Dublin Hammers Trip - Burnley - Saturday 21st October 2003

West Ham 2 vs Burnley 2.

The usual early start on Saturday morning with all members checking in on time. We arrived at Jury's and set off to Upton Park. The usual faces in The Queens, but we all had to watch the Englanders play a game with a funny shaped ball against Nelson Mandela's mob. Up to the ground and witness the new messiah being greeted by the fans, hope we can be as appreciative come May.

Game on, and can't pass and won't pass are up front, what a pairing, hopefully Pardew will sort these two out or we won't be back in the premiership. After 15 minutes we should have been 3 up. Lets hope we can start converting these chances soon. 1st goal Connolly, then disaster, Burnley score. Then worse again they take the lead, exit some hammer fans... on comes Hutch, three minutes left on the clock and what a 'Buddy Holly' into the top corner.

We still left deflated and annoyed as we had just squandered three points (again). Up to the White Hart, a great evening with some unusual looking Dublin Hammeretes giving it loads on the dance floor. Liam McDonagh... king of Ska and Gerry O'Keefe was like Norman Wisdom on speed! We left there and gave a beautiful rendition of where to put the blue flag all the way back to the tube. Jury's, Angel Bar and O'Neil's all got a visit but alas all back to the hotel early... are we getting too old or just sensible?

Sunday, a new day. Rugby in Jury's and then the usual White Horse or The Sports Bar. The Hawaiian shirts were worn again (somebody should have told the lads its colder in October). At the airport duty free, and Gerry O'Keefe left nothing for anyone else. A successful trip again, and looking forward to the Watford game...

Thanks to Brian for taking the time and trouble to get this report in, and to Liam for the photos!