Blue is the colour

Chelsea's thrilling penalty shoot-out win yesterday was a deserving epilogue to a nail biting end to the season.

As I often do in these situations I began watching as a neutral but couldn't help be drawn to the Blues as my patriotic juices took me over. I also thought of a good mate of mine, a massive long-time Chelsea fan, who has suffered a dreadful year with ill-health.

He pretty much emptied his bank account to get to Munich and he would have savoured every minute of yesterday's triumph.

The game reminded me of the City v United game recently as Bayern took the game to Chelsea probing around chasing shirts but 34 shots at goal and 20 corners did't account for Chelsea's defiance or the woeful Mario Gomez.

Then there was a story tale about a man called Didier Drogba, who when not acting like a big girl's blouse is a man for all the big occasions. Yes, he nearly threw it all away with that poor challenge on Ribéry inside the box, but when he strolled from the halfway line to the penalty spot for the last kick off the game, and probably his Chelsea career, the headlines already adorned the morning's papers.

Munich's Allianz Arena is a magnificent setting and before kick-off I was in awe of the Munich fans who created a volley of noise and an intricate pattern of red and white stripes behind their goal. The huge banner read "UNSER STADT, UNSER STADION, UNSER POKAL."

I looked up what it meant. "Our town, our stadium, our cup." Pretty graceless I thought and so it went as I enjoyed the Germans mucking up the penalty shoot-out against the Englisch in their own back garden.

Talking of graceless, John Terry managed to upset the rest of the countries football fans without even playing, as he barged his way into all of the photos in his Chelsea kit. He really is a prized wanker.

Earlier in the day West Ham saved a visit from an irate bank manager or two and won the Championship Play-Off Final. We know that feeling well and it is a glorious way to get promoted. I have a ton of Hammers mates so I was pleased for them and also for Big Sam. No, not that one but this one!

With QPRhaha staying up, that is two local derbies Charlton are going to miss out on in lieu for long trips to the north-west. A shame, but it undoubtedly makes a Play-Off challenge more viable.