The Concession Ticket.

Yesterday was the National Leagues Grand Final day at Headingley.

To the uninitiated the sport is Rugby League and the National Leagues in question are the equivalent of divisions two, three and four - the grand finals are the culmination of the season and are the way by which we decide who is promoted to the league above, an all or nothing game potentially worth, without exageration, millions to the winners.

Its a great day out, three finals of the great game and another forward thinking idea by the Rugby Football League.

This year it was held in Leeds and 20,800 attended and created a great atmosphere all day in the pubs of Headingley and inside the ground, I love Grand Finals day - the Super League (div 1) Grand Final is next week at Old Trafford, Manchester with a 72,000 capapcity sell out.

But something else, something much more momentious happened yesterday, something which will have dramatic implications on me for the rest of my lfe.

See the image above ?
Thats my actual matchday ticket that is.

My good friend Rikky blagged it for me, a freebie, good news eh ?

Notice anything a little strange about it ?
Something that isn't quite what it should be ?
No ?
Look again.

Look very hard - see the bit that says "Senior Citizen" ?
Thats means that the ticket is intended for a pensioner, someone above the age of 65.
Someone not at all like me.

We stood outside the ground, Rikky and I and we regarded the free ticket with concern - which of us two would most easily pass for a pensioner ?

Seeing as I have at least 30 years on him, it was decided that I should try and blag the turnstile operator with the ticket, so I did.

And the bastard didn't even hesitate to let me through, and then a steward who checked out tickets further inside the ground didn't even blink at the ticket and its bearer either - bugger.

So there we have it - two weeks past I celebrated my 51st birthday and already I pass easily for an old bugger, it won't be long now before undertakers start pressing their business cards into my palms as I walk past their offices, promising to "see me off in a grand style, have you ever thought of our easy payment plan sir"

Sunday 7th October 2007 - the day I was accepted as a member of the old gits club.

Buggers, the lot of them.

And as for you Rikky, you didn't have to laugh for quite so long, a short chortle would have sufficed.