I get overwhelmed by the thought of having to organize an event by myself where I’d invite people to celebrate me regardless of the size of it; whether it’s a simple dinner or a big party and so, I was out of ideas on how to celebrate my birthday coming on 18th March 2023.
My birthday was going to fall on a Saturday and coincidentally, my cousin’s wedding to his beautiful bride was planned for the following Saturday. The wedding was going to be in Hampshire, UK, and given that I was to be one of his groomsmen, a great opportunity presented itself for me to finally - for the first time - watch my boyhood club Chelsea FC play a game live. Saturday, March 18th, 2023, Chelsea FC was scheduled to play Everton FC at home in the Premier League.
The 2022/2023 season has been one to quickly forget about for Chelsea FC. We’d sacked Thomas Tuchel and brought in Graham Potter and we’d been on the worst run of form I’ve seen in recent times. In February 2023, Chelsea FC had only one goal scored and we’d won just 2 games out of 11 played since the beginning of the year. It felt like a chore at times, watching a Chelsea game this year but in March, we seemed to have improved. We defeated Dortmund 2 - 0 in the return leg of the UEFA Champions League round of 16, booking a ticket to the quarter-finals of the competition, and had a really good game against Leicester City winning the game 3 - 1. It looked like we were on an upward trajectory and so, when I saw that we’d be playing Everton FC at the Bridge on my birthday, deciding to watch it live was a no-brainer for me!
I arrived in London from Toronto on the day, having ensured to get as much sleep as I could on the flight, dropped my luggage at the lodge I’d be staying in for the week and headed to Stamford Bridge, the home of Chelsea Football Club. For the game, I had purchased a Diamond Suite Hospitality Package which is a premium matchday experience with arguably some of the best seats in the stadium, a private suite where I’d be served with four-course dining before the game, refreshments at halftime, a pre-match tour of the players’ tunnel and pitch side and a meet and greet with a first-team player. I’ve got to say, it did not disappoint.
I decided to walk to the stadium and when I arrived, it was amazing to see. I gave myself a little tour of the outside of the stadium while the club staff was setting things up for the big game. A lot of fans had already arrived taking pictures and checking out cool sites around. It was massive. The sheer size of it was intimidating but in a good way. It looked to me like a brilliant piece of engineering especially considering its size and how classicly elegant it looked. It’s funny because Stamford Bridge isn’t even one of the biggest stadiums in England but still, I was blown away. While outside checking things out and just being in awe, the Everton FC team bus rode by to the entrance of the players’ tunnel. It looked like I’d get to see the Everton players as they came out of the team bus but it was just the backroom staff arriving to prepare the changing room and away side dug out for their team.
At around 2:45 pm, I and other fans on the Diamond Suite Package were taken through the players’ tunnel to the players’ pitch side where we got to take in the amazing scenery in the stadium, sit in the home team dugout and meet some Chelsea FC legends for pictures. The weather had brightened up from rainy and cloudy to sunny, perfect for a game of football. I got to meet Paul Canoville (Canners), Chelsea FC’s first black player with 103 appearances and 15 goals between 1981 and 1986. To be very honest, I didn’t know much about his history and time at Chelsea until after meeting with him. Unfortunately, he was a victim of racism from Chelsea supporters during his time at the club. It’s sad that this was and still is a thing in society but I’m glad to see that Paul was still a part of the club and is being given his flowers as a club legend. I also got to see Kerry Dixon who played as a striker for Chelsea between 1983-1992 with 420 appearances and 193 goals.
After that, we were taken to our suite for the game where we were treated to an exquisite four-course meal by really amazing hosts. While in the suite, we were greeted by clubs legends, Gary Chivers (Defender btw 1978-1983, 148 apps, 4 Goals) and Ron Harris (Defender btw 1961 - 1980, 795 apps, 14 Goals). Our suite was connected to our balcony seats at the West Stand of the stadium. They were the cushioned seats at a level just perfect for clearly viewing the whole pitch. My seat was close to the Matthew Harding Stand where it seemed like a lot of the Chelsea FC chants would emanate from during the game. Chants that I heartily sang throughout the game as I was dedicated to being a super fan for the day.
After the meal, we went to the balcony where our seats were located in preparation for the game and got to watch the teams do their pre-game warm-ups. From this point on, there was this sense of awe and fulfillment from seeing these football stars that I’d been watching on TV all this while. There was a sense of realness to them that I never felt watching them on TV. There was Reece James, an instant club legend, N’golo Kante, Enzo Fernandes who was fresh off of winning the world cup last year, Wesley Fofana, Kalidou Koulibaly, Kovacic, Kai Havertz, Joao Felix, etc all warming up right before my eyes, no screens, windows or anything.
At about 5:00 pm, the kick-off whistle was blown and the game started. I was captivated the whole time. From the play on the pitch to the chants of the home and away fans reverberating all through the stadium, everything was just perfect and the only thing left was to see Chelsea give a good game and grab a comprehensive win. Sadly, there weren’t any goals in the first half. There were a couple of half chances here and there though. Chelsea looked good with Joao Felix coming close on a couple of occasions. In between halves, I went into my suite for a bathroom break and also to grab some snacks and drinks. The second half was more action-packed but Chelsea wasn’t able to get the win. The game ended as a 2-2 draw but as a spectator looking to experience a good game of football, it was a great watch.
After the game, we went back into the suite for some more refreshments while we waited for the surprise first-team player that would come to greet us. It was Marc Cucurella! Marc is a 24-year-old Spanish footballer who joined us in the 22/23 season after a brilliant spell at Brighton, the former club of our current head coach, Graham Potter. He played so well as an LB/LWB providing extra attacking thread for them. We took a couple of pictures and I got his autograph before he left and that was pretty much it.
Overall, I had a great time at the Bridge. The experience of the game on a Diamond Hospitality Package is a unique one that I feel privileged and grateful to have had and I don’t take it for granted. I loved the realness of the game watching it from the stadium; experiencing the passion of the fans. The away fans at the corner of the East Stand and Shed End were intimidating at times with their really loud and confident chants especially when Everton had their two equalizers. Seeing the sheer number of staff it takes to put on a matchday program was impressive. All in all, it’s an experience I wish every fan can have at least once. It’s one I hope to have again soon.