Blackburn Rovers vs Arsenal - Ewood Park, Blackburn - Saturday 19th March 2005

So thanks a million to Sky television for this one, a 12:45 kick off in Blackburn! A week after the BBC sent us to Bolton for a 12:30 kick off (not me, I didn't go), TV again sends us back to the deep north for a game at a ridiculous hour of the day. Given the guarantee of a 4 hour journey from London, to be sure of making kick off after travelling our notoriously unpredictable roads, you really have to leave at 6am. So I did just that.

Unsurprising then that the Arsenal section wasn't even remotely full, for a game that kicked off at a silly time, was on TV, and was hundreds of miles away to boot. Perhaps when TV companies wonder why there are empty seats at grounds, and why the matchday atmosphere is not as electric as it used to be, they (and their habit of messing around with kick off times) will accept at least part of the blame. And, if football ever fully becomes a boring, lifeless sport, that is no longer worth televising, perhaps the kick off times will return to normal, and it will all start to get better again.

Anyway, early arrival at Blackburn, and a trip to the massive pub near the away end, that the locals very kindly turn over to away fans. Watching Soccer AM in the pub before an away game (when usually I stumble out of bed and watch it in my dressing gown) really does prove that you've got up early. With the odd alcoholic drink for the brave amongst us, it was a community-spirited pre-match atmosphere, for the dedicated only.

Blackburn is a strange town, a 25,000 capacity at the football stadium, but only about 50,000 people living in the town itself. It often feels like the whole town stops when there is a match on - which for a good proportion of the population, it does.

A fantastic goal by Robin Van Persie decided this one - a 1-0 win for Arsenal. Van Persie picked up a pass, rounded the keeper, and coolly tucked the ball into the empty net, just before half time. The 3 points made the trip a worthwhile one, and there was always Sunday to claim the lie in that Sky denied us on the Saturday.