DOUBTLESS I will forget the name Marcel Ndjeng in years to come but I’ll always remember the indelible mark he left on my trip to Austria.

Writing about football for a living tends to make you a little cynical about the game. Rather than enjoy the spectacle, or the social side as some fans do – I’m breaking the whole thing down into intros, follow-ups and statistics long before the final whistle. Even to say I watch the game, at times, would be pushing it.

Every once in a while, though, something happens which just snaps you straight out of journalist mode and transports you back to a time when I’d watch football and then go home and play it.

That happened in the second half of Wanderers’ game on Monday night as the German-born Cameroon international midfielder scored a goal that had me standing up and applauding before it had even hit the back of the net.

A volley from 40 yards arrowed over Ben Amos – accompanied, in my head at least, by an Alan Partridge commentary from The Day Today.

“He must have a foot like a traction engine!”

Before that, I’d have probably ranked Johan Elmander’s goal against Wolves as the best one I’d seen in the flesh.

Dennis Bergkamp’s goal for the Netherlands against Argentina at the World Cup will always rank as my all-time favourite.

I headed home via Munich yesterday with most of the hardy Wanderers fans who had made the trip to Austria – be they from Great Lever, The Vulcan, Smithills, Deane or Timbuktu, especially Yash (not Vash), to whom I owe a long-awaited correction dating back to Charlotte, USA.

I take my cap off to their loyalty.

Austria has provided an interesting insight into what Neil Lennon wants from Wanderers this season. Clearly it is a job half done but I sense if he can bring in just a handful of players who suit his style, to change the squad dynamic that little bit more, then the Whites could surprise a few people.

It all comes down to money, of course; most things do.

I surrendered my last twenty Euro note in Duty Free buying over-priced Kinder chocolate for my two boys. I just hope it survives the trip, because I get snacky when I fly.

As pleasant as the trip has been, I’m definitely ready to come home. I’m gasping for a decent cuppa.