Berkshire Michael's Blog

Tuesday 24 March

I bet Stevie Coppell enjoys a well-cooked potato. I was thinking this as I tucked into a delicious Shepherd’s Pie on Friday evening. The lady wife had got the consistency just right this time, and I was on about my fourth mouthful when this thought suddenly popped into my head. None of us know Stevie that well, not really.

We all know he’s a football fanatic, of course, but what’s he really like? What does he do in his time away from The Beautiful Game? What’s his favourite dinner? It could well be potatoes. After all, much like Stevie, they are reliable, adaptable and popular in and outside of the footballing world. But which is his favourite, baked, fried or broiled?

It’s exactly the sort of question I’d like to see Royals Review putting to the big man. Instead, for the big game against Birmingham on Saturday, Stevie was focusing on the positives from our away defeat at Anfield to Liverpool. I didn't make that game, we were out shopping for a new pair of bedside lamps in Thatcham.

I’d bought the kids along to the Madejski in their replica shirts this weekend, and while Alistair and Max are full of beans at the best of times, they were really going loco at the prospect of seeing Nicky Hunt and Dave Kitson up close and personal. I had to tell Max to be quiet at one point, I was trying to concentrate on a fascinating article (also in Royals Review) about a day in the life of Marcus Hahnemann. Nevertheless it was hard not to get excited before kick off. With the Berkshire Belles cheerleaders and all the loud pop music it was a real carnival atmosphere out there.

On the pitch I thought the boys did very well. Birmingham have some excellent players, and to keep the likes of Mauro Zárate and Fabrice Muamba quiet for the first 45 minutes, well, it was like a win in itself. The game got even better too: it was a win in itself! 2-1. Two goals from André Bikey, who is a player I really admire, partly for his tenacious all-round approach to the game, and partly for his outlandish dreadlocked hairstyle. It was good to see a game played in the right spirit too. Lots of tackles, and that’s what football’s all about, really.

When we finally got back to the retail park where I’d parked the Espace I realised I’d made an error that would leave even error-prone Royals defender Ulises De La Cruz red-faced. I’d got a touch carried away at half time and bought pies for me and the boys, but had forgotten that I’d packed some sandwiches in the car! Ham cheese and tomato, as it was Saturday: What a bloody waste. Oh well, COME ON YOU ROYALS!!!!!