The lads came out to a pile of shite that wasn't the Post Horn Gallop. 'Let's Get Ready to Rumble'??? Not good enough City, it is BLATANTLY obvious the fans want the PHG. We are not amused.

As the fireworks went off and the players applauded the 31,000 crowd, the noise was defeaning. The Walkers big flag with "Welcome Home" that had been circulating the ground to the Peters and Lee classic of the same name, was lifted up and passed back up the South Stand.

The first panic of the day was the news that Matty Piper wasn't in the side. It's a sorry state of affairs when you hope a player is ill or has picked up an injury on the Friday in training...because the other option could be that he'd been sold! Fortunately it appears that he has a stomach bug rather than a shiny new contract at a Premiership club.

This meant Nicky Summerbee, one of our "non-contract" players, got his chance earlier than expected and went straight into the starting eleven. The other one, Billy "Yes, I'm back again" McKinlay made the bench.

Watford kicked off to an almighty roar and City fans took their seats to an almost packed house. A few blocked off next to the Watford fans was understandable....but where were all the wonderful corporate VIPs we need? Hundreds of empty padded seats up in the West Stand stood out like a sore thumb. If they don't come to the first game in the new stadium when will the prawn eating glory hunting arseholes bother? Take the padded seats out and let real fans sit there. We are definately not amused.

City started a bit like last season and did not look particularly comfortable. Balls were rushed and hoofed, and they looked like they were nervous and panicking, and didn't create much.

Things didn't improve when on 20 minutes Billy McKinlay stripped off to come on. City fans looked round in surprise...who was injured? Was Marshall limping? Or Muzzy still not fit?

It was a total surprise when Matty Elliott went off and straight down the tunnel. It appears that he too has the Piper bug and although tried to play, couldn't manage it.

The team re-arranged itself, with Sinclair moving across to cover the gap left by Matty and Marshall going back into defence at right back and the Kop groaning!

Things were pretty dire from there to half time with Rogers standing out as perticularly dodgy. Watford almost looked half decent on the break and when they came at us down the right wing and got past Rogers every time. Thankfully Frank and Taggs mopped everything up without too much trouble.

Half time came, which was needed, because by the point City fans were beginning to lose patience and had started yelling abuse at the rather lacklustre performance.

Did we get the half time scores at all the other games? Did we get entertaining banter? Did we bugger. We got "Rachel", bless here, reading out the winning ticket number with her three girly mates standing by looking pretty (useless) and we get that bloddy opera singer AGAIN, to sing Nessa bloody Dormawhachamacallit AGAIN. FFS, Piss off!!!!! WE ARE NOT BLOODY AMUSED!

Second half and a different game. If this is Adams we like it! One of strengths is motivation and whatever he said in there at half time worked. We may just have found another Martin O'Neill. City came out of the traps like men possessed and within 90 seconds that beautiful first goal struck the back of the net at the Kop end and 31,000 people went absolutely ballistic. What a noise!

The most amazing build up and skill from Muzzy Izzet had people up on their feet and squealing, and the finish by Deane just had to come. Goal! Goal! Goal! Goal! said the scoreboard. What a great sight.

It was like a weight had been lifted. The pressure was suddenly off; no jinxed grounds or people waiting for that elusive first win or first goal at the new stadium. City visibly relaxed and the confidence just oozed from them. They looked like a team that had just come out, their fitmess was brilliant, and started to play lovely passing football and run rings round Watford, creating chance after chance.

Every player started to chase balls down, every Watford player getting the ball found 2 City players coming at him, balls were played through and placed rather than hoofed, the defence was rock solid. This was more like it. Every player gave their all and had a good second half.

The second goal came only 7 minutes later. City were playing so well even Scowy was looking good! He made a great run down the left wing and sent a lovely perfect ball cutting in behind the Watford defence to find Brian Deane in a position he couldn't miss from. The City fans went loopy. City players went loopy. Brain Deane did a bizarre little jumping routine he was so pleased and went loopy. Great stuff.

The atmosphere was electric, a few fans will have lost their voice tonight! And singing starting in all different parts of the stadium, not just the South Stand. "We're going to win the league" chanted the Kop.

Adams responded to starting the wave, as did the East Stand, not many of the Watford fans did though, and they seemed to want to leave early too for some reason...

City should have made it three or four but were stopped by good goalkeeping by Watford's Chamberlain and the post.

The downside of the day was City picking up 2 bookings, not good when we have a suspended fine of £25,000 hanging over us from the FA for all the cards last season. Paul Dickov got one for being a little bugger too many times, and was subsequently subbed off before sent off! He had rolled about on the floor in a bear hug woith Chamberlain causing a full scale pile in of all the players and the ref had obviously had enough of him!

But he went off to a standing ovation as he'd run his socks off and we love his fighting (literally) spirit. And poor Muzzy picked a yellow up as usual for a damn fine tackle that the rather poor ref thought a bit over zealous.

What a great feeling to win a football game...we'd forgotten what it felt like.

Kick off for real this week at the New Filbo	Watford fill their allocated corner to help us to a 31,022 crowd.
Dickov picks up yellow card... no 1 of many no doubt!	Shame on you LCFC... empty corporate w*nkers' seats
Handbags at 2 paces...Dickov again!	City actually take a decent free kick!