Revision

I park the car at my parents place and run the 8km (5 miles) into work. The temperature seems to have stayed marginally above freezing overnight. So although there are a few icy patches left it’s not too bad underfoot at all. The worst stretch was along the river path, so when I do the journey in reverse this evening, in the dark, I avoid that bit. Instead I stick to the well lit main roads and do another 8km.

This morning I skipped over the ice to Los Campesinos and this evening I ran back the other way to Sunshine Underground. I am revising for our next bout of gigs. These are two of the next three artists we are down to see. I just haven’t been able to bring myself to revise the one that falls in between them two yet.... Mr Michael Holbrook Penniman.

I’ve stayed in Derby for the match tonight, for which I’m really surprised we still have a manager. Nigel Clough had the look of a manager about to resign as he stood forlornly on the touchline on Saturday. I suppose defeat tonight could tip him over the edge but who knows. To win, we’d have to score, which we won’t do if he continues to insist on leaving all his creative players out of the team. At best we’ll lose on penalties after a 0-0 draw.

Makes you wonder why I’m going... but what else is there to do on a Tuesday night. I doubt they’ll be many of us there; the club have set high ticket prices. I assume this is to try and keep the gate down, to minimise the embarrassment. I can’t think of any other reason why they’d charge nearly full price for a mid-week cup replay against a mid-table division three side.

Armed with a larger flask of coffee than Saturday, my Dad and I brave the cold and it’s not a bad game, if you forget that fact that the opposition are from a lower league. Derby, with thankfully a slightly more attacking line up tonight, have the majority of possession but still create very little. Almost from the start, you can see that this game is heading for penalties but then at the start of extra time, Millwall awake from their slumber and attempt to win the game. They very nearly do, taking the lead at the start of the second period of extra time but Derby bounce back and equalise, so the promised penalty shoot out ensues.

Oddly for a side that can barely muster a shot on goal in two hours, once they are faced with no other option from the penalty spot they all suddenly know what to do and we score five out of five, taking us through to the fourth round. Where it’s another glamour tie against Brentford or Doncaster, should they eventually manage to stage their weather delayed third round tie.