New York to Miami – Our mate Chiz’s Article for True Faith Fanzine

Chiz been writing for True Faith NUFC fanzine. Reproduced here…

After the ecstasy of finally getting to the knockout stages in NY, the plan on Sunday was to fly to Nashville. A friend of ours’ brother had lived there for 24 yrs and I have to be honest, I didn’t know it was a place to be, and how chuffed we were to say yes.

It is absolutely brilliant!

After saying goodbye to my wife and two boys at JFK airport (they had to go home) Toffa and I went to a different terminal for our flight to Nashville.

Arriving in Nashville airport, an elderly gentleman approached Toffa and I in the toilets and asked “Is it your first time in the Deep South ?”…..I said yes…he said “how long you here for, you here until the weekend” I said yes a little trip to Atlanta in between but here at the weekend…he said “great you can celebrate this weekend of it being 250 yrs of us kicking your arses out of America”….there were a few muted giggles in the toilet…..I then said “yep but that was the B Team, now the f****** A Team has arrived”to loud laughter from every cubicle and the guy said fair play you boys done me there….at that moment they knew the English Toon lads had landed!!

Jonny runs an Airbnb business and put us up in a property just off Broadway…the equivalent to the Bigg Market x1000.

First night was an eye opener and second night was just mental!! Live bands in every bar, some bars have different bands on each floor with a lot having them on the rooftops too.

Unfortunately Jonny was that excited to have nine lads staying from England after the first night out (3am finish) he had booked us to do Go-Karting and top golf…..he wanted to do axe throwing after that but we binned that off to watch Germany v Paraguay and the the Holland game, we had to pull rank at some point.

The music scene in Nashville is just fantastic, everybody is so friendly and they love the English too!

They had more requests for Wonderwall and Sweet Caroline than they ever had, and the party just carried on until 3-4am both nights!

Monday we had a driverless taxi take us to the bar, most weird and surreal experience in a long while, after calling her pet and Trevor she got us safely to the pub for the footy.

4.30am finish and the bars were still bouncing!

Tuesday – Jonny had a minibus sorted and his pal from Florida flew in just to drive us to Atlanta. After stopping half way to Nashville in the biggest services you’ve ever seen (100 pumps and the inside the size of a big supermarket in the Toon) we loaded up with beef brisket and pulled pork burritos and carried on to Atlanta whilst drinking the cool box dry!!

Jack Mac (who was supposed to go home on Sunday) decided to come to Atlanta too after I got him a ticket and just ditched his BA flight for one from Atlanta on Friday….thats what the crusade does to you. 

We arrived into Atlanta slightly later than first thought due to traffic plus we lost an hour in time differences. The hotel was great though and right in the centre of downtown – our views from the rooms were unbelievable!

We hit a few bars (all within 5 mins of hotel) and ended up having a great sing song until the early hours, but then bed called as it was a 12 noon KO so we were meeting for breakfast at 8am.

Having had a great brekkie we hit the bars again Brewhouse Cafe being our favourite (where our new song was born – see later) and the beauty about Atlanta is the ground was walking distance from downtown, 10-15 mins we were there unlike Boston and NY which were 1hr train-bus journeys away!!

I have to say the stadium was out of this world. Much better than Boston and New York and maybe (after what I heard from others) on par with Dallas. It was fully fitted with A/C and you could proper feel the coolness inside compared to the heat outside (oh and it was hot btw) and the beers were flowing with the fans and so the atmosphere was building nicely.

The first 22 mins were a nightmare for us. Conceding a goal through inept defensive awareness/positioning and arguably a mistake by Pickford for not covering his near post but it was a great shot to be fair.

The position of our two centre backs and Spence was shocking and where was Madueke? Voices among the fans soon turned to our weaknesses down the right, Spence and Madueke were awful and all over the place. 

The hydration break (which is still being booed – as is the 10 sec countdown to KO) worked in our favour, as we then came out and played with more intensity and had chances – Bellingham and Kane could have scored but their goal keeper was having one of those games that was becoming increasingly worrying.

The 2nd half started in the same vain but the England fans rose to the occasion and realised this was a serious hole we were in as Congo were defending with their lives. The ‘keeper puled off some fine saves and with Wissa up top (who should have put them 2-0 up in first half) they always posed an attacking threat!! 

Then it happened, the saviour in Harry Kane steps up. The England end erupted and the mood changed in an instant, arms and legs were everywhere – beer as well sadly….why you would do that at these prices is beyond me!

England had momentum and so it felt the natural order had taken over by the time Harry scored a screamer of a second!!

Gordon played his part, which was always going to happen and the game changed with him and Saka on for Madueke and Rashford, who were poor.

Job done! A close shave maybe and the soft underbelly (which is our defence) was exposed again – will it hold out strong against the better teams? On this performance that has to be questioned but this England team has goals in it so maybe we’re heading into a KK era of you score 1 we score 2 you score 2 we’ll score 4!

Atlanta was a good night out but was no Nashville! Which is why after the final whistle we celebrated Sir Harry’s goals, (thank god we won 🙏🏻) sang the anthems, grabbed a beer, accepted Margaritas from some American lads and then jumped in the minibus up to Nashville. 

We again stopped at the services (Buc-ee’s) to fill up on steak Burritos which are unbelievable!

We then realised that last night, whilst under the influence, we had actually booked flights to Mexico so felt chuffed with ourselves even though it’s a 7am flight after spending 4th July on a lake in Nashville!

Tomorrow is a Bourbon distillery trail and Friday is a 4×4 in the mountains following Al Capone’s prohibition route from the 1930’s….only downside is tomorrow is a 6.30am start and the day after not long after but Nashville awaits again tonight…..we set off singing (to the tune of Beautiful South’s song Rotterdam (to anywhere)) Dallas to Boston, Boston to New York, New York Atlanta then to Mexicooooooo……….Football’s Coming Home!!!! 

I can promise you we’ll be the first Englishmen back on Broadway who were at the game!! #nashvilleandenglandfansontour…….

So after the excitement and partying of Atlanta you would have thought a long lie in was needed for Thursday, oh no not for this trip lol….

The alarm went off at 5.45am with a swift pick up at 6.30am (2 lads bailed out) but the hearty ones amongst us were off!!
However that wasn’t an issue as we were all on a high knowing that our trip was extended and we were off to Mexico!! But more of that later!!

We were heading to South Kentucky for a Bourbon tasting day. Most people do 1 in a day but not if your on an England away trip we booked 3. What could possibly go wrong!

Another stop at Buc-ee’s for breakfast (we’re becoming regulars!!) then on to Lux Row Bourbon distillery!!

Drinking Bourbon at 10am is not what I’d advise as a good past time (especially after 11 days on it big style in the US) but that’s what we did and so the tour began!!

One of the lads (Streaky) cannot stand whiskey or Bourbon but still got up and still drunk it so fair play to him, his face was a picture with every sipp tho!!
We then moved onto Heaven Hill which was more of the same then a great lunch in Bardstown which is the US’s capital of Bourbon, a great traditional little southern American town!!

We made our own bottle while we were there and bought it!! It’s defo a one off!! Look closely at the label we made!

Then the big one, Makers Mark!!
What a place that was seeing how the stuff is made from start to finish and bottled. Lots still done traditionally like the printing of labels done by old style printing machines and what was even more remarkable is that every bottle of Makers Mark that is produced is done from this site and sent around the world !! 97% of all bars in US stock it too and for one site to do that is amazing!!

Well oiled we made the journey back to Nashville (you got it stopping at Buc-ee’s along the way, just a piss stop this time tho) and decided to have a quiet night in and a takeaway but as we were staying in a beautiful lakeside pad organised by our brilliant host Jonny, there were worse things to be doing!! His pad is unbelievable that he has which he rents out!!

During the night we decided to enact the Mon nights football on sky sports by re watching the England game with our analysis!! Caragher and Neville better watch out!!

Friday saw us having a slight lie in with a start time of 9.30am lol….which took us off to a place where we did off roading through the hills and rivers of southwest Nashville!!
What a place and was made even better by a massive thunderstorm hitting 30 mins into the 4hr trek but despite all been soaking we loved it!!

We headed back to the centre of Nashville as Friday the 3rd of July was a big night as start of 4th July celebrations. We went to a restaurant called Husk first, owned by a top chef (Sean Brock) recommended to us by one of the NUFC chefs and it was great!! We then hit the bars in Nashville and the place was rocking!!

We had our first none morning start on Saturday so we decided to hit the bars hard!! Think it was a 4am finish and it was worth it as everybody was in a party mood!!

I met a friend and his wife who are from the northeast who moved out here 2yrs ago to make a new life for themselves. They bought a pizza restaurant and they are loving life and doing great and I have to say there isn’t many places on the planet I would say I’d leave my beloved toon for but Nashville is certainly one of them!! Lovely people some great places and a nightlife to match!!

Saturday saw us having a chilled morning and Roger one of the lads who wasn’t coming to Mexico suddenly had a decision to make as I was offered a ticket for £1700 which was half the price of everything else going. He had got into his head he was going to watch the game in Nashville and meet us in Miami (as we planned to go there regardless) but the lure of a trip to the Azteca was too much and so we got the ticket and plans all changed for him.

So plan for the day was to to be picked up in a boat at the bottom of the garden in the house we were in (wtf lol) then head out on the lake for a few hrs and then to Jonny’s house for a 4th of July party, but before all that we had to pack as our taxi was picking us up at 4.45am to the airport!!

The boat arrived and we had a great day on the lake, this place just keeps giving, and then moored up and went for a swim and met some great American families who absolutely loved the fact we were there and joining in with their celebrations!!

After the celebrations on the lake we headed to Jonny’s house to carry on the party and OMG what a place!! Which is not surprising considering the Nashville’s senator is one of his neighbours!! The place is unreal….

After watching the France game (poolside)….we had food and headed back out into the lake for the big firework celebrations!! We returned singing wonderwall on the boat to an unbelievable lighting storm which just enhanced the mood!!

In all honesty we could have stayed there all night as when we got back to shore we cracked open one of Jonny’s best Bourbons, sat on the boat and boomed tunes out into the night whilst singing loud and proud.

When Jonny cracked open the 2nd bottle we realised this was getting serious and started thinking of mexico and how we had to make our flight….
The partying was too much for some and so at midnight we emotionally said our good byes to our wonderful host in Nashville and and his family and our new best friend Michael who had also had an influential part in looking after us all week, along with Kris!!

I think I got to bed at 12.45am and was awake by 3.30am as was like an excited child on Christmas Eve!!
In 1986 I watched the World Cup until the early hours every game (when I should have been revising for my o’levels and as a consequence failed a few) and always said one day I want to go there!!
This was that day!!

Now this is where I went against my own advice in life as I always say to people wake up in the city of the game, and we were far far away from being able to do that and I had an uneasy feeling about it.

Started well, taxi on the dot and besides some trees blocking roads from the storm that had just whizzed through the area we hit Nashville airport in plenty of time and flight to Dallas with no drama!!

As we were on the train to the other terminal it popped up that flight to Mexico City had been delayed. Sod’s Law sprung to mind!!
An Aussie who’s dad was originally from Boro got on train and started to worry saying the traffic in Mexico was a shambles etc etc…we waited with baited breath but found a bar right outside our gate so sunk a few pints of Michelob to help calm the nerves of both travel and what we were about to head into!!

The flight kept going back 15/20 mins every 10 mins but just as Toffa couldn’t deliver anymore bad news he turned up with a sullen face (my heart sunk) but it was good news the bugger, he was winding us up it was boarding, so 90 mins late, all should be ok just, fingers crossed!!

We landed got taxi (most miserable fucker on the planet driving) got us to hotel we told him to wait and blasted in, quick change (whilst cleaners still in room) and told him to take us straight to ground!!

It was a journey and a half and a storm started (bloody following us around them things) and driver ended up dropping us of about 20/30 mins walk from ground clearly in a strong Mexican strong hold and we were definitely standing out in the crowd and getting funny looks!! But 2hrs b4 KO, so we’d made it!!

Once near ground there was dancing and drums and massive amount of Mexicans. We then heard loads of noise and the Mexican team coach came down a road, but once there it was the England team bus, cheers turned to boos and then we were getting sprayed with foam along with things being thrown at the busses!! Welcome to the Azteca!!

There was no segregation and there were Mexicans all around us chanting and trying to get banter going against the English and they found it in pockets all around the stadium!!

We heard (from my wife at home) game was delayed an hour so we had another beer and headed into our section, tunnels that led to the ground, lots more English fans singing but surprisingly still Mexicans in our end, surely not!!

More beers then into the seats and by then loads of Mexicans were flooding our area.
Toffa and I were the only England fans in our row!! At first I was annoyed as thought England fans were selling tickets but with rows and rows of Mexicans behind me I realised it was another of FIFA’s ploys to just piss us all off!!

Banter was light hearted at first but as the game progressed it started to heat up!!
The noise was deafening and the Azteca was an unbelievable arena!!

We competed well without any threat early doors but when Pickford made the save down low to the near post from a great header the noise raised several decibels….I know we slag the Mackem off, me more than most but that save was pivotal and he had a tremendous game tbf to him!!

This already had the markings of a classic and a tough night and then bang, Jude with a great header meant our end went ballistic, cue pints being thrown by the Mexicans!! I think I had some homing device on me that night as I’ve never had so much beer over me, pint after pint all night, I was drenched lol…got to point I was just holding my beer out collecting half pints of the stuff !!

That goal tho, Pickford to Rice who drove it brilliantly then to Saka, Saka (his cross of tournament) then Kane’s run taking the defender away Bellingham Boom!!!

Before we had time to compose ourselves hey Jude!! Brilliant 2-0!! Gordon won the 50/50 and then Kane to Bellingham (class), cue more beer on heads lol….we were in dream land. But as we all know following the Toon, (and England are the same in that there is very rarely an easy route) and as soon as I saw the free kick (that I thought was soft and not a free kick) I got an uneasy feeling!

Goal to Mexico (more of a soaking) then it was shit, this is gonna be an epic night if we do this as noise was loudest and Mexico were well up for it.

A few fights then broke out and clearly this was gonna be feisty. I went to bar at half time, they ran out of beer managed to get 1 to share with Toffa, I walked into ground to be drench with a beer, and I was like – Toffa what’s happened “Quansah off” – shit no wonder the beer cups have found me again lol…this was not a good situation!!
35 mins with 10 men!!

5 mins later and it was a pen to us, you blinked on this game and you missed a lot – wow!! Sir Harry steps up and Boom 3-1!!
Surely that’s got to be us ok, but wait no we have 10 men, shit, nerves all over the place!!

We saw that something had happened near the goal and later found out about Henderson!! Mackem plonker what was he doing!!

We walked 20mins found a bar and drunk Gin until we got kicked out!! Outside the ground the mood couldn’t have been more different Mexicans telling us how good we were and what great fans we were and how they wanted us to go on and win it now and defo beat the Argies!! They were great hosts, when not throwing beer at us or booing us lol…

What a night….it was an “I was there moment” for sure and the messages from back home have made it feel even more how big this was (if we needed reminding), I was one of not many England fans who made it to the Azteca (as we normally have a lot more in the ground) with my good friends Toffa, Streaky, Roger, Steve & Sam who had successfully made the pilgrimage into Mexico City’s den but the lions had prospered this time my Mexican friends…..Adios Amigos, until Miami!!!

Now to Miami and a quarter final v Norway… However there’s a rest day on Wednesday so we went via Cancun to recharge…

Route 66 – Hey Jude – Bellingham double takes England back to Atlanta! 

TF’s intrepid correspondent Chiz takes us on his football road trip from Mexico City to Miami via Cancun and more trains, planes and Ubers – what a journey – with beer and football! 

JUL 14, 2026

19

5

‘There’ll Be No F****** Rowing In New York!’

We woke up on Monday morning to a stunning view from the top of our hotel, knowing we had another night in Mexico City. 

However, the morning was taken up with planning – do we head straight to Miami or head somewhere else for a couple of nights first. Lots of debate and research saw us booking flights to Cancun in an all inclusive hotel for 2 nights for some R&R….never mind the players we were starting to feel it too!

But before that we had to head into Mexico and see if the locals were going to be as friendly in defeat as they were last night. 

It started to sink in we had Norway on Saturday and I was hoping we’d have Brazil, for two reasons really, one playing Brazil is special and we could see Bruno – but also because I honestly thought it would be an easier game for us.

Norway left me feeling a little uneasy!

We watched the Spain v Portugal and the USA v Belgium games in a great bar in an area called Roma Norte, and tried to make friends and influence people by giving the locals a few renditions of Wonderwall!

They were definitely two good games to watch in Mexico City!!

We had a great night and headed back to the hotel as we had an early start for Cancun the next day.

Cancun was decent, the hotel great and it had a big outside screen for the footy with a mini stand that you could sit in and watch from – so they had definitely embraced the World Cup. I’m not sure from now on though – we met a group of lads from Newcastle for a beer. We were the only plonkers to check into an all Inclusive, have a few then head out into the strip and pay for drinks. The hotel was still less than half the prices of those in Boston and NYC so I suppose by now it felt cheap.

We gave Cancun strip a good hammering and spent the next day chilling on the beach by the hotel but the all inclusive drink was too hard to refuse and so by later in the afternoon we were in the pool with our drinks having a pool party – we definitely got our monies worth on the second day.

Next day saw an earlier start with a 6.30am breakfast, before heading to the airport for our flights to Miami.

Craig (one of lads had been there for a few days ahead of us) so as soon as we checked into hotel he led us off to South Beach and we watched France v Morocco game. 

We watched it in The Clevelander which was a grea place for footy with plenty of England fans singing and dancing outside in the pool area…after a wander we hit the bars…..Cuban restaurant, more bars…a very lively place!!

Friday saw us chilling on the rooftop pool (great view by the way) before heading out for the Spain v Belgium game and then a few beers and we then headed off to the Baseball!

The Miami Marlins were playing the Cleveland Guardians and plan was to go for 30-60 mins then head back into Miami as the England Travel club had organised $20 tickets which included a drink.

But when we got there it was a great night out as loads of England fans were there and we had a great song song – I don’t think the baseball players and fans knew what had hit them….we all stood in the section where the bar was where you could see the game….unfortunately the Marlins lost 3-2 but think all the locals and players who were there were treated to a different sort of night!

We found a taxi guy straight outside who took us into Miami South Beach whilst playing tunes on his iPad and turning his car into a mobile disco!

You would have thought we’d had enough of the Azteca but oh no, we went to a great bar by the same name and partied the night away!!

On the day of the game we went for a lunch towards the ground to an Italian (12 of us). There was a lot of confusion on how we would get to ground. It’s a nightmare these stadiums are so far away from anywhere remotely decent. We spent 40 mins in an uber to get closer to the Italian (nearer the ground) and then after the restaurant another 50 – 60 mins to the stadium then a walk to for 20 mins….they need to take a leaf out of SJP’s book because that was mental!

We got a beer ok though and went straight to seats as 30 mins before KO. 

The atmosphere was building and Norwegians started rowing to a chorus of “there’ll be no fucking rowing in New York”……

My pals Finny (his son Cam), Jack Mac and Joe finally arrived in the stadium.

They’d had a 36 hrs travel ordeal. They’d driven to Edinburgh for a flight to JFK – all had been great! Then cue disaster! Jet Blue flight cancelled to Miami and the next one was Sunday. 

The airline was were less than helpful apparently – so they then had to Uber it to Newark and then a flight form Newark to Jacksonville. Once they landed they couldn’t rent a car as it was too late!! So the next morning after a very short sleep (if any) they headed back to rental place got a car and then drove the mere 5/6 hrs to Fort Lauderdale – then an Uber straight to ground – got kicked out of that near ground and told had to walk – only then to be told had to get a shuttle bus…..but they all still turned up smiling, 15/20 mins before KO waiting for what lay ahead! 

The England fans way out numbered the Norwegians – but they did do their bit for the atmosphere to be fair – and gave as much as they got! The anthems were sung with respect for both teams!

The game started and we had the lion’s share of possession and the much higher passing stats. But the game was so slow and Norway were playing deep. We just kept slowing it down and so seemed to be playing into their hands.

Haaland, Berge and Ryerson (their right-back) started to bully our players, using their physical force and started to look like they were getting the better of us. They also looked more direct when the won possession. 

They were certainly looking to put our back four under pressure. Our centre backs were seeing too much of the ball and not as clinical getting out from the back as we had been – Haaland was smelling blood.

On 36mins Schjelderup delivered the punch that had been coming. However was it a shot, a cross that turned good – could Pickford have done better? These were all the questions we were asking ourselves as the Norwegian fans went mental celebrating the goal. 

We didn’t quite learn our lesson. Norway broke again and if Sorloth had slotted it to Haaland in instead of hanging onto it too long, we could have easily been 2-0 down. 

The mood was turning in the stands and we were all starting to feel concerned that only one team looked up for it!

But then a moment of brilliance from Anderson and Bellingham gave us a goal from nothing! We later found out (much later that night) that their goal kick had hit the overhead tv cable and fallen kindly for Anderson who’s quick thinking let Bellingham get us back on even terms. 

Well, I suppose we’ve had our fair share of bad luck as England fans. The hand of god, Lampard’s goal that never was, Beckham’s sending off and Sol Campbell’s goal in same game v Argentina in ‘98 – I could go on!

So I suppose it was apt that the hand of Spidercam hot wired Anderson and Bellingham!!

The beer at half time tasted all the better!

We were back in it! Game on!

We had huge hope now for the second half but that didn’t materialise. Norway had the better of us and kept possession well and kept us on the back foot. Losing Rice at half time made a big difference as there seemed to be massive gaps in the middle of the pitch and Norway were exploiting it. 

We defended well though, with some great saves from Pickford along with some great blocks by the back four – but on 55 mins the ball was in the back of the net! What a sinking feeling that was as I thought only one team was going win from here! 

But then a review by the ref meant it was disallowed, push by Haaland!

The relief was massive but we didn’t seem to grasp the opportunity. 

Saka was slow getting into game (but got better) and to be fair to Tuchel he’s not afraid of changing things and James came on in the middle to try and plug the void Rice left. Then came Rogers and Spence later in normal time. 

We started to look better and felt a momentum switch but couldn’t get it over the line in normal time.

One of the lads went to get a beer before extra time to settle his nerves but forgot they stop serving on 70 mins!! Argggghhhhh….

However, it didn’t need long for the mood to improve. 

Bellingham – bosh!

What a game he was having – then 6 mins later a pen on Spence!! Surely this was it – but no, a review, shit it was overturned. We felt the nerves come back!!

Haaland went off for the second period of extra time for Larsson which surprised us all.

Cue Tuchel’s last throw of dice to defend the impending push from Norway!! 

BDB came on again and was immense!! From Darlo to Miami in the World Cup, via the Azteca!! What a story and he did exactly what was needed – bully them like they had bullied us earlier in the game and he did that with a cherry on top!

We saw it through and everybody went mental! We were going to see a semi final of the World Cup!! Only our fourth ever and the third in my lifetime…..with potentially the Argies to come!

We celebrated with the players, Wonderwall is becoming the highlight of the day…..almost.

We then went just outside of the stadium to the fan park outside and decided to have a beer or two to soak up what had just happened – then it was a hot dash to the taxi queue (quite a wait) – then off to a sports bar half way back to Miami Beach to watch second half of the Argies scraping past the Swiss!

We then knew Weds was going be very tasty – feisty, full of memories (some good but mainly bad) and hopefully a game for the ages!

So back to Atlanta it is – but in true fashion for our group one thing is certain we wouldn’t be heading there direct – 

how we get there I don’t know, how we get there I don’t care….all we know is England is on its way!!

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