THE ITALIAN JOB

PHILIP O'ROURKE GIVES US THE LOWDOWN ON HIS MISSION TO GET TO A GAME IN ONE OF FOOTBALL'S HOTBEDS

I FIND myself travelling to Milan on the weekend that the Milan Derby is taking place. Both clubs are on ten points and have had decent starts to the season.

It is the first match to take place after the International break, so I am ready to watch some club football again (It was a bad international break for myself being a Republic of Ireland fan).

With the hotel and flights booked seven weeks before, my main aim has been to try and bag myself a golden ticket to the San Siro to witness what is seen as one of world football's biggest derbies.

As Inter are the home team for this one, I sign up to become an Inter Milan fan on their website. It's no easy feat, as you have to give every detail of your life, including tour passport number, address and nation of birth. They are just short of asking for your star sign and what you had for breakfast that day! I have success, though, and receive an email confirming my membership. Great. Now, how do I buy tickets? Language-wise, it is rather easy, as you can translate everything into English. However, I soon realise that is not my biggest problem.

It is that tickets go on sale at different stages. First are members or season ticket holders, which is the norm. Next it is MasterCard holders. I don't own a MasterCard and don't intend on doing so.

Then, it is another group who I think are 'Loyalty fans'. I can only deduce, from the experience I have with my own club St Patrick's Athletic, that these are the people who have recently bought tickets to games at the San Siro.

It's starting to look bleak, but there is hope. The second last group is for Members. That's me! General sale is the last, and considering the importance of the game, I doubt they get a look in. I am not sure I will, but I'm an optimist, and so I save the date in my diary.