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Our first away game of the Euro 2008 qualifiers was a backs to the wall 0-0 draw in Copenhagen. The GAWA began to congregate in Copenhagen’s square from lunchtime with the usual case of beer each to settle the pre match nerves. Footballs soon appeared and the customary game of death ball began ( someone kicks the ball up in the air, and 2000 drunken Ulster men go for the header). Sensible and friendly policing meant we could march to the ground together and even though it rained, nothing could dampen our spirits as we hung on for the point.

Once again the beer halls of Munich were the venue for our small party of 27(!) before a stunning train journey through the snow-covered Alps to Vaduz. A great day out as a lot of the troops got to see NI win away from home for the first time thanks to King David's obligatory hat-trick. Must be the first time we have actually been in four countries in the space of a few hours (Liechtenstein, Austria, Switzerland and Germany) and been bongo-ed in each of them!! Just arrived back in Munich to miss last orders in our 'local' - it was 06.10 and it closed at 06.00 - very inconsiderate

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We found a great wee bar that let us put up our flags up, sing our hearts out and kept our beer glasses topped up by gorgeous barmaids all day long (it’s the one in all the photo’s ). The march to the ground was unlike any other , the entire route was lined by the most unfriendly over aggressive police force ( in full riot gear ) that the GAWA have ever encountered.

The performance on the pitch was as shocking as the city of Riga is corrupt , every scam imaginable was going on. Not the place to go for a long weekend!

No meeting place for the GAWA to congregate pre-match ( It’s illegal to drink in the street ) but a brilliant trip all round. We made The Anchor Bar our personal local but our support was spread all over the city. The craic at the pub beside The Rasunda stadium just before kick-off was superb with the Swedish fans joining in the banter and wanting to shake hands with anyone in green.

On the pitch a cracking performance saw us take a deserved point. After the full time whistle it was back into Stockholm to impress the local stunners with our green wigs and silly hats.

Spain 1 Northern Ireland 0, Las Palmas 24th November 2007

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Headed off to the Canary islands needing a win and Sweden to lose at home to Latvia, was that possible? Absolutely! We’re Norn Iron and everything is possible. The more we drank the more we believed, but in the end the dream of Euro 2008 was not to be.

We had fun trying though and in the end that’s what its all about. So roll on World Cup 2010 !