Another memory I have, is sharing a Spanish fan's leather "purron" of wine with a during half-time in Valencia. After the final whistle had blown we remained to salute our "Heros in White" before leaving the stadium completely exhausted, mentally and physically, having given 90 minutes (+ those inexplicable 6 minutes of extra time) of vocal support. By this stage I was wearing a Spanish football shirt which I had swapped for my NI jersey.

I arrived back at the bus in which, curiously,(in our bus anyway)the mood, whilst of utter satisfaction and excitment, was somewhat subdued. Very few celebratory songs were sung as everyone else seemed to be shattered. This surreal atmosphere continued until we nade a comfort stop on the motorway.

It may have been the hour or so of cat napping or the rejuvination provided by a bottle or two of the local beer, by now renamed "Sammy Magill" by our faithful followers, but the bus suddenly exploded with, let's say, "merriment". This continued unabated until we arrived back in our resort in time to celebrate with bottles of Cava that wonderful, and perfectly comparable Catalan version of champagne.

Philip Hernberg