Playing for Pride

There's a crucial game going on at Pride Park, home of Derby County, in the next few days. Not that the final Premiership game of the season is important, it is. It could decide Reading's fate should they embarrass themselves and fail to beat us.
No, 24 hours after the curtain comes down on a miserable season I and another few lucky ones are taking our bow on the hallowed turf.
Now anyone whose a football fan cannot fail to get excited about the chance to play at ones home ground.
The only time I managed to tread the Baseball Ground turf was during two pitch invasions - one after Derby secured promotion against Palace in 1996 and the other after the final ever match there against Arsenal a year later.
It's taken 10 years to get a game at Pride Park - pretty much the same as it feels since the last time we won there - but I am relishing the opportunity.
In my mind of course the hat trick has already been secured, the winner coming in the dying seconds. That was until I found that half the opposition are semi-pros.
No, I will content myself playing the Italian style - strolling around the pitch, taking in the occasion and giving it the odd back heel.
A physiotherapist I was talking to recently said that a client had paid £6,000 for him and four mates to enter a five-a-side competition at Wembley last year. He lasted three minutes before breaking an ankle, but still said he could brag to the grandkids he played at Wembley.
Playing at Pride Park may not have quite the allure, but then it hasn't cost me £6,000. But I'll be just as chuffed and ready to chew the ears off anyone who will listen.

There is, of course, a sub plot. After a humiliating season in which the Mighty Rams have managed one win in 37 league games and are officialy the worst team in Premiership history, you never know who might be lurking in the stands. One lucky rebound off your backside and there's every chance the next thing you know you'll be having a contract shoved under your nose and playing in front of 30,000 people.
Ah well, we can but dream....