The Large One
Who's Next?
I was walking through town on Saturday with the missus, when she spotted one of her friends. She bowled over for a natter.
Having been to the football at the Amex the previous evening, my better half mentioned this to her friend, how much she enjoyed it etc. etc., who responded with a face of - well, hard to judge really - I'd say sympathy. Certainly disdain.
It transpires that this other woman, who was in her late 40s / early 50s, is a Manchester United fan, and travels to Old Trafford each home match. I mock rolled my eyes and asked why - she certainly didn't sound like a Northist. She was from Worthing, and she supports Manchester United 'because I liked Eric Cantona and Ole-Gunnar Solksjaer'. Also, she continued, 'because she hates Liverpool' - so since she was about 35. (Sorry, she hates Liverpool - she didn't say why - so took up supporting Man U?)
I asked if these were good enough reasons to support someone. That put her into over-drive…
'What is the point of supporting a team if they don't win anything?' was her response. 'I don't go to football to watch a team lose…'. 'So what happens if Manchester United become shit?' I asked. 'Well, they will when Ferguson eventually leaves, and I will have to plan my journeys a little less...'
'You support Brighton' she continued. 'and that club is about as corporate as you can get. Most people who go are corporate fans - I mean where else did you gather up so many new season ticket holders, just because you got a new stadium? I watched your match with Liverpool, and all I could hear were the Liverpool fans. I didn't hear a peep out of Brighton - it's nothing like being at Old Trafford, now there's fans who know how to make a noise. You accuse us of being the Prawn Sandwich Brigade (actually that was your former captain), but Brighton takes the biscuit…'
When we parted, she commented that I had gone quiet - I replied that there are times when silence is the better response - this was my partner's friend, so I held my tongue. But even on parting, she hoped 'your little club could do well one day...'
Am I being a over-sensitive in saying her whole attitude f***ed me off right down to my boots?
Having been to the football at the Amex the previous evening, my better half mentioned this to her friend, how much she enjoyed it etc. etc., who responded with a face of - well, hard to judge really - I'd say sympathy. Certainly disdain.
It transpires that this other woman, who was in her late 40s / early 50s, is a Manchester United fan, and travels to Old Trafford each home match. I mock rolled my eyes and asked why - she certainly didn't sound like a Northist. She was from Worthing, and she supports Manchester United 'because I liked Eric Cantona and Ole-Gunnar Solksjaer'. Also, she continued, 'because she hates Liverpool' - so since she was about 35. (Sorry, she hates Liverpool - she didn't say why - so took up supporting Man U?)
I asked if these were good enough reasons to support someone. That put her into over-drive…
'What is the point of supporting a team if they don't win anything?' was her response. 'I don't go to football to watch a team lose…'. 'So what happens if Manchester United become shit?' I asked. 'Well, they will when Ferguson eventually leaves, and I will have to plan my journeys a little less...'
'You support Brighton' she continued. 'and that club is about as corporate as you can get. Most people who go are corporate fans - I mean where else did you gather up so many new season ticket holders, just because you got a new stadium? I watched your match with Liverpool, and all I could hear were the Liverpool fans. I didn't hear a peep out of Brighton - it's nothing like being at Old Trafford, now there's fans who know how to make a noise. You accuse us of being the Prawn Sandwich Brigade (actually that was your former captain), but Brighton takes the biscuit…'
When we parted, she commented that I had gone quiet - I replied that there are times when silence is the better response - this was my partner's friend, so I held my tongue. But even on parting, she hoped 'your little club could do well one day...'
Am I being a over-sensitive in saying her whole attitude f***ed me off right down to my boots?
