Etihad Coming Home: We (well, you) did it!

As you may or may not have noticed (I'm going to go with the former, considering we've been flogging it like a Flemington favourite for the past six weeks), we were finalists in the Etihad Coming Home competition, in which two fans could win a trip back to Eastlands for a match.

We're still waiting on the final word from the Official Site, but by all accounts (ie. email confirmation), we did it!

We haven't got exact details yet, but the game that we will 'come home' to is the clash against Spurs, which has been rescheduled for 10 May.

We thought we were in a with a chance, considering our visible our campaign has been, but never did we think we could actually win. Especially when last years' winner, David and Steve Salt, accrued over 20% of 8000 votes. How were we ever going to get two-thousand-or-so votes?

Thank you to everyone who voted and campaigned on our behalf, and commiserations to the other entrants — it's just a shame Ol' Sheikhy can't put his hand in his pocket to send them all

over.

Now for the Academy Award-style speech... feel free to leave now...

We'd like to thank:

• The fellow members of the Sydney Blues, and especially Brendo The Jet, for without whom there would be no club.
• Sydney Blues-in-exile Andeh, Adam, and Bri for getting behind the bid — we need to catch up for a pint of Coopers (if they have it) in Manchester.
• Fellow City bloggers Jack from TLDORC and Danny from Bitter and Blue for giving us a shout-out.
• Christian and the team from The Football Sack, as well as Lee from Footy Fans Down Under.
• The two sexiest men in Australian television, Ricky M and Frank (you're wasted on 513 Ienco...)
• Ricardinho and Damo from the Bluemoon forum for letting us campaign there, as well as Dave Mooney from the Bluemoon Podcast for plugging us mercilessly.
• Rozzi and the crew from Bluewatch forum — pints will definitely be distributed at Mary D's lads.
• Members of the 'Send Blue Roo Home' facebook page, and the various Facebookers and Twittererers who voted or encouraged others to do so.
• A very special thanks to Monnie and honourary Sydney Blue, Steve Kinsey, for their campaigning at various pubs and football matches.
• Lastly, every person that voted, and especially the loyal readers (all twelve of you) of the Lesson In Pride blog.

And of course, it wouldn't be an acceptance speech without thanking the academy, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and God Bless America!