Hardy(T)'s World Soccer Diary

5/10/96, Cardiff, Wales.
World Cup Qualifying Group 7

Wales 1 (Saunders)
Holland 3 (Van Hooijdonk 2, R de Boer)
Att: 37,000 at the National Stadium, Cardiff.

The previous day I'd driven all the way from Portsmouth to Birkenhead to watch my beloved Pompey play at Tranmere. Due to an incredible amount of traffic on the roads and an accident on the M6, I arrived at Prenton Park about 5 minutes before the final whistle. Pompey eventually lost 4-3 after staging an incredible comeback from 3-1 down. To add insult to injury, I could have stayed at home and watched the game live on Sky!

Today I drove all the way from Birkenhead back down to Cardiff, arriving in plenty of time for the match, and for several beers beforehand. The atmosphere in Cardiff was incredible: Dutch fans roaming the streets; Welsh fans packing the pubs.
In the pub we were in, a group of Dutch fans walked in, dressed from head to toe in bright orange. The Welshmen, as one, burst into a rousing chorus of the Van der Valk theme tune, followed by that old terrace classic: "Two Fingers in a Dyke"! I digress...

...onto the match. The Dutch were pretty much at full strength and were hot favourites to win. The Welsh side featured former Pompey man Kit Symons. The Dutch however, hadn't reckoned with the fervent home support, which roared Wales into an early lead, courtesy of Dean Saunders. The Cardiff fans in particular were now in full voice, as "Der-der, der-der, der-der-dit-der... I love you BAAAYYYY-BEEEE" rang out round the soon to be redeveloped National Stadium. The Dutch, however, were always well in control, and the gallant Welshmen eventually succumbed to late goals from Celtic's Pierre van Hooijdonk and the evergreen Ronald de Boer.

I for one will never forget the atmosphere before and during the game. Neither will I forget Roger's frantic efforts after the match to get Sky to supply the porn channel to his house full of eager and exclusively male football fans at 3am!

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