BRIGHTON 2 MILLERS 1 ......SEPT 16TH 2015

TUESDAY 15TH SEPTEMBER 2015
BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION 2 ROTHERHAM UNITED 1
AMEX STADIUM
ATT.....21,397....(165 MILLERS + ME IN POSH BIT)
PROGRAMME.....FREE (£3.50)
FOOD......FREE

*Firstly an apology, but i was too nervous and trying my best not to show myself up to take photo's in the Boardroom*
A very nervous but enjoyable evening in the Boardroom on the occasion of my 1000th consecutive competitve Rotherham United game.
Arrived in Brighton at 3 and had a very blustery but nice walk on the Sea front and to the end of the Pier for an hour, miraculously resisting all the Fish and Chip shops and Ice Cream outlets so as not to spoil my appetite for the free nosh later on.
Then a steady walk up to the Train Station for my train to Falmer and the AMEX Stadium, which was all ready to go for their 2 Rugby World Cup games being played there this coming weekend.
A walk round the Ground taking many pictures including  moving tributes at the B&HA memorial Gardens to the 2 Worthing United players Matthew Grimstone (also a Groundsman at the Amex) and Jacob Schilt who tragically died a couple of weeks back in the Shoreham air crash....R.I.P.
Then to the reception to pick up my ticket, only to find out after a 30 minute sit down there that i was in the wrong reception....i had gone to the Staff one.....stupid boy !!
Up to the "proper" reception and watching all the Brighton dignatories and sponsors etc turn up and after what seemed like a billy no-mates eternity, i was relieved to see Eric Twigg arrive....at last a familiar face.
I had a good 20 minutes natter with Eric before Paul Douglas, Mark Hitchens and Gee Evans arrived to greet me and we made our way up to the Boardroom.
On arrival the nerves kicked in big style as the Brighton Chairman Tony Bloom, his Brother, the club's chief executive Paul Barber and other directors came up and introduced themselves.
I honestly felt like a fish out of water, but the nerves settled a bit as everybody made me feel so very welcome and i ended up talking in length about my support of the Millers as i was bombarded with questions from all over.
The food was far removed from the Pukka Pie and Bovril that i usually have and apart from the Salmon and Jalopenos, i honestly couldn't tell you what i was eating from the starters buffet....but whatever it was i enjoyed it.
The main course was more obvious, and very enjoyable as i had Shepherd's Pie, new potatoes and white cabbage.
All drinks were free as well and after turning down the Wine to have with our mains (i never drank wine before my abstainance anyway) i refreshed myself with a couple of pints of Lager Shandy....that's as strong as my alcohol intake gets these days.
Then Mark Clemmitt off the telly arrived and sat at our table and i had a nice chat with him, he seemed a very nice and pleasant bloke to get on with.
Then i noticed former Spurs, Fulham and England legend Alan Mullery, and despite not feeling comfortable enough to take photo's in the Boardroom, i couldn't miss the oppurtunity to get one with Alan.
He had heard about my games record and congratulated me on that and then we stood out on the balcony as one of the lovely and friendly Lady waitresses took  my photo with him with the pitch in the background...then he signed my Programme.
Back in the boardroom and Paul Barber chinked his glass to get everybodies attention and announced me as a very special guest of the evening (welled up a bit there) and presented me with a Brighton shirt with "NORRIS 1000" emblazoned on it....thankfully it wasn't an home shirt as Blue and White stripes is too similiar to....well you know who.
They didn't know about my record till we arrived so they obviously had it done there and then at the Club shop's printing facilities.....a wonderful touch i thought.
Then out into the Ground and the very thick well padded and extremely comfortable seats in the Main stand upper tier front row....great view.
Unfortunately that was as comfortable as it got as Rotherham failed to carry on from Saturday's vast improvement, and although we battled back after the break and managed to half the 2-0 deficit, we came home tired, deflated and sadly pointless.
A disappointing end to the day, but very grateful to Rotherham United for inviting me down to the game as a guest and to everybody at Brighton for a really friendly welcome.
Here's to the year 2035 and consecutive game no 2000.....God willing.