Georgi's first English football match

It's taken nigh on two years, but Alex-from-the-London-Office at work happens to be a die-hard Oxford United supporter and, back before Christmas, made a mildly intoxicated promise to take me to my first game in the UK.

It has to be said that only the die-hard fans go to see the 'U's - aka the 'Yellows' and the 'Bullocks' - play these days. Fifteen years ago, it was a different story. Oxford was in the First Division league (the top one, where Man U and Liverpool and all the famous ones play) and they'd just opened a brand new stadium, The Kassam, on the outskirts an Oxford.

Melbournites, fyi, the Kassam bears a remarkable resemblance to the old VFL Park at Waverley - loads of concrete, dumped in a paddock in the slightly boganised outer suburbs (they say 'chavvy' in the UK - and it's a field, not a paddock). But I digress.

Apparently there's a hex on the stadium, which is sure doing its work. Oxford have been through a succession of crap seasons and relegations so that they now play in the 'Conference' level - that's the 5th one, and about as low as you can go and yet still get paid for your match.

I don't care. They're my local team and I have to say that for sheer skill they dance all over the standard of football played at home. And footballers really do have best legs. Much more elegant than mine.

Anyway, the boys played solidly for a nil-all draw, Alex and I devoured pints, cups of tea and hot chocolate and even pies at half time - although mine was chicken rather than Four'n'Twenty.

If it weren't for the fact that tickets are £20 (that's $50 aussie), I'd probably go more often.