I'v e just been watching BBC1s filler stuff before the final actually kicks off.

Mark Hughes was asked by Gary Lineker what he thought of the new Wembley. He said that the first thing that struck him was that "It was a football stadium".

Well, that's 800 million quid that wasn't wasted on Sparky then... Well, it gave me a laugh. Not that I have any dog in this game.

Just a little fun thing to do:

Find an Australian, of the sort who you think is likely to own a few stocks and shares. (Middle aged, male, tradesman types are good. Share ownership is widespread in Australia, so there is a good chance such a person will own shares).

Mention the new Wembley stadium.

Listen to the Australian bitch for the next twenty minutes.

(The Australian company Multiplex has taken a lot of the losses due to the delays in building Wembley, and its very widely held stock has taken a beating as a consequence).

In fact, bringing up Wembley stadium is an excellent defence of the Australian (say) brings up the English cricket team.

I remember and greatly enjoyed Ipswich beating Arsenal, but I'm not an Ipswich fan.

Aussies also tend to get a bit miffed that for a nation where for most people sport is still largely an enjoyable diversion (passionate about our teams but we get over our defeats) rather than nation defining, England is the home of football, (proper) rugby and cricket, the holy trinity of sports (not necessarily in that order). You can toss in a few other sports and games in as well.

I'd forgotten how unbearable Wembley Stadium made Baker Street and the central London tube system generally. Police and drunken oaves everywhere.

Perhaps I should move to Cardiff.

I cannot get excited about the new 'ber-lee. The word cliche comes to mind. It was not necessary to destroy the existing iconic towers, unless you consider laziness and ego a necessity.

I agree with Jonathan - the new Wembley is great. Having said that, I still feel it is not quite big enough! I don't know if anyone else feels the same? Doubtless there will be plenty of people banging on about 'carbon footprints' and so on - but I really feel the new Wembley should have had a fourth or fifth tier comparable to the Nou Camp. Wembley ought to be the largest stadium in the world with or without a retractable roof.

Anyway, the old stadium was well past it's sell-by-date - it was physically cramped and the facilities were appalling relative to what we expect from any modern building.

As a Sunderland fan, I didn't have any particular preference for either Chelsea or Man Utd, but watching the FA cup final last night, I got a bit emotional when I saw the words 'welcome home' somewhere on the outside of the stadium. Watching your team play at Wembley in a cup final will always have something of the sublime about it. I hope they keep those words there for future FA cup finals - they will mean a lot to fans of every team across the country.

football, (proper) rugby and cricket, the holy trinity of sports (not necessarily in that order).

Australians care about cricket. They do not as a general rule care about soccer, and rugby is a minority sport in the parts of the country where it is played at all. (Rugby League is big, however).

Mike,
You Mackem swine! I bet you have memories of Bob Stokoe's team winning in '73 (I think). Problem is that as a Geordie footballing success occured in something like the upper paleolithic and I'm frankly a bit hazy on the dates. It's hard to support a team that you've never seen win anything! I'm 33 and stories of NUFC victories are like tales from battles long ago told by grizzled veterans.

I was under-awed by the new Wembley. It's big and bold but it seems soulless. The Cardiff Millenium stadium is much more impressive. NuWembley just seems like the Dome - huge but hollow. I feel the same way about Old Trafford but I rather like the City of Manchester Stadium.

Anyhow, I look forward to seeing Roy's lads in the Premiership next season. That's six points that might just lift the Mags out of the relegation zone. We might even make a Uefa place. Hope springs eternal and is forever dashed. It's a bloody pennace being a Geordie.

Actually, I don't really have anything against SAFC - I think that sort of tribalism is best left to Glaswegians. The Smoggies and the Monkey Hangers are beneath contempt, though!

NickM,
You're right! I am a Mackem swine (County Durham), and Sunderland did lift the cup in '73 - though that was a bit before my time, being only 27. Quite a bit after the Magpies' time as well really wasn't it?! Oh, yes - you're as hazy about the dates as I am...

So you reckon Sam Allardyce and a fit Mickey Owen will get you a 20+ point improvement next season, eh? Still, at least he got rid of that Titus Bramble! Can't wait to see our Carlos Edwards make monkeys out of your defence!

Can't agree about Wembley. I love the view of it from Wembley Way - the arch distinguishes the new stadium like a halo and makes it the religious icon it ought to be. Cardiff is good but nothing special.

Michael Jennings, Australians will warm to any sport that they do well in nationally. Football is fairly popular at present and they've even conceded that it isn't soccer (you can by a dvd of the friendly win over England a couple of years back). Rugby league is very popular as a club and state game but most recognise that the internationals are of little value. By contrast, rugby union is very well supported as an international sport because Australia have traditionally done well and there are meaningful rivalries with the All Blacks, Springboks and England.