Hello and good welcome to you. The Brits Abroad are part way through season 7, just the early knockings really of what we hope will be a long and successful campaign, culminating with Euro 2004 if I can guide England through the final few qualifying games. We’re at the time of year in real life where there’s stuff on every night, or nearly every night, and it occurred to me on Wednesday evening that if I don’t get this played by Thursday night there would be no blog. Sacre bleu. To the football then, where the domestic table loos very nice and we’ve got an opportunity to make the Champions League group look similar…

Job done! Just about. Owen’s early goal ends up being the only goal as we just about win, despite some heavy pressure late on.

Just one point needed from the final two games. I think we’ll be fine from here.

Porto away, one of the worst games of the season with Denilson and Jardel the chief nuisances. It’s the one time world’s most expensive player who gives Porto the lead early on and despite a load of chances to make it 2, Abbey holds firm and Tricky Trev snatches a point.

A break now from club football as the whole squad (less Page and Lauchlan and some other less talented lads) head to Macedonia. Fowler, as usual, nets the winner and we’re off to the Euros…in Italy.

We actually won 9 in a row after that loss to Holland about 400 years ago.

Draw time and, you know what? That’s not too bad. We should get out of the group. Pizza all round.

Back to the daily grind and the Fowler/Gallen combo has not hit the heights this season but they’re on great form here to see off Belenenseseseses.

Right look, we need a point. Forget the fact we were 2-0 up inside 8 minutes and we didn’t win, we’re through. Let’s leave it at that.

Let’s win some more silverware eh? As usual Japan gets to host and to address the question on everybody’s minds – yes, that is BootyOil from the Mulhouse save. His goal threatens to make it a waste of air miles but we come roaring back with three goals. They lose their discipline as Ze Elias (Inter Milan) and Larsson (not Henrik) see red but the 9 men still pull one back to make it a nervy finish/ Why are we like this? Still, it’s in the bag again.

Two days later our jetlagged corpses are beaten by lowly Braga. Nevermind.

We have to win the cup of course to keep our dream of basically unifying football. This 0-0 draw is uninspiring and that means a replay. More games, goody.

At least I can rest everybody for this trip to Slovakia and the second string do us proud.

Confirmation of a safe passage.

This feels like a decent draw. Moscow is never an easy place to go but compared to the last 8 in previous seasons, it could be worse.

The cup replay is tricky. Fowler scores two but Belenenenseseses pull one back and then Rufus gets his red card for the season to make it a nervy finish. Sorted.

A lower league team in the last 8 but Porto and Sporting will be confident of being in the last 4.

Speaking of which, our green tormentors get yet another one over us through that bloody Leandro. It’s not terminal, but it is annoying.

We’re a bit iffy at the minute. We can’t put Maritimo away despite Tricky Trev’s best efforts and we pay the price late on. Annoying.

Back to normal against Leiria.

A tricky trip to Felgueiras is negotiated to bring in the new year. The goals are very spread about these days.

Here’s how we are looking at just about half way. Our early lead has been eroded.

We can distract ourselves with the European Super Cup which is going very well after 25 minutes and a 3-0 lead. When the aptly named Smak is sent off for elbowing Youngs I’m quite happy to say we’ve got this won but our now customary lapse of concentration gives Marseille a lifeline.

Transfer news as Richard Wright is off. I can’t be bothered to recruit a third choice so I just get one in exchange.

Another poor display but we see off Alverca. Gallen’s season has been stop-start due to injury but a big second half of the season would be great.

The goals continue to dry up and we need a late Curtis header to see off 10 man Boavista.

This is more like it. Academica away is a tough trip, they sit 5th and go toe to toe with us for an hour. Fowler’s arrival from the bench (it was his turn to rest) brings instant rewards and a double salvo late on settles it. Nice.

The European Super Cup is retained! Again we make hard work of it as Marseille go 1-0 up and are effectively one goal from winning the tie but Rufus heads in from a corner and Owen settles it. Phew.

Signs of life from the front two again as they combine to see of Bruno Guimaraes.

Tirsense are relegation candidates and as such we are 3-0 up before half time. A late consolation is not a problem.

Second Division Salgueiros is basically the same game. Black and white flooting with the consolation.

Everybody nervously awaits the last 4 draw. We know of the cup final curse so maybe playing Sporting in the semis will help our cause. I am nervous for Porto though if we can get through, if we are at home I think we’re knackered.

Chaves beat Sporting last week and threaten to do the same to us but our very own Gundogan type, Tony Thorpe, scores twice. He’s so good in the big games, he always has been.

7 point gap! With Porto and Sporting still to visit our home from home, it’s very much in our favour.

Just to emphasise a point I made earlier, the goals are quite spread about. It is proving difficult to keep everybody happy with Bridges being the odd man out too often for his liking.

Everybody else seems to just accept it, to be fair. A lot of decent performers, only Lauchlan of the regulars below 7. The strikers have arguably been the issue but Fowler’s return is very good really, with 15 assists too.

So that’s it for another week. I’ve tried to do a longer middle stint to make next week less biblically long, with Euro 2004 involved as well. We could win the lot. We could fall short. Either way, I hope to see you there. Thanks for reading!