A couple of months after my eighteenth birthday (and messing up at education for a second time - though that's not really relevant!), Arsenal were playing this fascistic, racist Italian team also known as Lazio.

Anyway, as an 18th birthday present, my Dad (who will be making regular appearances on this blog, due to his football-related influence) decided to take me to see Arsenal play in Rome.

There really isn't anything to say about the first day in Rome, so I'll skip to the day of the match. Sightseeing in the morning; Dad had a credit card stolen, and didn't realise until the credit card company phoned up asking about a suspicious transaction; afternoon, visit to the police station to report the crime for insurance purposes (or something).

The Match: Olympic Stadium (home of both Lazio and Roma!)

As my parents had booked a package football trip, we were provided with a coach to the stadium. The atmosphere was amazing; possibly due to some of the people on the coach being under the influence of alcohol. There was some song about T*tt*nh*m going to Rome to see the Pope (surprised they knew where Europe was then! ;))

When we got to the stadium, no one wanted to sit down because the seats looked like they had never even seen a cleaner. They didn't have backs either, so the whole experience was like standing in old stadiums in England (something I am too young to remember).

Arsenal were top of the group and close to qualifying for the second round. Half way through the first half, Lazio scored. During half time I remember shouting "Come On Arsenal" (I hadn't drunk anything - drink is for after matches), though I'm not sure if they heard me.

Late in the second half, Bobby Pires scored a superb (would it be anything else?!) goal. The travelling Gooners went mental! We were jumping up and down, and I had to hold my Dad's arm to stop myself falling over. The full time result from the other group game was Shakter Donetsk beating Sparta Prague, enabling us to qualify.

At full time in our match, there was something going on on the halfway line. But I didn't realise then, that someone called Mihjailovic was racially abusing Patrick Vieira.

We were kept in the ground for an hour and a half after the match (players and fans), because of some morons Lazio supporters causing trouble outside the ground.

After we were finally allowed out, we went straight to the airport and flew home.