driving conditions resulted in opening lap carnage as 13 of the 22 runners were involved in probably the biggest pile-up I have ever seen live with my own eyes. It was the race where Schumacher dangerously went flying into the back of David Coulthard which resulted in sparks flying in the pits afterwards. The race was incredulously won by Damon Hill for the 3rd time but it was the first ever win for Eddie Jordan's team. Incredibly, it was capped off with Hill's team-mate Ralf Schumacher finishing in second for an unforgettable 1-2.

1991, 1992 2001 Belgium Grand Prix
Speaking of Jordan, 7 years earlier, a certain Michael Schumacher made his debut for the team at Spa. Today is his 20th anniversary race. A year later, now driving for Benetton, he scored his first Grand Prix Victory at the circuit. 9 years later in 2001, his victory at the circuit was his 52nd overall which helped him surpass the previous all-time Formula One GP wins record of 51 held by Alain Prost.

So who knows, can Schumacher win from the back of the circuit today to cap off the most incredible of personal relationships with a particular circuit?

He may of course and surprise surprise the forecast is looking unsettled! But then there are a surprisingly large number of top drivers on the grid today who will be eyeing their first win at this famous circuit. It is incredible to think that Sebastian Vettel, Mark Webber, Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button have never won at this inconic race-track.

That'll be one statistic they'll all be wanting to erase from the proud history books at Spa in a little over an hours time.

We Are Premier League! Swansea City - The Pride of Wales

It really is a historic day for Welsh football.

After 19 years, we will finally be represented in the Premier League at long last and a near 30 year-absence from the top flight will end when Swansea City kick-off against Manchester City this evening at 8pm.

I commented on my trip to Wembley to watch their ascent to the Premier League in the play-off final in my blog here and here.

It's going to be a long season and Swansea will have to pull out all of the stops to ensure that they stay in the top flight for a second season next year. I hope that Cardiff City can also make the leap this season to join their M4 rivals in the Premiership in 2012/2013.

But for tonight alone, I'll be lapping up the occasion. This isn't just Swansea City in the Premiership, it's much bigger than that. This is Wales in the Premier League.

Long may it continue.

In Praise of English Test Cricket...

The England Test Cricket Team - No.1 in the World.

No, it isn't a surreal dream - it is an almost inconceivable fact.

I'm a 1990s boy and can recall enjoying watching the cricket during those formative years. Clearly at a County level I followed Glamorgan and indeed it was a brilliant memory when they won only their 3rd County Championship in 1997. I still have the Western Mail from the following day safely stored upstairs to mark a historic event after their previous victories in 1948 and 1969 (it's a good thing too because they look nowhere near winning a 4th title anytime soon!).

English Cricket - In the Doldrums
This was the era of Mike Atherton, Alec Stewart, Graham Thorpe, Devon Malcolm, Andy Caddick, Darren Gough, Dominic Gough, Jack Russell et al.

I remember watching the Test matches with enthusiasm but it was as if the script had been written before a ball had been bowled. England would lose to Australia in every Ashes series and they would never win the Cricket World Cup. It was a team of underachieving grafters. Great talent but with an inability to fulfill their potential.

This of couse was the era of Steve and Mark Waugh, Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath, Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Brian Lara, Curtly Ambrose, Courtney Walsh, Mark Taylor, Hanse Cronje (yes, I know I know), Shaun Pollock, Allan Donald, Anil Kumble.

This was my era.

The concept, having lived through that decade that Australia could be anything other than the top team in world cricket was just unthinkable. If I were of an older generation, I could probably have said the same of the West Indies in the 1970s and 1980s.

Top of the World
So it comes to pass that England have climbed to the summit of Test Cricket.

The historic 2005 Ashes triumph over Australia was something of a false dawn. They couldn't follow that up and indeed were embarrasingly whitewashed by the Aussies back on their own soil at the end of 2006.

But there is no denying that England now deserve their position at the top of the ICC Test Championship.

Since May 2009, they have gone 9 Test series without defeat...

Beat West Indies 2-0 (home)
Beat Australia 2-1 (home)
Draw 1-1 with South Africa (away)
Beat Bangladesh 2-0 (away)
Beat Bangladesh 2-0 (home)
Beat Pakistan 3-1 (home)
Beat Australia 3-1 (away)
Beat Sri Lanka 1-0 (home)
Lead India 3-0 (home)

The victory over Australia in Oz last Winter was truly majestic and proved beyond doubt that the order was changing. It is however more than apt that they have reached the pinnacle by unseating the Team that have been in that place since December 2009. India have been a shadow of their former selves this summer but don't take anything away from England - they have demonstrated a ruthless ability to tear their opponents apart at the first sight of weakness - a quality required but that has rarely been witnessed in an English cricketing team in my 20 year memory.

The Reliance Mobile ICC Test Championship mace

They have reached the pinnacle with a solid batting line-up in Strauss, Cook, Trott, Bell and Pieterson. But it is the growing depth in the bowling attack that has impressed me over recent years. Anderson, Bresnan, Broad, Swann and Tremlett have taken English Test Cricket to another level and they are a team to fear.

England will at the end of this month formerly take over from India as the holders of the Reliance Mobile ICC Test Championship mace (pictured). They follow Australia (74 months), South Africa (4 months) and India (19 months) to top the rankings.

They deserve their place and I hope that it will continue for some time. On current form, there is little doubt that that can be the case.

It seems like a long time since those dark days in the 1990s!

Northern Ireland Reigns Supreme as America Declines

Having been away in London last week, I never got the opportunity to comment on Darren Clarke's brilliant and emotional Open victory on Sunday.

I was watching the latter stages in Shepherds Bush and was absolutely overjoyed  to see the oldest winner in over 40 years, lift the Claret Jug.

It was a sensational victory for a man who has really gone off the boil in the Majors of golf for a good decade or so now. The loss of his wife Heather to breast cancer before the 2006 Ryder Cup also remained in the memory as his heroics for team Europe then were eclipsed by his own personal triumph this week.

Northern Ireland - The Home of Golf?!
It also adds to what is quickly becoming a legendary run of form for the golfers of Northern Ireland.


Northern Ireland's Finest - McIlroy, McDowell and Clarke

Clarke's Open win was the first for a Brit this century. The last was Paul Lawrie in 1999. He however was Scottish and you have to go back to 1992 for the last Englishman to win - Nick Faldo.

Before Graeme McDowell won the US Open last year, he was the first man from Northern Ireland to win a major of any kind since Fred Daly won The Open back in 1947. Yet now, 3 of the last 6 winners are all from that corner of the Emerald Isle. What is more extraordinary is that they have not all been won by one individual but by 3 - McDowell, McIlroy and Clarke.

It is in sporting, historic terms, an extraorindary feat for such a small nation that will probably never be repeated.

But if you go back just a few years and include Padraig Harrington's 3 major wins for the Republic of Ireland back in 2007/08, then 6 of the last 17 majors have been won by players from the island of Ireland!

An American Decline
This has all come along at a time which has seen a welcome renaissance in European golf.

The current world rankings shows Europeans in the top 4 with Englishmen Luke Donald and Lee Westwood leading German Martin Kaymer and McIlory. Graeme McDowell currently stands in 11th with Englishmen Paul Casey and Ian Poulter not far behind in 15th and 16th. That's 6 Brits and 7 Europeans inside the World's Top 16. A far cry from the American domination of recent years (Tiger Woods' fall to No.20 a clear sign of this).

South Africa have also seen a renaissance of their own. Under the watchful eye of old hand Ernie Els, a new legion of South African stars have stepped out of his, Reteif Goosen and Gary Players shadows. Gary Players 9th and final major victory was in 1978 and a lean spell followed until Ernie Els won the first of his 3 majors to-date in 1994. Between then and 2004, he and Goosen won between them, 4 US Open titles and an Open title also. After a hiatus, they are striking back with victories for Trevor Immelman in the 2008 US Masters and wins in the last 12 months for Louis Oosthuizen at the 2010 Open and Charl Schwartzel at at the 2011 US Masters.

In all, 5 of the last 6 majors have been won by players from either Northern Ireland or South Africa. The 6th, the 2010 US PGA Championship, was won by the German Martin Kaymer.

It is therefore the first time in 100 years, since America have gone 6 golfing majors without a victory. In historic terms, what we are currently experiencing is a golfing famine for the most illustrious country in the history of the game. Their last major winner was Phil Mickelson who won the 4th of his majors to-date at the 2010 US Masters.

Indeed, the upcoming US PGA Championship will make for intriguing viewing. Because it America fails to win in a 7th consective major, it will only be the second year since 1910 that America will have gone through an entire calendar year without winning a major (the other being in 1994). Whatever happens between August 11th-14th at the Atlanta Athletic Club, the American run of having failed to win any of the last 3 US PGA Championships (Harrington in '08, Yang Yong-eun in '09 and Kaymer in '10) is its worst in the history of this most American dominant of golfing majors.

Indeed, looking comparably at the other majors, their worst run in the US Masters was in failing to win it in 4 consecutive years between 1988-1991 (Lyle, Faldo, Faldo and Woosnam). Since 1910, the same 4 year drought struck the Americans in the US Open only recently between 2004-2007 (Goosen, Michael Campbell, Geoff Ogilvy, Angel Cabrera). Of all of the majors, it is unsurprisingly, the only non-American based Open which has provided them with the most difficulty of the years. Between 1946-1969, there were only 6 American winners (Sam Snead '46, Ben Hogan '53, Arnold Palmer '61 & '62, Tony Lema '64 and Jack Nicklaus '66). Another American black patch was struck between 1984-1994 when the only winner in 1989 was Mark Calcavecchia. Another won is running at present with only one winner in the last 5 (Stewart Cink in 2009).

So whilst they've had their black patches before, looking at this list of golfing major winners shows that the current patch is arguably as bad in the round as any that has gone before.

But whilst the Americans may look ponderously at a bleak recent record at a sport in which it has excelled over the years, as an European but as a Brit in particular, it is a time to rejoice. But most particularly, if you come from that Northern Irish part of the union!

If it isn't asking too much, more of the same please!

Belgrano sink River Plate? Hold the Front Page!

It's one of the most famous front page headline images in British press history.

When the British sank the Argentinian Navy light cruiser the Belgrano on May 2nd 1982, it resulted in the death of 323 Argentinians - just over half of their total death toll during the Falklands War.

The Sun's notorious front page summed up what was for many, a jingo-istic campaign. It was also controversial because it was said that the Belgrano was both outside the exclusion zone and also pointing away from the Falkland Islands and towards Argentina when it was struck.

It was named after Argentina's Founding Father Manuel Belgrano.

Club Atlético Belgrano

Argentina's Founding Father was also the inspiration in 1905 for the formation of a football team based in Córdoba.

Having yo-yo'ed between the Argentinian First and Second Divisions over recent decades, they sent shock waves through Argentinian football this week when they defeated River Plate in a promotion/relegation play-off.

It was this article in yesterday's Independent that brought this incredible footballing story to my attention.

River Plate are the Manchester United of Argentinian football. They have won a record 33 Argentinian titles in their long and proud 110-year history as well as a number of intercontinental trophies (the equivalent to our Champions League in Europe) and have never, yes that's right, NEVER, been relegated since they were formed in 1901.


Juan Manuel Belgrano

As a world-wide football fan (which I owe in no small part to the Championship Manager football management computer series!), the concept of River Plate being relegated struck me as being extraorindary. As the Independent article explains, it is even more so because relegation is determined over a 3 year, 6 mini season time-period so it works in favour of Argentina's main teams. But incredibly, River Plate have had an awful past 3 seasons since winning their last title in 2008 and found themselves as a result on points average, in a relegation play-off.

It was seeing that that play-off opponent was indeed Belgrano that caught my attention in addition.

Belgrano? As in that Argentinian Ship that got sunk during the Falklands? Has now in turn sunk Argentina's most successful ever football-team?

There is of course no link between the ship and club apart from their both being named after the same individual but for a historian like me who is also interested in sport, it was one of those quirky bits of coincidence that caught my eye.

What would Juan Manuel Belgrano make of it I couldn't say.

Andy Murray Needs to Summon the Rory McIlroy Spirit for Sporting Immortality

Rory McIlroy confounded the critics who queried his nerve and his ability to hold onto a commanding lead after his US Masters collapse in April, by racing to a famous and dominant US Open victory on Sunday evening.



Can Murray end that 75 year wait?

I blogged here and here about how enormous that success would be in the history of golf. Now, as a sporting fan of some compare, I'm looking forward towards the remainder of Wimbledon as another British sportsman looks to emmulate McIlroy's reach towards the sporting Gods.

Andy Murray - Wimbledon Champion?
Having won the Queens Tournament running into Wimbledon and having reached the semi-finals of the French open in impressive style prior to that, Murray is clearly in very good form.

But can he really do what no British man has done in 75 years?

Back in January, on the eve of his Australian Open final, I blogged here about that interminably long wait for a British man to walk out from Fred Perry's long shadow. Unfortunately, Djokovic comfortably dispatched of Murray in that final which made it 3 losses out of 3 Grand Slam final appearances for the boy from Dunblane.

Fred Perry won his last Grand Slam at the US Open in 1936 just months after winning at Wimbledon. It is those marks that any British sports fan will hope that Murray can overcome in the days ah.

He has never reached a Wimbledon final - indeed no British man has done so since Bunny Austin in 1938.

Nadal, Federer, Djokovic, Murray
Murray clearly has the ability to win his first slam and to do so, at of all places, Wimbledon. It would also be incredibly apt for him to do so on the 75th anniversary of Perry's last victory and on the 125th anniversary of Wimbledon itself.

But he needs the fight, the sheer belief and determination and the focus shown by McIlroy at the Congressional Country Club golf course in Maryland, USA last weekend to do so.

It will all be required and some to overcome the likes of reigning champion Nadal, 6 times Wimbledon winner Federer and the seasonal form man Djokovic - all of whom along with Murray make up an impregnable Top 4 in the men's World game at present.

Murray Vs McIlroy?

What is certain is that Murray will join McIlroy in the pantheon of British sporting legends if he can do so.

What is incredible is that despite McIlroy's heroics last weekend, if Murray is indeed successful in his quest this Wimbledon, he will not only walk out of Perry's shadow but will in doing so, more than put McIlroy's magnificent achievement into the shade.

Golfing Redemption for Rory McIlroy?

Back in April, I waxed lyrical about Northern Ireland's finest golfer and the leap of faith that Rory McIlroy needed to jump to join the immortals of golf.

That was prior to his final round at the Augusta National where he led by 4 strokes and was on the verge of a historic US Masters, green jacket victory. I watched on in dismay as he imploded on the back 9 and the dream vanished.

How would he cope with such a crushing disappointment?

US Open Records - Smashed
Well, quite remarkably, his form this week in the US Open has shown that it has not impeded on his ability to play at the highest level in the slightest.

Indeed, he has probably played the 3 greatest rounds of golf of his young sporting career. He has become in the meantime, the first golfer in the 116 year history of the US Open to reach 14 under par. His 3 rounds to date have all been sub-70 and his 54-hole total of 199 is the lowest ever recorded at the US Open. He has a commanding 8 stroke lead over his nearest rivals - double that of his lead going into the final round at the US Masters.

If he does win this evening, he will became at 22, the youngest US Open winner since the legend that is Bobby Jones won it as an Amateur back in 1923. He will also win his first major at a younger age than Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Tom Watson, Gary Player and Seve Ballesteros.

He just needs to hold it together for the final 18 holes to fully banish that Augusta ghost from April. I've got a feeling he's going to do it and I'll be listening to his every move and shot on Radio 5 Live this evening when he does.

Good luck mate.

17 Days in June - A Villa Park Farce

It has been an absolute shambles.

Ever since the men in command at Villa Park made the not unreasonable decision to relinquish Houllier of his position due to his ill health, they have presided over a comedy of errors which has resulted in probably the most extraordinary managerial appointment in the club's history.

When Houllier was let go with a severance pay on June 1st, little could anyone have guessed that his replacement, some 17 days later would be the manager of second city rivals Birmingham City, Alex McLeish.

The Candidates

There was talk of former Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti being linked to the post but his severance conditions with Chelsea ruled him out from managing a Premier League club for 12 months.

There was talk of David Moyes and he was my favourite as I blogged here at the time. But nothing came of that.



Who'd have guessed it?
Alex McLeish - Manager of Aston Villa



The early money was certainly on Mark Hughes who resigned his post as manager of Fulham very suddenly although apparently as far as he was concerned, the timing was merely coincidental. Had the Villa Park suits been talking to him before hand and tempted him away from Craven Cottage with the nugget of the hot seat with the Villains? It's quite possible but after the bad press that he got after he resigned at Fulham, they seemingly went cold on him. As I said in my blog post then, though he was no David Moyes, he wouldn't have been a bad choice. He is however still available but has been passed over and it would not be wholly inconceivable to find him in the hot seat in St Andrews next season.

Then there was Steve McLaren - apparently the least wanted manager in the running amongst the Claret and Blue faithful. Indeed, having booked an appointment to meet with him to discuss the vacancy, the Villa Park suits then cancelled the appointment when it became clear on-line and in the footballing chat rooms that he was not a welcome choice amongst the fans.

So then we had Roberto Martinez in the frame which I must admit really surprised me. But he then amazed everyone by turning down the role to stay at Wigan Athletic. He's been called principled and a man of integrity as a result of his decision to stay up north but just ask any Swansea City fan whether they feel that Martinez is a man of principle and integrity and they'll give you a different answer...but that's a different story.

With Rafa Benitez another name out of the frame, the whole situation began to turn Villa into a laughing stock and then, suddenly, Alex McLeish walked out on a shell shocked Birmingham City and the comedy of errors began to turn into a farce. Despite apparently listening to the fans furore against Steve McLaren, club owner Randy Lerner and Chief Executive Paul Faulkner clearly decided to ignore the even greater agitation, days later from the faithful, at the possibility of McLeish at the helm.

Alex McLeish - Sinner or Saviour?

No Villa fan, and certainly not this one, could have envisaged barely a fortnight ago when all of the names above were being bandied about that the man who would be given the top job at Villa Park would be Alex McLeish.

This isn't to take away from what is a decent record. Having played in over 500 matches for Aberdeen and won 77 Scottish caps, he began his managerial career with Motherwell and Hibernian before he led Rangers to the domestic treble in 2003 and a total of 2 league championships and 5 cup victories in 5 years. He then became manager of the Scottish national side and in a group comprising of France and Italy, only narrowly missed out on qualifying for the 2008 European Championships.

He then moved to Birmingham in late 2007 and in the past 4 years has seen them relegated, promoted, win their first major trophy in 47 years and relegated again. He did well at Birmingham and yet, he still has those 2 relegations on his footballing CV and whilst he did well with Rangers, it isn't exactly the most competitive of footballing leagues is it?

Words to the Wise
It's the the former Aston Villa manager Graham Taylor, who led the team on two seperate occasions who for me has summed it all up. He said:

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"It just doesn't appear to have been thought through and for the first time the ownership of the club is coming under severe criticism.

"When Gerard became ill it must have occurred to them that he may not come back, even if the signs were that he may have returned.

"This is not being disrespectful to Gerard in any way, but once he became unwell then you have to immediately start exploring what you might do if he does not come back.

"It doesn't appear to me and many others that this has been done. They seem to be going from name to name.

"Villa don't seem to have grasped that nettle at all. It is disappointing. I still live in the area and have a special feeling for them as you always do about clubs you have managed, but I have been surprised and disappointed at their handling of this."
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Club owner Randy Lerner has been seen to be one of the more astute and learned of the foreign Premier League owners brigade and has not put many a foot out of place since he took over from 'Deadly' Doug Ellis. However, both he and the Chief Executive Paul Faulkner must be found to be culpable for what has been a woeful passge of time in the club's history.
 
Time will tell if this is the big mistake that many believe it to be.
 
Where for art thou Martin O'Neill?
It's not that I question McLeish's managerial credentials for he has many. But is he of the calibre and stature in the game to take Villa up the league table? I very much doubt it.
 
I worry because we are losing senior, top quality players from the team and we need a big name manager to bring in the replacements necessary.
 
The moment that Villa gave up any pretence of being a top 6 club fighting to break into the top 4 for mewas when Martin O'Neill walked out of Villa Park last August. I can remember the shock and delight that I felt when I heard on my Orange Mobile internet whilst on the bus going through Aberporth that he'd taken the job at Villa Park. One of the best managers in the country was coming to the Villa! He took us to new levels of performance and we were on the edges of the top 4 with class youngsters being brought up through the ranks. With a Wembley Cup Final to his credit as well, it was an exciting time to be a Villain again.
 
But suddenly, whilst on holiday in Prague last summer, my footballing world fell apart as I read the news on our hotel computer, that because of differences with the Board, O'Neill had left the club. I knew then that it would be a tough season ahead and indeed for a period, we were even in the relegation zone.
 
With top players leaving for what they feel are bigger clubs with greater potential, it is an ominous marker for the season ahead.
 
It's going to be a very bumpy year ahead I feel and with McLeish at the helm, anything's possible.

But am I hopeful? Absolutely not.

9am: Swansea City AFC - Premier League!

At 9am this morning, the fixture list for the Premier League and Football League 2011/12 season was published and it put into stark reality, what was achieved on that wonderful day at Wembley back at the end of May.

SWANSEA CITY - PREMIER LEAGUE!

It really hasn't sunk in and we all knew that it wouldn't until this day - the day when the reality of the situation would be down in black and white.

This is, that black and white!

Swansea City will be proudly flying the Welsh flag against the best that the Premier League has to offer and will be welcoming the likes of Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and dare I say it, Aston Villa to the Liberty Stadium!

They begin away to Manchester City and then have a mouth-watering first home match against Wigan Athlectic - managed by their old manager Roberto Martinez - there'll be no love lost there! Following a home match against Sunderland, they then have away matches against Arsenal and Chelsea!

Saturday 13th August - Manchester City Vs Swansea City
Saturday 20th August - Swansea City Vs Wigan
Saturday 27th August - Swansea City Vs Sunderland
Saturday 10th September - Arsenal Vs Swansea City
Saturday 17th September - Swansea City Vs West Brom
Saturday 24th September - Chelsea Vs Swansea City

Dates for your Diary:
Saturday 5th November - Liverpool Vs Swansea City
Saturday 19th November - Swansea City Vs Manchester United
Saturday 26th November - Swansea City Vs Aston Villa
Saturday 14th January - Swansea City Vs Arsenal
Tuesday 31st January - Swansea City Vs Chelsea
Saturday 10th March - Swansea City Vs Manchester City

Then, what a finale...

Saturday 5th May - Manchester United Vs Swansea City
Sunday 13th May - Swansea City Vs Liverpool

One word, three letters...WOW!

It's a tough opening and a tough finale but who cares?!

Swansea City: Premier League! Bring it on!

The Welsh Rugby Union should sack Gavin Henson

I've really had enough of Gavin Henson.

I've blogged time after time after time on this site of my views on his commitment, or lack of it, to the Welsh rugby jersey through his various entertainment contracts but the news this week really takes the biscuit.

Having in my mind, acted as a petulant child in his dealings with his former clubs the Ospreys and Saracens, he then showed an unprofessional side to his nature that saw Toulon terminate his French contract - all this within the space of 12 months.

He's complained that he hasn't been given a chance over the last few years to pull on the proud red jersey of Wales but in my mind, he hasn't deserved it. If his priority is to go onto Strictly Come Dancing, then good luck to him. Let him carve out a new career in entertainment and see how far that gets him. But he shouldn't think that just because he's got a wonderful natural talent and flair that he can walk straight into the Welsh dressing room ahead of other players who have shown commitment and dedication to the cause and who really know the full meaning of wearing that famous red rugby shirt.

Only a few weeks ago, he was given the opportunity to play for Wales again against the Barbarians. His was a mediocre performance and far from what we came to expect from him when he was in his prime. He was basically rusty and who can be surprised when he has had so little first match action in recent times? This lack of match practise is entirely his own doing. If he can not give 110% to his team, be it the Ospreys, Saracens or Toulon, then how in the hell should he expect to waltz back into the Welsh squad?

Henson could take an honorary degree in hubris his head must be so far up in the clouds.

Indeed, former Welsh captain Michael Owen, called the decision to select him again "embarrassing".

He said here: "It's a privilege to play for your national team. I think you've really got to earn that privilege and I just question whether Gavin has earned it in this instance".

"Warren Gatland and the coaches at Wales obviously rate Gavin very highly as a player. He's done some fantastic things throughout his career. But for me it sends the wrong message to the players in Wales who are striving, day in day out, week in week out, to try and get better and try and perform to get the opportunity to play for their country".

Too damned right Michael.

It didn't help that when lined up in readiness for the match against the Barbarians, whilst virtually the entire Welsh squad could visibly be seen singing the Welsh national anthem 'Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau', one of the few that weren't, was Henson. Does he not know the words? Does he not care to learn the words?

I'm sorry, but Welsh rugby union is the heart and soul of Welsh sport. The passion that comes from playing for Wales must be evident. Seeing the boys sing that anthem with pride is a sure sign of their commitment for the task ahead. If Henson can't be bothered to learn a few lines, then why I should I watch him play for my country?

The Bachelor

Now, it gets worse! This  BBC website article informs us that Henson is now to take the lead in a new TV dating show where he hopes to meet "the right girl". He will be 'The Bachelor' in a UK version of the hit US programme. Channel 5 said viewers should "expect flirting, bitching and heartfelt emotion" as 25 contestants compete to win his heart.

Well Channel 5, I don't know about flirting but I'll give you bitching and heartfelt emotion for free and by the bucketload.

If Henson wants to continue to posture like this, then so be it. But the WRU should have no hesitation in removing him from the preliminary World Cup squad for which he has been unbelievably selected.

The WRU say that "Gavin is fulfilling a work commitment which was in place before he was selected for national squad duty and doing so in the full knowledge of the Wales management team".

Well if that's the case, the WRU were bloody foolish to choose him in the first place if they knew of these commitments.

Until he really commits himself 110% to playing rugby, he should be nowhere near the Welsh team sheet and he should certainly not be anywhere near the preliminary World Cup squad - such places should only be reserved for those who actually show the passion, enthusiasm and commitment to play for Wales and who have that aim as their No.1 priority.

If Gavin Henson wants to go and play games, then the WRU should let him do so. He can then get on with his life and let the Welsh rugby boys get on with theirs.

Sparky for Villa? No - give me David Moyes

So, with Gerard Houllier only days out of a job at Villa Park, it looks as if his replacement may already be assured.

Houllier was relived of his position on Wednesday due to his poor health and whilst I have blogged in the past of my lack of enthusiasm for his selection as manager last autumn, I wish him the best for his future. He is a good man and has proved himself in his career to be a fine manager but I never felt that he was the right man for the moment in the Villa Park hotseat.

But barely 24 hours after the announcement was made, we heard yesterday that Mark Hughes has resigned as manager of Fulham after only a (successful) season in charge.

Hughes for Villa?
Now there are many names being linked to the Villa job and one that I would like to be seriously considered would be Everton's David Moyes. He for me is my number one at present.

But what of Mark Hughes' sudden decision to leave Craven Cottage? It may not be linked to the Villa vacancy but if not, then it's one hell of a coincidence. I personally have much time for Mark Hughes as a manager. Despite the poor tactical nouse that he showed in Wales' European Championship qualifying play-off second-leg against Russia in 2003, the fact that he got Wales there in the first place had to be to his credit. He was a good manager with Blackburn Rovers and I also felt that he was incredibly hard done by at Manchester City and having stepped into Roy Hodgson's huge shoes at Craven Cottage, he did well this season.

But is this action going to work against him? Many in the know think that it might. Only time will tell.

Personally, as much as I like Mark Hughes and whilst I think he would make a decent manager at the Villa, I want the man that despite having had short pickings, has worked little miracles at Goodison Park over the past decade.

David Moyes needs a bigger club to play with which has more resources (just). That club David, is Aston Villa.

What if RON stood for FIFA President?

Well there we have it. Sepp Blatter has been re-elected unopposed for a 4th term as President of FIFA. He was supported by 186 of the 203 member associations.

Despite widespread anger and despondency at the shambles that is FIFA today, Blatter recieved a huge vote of support from his colleagues who clearly have their heads in the clouds. Only 17 associations abstained from supporting Blatter in the key vote.

It didn't help that he was unopposed for the position after his rival Mohamed Bin Hammam, president of the Asian Football Federation, pulled out after being suspended over bribery allegations.

RON for FIFA President!
In such similar positions, many organisations ensure a proper vote by putting RON (Re-Open Nominations) up as an alternative to the only nominated candidate. Would it have made any difference in this case had FIFA member associations been given the opportunity to formally vote to re-open the process if they weren't happy with Blatter at the helm?

You would've thought that it would make a difference but the sad truth, looking at today's results is that it probably wouldn't have made a difference. The motion put forward by English FA chairman David Bernstein to FIFA's congress to delay the vote and which was supported by the Scottish FA was lost with 172 of 203 voters opting against a delay (the Welsh and Northern Irish associations amongst them) and going straight to a vote. So in that case, there were presumably 14 member associations who wanted a delay in the vote but when that was lost, voted for Blatter anyway! I mean, what the hell is the point in that?! At least 17 of the 31 associations that called for a delay stuck to their guns and refused to endorse Blatter's coronation.

So we have another 4 years of Sepp Blatter. He said on his re-election:

"We will put Fifa's ship back on the right course in clear, transparent waters. We need some time to do it, but we shall do it.

"Today something marvellous happened and I'd simply like to tell you I'm deeply moved and honoured. It's a challenge, a new one for me, and I accept it."

Well if there's a problem , why hasn't he sorted it out since he became FIFA President in 1998? His words are empty and I have no faith in FIFA whatsoever and until 2016 when his term ends, I have little hope of that changing for the better.

The Pain & The Glory: My Swansea Wembley Story

Well, they only went and did it! Swansea City are in the Premier League!

On Sunday I blogged here about the journey ahead of me and my first ever visit to Wembley - and it didn't let me down!

Bus No.18
Having stayed overnight with my friend Chris, our 8-strong group of 'the boys' met at 6.30am yesterday morning and made our way to the Liberty Stadium. There were 76 buses waiting in line to take a vast number of the 40,000 fans travelling to London and ours was number 18. It was pretty full but as we'd all arrived on time, we set off earlier than the expected 7.30am departure, at 7.15am. There were a few young children on the bus blowing their hooters and generally being rather excitable but on the whole, it was a rather 'sedate' crowd! That was influenced by the fact that we'd been told that the buses were 'dry' and so we set ourselves up for a quiet journey to the stadium. But as our many buses all took it in turns to pass each other on the M4 towards London, it soon became apparent that some of the buses were in fact 'wet'! Never mind!

Wembley Way
The journey was smooth and with little traffic congestion, we pulled off the M4 and into Wembley Stadium coach park at 11.15am. Only a 4 hour journey and we'd spent half an hour in services so good going.

Having never been to Wembley before and parking as we were, right in its shadow, I was taken aback by what looked like a splendid modern stadium in the same mould as our Millennium Stadium in Cardiff. But what I wanted was a walk down the famous 'Wembley Way' and we did just that as our gang went in search for food. A well timed pre-lunchtime rush sit-down at a local Wimpey's at noon set us up for the day ahead and we then soaked up the incredible atmosphere on Wembley Way. There were thousands upon thousands of happy, enthusiastic supporters wearing the black and white of Swansea or the red and white of Reading, mingling with each other. There did seem to be a hell of a lot more Swansea fans around but then we were near the Radio Wales tent where they were broadcasting live and interacting with the Jack Army. When Jason announced live on Radio Wales in front of us as 12.45pm that David Jones had just been sacked as the manager of Cardiff City, a great roar went up as if to signify that the day was getting better and better for their greatest rivals along the M4.

The Stadium
With match-day programmes bought for a reasonably priced £6 each and having bought myself a new scarf, we made our way back towards the stadium and once at the top of Wembley Way, looked back at the incredible sight of a wall of supporters all decked out in their club colours for as far as the eye could see.

Now gone 1pm, we made our way into the stadium itself. 6 of the boys had more expensive tickets and were sitting away from myself and Chris' brother Andrew. They were sat central onto the pitch whilst Andrew and I were up in the Gods in the right-hand corner with a brilliant 3D style view of the whole pitch (similar to the view I had when Wales beat Italy 2-1 in the Millennium Staidum in 2002). The stadium just looked fantastic. It's right up there with the Millennium Stadium for the view and for just having the 'wow factor'.

Chris and Noir met up with me for a pre-game pint in one of the many bars to calm the nerves and then it was time for the action.

The Match - 1st Half
It encapsulated everything that sport is about in 90 minutes. All different kinds of emotion were felt as the balance of the match swung one way then the other and then back again - talk about a rollercoaster ride!

The game began slowly for the Swans and I felt that Reading had the upper hand. It was nervy and it was tense. Swansea hadn't settled down and hadn't got into their natural rhythm whilst Reading were looking dangerous. We'd spoken before the game of how the Swansea boys needed to turn up on the pitch to show what they were capable of and they weren't doing so at the outset. It wasn't an inspiring start.

Then suddenly, drama. Some 20 minutes in and a clumsy Reading tackle in the box resulted in a penalty for Swansea. The Reading goal, in front of their own supporters was on the opposite side of the ground to where Andrew and I were sitting but as it happens, we had a great sight up the pitch to the goal and saw Scott Sinclair cooly slot the ball home. 1-0!

Joy unleashed itself around the black and white half of the stadium as suddenly, against the run of play it felt, we drew first blood. Suddenly, the early jitters ebbed away as we now had that vital, early goal cushion.

We'd barely settled and calmed down from this huge turn around when just 75 seconds later, a swift move up the far right-hand wing resulted in a Stephen Dobbie cross into the box and at the far post, again, ideally placed for us to see where we were sitting, Sinclair guided the ball home to double the lead! Absolute pandemonium! This was crazy. 2 goals in 2 minutes and we were going wild. At 1-0, we had our noses in front but suddenly with our tails up and 2-0 ahead, for the first time I realised that actually, the Premier League dream could be fulfilled. It was a moment of pure unadulterated joy!

Suddenly, the boys were playing with confidence and the Jack Army were singing their hearts out! Wembley was reverberating to the sounds of Hymns and Arias and it was wonderfully deafening!

But it got better! With half-time approaching, Dobbie connected beautifully with a cross on the half-volley and smashed the ball into the corner of the goal to make it 3-0! This was just unbelievable Roy of the Rovers stuff! Suddenly, the Swansea supporters around me were singing 'We are going up!' I can tell you now reader that I was not one of those! As incredible a 20 minutes as it may have been, I've known and seen bigger comebacks in my time and the Liverpool Vs AC Milan Champions League Final sprung particularly to mind at that moment! Indeed, we were fortunate to lead 3-0 at half-time because Reading should've pulled one back in the dying seconds of the half but Long scuffed his cue in front of goal and I welcomed the half-time whistle with open arms!

Half-Time
I needed to re-gain my composure so half-time saw me just sit in my seat and soak up the incredible atmosphere. I also daringly prepared a tweet, ready to publish on the stroke of full-time, in the quiet confidence that though anything can happen in sport, 3-0 at half-time was looking incredibly promising. We had one foot in the Premier League. It was all of a sudden so tantalisingly close.

The Match - 2nd Half
When the second half got underway, I said to Andrew next to me that we just needed a stable and calm 15-20 minutes so we could really ratchet up the pressure on Reading and effectively kill the game off.

No chance! Within minutes of the re-start, Hunt for Reading converted (it turned out to be a marginal Joe Allen own goal) a corner and suddenly, the mood changed. Now, at 3-1, I could sense that Reading had the momentum changing moment that they needed to give themselves the confidence to push on and push on they did. It was getting tense again as a 2 goal cushion is not the mentally safe gap that a 3 goal cushion is. But any idea of a comeback should've been quashed in its infancy as Dobbie danced his way like a hot knife through butter through the Reading defence akin to Archie Gemmel for Scotland against Holland in the 1978 World Cup and set himself up a glorious chance to open up that 3 goal advantage again. This was now at our end of the stadium and we watched on in utter dismay as Dobbie not only missed, but saw the ball scuttling away for a throw-in!

Within minutes, it got worse...much worse. Poor marking in the box from yet another Reading corner (one of 16 in all) gave Mills an unmarked header and he didn't let his team down. 3-2. You could hear a pin drop as it began to sink in with the Swansea faithful.

Suddenly, the dream was turning sour and the Reading fans were now themselves in full voice. It was the only period in the match when I could hear them sing because the Jack Army all around me were so brilliantly loud and vociferous in their support that they drowned out all other noise at all other times. Now, the Reading fans were coming over loud and clear and they got even louder as, just minutes later, Karacan hit the post and then captain Monk made a heroic diving tackle to deny Hunt's rebound attempt. This, all on the hour.

Within just 15 minutes of the re-start, Reading had turned the game upside down again and had come within a coat of paint from levelling the scores.

This now was fear. Real fear. The thought of losing having led so comprehensively at half-time was stomach churningly awful but was now staring at us right in the face. This was painful. Really really painful.

But to their credit, the Swans took the sting out of the game and began controlling the ball again. For 20 minutes, a tense stand-off saw Swansea comfortably repel anything that Reading had to offer. I was counting down the minutes and the seconds, no doubt frustrating Andrew by constantly asking him how long's left and how much time is on the clock. The seconds ticked by like minutues and the minutes like hours but slowly, they did indeed tick away.

Then suddenly, with 10 minutes left, another crazy defensive Reading lunge in the box left the (I felt) excellent referee Phil Dowd to point towards the penalty spot. He was facing us as he pointed firmly towards the spot and we all went wild!

Unbelievable! Another penalty! Suddenly, here was a reprieve - a chance to relieve ourselves of this excruciating position of only having a slender one goal advantage. But the demons still played their tricks. What if, having converted the first penalty, Sinclair misses this one? Could this be another turning point back to Reading if he does miss it? At times like this, the mind goes into overdrive! But never fear because he confidently and cooly slotted it into the same left-hand corner of the goal that he did in the first-half and suddenly, it's 4-2! Wild scenes again around Wembley Stadium as the black and white contingent believed again that it would be our day. Me? A big, big sigh of relief. Suddenly, this felt like a second chance and that we'd been let off the hook.

As the final minutes tickets ticked by, so did Reading's realistic chances of scoring the 2 goals needed to force extra-time. But still I wasn't wholly comfortable. Anything can happen in football as Reading had already shown and I was still screaming at the boys on the pitch to keep the ball and to keep calm. Suddenly, 90 minues was up on the clock and the 4th official announced 4 minutes of injury time. There were groans around me but I thought 4 minutes was reasonable. It was only a minute or so into this period after another Reading chance went wide that I suddenly began to relax. I reached for my mobile, altered the score on my pre-written half-time tweet, and posted it with about a minute to go!

The Jack Army were whistling for the final whistle but I didn't care! A 2 goal advantage now in the final seconds was enough! Premier League status was on its way to Wales!

Final Whistle
As you can imagine, when the whistle did blow, 40,000 Swansea fans went wild! After a rollercoaster of an afternoon, the unbelieavable had happened. Just 8 years after surviving a last day match against Hull City to save themselves from being relegated out of the football league in 2003, here they were, about to join the elite for the first time after 28 long, difficult years.

I am a political soul. I am a sports soul but first and foremost, I am a historian. So I just lapped it all up. Whilst everyone around me went wild, I just soaked up the sights and the sounds of a historic event for Welsh football. After the dismay of failing to qualify for the 1978 and 1986 World Cups at the death to Scotland, after Paul Bodin's penalty miss againt Romania in 1993, after the limp performance in the second leg of the European Championship qualifier against Russia in 2003 and after Cardiff's play-off defeat to Blackpool only last May, finally, a Welsh team turned up and delivered.

It was just a magical feeling to know that I'd been through the emotional mill but that at the end of the day, it was all for the result that we'd travelled to London to witness.

Hymns and Arias!
But the sentimental, foresight of hindsight maudling didn't last for long! Having taken in the enormity of the occasion for Swansea City and for Welsh sport that was unfolding in front of my eyes, I then started waving my FAW flag like a loon as Status Quo's Rockin' All Over The World came on! As the trophy celebration unfolded and the team came back down onto the pitch to share in their glory with the fans, Queen's Don't Stop Me Know and Tom Jones' Delilah followed the Quo and being a fan of all three, I quickly decided that the best way to celebrate was to sing myself hoarse! Apart from a sturdy dozen or so souls, the Reading fans had not surprisingly by now all drifted away so we found ourselves in the slightly surreal situation of having half of an 86,500 filled stadium completely empty and the other half all decked out in black and white going absolutely bananas!

Going Home
All good things must come to an end unfortunately and we left the stadium with a hoard of jubiliant Jacks and got back onto our bus and set off in good time at 5.45pm. We were back in Swansea at 10pm and back at Chris' house at 10.45pm - just in time to watch it all over again with the highlights on the Football League Show! With a celebratory glass of champagne, it was the perfect end to a wonderful day.

My Top Moment?
For me, the celebrating after the final whistle was magical. Knowing that the summit had been successfully scaled and the dream realised was what we'd all hoped for.

But my top moment - that one moment of absolute pure and unadulterated joy actually had to be Sinclair's 2nd goal. His first gave us realistic hope and the lead up to his penalty kick gave us the knowledge that we might just edge ahead. The 3rd goal added to a growing sense of what now could be whilst the 4th was met with a sense of relief that Reading's comeback had been stopped in its tracks. For me, it was that 2nd goal that changed everything. Barely a minute after taking the lead, the quick counter-attack sucker punch second strike came so suddely after the first that it just added to what was the barely calmed down emotion of minutes earlier. It was now sudden and glaring realisation that at 2-0 up, this really really, could be it. It put us in the driving seat that we never thereafter relinquished.

It was in that moment and as a part of the entire day, the greatest sporting moment of my life.

I've been to 2 British Grand Prixs in Silverstone including a Lewis Hamilton win in the rain in 2008 on the way to the World title, I've seen the World Darts live at the Lakeside, I've watched Wales at rugby in Murrayfield against Scotland in the 6 Nations in 2003, I've watched Wales play England in the last ever 5 Nations match in the old Arms Park in 1997, I've watched Rugby World Cup group matches in 1999, I've watched a giant-killing FA Cup victory in Wrexham over then Premiership side Ipswich in the 1990s but nothing touches this. The finality of the day and of the result - knowing that there would be a winner and a loser by the time we caught our buses home, meant that the tension and pressure was astronomical. A whole season down to one final winner-takes-all, £90m encounter. A match that meant so much to Welsh football and to Welsh sport.

It was an incredible match and I'm immensly proud that I'll be able to look back in years to come and say, as Max Boyce did, 'I was there'.

A spooky post-script

Do you believe in fate? Well in 2003 on that fateful final day of the season when Swansea City had to beat Hull City at the old Vetch Field to stay in the Football League after an 80+ year stay, they did by winning 4-2 - the same scoreline as yesterday. They did so with a hat-trick hero - for 2011 and Sinclair read James Thomas in 2003. Oh, and how many of Thomas' 3 goals came from the penalty spot that day? Yep you guessed it, 2 of them.