A couple of hours kip and up at 1:15am, good job I woke on my out accord as alarm set 13:15. Mong.
Alex, Ray, Brian and Tony Short arrive at mine for coach departure at 02:15 ,Ray parks in Hemsworth.
Bus is early, we are underway once again on our 5 night Dublin tour....
Early into Leeds but most are ready and we are away before time.
Great to see the boys and girls and a few newcomers to the group; Danny Page and boys.
I do my thing collecting outstanding monies and handing out boarding passes.
Only three have left money in their cases ,learn from this boys.
Dead on time East Midlands airport at 4:30am, most go straight through. I wait for Ian Ian Cokayne Coke and Pete Southam and Tina Ann Southam arriving by car.
Really busy at the airport and roadworks delay arrival. Still a hour before departure we go through.
Oxford fans going on pre season to Malaga; we are jealous.Offer their striker back if we can swap.
Longest walk ever to plane I follow Tony and Ray who moan all the way;(grumpy).
I sleep from getting on but we all are jolted awake with a 2/10 landing by Ryan Air.We have arrived.
Quiet at Dublin straight through.Cannot get the coach driver by phone but we did land early.We gather the group x 27 at moment grows to 31 soon.
A 30 minute trip to the very nice Ballsbridge hotel we pass an old hunting ground from our recent England game the Ferryman and the Wind jammer (doors open already) .
As expected rooms not ready but I had negotiated breakfast on arrival so we gorged our selves on a very good Irish breakfast...Some of the lads decide to find an early pub 10:30 some crash out in lobby .
I suggest to reception they find rooms for the sleepers to stop lobby looking like an airport lounge when fog descends .They come good and we are in for 10:30am.
Some go straight to bed the veterans get ready and go to the Baggot inn.Did they say on Baggot lane?
I put it on maps we get lost and jump in a taxi.Most were heading back to hotel to claim rooms as we passed and only Tony and Bob ,Pete and Tina were in pub where I think they said Dubliners were formed.
Stories were told a political discussion (lefties) everywhere.The wall is not long enough to shoot them all.
One thing that stood out everyone voted stay in.Lets change the subject.We move on ,Guinness better (says best pint in Dublin on door.)
We are in full flow.Ray looking very tired Alex and Jack Hinchliff join us and we stay there for a couple of hours before fatigue kicks in around 7pm and we head back to hotel.
Danny Daniel Brown Daniel Howson Andy Dalton heading for Shelbourne v Swindon Town good luck with that lads.
Lads are just going back out but I'm done after another drink.
The double bed is calling me. It's match day tomorrow.
2016/17 season starts!