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BLIND, STUPID AND DESPERATE
 
Golden days:
"Her name was Melissa"
Watford v Bradford City, 16/12/89
By Dave Perahia
 
I'd fancied her for ages. Even while I was seeing Joanna, she'd caught my eye. Jo had noticed my lustful glances towards this other woman and had become quite paranoid but, if the truth be told, I'd never even spoken to her let alone done anything else to arouse suspicion. I knew she lived in the same hospital accomodation as I did, but other than that, she was a beautiful but nameless mystery.

Like all good things, Joanna and I eventually ended. And as luck would have it, I literally bumped into the gorgeous mystery woman a few days later in the hospital car-park. It was now or never, and luckily my nerve held and I spoke to her. Her name was Melissa, she was a nurse, she just happened to be going to the medical school bop on the Friday of that week and Christ she was gorgeous ! It was a Monday, and I'm sure I didn't eat that week so smitten was I. By Friday, I was a wreck. I wandered distractedly around the Medical School Student Union, the retro strains of "Echo Beach" pounding in my ears as I scanned the dancefloor for Melissa.

And there she was ! She smiled. I took a deep breath and made my move. We talked. We drank. We danced. And then we kissed. And drank and danced some more. When the bop was over and we were ejected from the building, we went back to hers. We drank coffee, snogged and talked some more. It was during this time that she learned of her main competition for my affections - Watford Football Club.

Soon it was morning and we hadn't slept. We went to a local cafe and ate breakfast. She wanted to spend the day together. But there was a problem. Watford were at home to Bradford City that day, I was going and that was that. She'd never been to a football match, but had heard that football was boring and that there was loads of fighting. I reassured her that Watford was safe. And as for boring - never ! Football was great - she'd love it ! I thought back to numerous previous crap performances and my heart fell. But Watford wouldn't spoil my idyllic weekend, would they ? Surely they wouldn't let me down ? I asked her to accompany me, she agreed, and a few hours later we were bombing up the motorway towards the Holy Place - Vicarage Road.

The next bit you probably know. Our opponents, Bradford City, were expected to provide at least some resistance, but failed dismally and were well and truly stuffed. I became increasingly delighted as goal after goal rained into the Bradford net, and was frankly ecstatic with our resultant 7-2 victory. Melissa seemed impressed, and her comments at the final whistle will stay with me for ever. "That was fun", she said. "I'd like to come again. Is it like that every week ?". As visions of dour nil-all draws and humiliating Derby Day defeats poured into my consciousness, I nevertheless decided not to spoil the moment. "Yeah", I said, "No problem !".

We saw each other for only three more months, lust gradually fading to be replaced by a realisation that we just weren't right for each other. For various reasons, she never did see another match, her only experience of our beautiful game and beloved team a magical and highly improbable rout. I've seen some fabulous games since and had some magic times, but little could possibly match the sheer perfection of that twenty-four hours. Watford 7, Bradford City 2 - a truly memorable game.