View from the stands by Andy Proudfoot, Daily Post
I'D missed the 1977 trip to Rome, having just emerged from university with a level of debt that would have shamed a Third World country, so my mate and I decided to 'make a trip of it' and take the girls to the Ancient City for a few days.
Their dreams of a romantic idyll didn't quite materialise as we bumped into the boys from our local pub in a bar not far from the Trevi fountain on the morning of the game, with predictable results.
There followed a whistle-stop tour of the Vatican parish church, the Sistine living room and part of the Pantheon, before we grabbed a cab and headed for the stadium.
By this time my mate had headed off to work, being involved in the TV coverage, and I was left to chaperone the girls for the rest of the evening.
Now, I confess to some unease here, taking the missus to the game being in violation of my Third Law of the Match (First Law - Never miss the kick-off or the final whistle; Second Law - Always tip the lads who 'mind your car'), but clearly the gods were not too offended as we emerged victorious with a superb display on Roma's home ground.
On to the next stage of the MasterPlan - we knew where the team was staying and planned to blag our way into the hotel to join their celebrations. The only problem was that we didn't know where the hotel was, and there was a taxi strike on.
So there followed a long walk back to the city centre, and what seemed like hours wandering aimlessly round a deserted Vatican City trying to find someone who could direct us to the hotel. This odyssey included a tug-of-war for my beloved scarf (vintage 1965) with a lambrettariding Roman youth; if he'd asked for my wallet he could have had it.
Somehow we were guided on to a bus which took us to the hotel, and even more bizarrely we walked into the hotel unimpeded, where we were reunited with our mates.
At about 3am, the players returned, complete with the European Cup, and pandemonium ensued as we partied, hugged King Kenny and the rest of the lads, and kissed the trophy. A night to remember!
