The Geordie Gala Part One

Gala flippin' shiels? I was shocked when the Exeter local paper suggested on Thursday that our European game today could be moved into Scotland.

On Friday it seemed ever more likely that the KP pitch would be frozen and the match played at Gala RFC in the Borders, and this was confirmed on Saturday morning, while I was on the train heading north.

The Supporters Club bus was a possibility for me to get to the game, but it was due back to KP at 6pm, and I had to be on the 18:29 train back to London tonight. If I missed it, getting the next one would cost £70. A bit risky considering the predicted weather.

Ma Leipy said Friday night she would drive, but then changed her mind on Saturday due to the horrific weather forecast.

Yesterday afternoon I called Kevin Williams to see if he could give me a lift depending on when he was leaving Netherdale, but his car was full. I was resigned to missing the game.

After getting in from the pub last night Ma Leipy and I were talking between the finals of Strictly, which she was watching. She said to me that I should get on the Supporters Club coach and just risk missing the train – after all, it's only money.

I decided to. As long as I made work on Monday I'd be fine. You see, I'm getting made redundant at the end of the year, a) I don't have any holiday left so I wouldn't get paid for work if I missed it tomorrow and b) a quarter of the redundancy payment is conditional upon continuing to work “diligently” until I finish on New Year's Eve.

So about 10pm I texted Steve1888 to ask if there was room on the coach still.

No was the answer. I was on about my seventh beer of the day (through two separate trips to the Jingling Gate and a few cans at home) so rather than cursing I just laughed.

Steve very kindly bumped someone onto the team bus so there would be a place for me on the supporters' coach.

And so this morning there was a centimetre or two of snow over this little corner of western Newcastle, not enough to stop a hardy bunch of Falcons leaving KP at 9.30am (well, a bit later but no matter) and heading north.

The trip was largely uneventful, we rolled up to Netherdale before midday and added a few pounds of our own at the bar to the money the Falcons had paid Gala RFC to rent the pitch. As former Falcon and Border Reiver Semo Sititi might say, Sofa so good.