The match:

I'm going to find it difficult to describe the atmosphere at the Bridge on Saturday. The best thing is to tell it how it was from my own, personal, point of view. Other people may have different impressions.

We (myself and three mates) arrived at the ground by 2:15, and were surprised at the intensity of feeling already manifesting itself. We went for a pint in the MH Stand concourse, there were little bunches of subdued people standing around, none of the usual high spirits. The conversation was all Matthew.

We went into the upper tier, and found our seats were right at the front of the new west wraparound section, with a panoramic view of the whole North stand - you couldn't imagine a better place to be on that day.

There were wreaths in each half of the centre circle, representing Tottenham and Chelsea, and even a pint of Guinness on the centre spot. (lucky we weren't playing Arsenal)

Matthew's seat in the East Stand had flowers on it, and his wife was there, a brave and dignified woman.

No chanting or shouting, even from Tottenham, just quiet conversation.

At last the players came out, there was immediate and long applause - Den and Dan P, I think it was, were carrying a floral tribute that spelt simply "Matthew RIP". They stuck it down facing the north stand and just waited for the applause to stop. It seemed everyone there just wanted to clap and clap, the feeling was intense.

Then the Chelsea players all moved toward the penalty area, and as they did, the whole place went quiet. The silence was complete before anyone had said a word on the Tannoy. The boys linked hands, the announcer asked everyone to stand and observe the silence, not one person was sitting anyway. The only movement was from the reptiles with the cameras on the dog track, rushing round in front of the north stand for a better picture. I suppose they were doing their job, but I personally found it intrusive.

The other memory of those seconds is bizarre, but I have to tell it like I saw it: All you could hear with 30 odd thousand people standing there was the cameras, and a flock of about 20 crows on top of the East Stand, cawing away like extras in a scene from some cheapo horror movie. Fairly chilling stuff. I've never experienced anything like it at a football match. It made me think about other football disasters, and what it must have been like dealing with them.

It's well worth mentioning the respect that the Tottenham players and fans showed towards the proceedings. The Spurs players stood in their half of the pitch, and their fans were magnificent - not a sound from any of them, and they were applauding Matthew as loud as anyone.

Normally I'd begrudge mentioning anything good about Tottenham in particular, but this was extraordinary behaviour on an extraordinary day. Good on 'em.

The match itself was pretty strange, too. Spurs appeared to have read the plot, and basically seemed not to want to spoil it. (Another way of saying they were shite!)

To be honest, I don't remember much about the game, due to the emotion of the occasion, apart from the following:

- The build up to Roberto's goal (magnificent, big praise for Vialli)

- Hitchy horribly flapping Armstrong's header into the net, Ruud picking the ball out, walking past Hitchy, who was on the deck with his head in his hands, bending down and hissing something at him as he went past - perhaps it wasn't "Well done, old chap" ?

- Poor Dave Lee going for a 50-50 ball and sitting there not reacting for a few seconds, then clutching his broken leg (you just knew)

- Some magnificent touches and long passes from Ruud

- Scott Minto. What's happened to him ? His volley against the bar was one of the highlights of the match. Perhaps I've just never seen the best of him before. Sorry, Scott, maybe I was wrong about you.

Gerry Francis said on TV that the game came second on that day, Ruud said something similar. They were right.

If you wanted me to sum it up, I'd say I was glad and proud to be a Chelsea supporter at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, and was impressed with the dignity displayed by every single person there. Except the press.

And thanks (gulp) to Spurs. (There. I've said it!)

Lastly, I'd like to say, by way of a tribute, that Matthew was lucky enough to be able to do in real life what every one of us dreams about - being able to help Chelsea, a club he only too obviously loved. He made a difference. Thanks, Matthew.

Let's hope that this will unite the club, we CAN go on to bigger and better things if we keep the spirit generated by Matthew's death.

Normal piss-taking service will be resumed next week ;-)