Two games? On the same day? Yep...

July 11th: Loughborough Dynamo v Leicester City (Friendly) and Tamworth v Leicester City (Friendly)

I'm just in time for the bus, which drops me outside Leicester Magistrates' Court at 9.27. At 9.29 on New Walk, some fucker with a preachy-looking magazine tries to catch my eye and commences a conversation, which goes something like:
"Is money-"
"Nope."
At 9.32 and a few seconds, I enter the station, see an absurdly long queue at the ticket windows and decide the machine is a better option. Turns out this nine minute journey is going to cost me £4.10. Unfortunately buying the ticket takes far too long. Because I'm in a rush (the train leaves at 9.35) my 90p change is nine 10p coins, which drop one at a time, at five second intervals. Arriving on the platform at 9.34 and some seconds is insufficient, the train doors are already closed. It's not really a big deal though, just an annoyance, because the next one is in 20 minutes.

Eventually, I alight the train at Loughborough at 10.03, and promptly jump into a taxi. The driver offers to stop off at the shop so I can get the drink and snack I desperately need, having neglected breakfast earlier. Inside the empty shop, I grab a couple of things, and a copy of Boxing News, and as I approach the counter there's a sudden rush of people in front of me. Now there's a bloke buying cigarettes and a jazz mag ('for someone else, honest') and of course a lottery fucking ticket, then another twat who wants a chat with the bloke who sells him newspapers.

Back outside I'm delighted to learn the meter's only ticked over another 40p, and not long afterwards I'm handing over six quid in the car park of the Nanpantan Sports Ground. I pick up a programme and wander off towards the entrance. There's a few people already inside so I look for some familiar faces. Over the next hour or so I buy raffle tickets, discover the club house and talk to some woman, and read a bit of my magazine.

Having arranged with Paul to go in his car to the Tamworth game after this one, I occasionally glance at the entrance to see if he's arrived. 11.30 comes and goes, still no sign. My concern is over though as he comes in around 11.40, at which point he abandons his bag on the seat next to me and goes off to take pictures and locate the person selling badges.

The game kicks off at noon, exactly as scheduled, and less than five minutes later Billy Kee leaps and nuts home a Max Gradel cross for 1-0. Five minutes after that he's pulled down for a penalty, which Paul Dickov puts in the right hand corner. Nine minutes before half time, Dynamo's striker Alex Johnson - useful looking player - pulls one back. As he does, I'm buying food yet can still see the game. Half time comes, City lead 2-1. The second half is somewhat less eventful, the only goal coming from a neat move down the left being finished off at close range by Nicky Adams. As 90 minutes approaches, we edge towards the exit, and as soon as the referee's whistle blows we're gone.

Getting out of the car park poses little difficulty, and the trip to Tamworth is livened up with old away day stories. Said trip is surprisingly brief, and we're parked up in the Tamworth car park with a good half hour to spare. Into the club shop then, before finding an appropriate entrance and coughing up ten quid. We find ourselves behind Gerry Taggart, who appears to be in the seat for today, in the dugout. The teams are announced, and pretty soon the game's under way. First half is a bit of a scrap, Tamworth look to be a decent enough side. It's nine minutes into the second half before there's a breakthrough, Bruno Berner rolling it in from an angle. It can't be said, though, that City dominate the game and sure enough in the 87th minute, big striker Nick Wright curls a superb shot over Carl Pentney to equalise.

Another final whistle sounds, another dash for the door, and another quick car park exit. Just over half an hour after the game finishes, I'm walking through the front door. A reasonably short day, and most enjoyable. Still - something's missing...

Final scores: Loughborough 1 Leicester 3; Tamworth 1 Leicester 1
Time (from leaving the house to getting back): 8 hours 20 minutes
Tickets: Loughborough £7, Tamworth £10
Bus: £1.80
Train: £4.10
Taxi: £6
Total cost: £28.90