Trains of hope
A journey journal from a train window

THE CUNNING FOX, 25.04.2010

Back in Leicester for the fourth time this season. Everything was all about Peterborough away. A key game in the fight for one of the four play-off positions.

My 5th game of the season, back in Leicester for the fourth time and full of optimism. My first visit to London Road in Peterborough, a new adventure, a new town and hopefully a new Leicester City win.

The Ryan Air morning flight from Oslo Torp to Stansted is just an 1,5 hour flight. The train trip to Leicester takes more than 2,5 hours. But you are in good hands when you reach the Belmont Hotell and their wonderfull staff. What a terrific place to stay. This is our "base".

We are only two this time, me arriving from Stansted, and my friend Ulf Larsen coming up from Heathrow and Oslo. Ulf is a "hard core" Leicester fan with a dedication you actually can't find many places.

I have allready watched Leicester live against Ipswich away, Barnsley home, Derby home, Crystal Palace home, and now the Peterborough game will be my fifth game.

Friday night is here and we are on our way out to a great dinner, and we like Indian so we just walk down to The Curry House for a meal. Great service, nice people and for us Norwegians it's great food for a good price.

We decided to take an early train down to Peterborough, getting a meal and a few beers at one of the pubs just a few minutes walk away from the train station. A great number of Leicester fans arrives.

We are mixed, Leicester and Peterborough fans, that's how it should be. A friendly and great atmosphere. Then it's time to walk down towards the stadium, through the City centre and then we have to have another break.

Just as we walk over a bridge, there is a nice park with a boat pub, we decides to go down and have a beer with a new group mixed with Peterborough and Leicester fans. This is just great and hopefully things can stay like this forever.

Friendly atmosphere, home and away fans gathered together in the sun, in a relaxed and cool atmosphere. It's almost 1 hour before kick-off, time to move further on towards London Road.

I have seen the ground from the train window many times. This time I was able to see what the ground was like and I was positively surprised. Looked a bit "sloppy" from the train window, but it was great atmosphere down there.

This was also a time to get the chance to stand together with Leicester fans behind one of the goals and as I said actually standing. We also meet up with a friend from the London Branch, which we have met a number of times at their "local" in Leicester, "Swan & Rushes".

The game started and City looked strong, with a line-up that looked strong. I like the way Nigel Pearson now have found his best back four with Morrison, Hobbs, Brown and Berner. The goalkeeper Chris Weale has probably been the signing of the season, all four divisions counted.

Andy King has taken a new step towards a great career at a higher level, with Richie Wellens also contributing well. City takes the lead from a goal from Steve Howard who has done a job this season, without really being that great, but he does a job and hopefully he will be our "Dean Windass".

You all remember Dean Windass. Windass was almost 40 years of age when he scored the vital winner for Hull in the play-off finals that made it possible for the Tigers to get into the Premier League for the first time in their history.

The game was probably not the best I have watched, but with a great atmosphere, and then City showing that they can manage to win games that are a bit problematic, that shows carachter.

After the game it was a bit problematic to get back home, with no trains arriving at the Peterborough train station. But when City had won, most people just relaxed and waited. We had to wait for an hour and a half, when we finally was on a train back to Leicester.

A great meal was waiting for us at the best "Italian" in Europe. I have visited a number of restaurants in my life, but San Carlos Restaurant is my favourite when it comes to Italian food. Great service, friendly people and again great value for money.

i had an early train to catch in the morning and everything went smooth as I arrived back in Norway in the afternoon on this Sunday in April. This journey gave me time to think a lot, since i was a lot on trains, but it was all trains who gave me hope of a play-off position.

Soon back in Leicester !