The Crew Make Progress in Manchester….

It was a long time coming…. Many many years to be exact! Although we were referring to the time from us buying the tickets back in October 2010 till now (and not the time we waited till the lads were back as a 5 – although fits perfick-ly for both!) However time ticked on and the day finally came. The day that we were going to see Rob, and the boys, together. And not just the boys being together but us being together too. Ya see, we became friends initially through the love of Robbie Williams & his music; found out that we were loving Take That just as much, and developed a fantastic friendship that has blossomed over the years. This, however, was the first time we had seen Rob on stage with many of the Crew being together… so as you can imagine we were a tad excited (think lady wee, but more about that later!!!)


Another Crew do came together, despite pricing problems with the hotel (which got sorted – thanks Mr Marriott!!) and ticket stress till the very end (which eventually got sorted – thanks Mr Ticketmaster!!) We always get there in the end…
The Weekend.
So here’s the deal. Shelley, Hayley and their friends Sue and Kay were travelling up from the Midlands. Myself and Angelaaaahhhhh were flying in from Cork after work. Louise was winging it from Wales (as usual) and there was a spare place available a couple of weeks before which the lovely Jac snapped up and made her way down on the chuff chuff from Glasgow. So 8 of us stopping at the hotel. Cary, Mand and the girls were joining us on Saturday morning. A plan that failed to come off was that Kriss was going to swap her Cardiff ticket for a Manchester one, stop at Cary’s and join the Crew – but it was not meant to be… sob sob… (or so I thought….!) Jonathan was going to join us on Saturday morning also and that was the group complete – 14 of us. Not forgetting Peppa Pig the team mascot.


As Ang & I were flying over in the evening, the rest of the girls met at the hotel, got the supplies in (thanks girls x) and went for some grub at the Printworks. Casually checking out the nekkid bike riders on the way back (as you do) – well anything is possible on a Crew Weekend. Our flight was on time, and my folks were outside the terminal ready to play taxi and drop us into Manchester.
We arrived at the hotel and asked reception for a key so we could let ourselves in… creeping up the corridors we quietly put the key in the door and threw it open! SURPRIIIISE!!! Lots of hugs and chatter, hellos to the new Crew members… nice to see you again to the long standing ones.


And – in the normal fashion we get catching up over a couple of bevvies. The mini bar is stocked full of Bulmers… only for us to realize that we don’t have a bottle opener. Call down to reception and not only do we get a knock on the door with a bottle opener- but a fine young man to open said bottles for us… well that’s the type of hotel it was. “Would it be too much trouble to get some ice, ice baby???!!!” No trouble at all, and quick as a flash he’s back with a bucket of ice. Sweet. We agree a curfew of 2am as of course we want to be up bright and early tomorrow morning. What do you think the chances are of us making it?


Lou puts on some choonage on her lappy and cue the dance moves. Never Forget in your PJs is always a winner!

Cocksucking cowboys are on the go, the new crew girls sample one… at first their arms have to be twisted but soon they’re into the spirit of it and 2 or 3 shots later they’re glad they sampled a bit of cock!


The drinks are flowing, there’s lots of laughs and naughty talk about the lads.


Singing at the top of our voices, however, is not so much a winner, and a call from reception reminds us that it’s getting late. Ooops – sorry team.


Casting our pervy eyes over the DVD we actually can’t believe ITS TOMORROW!!


As the girls head off to bed one by one, it’s just Lou, Jac, Ang and little old me left. We can’t get to sleep, we’re too excited! The 2am curfew has come and gone, and more like 3ish we get our heads down in the vain hope that we will get some rest and kip ready for tomorrow.


TODAY IT’S TODAY!! TODAY IS GIG DAY!!

Awake bright and early we get ready and head down for some brekkie. Ticketmaster agreed to drop the tickets to the hotel so we are waiting anxiously for the man to arrive with “THE ENVELOPE”. Breakfast is lush, esp as its free *wink* and we hear that Cary is en-route with a car full.


Mr Manager from Ticketmaster arrives at reception bang on time and I am so pleased to finally have the tickets in my grubby little paws! In addition, he has a box of wine and fizz for us by way of an apology for the messing. Why thank you, the Crew will accept with pleasure.


Next, we hear that Cary is outside! EEEEK!!! We run outside and wave to Mand and the girls in the back. Cary says they will follow us up and she’s off to park the car – hmmm she’s wanting us out of the way. Suppose she just wants to get in and get sorted. She hands over the t-shirts which have come out very well (if I do say so myself!) and we head back up to our rooms to get ready.


We’re getting changed into our t-shirts when there’s a knock at the door. It’s all quiet so I pop my head out of the bathroom and around the corner and I would cover your ears for the next bit as it went something like this:


“AAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH OH MY GOD!!! SQEEEEALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!” and cue lots of bouncing. Stood, at the door, is Kriss… who after telling us she couldn’t make it to Manchester plotted with Cary & Lou to get herself ooop Norf for the gig. Excited was not the word. Thanks girls for that great surprise!! *bounce bounce*


Getting a couple of messages from Jonathan, we realize that he is already in Manchester, and is early (for a change) so gathering all the bags and supplies we get our groove on and head across town. It’s a gorgeous sunny day in Manchester. We’re in great form as we head across to Piccadilly to find the bus that takes us to the stadium… but first, to find Jonathan.


His message says he’s outside Primark. First of all this causes me some confusing. Bear in mind I’ve lived in Oire-land for 12 years and am thinking what the foof is Primark… (it’s Penneys in Corcaigh – doh!) OK so the girls put me straight. Then comes confusion part two. There are two entrances to Primark and we’re stood outside the “main main” entrance at the front, not realizing that Jonathan is stood outside the “main” entrance around the side. Eventually we meet up and get told off for being late – erm makes a change for it not to be you LOVE!!

Then Jonathan decides he needs a new outfit for the day, as in his mad rush to make the early train he has put on a mismatch of clothes that can only be described as a disaster. Heading into Penneys (I mean Primark) he starts moseying around the store. Well hold on a minute, we need to up the tempo here a small bit. So armed with Louise they head off into the male section. Think Supermarket Sweep vs What Not To Wear mash-up and you will visualize what happened in the next few minutes. Tidy. Joining the queue, that is long even for this time of the morning, Jonathan looks a little bewildered, a tad scared and somewhat alarmed as 13 girls glare at him to get a bloody move on…!!
5 minutes later, a quick change in the changing rooms and he is ready to face the world. So we’re off! (Styled by Pap Pullen, outfit by Primarni... Peppa dressed in pink tutu!!)


Heading across Piccadilly Gardens we find the bus & jump on boardddd.... take a riiiide! As if we’re on a school trip and we are naughty school kids we head straight to the back (the back back its da best) and the camera is out nice and early for some shots. Seeing the stadium outside the window ten mins later we start to get a small bit giddy. Think lady wee. Yes again, I know. Sorry.
It’s now 10am & so the mission begins. We don’t have gates on our tickets so we find the end of the stadium near the stage (Production Entrance sign is always a winner!) and take a pew for what could be a very long time.


There are about 40 people in front of us and we set down camp for the day.