By FBFR
What an exciting end to the season that turned out to be! In the Station Hotel in Ipswich at half past 12, the decision as to which game to watch was a difficult one.
All the games starting at 1pm meant that our day as Palace fans would make us unable to watch both matches, so reluctantly we left the warm pub and large screen TV and trudged down through the cold wind and rain to Portman Road to watch the Blades.
We chanted “Eagles! Eagles!” as we strode towards sleepy Ipswich Town and reluctantly took our places to watch the season disappear without trace. To be fair, the powerful Alan Lee header after 25 minutes sent the away following at Portman Road into raptures of delight, as the more technically minded younger Blades watched the game at Swillsboro on their funny little phone things.
One nil up, with a only a draw needed meant we were beginning to regret our choice of leaving the comfort of the pub - and in some cases, travelling to the south - when a trip to the Sty had been chosen by many Blades.
Another cheer went up 10 minutes later when Mark Yeates, who had decided to rip Ipswich Town to shreds single handedly, scored a deserved opener for the Blades.
Silence and fear fell on the away support in Suffolk though, when news came through that on the stroke of half time Palace were drawing 1-1 and it was all to play for again. A lone Palace supporter (a real one) in his Palace shirt and scarf was sitting in our end and looking very nervous indeed.
With only the small phone TVs to go by, we debated whether to go back to the pub or stay and try to watch both games, plumping in the end to re-take our seats for the second-half, relegation-rollercoaster ride to come.
Ten minutes or so of Blades domination saw a sumptuous, sweeping move of quality passing finished first time with an elegant, first-time brush-stroke for young Chedwyn. His first goal for ages had the Blades faithful on their feet politely applauding what was easily the most attractive goal we had scored all season.
The polite celebration turned to hysteria as another ex-Ipswich hero, this time Darren Ambrose, had put the Eagles 2-1 up in the Steel City’s very own heartbreak relegation day, reviously billed rather too optimistically as Survival Sunday!
We scored another, scrappier, goal with Cresswell heading home after more superb play from, of course, Yeates, who was easily man of the match. The home team hit the post and had a player sent off I think, but it was only two yellows and I don't think there were any more goals and we won 3-0, all very good, thank you very much.
Now back to events at the land that time forgot.
The sleeping giants were a few minutes behind us - nothing new there then! - so we watched in agony with Pursed (geddit?) lips as they equalised and the board went up for five minutes added time...
Then it was celebration time again as Palace scored again for a relegation-confirming 3-2 lead... Unfortunately the small TVs had let us down; the ball had not crossed the line, it was still a draw and the home team were on the attack, forcing a corner which, if scored from, would save their porky skins.
Then, wait, what was that? Was it… Yes, it was! The final whistle! Wild scenes of celebration began as we were again confirmed as the only club in Sheffield never to have to play our blue and white neighbours again. Safe in the knowledge that they no longer exist, they are nothing just a distant memory.
When the Millers win the play-offs they will be the Steel City’s second team, and the porky pigs will be history, never to return.
Stand up if you’re Championship!
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