Great read mate, I too stayed at home, although mine circumstances is much much different from yours. I lived in Malaysia, and it'll cost in excess of 5 grand (Malaysian currency) to get there and back, and that's the backpacker's rate. The cost is more than twice my monthly salary, so I opted to stayed at home, by choice or lack of it rather.
I still remember that night, the pub that I always watch is open (albeit illegally, the game starts at 3am local time, and all night spots are to be closed at 2am, although some time they don't bother checking). Having just got married about a couple of weeks before that, I decided that going to the pub at 3am in the morning is not the best start to a marriage, especially i got to get up at about 6.30 am to get ready to go to work.
I could not concentrate at work at all, as soon as 6pm arrived, I ruched out of the office like a flash, rushing home, quickly get dinner, boought some beers to stock up in the fridge and then quickly jump into bed for rest, I've informed at least half a dozen of friends to give me a wake up call at 2.45 am to catch the match, great mates they are, started calling me froom 1.30am onwards, urging me to join them at the pub, giving up, I got up and watch the season review of the treble season, just to get the "spirit" going.
The show started, they had cross over of viewing party from all over the country, my goodness, almost all the pubs were open that night and the authority just turn a blind eye, perhaps they knew it was one off and made the exception for the pubs to extend the hours. The game started, I was surprise to see the team sheet as well, thinking "who's gonna give us the steel in the middle?" like everyone else, I thought that Rafa would want to attack from the start to unsettle them, afterall, this is the Milan that has not have the best 3 weeks with fatigues showing in their old legs.
When the first goal went in, I thought it was final nerves, urged the lads to calm down and played our game, then the second, the third. I was devastated, to say the least, almost on the verge of tears.
At this time, my mates started SMSing me, telling me that the pub were so wuite and the scene there were like at a funeral, many of them crying. I cracked open the xth bottle of beer (I really lost count, only the next morning I knew that I had about 10 big ones, 750ml? Not too sure), listen to the local hosts making fun of us, predicting that it might be 4 or 5 or even 6, they were having a ball, both of them are Manc twat anyway. Because of that I didn't know about the half time YNWA, only read it here a while back.
2nd half started, when I saw Didi came in, I knew it'll be different, true enough, we played like men possessed, and possessed they were, when Gerrard scored the first, I jumped up and almost fell over, fists clenched, thinking "1 down, 2 to go, C'mon lads!" When Smicer struck that sweet, sweet shot, who crept in at the near post, I knew that instant I am watching perhaps the most exciting CL final in recent years. The confidence was back, not willing to miss anything, I got a mate who was watching to fetch the beers for me.
When I saw Gerrard made the run and pass to Baros, I thought "no, not Baros, he'll try to take on the whole Milan defence and lose possession!" but somehow he found his bearings and direction that night, a return pass to Gerrard who was then fell by Gattuso, we all know what happened after that, it was real nail biting stuff, and in my case, I had to wait till full time to go to the toilet for the first time to relief myself.
Extra time came and went, my heart must've skip a beat or 10 when Shevchenko heads towards goal, somehow I witness 2 great, legendary save by Dudek, "he's not a DUD anymore", I promise myself not to call him that, ever.
When penalty came, I had this funny feeling, coz English teams had this habit of falling at the penalties, Italia '90, Euro '96 and some I could not name at this time (I am still very emotional, hands are still shaking as I type, tears started to fill my eyes). When they go first, I felt good, at least the pressure would be on them to score first to put pressure on us, SAVED! Good god, what a save, then we scored, SECOND SAVE! I was certain that it'll be ours now, when the Dudek saved that penalti from Shecchenko, I jumped up from the couch, sceamed at the top of my lungs "YEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!! We're are the Champions!!!" (in which I received a few complain letters from other tenants of the same apartment blcok). And then started to cry like a baby... Couldn't stop crying, when I became a little settle, it was the prize giving ceremony, loved that Cisse jiggy around the trophy.
When Gerrard hoisted that big ol'ears up high, I started crying again, this time, I was thinking to meself, "how great it would be to be there." It confirmed when I read the accounts of so many of you here and in YNWA.tv.
By far it was the greatest night in my life, the only thing that could rival that would the sometime this week, my boy is due soon and I am not sure if I'll get the same emotion.
I want to thank all those who sang their hearts out in Istanbul, didn't stop singing even when the chips are down, thank you for making 25th of May, 2005 one of the best day of my life. I am now started to pan for the trip to Paris, if we make t again this time around, having missed one out, don't think I could bear missing a second one out. Watch this space, I'll be in contact if I'm coming over.
Again, thanks fellas, you've made one young man's (not very, all of 29 years old) night, made him stand tall amongst bandwagon hoppers of Chelsea Kiev and Moan USA understand what it is like to be a supporter of the GREATEST team in England. Made him envy with green of thise who've been there, made him glad that he has the chance to watch the greatest CL final live, albeit on TV. Most of all, made him determine to come over to Liverpool after a good 15 years of supporting to watch the Reds live for the first time! Will let you lads know when I'm coming.
