The True Cost of the Wimbledon Debacle Emerges

'No one likes us' - yeah, but some hate you more than others!

So here's the deal - having invested in flights and accommodation for three travelling from the West of Ireland to Stratford for the Liverpool game on Monday 4th February, the one result that I did not want was a draw on Saturday night. With plans to reschedule the Monday game to Sunday at noon I would have been out of pocket to the tune of £700! Definitely not a good result.

So, seeing as Pellegrini fielded an attacking side with two 'world' class strikers up front, and a decent side otherwise with a few well tested back up players coming in for game time you would have expected that West Ham would prevail against a side who cant cope in League One!

But then you've got to factor in that its the FA cup, its on telly and its an evening fixture - all bets are suddenly off!

In honesty, we expected Wimbledon to come out all guns blazing after a rousing prematch build up from Vinnie Jones. After half an hour my mate commented that once it got to half time they would be all punched out and the game would settle down and allow our technique to dominate. Ahem. Then Wimbledon scored at just the right moment - three times! 

Trailing by 3-0 a draw was really the best most West Ham fans could shout for - all except yours truly! For the first time in my life I found myself willing us not to score!!! All the while, however, I was thinking that if Millwall was the prize in the next round then I'd take the £700 hit, settle for 3-3 and take it back to the London Stadium where it would have been much harder for Wimbledon to press us into submission.

When the final whistle sounded I still had mixed emotions - the Liverpool trip was still viable but what if Wimbledon got Millwall in the next round?

Naturally, Sods law took over from that point. As Ball 2 and ball 4 were paired the realisation hit home just how cruelly the Gods of football had treated us once again.