England Vs Netherlands at Wembley Stadium

So the main reason for our recent trip to London was to watch England versus Holland at Wembley stadium. This was to be the first time the boys had watched England play and their first time to Wembley. Holland have always been my second favourite international football team that I usually support once England get knocked out of a major championship. This year that plan will not work as Holland didn't even qualify for Euro 2016 in France.

 

Surprisingly when we got to Tower Hill we bumped in to two of Joshua and Brandon's friends who were also going to the match. It was really funny to see the four of them walking around carrying a St George cross flag and chanting football songs like a right little group of football hooligans.

 

The match was almost a complete sell out with 82,000 people in the stadium. I bought the tickets some time ago before Xmas and got a really good deal for the family enclosure. I paid just £20 for my ticket and £10 each for the boys. Our seats were 3 rows from the front and right behind the away goal, so we got a birds eye view of Vardy's second England goal and the two Dutch goals as well. Before the game started there was a minutes silence to remember the victims of the recent suicide bombings in Brussels which killed 30+ people. Also during the game there was a standing ovation of clapping for the Dutch player and coach Johan Cruyff who died at the age of 68 earlier this week due to lung cancer.

 

So the match itself ended with a 2-1 loss to England, but the score didn't ruin the experience or enjoyment for me and the boys. We had an absolutely wicked time. Joshua and Brandon loved seeing Vardy, Kane, Walcott, Sturridge and the rest of the team. I think they would have really loved it if Joe Hart and Wayne Rooney were playing but they were both injured. I think at the end of the game Drinkwater was man of the match on his debut in an England shirt. Holland were pretty much playing a "B" team as well with no Robben, Schneider, Van Persie etc.

 

Joshua and Brandon meet Zac and George on the underground.

 

 

The boys carrying St Georges cross flag as we walk down towards the famous Wembley arch.



This is the home of England (and appropriately it was raining).

Come on England.



The boys having their picture taken in front of the Euro 2016 cup.

Close up of the Euro cup.



The boys meat one of the 3 lions mascots as we wait for the gates to open.

The boys tucking in to one of the most expensive pick-n-mix selections that I have ever purchased, what a rip off.

Brandon testing his teeth on a large chewy shark sweet.

Me and my boys at Wembley. Lads time at the football.

Joshua gets a "5" from another one of the three lions.



Great picture of Joshua with a lion mascot.

The lions messing around on one of the crowd control railings and getting a little stuck.

The three lions shield flag makes a Mexican wave around the crowd.



Action shot as skipper James Milner takes a corner (I think this was about the most useful contribution he made to the game)!

The friendly was also making awareness of breast cancer research and as we were in the family enclosure they dropped in a load of pink balloons for the kids to knock up and down the isles.

Joshua again getting a five from a lion mascot.

Action shot from the game with a great view from row 3 just behind the goal.

The Wembley arch lit up pink for breast cancer awareness.