Tomorrow (25/3/2026) brings up the 22nd anniversary of Newcastle United’s UEFA Cup tie (Real Mallorca 0 Newcastle 3) in Palma, Majorca.
For clarity, I am a Manchester United fan who just happened to be in Palma on that day, attending my brother in law’s stag do.
At the time, my partner was 26 weeks pregnant and during the day she was rushed into hospital from her place of work in Bolton.
When word filtered through to me, I was obviously desperate to get back home to support her.
Being half cut and extremely anxious, I returned to our hotel which was full of Newcastle fans to try and get a taxi back to the airport. As you can imagine, every taxi was booked up, all heading to the match.
As the hotel receptionist explained the situation and I vocally explained mine, a gentleman in a Newcastle United shirt intervened and having heard my plight, offered me his taxi which was due in five minutes time, which I gratefully accepted.
Only, I’m not sure I did express my gratitude to the lad, and it is something which has played on my mind over the years.
For the record. I got a flight to Gatwick, a taxi to Manchester and a lift to Bolton, arriving a couple of hours before my second son was born on the 26th of March 2004 at a slightly underweight 1lb 9oz. Despite being blind and severely disabled, my son will be 22 on Thursday and now seems the right time to reach out and thank the lad for giving me his taxi in my hour of need.
If you can pass on my thanks from one football supporter to another.
Cheers mate.