What A Day!!

A fitful nights sleep in a room that was a little too warm - but up for a cooked breakfast with lashings of coffee. Josh ate well, croissants with butter & Nutella before laying into the cooked counter I think yesterday evenings refereeing tournament had left him famished.

First up was to construct Joshua’s banner, made from card board covered in white A4 it read:
“Hi Joe Please Can I Have Your Shirt”

Then it was off for a gentle walk to the ground, the last time I visited The Stoop to watch Harlequins was in 1996 and I was so looking forward to today.
Quins has always been a family club and we were made to feel really welcome, as was every spectator, it’s the norm for rugby clubs.
A couple of beers, chips for Joshua and a visit to the club shop before taking our seats in the West Stand, and what seats, front row, towards half way with an uninterrupted view.
We were asked by a few what the placard said and one of the female stewards spoke to us at length, friendly and engaging she said she’d see what she could do regarding ‘Joe’.
The game was an absolute cracker, Quins beat Agen 54-22, throughout the match we held up the placard at the right times to attract ‘Joe’s’ attention.
After the players had left the pitch Josh seemed a little despondent but the lady steward told us “he’ll be back out”.
Sure enough the players came back out to acknowledge the crowd and England International Joe Marler spoke to Joshua, after asking if the placard was directed at him he told Joshua to wait where he was.
He reappeared and chatted to Josh, as he presented Joshua with a shirt he asked me if I was Josh’s Dad and told me:
“He’s got f*****g balls and I like that, all the best”.
Joshua’s day was complete and Joe Marler gave a young man a memory he will hold forever.
Josh then bought me a much sought after Harlequins ‘colour changing’ shirt before we headed off to Twickenham high street for a well earned Nando’s.
Back to the hotel for coffee and bed, two very happy rugby enthusiasts and Harlequins fans.