13th May 2006. The FA Cup Final. A day I will never forget.
As a West Ham fan, I didn’t think I would attend a cup final in my lifetime, let alone in my teenage years.
Even though we cruelly lost on penalties to Liverpool, I was so proud of the team for how close they were to pulling off an upset.
A few weeks before the final my Dad was on the West Ham box office phone-line at 8:50am. The remaining tickets went on sale at 9:00am. Our order was confirmed at 9:05. We were obviously both happy and excited. I couldn’t wait.
On the day of the final we had to get up bright and early. We had to get the train from London Paddington and all you could see was a sea of claret and blue. I sat next to this Dutch Liverpool fan who was watching American Pie: The Wedding. Even though he was a Kop fan, he went up a notch in my book for watching a top film.
We eventually arrived in Cardiff at 1 o’clock. A few pubs were visited before we made our way to the Millennium Stadium. It is a fantastic stadium and if anyone is offered to go there, do it.
Our seats were at the West Ham end behind the goal, in the upper tier, back row. We sat next to former Hammer John Moncur, he was a nice guy.
The match started and West Ham couldn’t have got off to a better start. Jamie Carragher scored an own goal after 21 minutes, while Dean Ashton tapped in after a Pepe Reina mistake seven minutes later.
As a Hammers fan I knew that a two-goal lead wouldn’t be enough. First Djibril Cissé volleyed in form the edge of the box before half time. Then ten minutes into the second half, Reds skipper Steven Gerrard smashed in a Peter Crouch knock-down.
After the equaliser I feared West Ham would crumble and lose. But we kept going and took the lead again when Paul Konchesky’s cross ended up looping over Reina into the net.
I felt for sure our name was on the cup after that lucky goal. I was already imagining Nigel Reo-Coker lifting the cup for the fourth time in the club’s history.
But then in stoppage time West Ham put the ball out of play for Cisse to get treatment for cramp. Then Lionel Scaloni stupidly pumped the ball high in the air straight down the middle of the pitch instead of aiming for the corner. The ball back into the box was only half cleared and fell to Gerrard who smashed the ball into the bottom corner form 30 yards. It was an amazing goal but I wasn’t thinking about that then. I felt so empty. We were only two minutes away from lifting the cup.
We could have won in in extra time, but Marlon Harewood missed from 5 yards due to his injured leg.
Down to penalties. Teddy Sheringham scored his penalty but Bobby Zamora, Paul Konchesky and finally Anton Ferdinand missed their spot-kicks and we lost. Liverpool 3-3 West Ham United. Liverpool win 3-1 on penalties.
It was a fantastic game of football, and as I said earlier I was immensely proud of being a West Ham fan that day, even though we lost. We were so near and yet, thanks to Steven Gerrard, so far.
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