Jon Crispin's Notebook

I met Cris at Heathrow yesterday.  She has an all-day meeting today and in order to keep her awake and adjust to the time change, we did a long walk to The Regent’s Park late in the afternoon.  It is amazing that the roses in Queen Mary’s Garden are still blooming in a major way this late into the year.

Earlier in the day I realized that England were to play San Marino at Wembley in the evening, and I knew that Peter would be disappointed if I didn’t attempt to get a ticket.

I got to my seat near half-time just as Wayne Rooney was taking a penalty to make it 2 – nil.

As San Marino is considered the worst team in FIFA, the crowd was a bit sparse; announced attendance was just over 55,ooo.  The final score was 5 – nil England.

 I have been to lots of League matches, but never an international at Wembley, and I must say that the Brits have crowd control down to a science.  Some of it has to do with the design of the stadium, some with the way that the police control things, but mostly it has to do with the fact that the English do nothing better that queueing.

It was a great evening; I thought of Peter the whole time.  I really wish he was with me.