Going back home to Newcastle and St James' Park is always special for me as I grew up in the city.
But last week's trip to cover Liverpool's match in the great cathedral on the hill was tinged with sadness.
The game was fantastic, it turned one way and then the other.
Mo Salah looked as if he had secured victory for Arne Slot's table toppers with his second goal in the 83rd minute to cap a fantastic performance.
Then, in the very last minute of normal time, Fabian Schar scored the equalizer to end the score at 3-3.
There are few places in St James' Park football match for atmosphere on such a night.
Yet it comes against a backdrop of some despair.
The night before I had met two of my oldest friends from school, one of whom is a lifelong season ticket holder.
The conversation immediately turned to football over a pint at The County on Gosforth High Street.
The absolute desperation felt by the Newcastle fans hit me during the conversation.
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You see, it wasn't that long ago that the miserable years under Mike Ashley finally came to an end.
There was obvious controversy surrounding the Saudi takeover, but it offered hope to Newcastle fans after seeing what similar investments from the Middle East had made to a club like Manchester City.
From eternal punchline to headline: City had broken free from the shadow of Manchester United and shone at the top of English football.
Now it was Newcastle's turn as the Saudis moved in just over three years ago.
Under bright young coach Eddie Howe, the club finished its first full season under Saudi ownership in fourth place and came second in the Carabao Cup to Manchester United.
I remember speaking to Amanda Staveley, who helped push through the takeover, not long after that disappointment at Wembley.
She wasn't sad about it, but saw it as the first step to something much bigger.
But a year later, a cruel reality began to dawn on us, and continues to do so.
That the hope of breaking that glass ceiling again, as they had done under Sir John Hall in the 1990s, would be a short-lived dream.
The ridiculous financial restrictions placed on clubs, meaning the game is played in boardrooms and in front of lawyers as well as on the pitch, are really ruining the game.
Many clubs have made mistakes, while in many cases they are only trying to boost their prospects with the generous money from benefactors.
How can the Glazers allow themselves to do what they did to Manchester United and get away scot-free while City await the outcome of their trial on 115 charges for allegedly breaching the Premier League's financial rules.
Under the leadership of Sheikh Mansour, a club has been founded, an area has been revitalized and the country's best training ground has risen from the rubble.
And that club has given us the best football we have ever seen.
They also gave every other club hope that one day it could be them.
Newcastle had that hope and how briefly it flickered and died is truly sad. There is a cartel that always wanted it its own way. It had nothing to do with protecting clubs from going bankrupt.
How will Newcastle or City ever go bankrupt?
Yet it is not ironic that someone from the old order at Manchester United, who wanted the status quo of clubs with the biggest crowds and sponsorship deals to win the biggest trophies, is also among those who suffer.
Lucas vs. Littler
THE Sports Personality of the Year Awards are back, with less and less interest in them.
Part of the problem is that the BBC's monopoly on some sports is long gone, and the annual package of highlights, which is really something to look forward to, is no longer unique.
However, there are still some very worthy names up for consideration for the award and my choice is in no way intended to disrespect any of them.
But Luke Littler, 17, is here and for me, no athlete has had a greater impact on his chosen profession over the past twelve months.
What?! I hear you crying. But think about it.
Thanks to him, children started playing darts. He is confident that any teenager not interested in more traditional sports will be convinced there is a route to getting into the news elsewhere.
What Barry Hearn has done to take the sport to the next level is remarkable, but Littler's rise has taken the sport to another level.
Dartboards used to only be found in pubs and clubs across the country.
In my daughter's student house in Leeds, one of the boys who lives there is called Presley.
He has a brand new one that takes pride of place in the living room as he hones his skills for the college darts team, while his roommates duck out and try to watch TV.
A university darts team? Have you ever heard anything like that?
Rocky roads
THE new Netflix series about the life of Ayrton Senna is definitely worth watching.
I can't imagine the drama coming close to the incredible 2010 documentary film that left a tear streaming down my face.
But early clips suggest it will capture the drama of how Formula 1's brilliant drivers rise from humble racing beginnings to the top.
In the early 1980s, Senna lived in a bungalow in Eaton, near Norwich, so he could race at the famous Snetterton circuit – where we see the Brazilian master his craft.
However, those who live in that area of Norfolk are a little curious as to where exactly the snow-capped mountains in the background came from.
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