The past few years I've rarely made it over to the match, a result of being back and for to London and work etc and since we went up a few years ago I simply lost the buzz of going with the boys, concentrating my efforts and energy into music, partying and other ventures.
This season however I've been regularly going to home matches when I can and have started to get that excitement back a little bit and last night that was all compounded as I went to the first away game I've been to since Darlington 3 years ago.
Being Newport, Hereford is obviously our local derby and one I simply couldn't miss. Going with all the lads I used to go with was quality, the banter hadn't changed and everyone was still bang up for it. We took 1300 there last night and the atmosphere was electric, grabbing an injury time winner after twice coming back from behind. When that third went in the rush I had was top draw and was pay back for all those times I'd been to places like Hednesford and Weymouth and seen us get hammered.
After the game County were untouchable, with hundreds walking through town - breaking the escort at one point to run a mob of Hereford that had fronted while on our way to the football special - it was like a throwback. The mischief is neither here nor there though, the night was special and the atmosphere was the type that makes the hair on the back of your neck stand on end.
What hit home the most though was the divide in football, demonstrated by the amount of arm chair supporting Mancs crying on facebook while 'their' side played at a place they'd probably only ever been to on a stadium tour - I doubt the vast majority of them will ever have experienced a night with a tangible atmosphere as electric as that and that's a pretty sad state of affairs.
Who would want to swap a night like last night for all that over priced ticket bollocks and plastic spoon fed sky TV naff?
Certainly not me, last night was football the way it should be - real and top draw.
Go to Ghana and see the vast amount of Chelsea & Man UTD Shirts being worn. Even some of the teams playing in the leagues are named after UK premiereship teams.
I played football as a nipper roo in the 70's , on a pitch where the ball would never bounce , I kicked mud more than leather , wearing boots heavier than me .. Today football is graced on perfect pitches , skills are incredible , and some of the action fantastic to watch .. We have created the evil , and now need to cure it .. The diving , spitting , swearing , play acting - has ruined the game , yellow cards dished out willy-nilly , it's pathetic .. I still love watching football though , beating Arsenal twice this season my highlight ..
still enjoy watching football in the 5th division over here, where my hometeam plays. this is football at the roots, players only get a small payment but play with their heart every sunday, standing allowed, beer, cigs, sausage, love it.
but i dont enjoy watching professional football on television anymore
I myself follow Celtic both home and away and this is a subject that is of great interest to me.
I love Celtic. Always have and always will and nothing will ever replace the feeling of going to Parkhead on a Saturday afternoon but the home games at Celtic Park are as flat as a pancake and if I didn't stand with the Green Brigade I would be sorely tempted to give my book up. Recently in Scotland, the SNP have introduced an almost Thatcher-ite policy with a law that prohibits near enough any offensive singing. I would go into more depth with it but I could be here for days.
It's taking the sheer enjoyment of the occasion out of it for fans and that is something we can ill afford in the SPL with falling crowds and an un-competitive league at the moment.
However, away games are the ones I look forward most to. Nothing better than going to Hearts, Aberdeen , Dundee Utd or Hibs and getting a last minute winner or whatever else. The Celtic support travels in great numbers and as SS says it does give you a bit of a gee-up being surrounded by like minded lads.
Modern Football is a capitalist creature that will take some stopping but football in it's "purest" form is not dead and I believe an under-current of football as we like to know it will always survive.
Here is the Fans Against Criminalisation page which is an organisation set up to oppose the law brought in by the SNP if anyone fancies a wee read of it.
The FAC page doesn't just cater for Celtic fans by the way it's for all fans in Scotland to bring their views to the fore.
Think you can thank your lucky stars that its non league, because the top 2 tiers are pointless IMO, I detest it.
But I say that and with wolves little reunion at forest Saturday ill still go up the Albion Saturday. It's got nothing to do with football for me anymore. It's just the boys and the day.
Middlesbrough's FA cup home tie against Chelsea summed the mentaltity of the modern day fan when a section of the west stand stood and applaud Frank lampard while he was warming up near the touch line. i was disgusted at home matches the fans are meant to make it a difficult place to settle and gain a footing in the game not a tea party .
Confusion in her eyes that says it all. She's lost control.....
Last match I went was in the 90's. Notts Forest v QPR. Ticket was £20 I think. Silly prices to watch overpaid players.. They should hold a Football Oscars or Grammy awards type event and give out awards for acting on the pitch.
I think when you have a good look around you'll get one or 2 good matches a season but being a west brom lad the playing to keep the numbers up for the premier league in our fight for mid table mediocrity doesn't appeal to me, when we beat Sunderland last week the first thing they said was "40 points that's Albion safe this year" and I thought is that really what I can hope my club will achieve? It's not like it was you can't go anywhere and do what you want so away matches in the league on the top 2/3 tiers are just completely pointless, ill always have my spot for Newport County from going with Saul so I know it's different that end but for the majority of us what can we look forward to ? The clubs are in the hands of business men and foreign owners who want a toy to play with, it's the equivalent of a big adult train set for them, the goings on at Cardiff make me sick, the fact that bigger local clubs never wanted to help bail out smaller local clubs with the likes of Chester going bump again is a sad state of affairs. Is it the football that makes you happy ? Or do you and your mates make it what it is ? I think we all know the answer, so in terms of us football really dead ? Unless you are top 4 of the premier league the answers yes. How can the football league stand by and watch what's happening to Blackburn and Cardiff amongst others and not step in for the good of the club ? Because money talks. And the only people who see the benefits of that are the players who don't give a stuff on 50k a week and the people with money in them who would sell their own mothers for more shares. It's garbage.
I rucking love it still. Away days at Tranmere, Oldham, Notts County, etc. last year were brilliant. We normally get at least a mini bus full of my close mates together, quite often a coach for the past two seasons. There's nothing like it
Home games are a bit different. Sometimes feel like you have to go, a few lads drive so little boozing.
Sounds like you fell lucky with that game Saul. Think how good it wiild have felt for the poor sods that go every week
Going to Millwall isn't enjoyable too often these days. Most of the lads I used to go with have knocked it on the head and the buzz around the place has really dissipated. A few years back I wanted to go home and away, but even walking around a mile to the Den seems a bit of a chore now.
On the other hand I still love going up to watch Hibs. Five hours to Edinburgh seems really excessive, but standing with lads I've known for years who, despite their dodgy clothing and accents, always have my back and are always game for a few drinks and a laugh is tough to beat. The product on the pitch isn't fantastic but the atmosphere and heart still seems to be in the game far more than down here. In an ideal world I'd have always lived in S/E London and wouldn't care about scottish football, but having had a split upbringing I can't shake the hold Hibs have over me.
there was a time football was great with football rattles and terraces now it's all about money and sponsorship overpaid players with lack of passion you can't even chant about your team without being abused by a steward a modern disgrace football bring back the football we all loved 'till then football is dead for me..
if any of you cry at my funeral, i'll never speak to you again
Have no interest at all in paying and going in the game anymore. Had a season ticket for years and then dropped it and picked one up again when we were in the prem (at a stupid price) and only kept it for one season, didnt end up watching half the games either. Similar to what S said just didnt like it in the prem at all, just hoping we would pick up a few wins here and there to stay in the league was probably the best we could hope for and then maybe after a few seasons push onto midtable but that would be it as there is no way anyone else can compete with the top teams. Thought i would be more interested when we went back down to the championship but still havent been this season and from memory i think saturday will be my first away game in a good few seasons except for a couple of friendlys. Maybe ill go back to enjoying going if we go down to league 1, which looks like it might happen at the moment
Quote: Mersons Bookie wrote in post #16I rucking love it still. Away days at Tranmere, Oldham, Notts County, etc. last year were brilliant. We normally get at least a mini bus full of my close mates together, quite often a coach for the past two seasons. There's nothing like it
Home games are a bit different. Sometimes feel like you have to go, a few lads drive so little boozing.
Sounds like you fell lucky with that game Saul. Think how good it wiild have felt for the poor sods that go every week
Believe me, having gone through the non league divisions with Newport and having been to well over a hundred grounds to watch them I know exactly what it feels like for the poor sods who go every week because I've been one of them myself.
Last night was different class, I'll take it to my grave.
Football as a lot of us know or remember is changing, rather than dyeing. Not enough kids playing round the parks or on the streets these days, same in a lot of countries including brazil...just not enough quality players coming through. Grass roots is still there but less leagues now in some areas for kids and harder to get teams together because of the lure of Xbox and McDonald's. parenting is easy, no need to cook decent food and kids can sit in their bedrooms all day and night on Xbox.
Quote: Turtle wrote in post #15I think when you have a good look around you'll get one or 2 good matches a season but being a west brom lad the playing to keep the numbers up for the premier league in our fight for mid table mediocrity doesn't appeal to me, when we beat Sunderland last week the first thing they said was "40 points that's Albion safe this year" and I thought is that really what I can hope my club will achieve? It's not like it was you can't go anywhere and do what you want so away matches in the league on the top 2/3 tiers are just completely pointless, ill always have my spot for Newport County from going with Saul so I know it's different that end but for the majority of us what can we look forward to ? The clubs are in the hands of business men and foreign owners who want a toy to play with, it's the equivalent of a big adult train set for them, the goings on at Cardiff make me sick, the fact that bigger local clubs never wanted to help bail out smaller local clubs with the likes of Chester going bump again is a sad state of affairs. Is it the football that makes you happy ? Or do you and your mates make it what it is ? I think we all know the answer, so in terms of us football really dead ? Unless you are top 4 of the premier league the answers yes. How can the football league stand by and watch what's happening to Blackburn and Cardiff amongst others and not step in for the good of the club ? Because money talks. And the only people who see the benefits of that are the players who don't give a stuff on 50k a week and the people with money in them who would sell their own mothers for more shares. It's garbage.
When were West Brom last challenging for silverware? That isn't a modern football thing.
Our club is on its knees, barely able to survive from season to season all because we bought a few expensive players in the late 90s. That said, supporting Cov is better than ever, down it League 1 it's absolutely quality and the away days are usually decent. The Championship was a bit shit because we always knew we wouldn't be top half, whereas now we have something. Don't go to home games anymore because of my location but do pretty much every away game, nothing beats it. The only thing that saddens me is that I don't have a lot of mates that go as well, there are usually about 4/5 of us that go on a regular basis. Shame really, as then it really would be brilliant.
To me the football ( premiership) has improved from a good few years ago, its the atmosphere which has died , seats been one thing that started it/stewards who think they are bouncers been the other . I havet been on a regular basis for a few years now ,( sometimes take my lad to odd game) . When you stop going , you never seem to return .
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Wed Mar 06, 2013 1:49 pm (Last edited: Wed Mar 06, 2013 1:51 pm)
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