'And what sort of day did you have dear.....?'

Nearly 20 years ago, on September 16th 1992, the UK government suspended Britain’s membership of the European Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM).

All day the UK’s prime minister John Major, and chancellor Norman Lamont, tried to prop up the falling pound - withdrawal from the monetary system, joined only two years before, was going to be the last resort for Britain.

‘Desperate Norman’ raised interest rates from 10% to 12% then to 15%, and authorised the spending of billions of pounds to buy up the sterling being frantically sold on the currency markets.

But inevitably the measures failed to prevent the pound falling lower than its minimum level in the ERM.

A beleaguered Mr Lamont admitted that it had been an ‘extremely difficult and turbulent day….’

When Norman got home in the early hours of the following morning his wife Rosemary met him with the predictably incisive question….’ and what sort of day did you have dear….?’

I had to be up and away pretty early yesterday. A series of meetings along the north Wales coast meant that I was out of the house and on my way at 0630hrs......the early start designed to guarantee that I was on time for my first client meeting in Denbigh.

By lunchtime my work was finished. But without the necessary time to return south through mid Wales and then onwards to Aldershot I joined the A55, picked up the M6 west of Manchester and then pointed the car in the direction of the Recreation Ground. The long and tiring journey was undertaken with the confident feeling that I would be rewarded with a pint before the game followed by a win over Exeter City.

I guess the portents for the evening fixture were good….we had been impressive at Wolves and certainly well organised and solid in defence at Plymouth…..all we had to do, to create the perfect performance, was introduce better ball control and perhaps a bit of passing in midfield…..yes, I think it is fair to say that I travelled south comforted by a mood of optimism.

The pint in La Fontaine was excellent…family and friends arrived and the new season at home was joyously toasted……

And that was it really…..well apart from the long drive back to south Wales taking in the ubiquitous detours around motorway closures!

I returned home in the early hours of Wednesday morning after travelling 550 miles….my wife stirred from beneath the duvet and with predictable incision asked…..’and what sort of day did you have dear?’

Dean (Holdsworth- ATFC manager)…it wasn’t great. See you Saturday…..I’m still optimistic.

Aldershot Town 1 v 2 Exeter City
Dean on your list of 'things to do'....please put attacking intent and passing the ball (to our players) above the fixing of the Club sign...