Living in a fantasy
40 weeks ago, my Fantasy Football Team started a journey that ends on Saturday in Cardiff.

Obviously, the idea of Fantasy Football is that you pick a brilliant team of players, and through the use of cunningly judged transfers you climb your way to the top of the heap and pocket £50,000 courtesy of the Daily Telegraph.

Sadly this prize is probably beyond me now.

However, with only one game left to go, the Superleague that I, and some of my friends from home, have entered into for the last few years is still within my grasp. In fact, I'm one solitary point off the top going into the FA Cup Final.

Now, several years ago, I was out in front and running away with the league, when I rather took my eye off the ball, and allowed someone to catch me and overtake me with two weeks of the season left, never to recover. (As a Newcastle fan this had a particular resonance.) However, this time round it has been me closing the gap – from being fourth and 30 points off the lead two weeks ago, I'm now second by one point.

With no transfers left, Chris (whose team top the league) and I have shown each other our teamsheets in advance, and the final now hinges on the actions of a handful of players. If Man Utd win, and Scholes or Ronaldo score then I'm stuffed. But, if Pires scores the winner for Arsenal, and the gunners keep a clean sheet, I'll be dancing in the streets and climbing lampposts in jubilation.

It won't make up for the terrible season I've endured as a Newcastle fan, but it will allow me a small moment of satisfaction – and give me a trophy to stick on my mantelpiece with pride!
- posted by Paul @ 11:33 am