By AndreaW
January 10 2007

Okay – so I never really write anything for this site as I am not by any means technical. I do however have a passion for Tigers ....well at least I did..... To explain, last year we started the away season with a jaunt to Newcastle on a cold February evening. Luckily we’d managed to combine it with an overdue visit to my vegetarian brother and sister in law . We found a spot in the corner and were well wrapped up (somewhere near the hot tub?!!!). I seem to recall that we played in the dreaded white strip, were basically awful and I went away bitterly disappointed (without even getting a consolation pint L) Result - a 24-16 loss and a bad case of vegetarian food poisoning (another story for another day)

The following weekend we went on a charabanc trip to Cardiff ! Most of the usual crew were present (Rich & me, Gaz & Mrs Gaz, Leicester Pirate, Inky and ickle tig, Gaz’s Dad & wife, Gojko & Kristina) and the wine started flowing somewhere down the motorway. The boys had a treat when Fiona got her baps out but that’s yet another story for another day... Anyway we arrived in Cardiff and managed to lose some of the party en route to the pub (sensibly I followed the beer kitty) but we all managed to meet again at the stadium. If it’s all the same with you I’d rather forget about the game – the white shirts again...aaargh. We seemed to be on the back foot all the way through (what is it about those pests and the big game) and we didn’t stay for the following game...I wonder why. Anyway we attempted to drown our sorrows but had to get back on the bus earlier than the originally published departure time (that’s another beer I missed L) and it seemed a long journey home....


In late March we had the first annual Crumbie supporters away camping trip to Barf. We arrived on Friday afternoon (Rich & me, Gaz & Mrs Gaz, Inky, Leicester Pirate, Chris E, our friends Dave & Cathy, Dave & Tina and Gojko), managed to put the majority of tents up before the rain started and headed off to the local hostelry for some refreshments (don’t quote me but there might have been Stella...). On Saturday we headed into Barf, found a great café with precisely 12 seats (phew) and had a good old fry up, swiftly followed by a pre-match libation (or was it 2?). The white kit appeared again but by this time Tigerchick had met up with us and kindly explained to me that they were actually required to wear it at the away match...ahhhh. Anyway the Stella flowed (much better than the “lager” at WR) and the afternoon was wet, the game was ground out between the forwards, did I say it was wet and the result was a Tigers win, 19-12. More beer flowed afterwards followed by an extremely dodgy curry that would pass for a vindaloo in Leicester and not the korma I ordered :( Anyway an evening round the campfire (alright it was a box of wine but hey) and a smashing fry up the next morning all meant for a jolly weekend away and a warm glow at the prospect of the Heineken next weekend......


So to the Walkers.....
The day dawned bright (and early...12.30 kick off – what’s that about) and Rich and I duly drove into Leicester with an air of anticipation. Now I know you may think this was a home game,,,but it wasn’t !
Anyway we picked our way through the crowds and attempted to meet up with my other (non vegetarian) brother in law (& nephew) and pull in a swift pre-match pint. We failed with the pint bit and gave up standing in the queue after 15 minutes in the concrete monstrosity that called itself a bar at the Walkers in fear of missing the game. As I recall the shirts were stripey (hurrah), the atmosphere at the end was intense, did I mention it wasn’t wet, but the game was not a great spectacle and the result.....argh....another competition we were no longer going to trouble the scorers in. Result 15-12 to them.

Our last jolly off to an away match was really more of a home match to us as we travelled down the A5199 to sunny Saintsville on a Friday evening in May. Leicester Pirate brought his passport and came across the border to join us (brave soul) and we met up with Inky and ickle tig and also the estimable TJS, Ian B and Ali B ! It was a glorious evening standing in the spring sunshine listening to the theme from Gladiator blasting clearly out from the PA (I really must go and buy that CD), and it really got your heart thumping in anticipation. By this time I had accepted those blooming white shirts and wasn’t ever so hopeful of a good result but, in what was a fast and furious battle, Tigers came out the victors with a 24-19 win. You could see how much it meant to the team and the players were keen to celebrate with the crowd with lots of hi-fiving and the like. Oh happy days.......
The evening ended in the local (which is in fact in Leicestershire by about 2 feet) and there are stories I could tell you of a certain Tina having to be carried home by me and Rich....but I won’t.......

We made the decision not to attend the pay-offs and watched it from the comfort of the Fox & Tiger...how much do I not regret that !

So that’s the story of our away experiences last year.....now I’ve re-read it I remember actually having a really great time overall. Okay some results didn’t go our way and my faith in the team’s ability to front up and grind out a win has been severely battered, particularly in a big game situation. I hate the white kit with a passion (actually it’s really the socks I dislike.....reminds me of a schoolgirl’s socks but I’m not saying that to Julian’s face...) and I hate it when we don’t compete. I can live with a defeat if we’ve played well and been out played, I find it difficult to swallow performances such as Cardiff. I’m not going to go to the Anglo Whelk semis this year but I might watch it on the box. Overall I enjoy being part of the Tigers community and there is something special about having made the effort to travel a hundred or so miles to watch our team although the cost of doing so is starting to grow ...Saints was a no-no at £20 each to stand in the corner, Barf last year was £18 I think, I’m told it was £24 this year.

So despite how I started this piece maybe I’ll reconsider my reluctance to “go away” ? I’ll scrape my pennies together for a well chosen trip and become part of that special band of supporters who come together in “hostile” territory and form Tigers much vaunted 16th man ?
So come on you members of the Crumbie Away Supporters Field Division (aka the Crumbie campers)...where are we going and who’s organising it this season because I’m IN !!!