Train Strike Scuppers Plans

So the nationwide train strike has been confirmed for Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday next week. Even though I was going to be travelling to Leeds on Friday, for the England Women’s team’s final home build up game for the Euros next month, the knock on effect of the strikes mean that I can no longer make it.

There are enough trains to get me to the game, via a stopover in Manchester, but there is no way to get all the way back to Liverpool after the match. As I have no wish to be stuck in Leeds for 2 days this means I can no longer make it to the match.

To miss the chance of seeing Beth Mead go toe-to-toe in a scoring shootout with club-mate Vivianne Miedema is exceedingly disappointing. Not to mention a midfield battle royale between Man U team-mates Jackie Groenen and Ella Toone, whilst Leah Williamson and Georgia Stanway get re-acquainted with their old WSL adversaries Jill Roord and Danielle Van De Donk. Roord may now be plying her trade at Wolfsburg with Van De Donk at European heavyweights Lyon, but both of them used to play alongside Mead, Miedema and Williamson at Arsenal.

They worked incredible well as a team and it would have been insanely interesting to see how they fared in the head-to-head. Now I won’t get to be treated to that show unless they meet in the knockout games at the Euros. That may be a blessing in disguise though as if that game comes to pass there will be a lot more riding on it than there is on the game in Leeds next week.

I will be following the match on ITV 4 instead and hope the trains aren’t on strike again when I need to make my way to Old Trafford for England’s Euros opener against Austria on Wednesday July 6th.