A crazy season is coming to an end. One game remain. At Wembley. Against Rotherham. Winner takes it all in true Abba fashion. One place in the Championship 2014/15 up for grabs. I should be paralyzed by fear but instead I’m tingling with anticipation.
That tingling feeling comes from the knowledge that come Sunday afternoon I’m sharing Wembley with about 25,000 other Orient fans all hoping for a win. Hoping for promotion.
When Orient beat Oxford on May 6th 2006 thanks to that Lee Steele goal and got promoted to League One on the last day of the season. That day I experienced at home, in front of my computer, screaming at the Orient Player commentary. Match footage available the next day. In spite of this. A match that lives in memory.
Fast forward eight years. I’m still on Orient Player. Even though there has been a lot of televised Orient games this season. This time though I’m watching THE GAME live!
I’m going to be at Wembley watching a game that really has significance. A game with Orient on one side. I refuse to miss it. The trip is booked. Match tickets bought. It doesn’t matter that it’s EU Election Day in Sweden (I voted beforehand). It doesn’t matter that it’s Mothers Day in Sweden (mum will have to wait). It doesn’t matter that Norrtulls SK play Handelskamraterna at Östermalms IP in Division 5 (I didn’t miss a single game last season and then they won the league). What does matter is that Sunday is Towel Day. We celebrate Douglas Adams and remember what was printed in big friendly letters on the cover of the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
DON’T PANIC
I wish that I could say that I have a Leyton Orient towel to bring to Wembley. But I don’t, and I doubt that I will buy one this weekend. But when I take my seat at Wembley on Sunday. Surrounded by nervous Orients fans I can tell them in a calm confident voice: Hey did you know that today’s Towel Day? You all know what that means don’t you? Don’t Panic!
Because that’s how I feel. There will be a big disappointment should Orient loose. But looking back at the season gone by there’s so many great things to remember. All the records that were broken. All the memorable football played. Should we look at another season in League One we will dust ourselves off and be raring to go come August. On the other hand, if we’re promoted, then I’ll be dancing all the way home to Stockholm.
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