I have always been one of those folks who tries to negotiate his way around the football world without wearing blinkers in that I love nattering about the game to anybody, irrespective of who they support.
Maybe it’s my historical circumstance that dictates this attitude. If you’re born into a family of West Ham fans, adopt Spurs as your second team through the force of geography and spend a lot of time at work in Manchester, Liverpool and the Midlands you get to spend a lot of time discussing the fortunes of other teams. There’s also the incessant face-to-face chats and messages exchanged between myself and fellow City supporters, of course.
One of the dustcart crew here in Mundesley is an ardent Hammer. These boys have very little time to chat because of their ridiculous schedule, so I normally walk with him to the wagon and back to exchange a few words as I did yesterday.
“We haven’t won since September. It might even have been against you [City]. Roberto and Anderson are only fit for Billy Smart’s. You’ll be ahead of us by Christmas.
“Pellegrini? he’s going nowhere. They gave him nearly £150million to spend so they [Sullivan and Gold] will want some return on that won’t they?
“It’s looking a bit grim for us just now“.
On Sunday morning I strolled down to buy a paper in the City when I was ambushed by our 1p5wich neighbour to be greeted with an all-too-predictable “we’ll beat you twice next season”.
I offered several reasons contrary to his theory. I think I used the phrase don’t count your chickens and we had a laugh about that as he has half a dozen hens and a cockerel in his garden.
His front garden.
I then bumped into Sean [who has previously done a Man Utd preview with us on MFW and will do another in the New Year]. We both said what a great match and result it was – but he was talking about us at Everton while I was referring to the cracking entertainment at Bramall Lane.
Another good laugh.
I got a couple of kind messages from the Blue side of the Mersey to congratulate us on our performance, let alone the win.
And both MFW’s very own Alex B and myself were delighted that Blackpool [where Alex lives] denied the Binners a point.
Later there was also the chance for me to chat with a couple of Arsenal mates, who are not expecting us to flop over and have our feathers tickled on Sunday.
To me, that’s typical of a bit of banter after the weekend’s action. I can’t always enjoy it but as a Canary you have to keep a brave face and a stiff upper beak.
After looking at those pictures of our lot at the Hyde Park Winter Wonderland thingy I was for once lost for words. Mayor McLean in a dino suit? Whatever floats that boat I guess.
On a serious note, the Arsenal match will not be easy. Entertaining for sure, but not easy by any means.
But we live in a world in which Manuel Pellegrini, Unai Emery and particularly Marco Silva are in very, very dodgy places.
And blinkers on or not, all the folks I have spoken to would swap Daniel Farke for their current incumbents.
In fact, my mate Dave said he was approaching the bookies to put a “cheeky flutter” on Silva and Emery getting the tin-tack shortly after we have beaten Arsenal.
I’m likely to go for a risky treble myself by adding Pellegrini and saying they’ll all be toast by December 3.
A Farke is for life, not just for Christmas.
Well Martin – your last sentence sums things up BRILLIANTLY!!!! 😀
I’m sure we both know that even if we hadn’t won on Saturday, or over the next few games, there’s NO way Sants would have a P45 in his sack for DF!!
However the same can’t be said for the other managers you mentioned and I’d go as far as add both the Saints’ and Hornets’ managers to the list. Could we see 6 PL managers added to the unemployment total by Xmas???
BTW – I’m off to the King Power in just over 2 weeks and really looking forward to it, even though we’ll obviously struggle to subdue the triumvirate of Vardy, Perez and last but not least, JM!!!!
Hi Ed
Really pleased you got your ticket.
Vardy and to a lesser extent Madders might get the most attention but I’m very wary of Perez. In fact Leicester don’t seem to have a weak link anywhere.
I hope you’ll write us a line or two on your experiences after the game!
As for the Sack Race I just hope Emery is still in situ on Sunday. We normally have seagulls and pigeons at the Carra – there could be a few vultures in the rafters too in a few days time!
Thank you.
The Prem is an unforgiving place where heroes become villains within a few weeks. We seem to be an exception, Danny’s halo ? is still untarnished and most of us still support the new ethos at Carra Rud. Give ‘em a shout for me on Sunday it’s my birthday and a win will add to the libations.
Ha!
It was my buthday yesterday – I was sixty-$odding-two fer Chrissakes.
Course I’ll give ’em a yell for you – I guess you meant celebrations. No, you probably did mean libations. Enjoy your Bacchanalia.
Cheers mate.
Hi Martin
I am always over the moon when Ipshite gets denied a point or two but sad to say last night was a wake up call for the Tangerines.
Living in this part of the country it is hard to really find a supporter that doesn’t have more than one team and also many are very transient depending on what team is doing well.
With 3 son’s all Spurs supporters and the other half being a Man U our house hold has a mini league and many differing view’s, a neighbour for the last few years was a Man U heart wearing supporter now that Li VAR pool are on the up all things have changed and he says that he grew up supporting them but liked Man u under Fergie.
Having family in Gravesend that have supported Chelsea and were season ticket holders and now can’t afford them they bemoan the Prawn Sandwich Brigade others round here have similar feeling to Man C and other teams that can buy success so easily.
Banter between supporters is great as long as no one gets the hump or takes it personally, I enjoy a couple of local pubs but will not go near them on game as it gets busy and can turn nasty, a Man U supporter died outside a pub last year after they had won a game some supporter from the other team took offence to him singing that they had won, his excuse was drink rage from losing and he only hit him once, it was him cracking his head on the ground, sentenced to 7 years no remorse for the other’s family.
Celebrations gone wrong
Onwards and upwards
OTBC
Hi Alex
So sorry to hear what happened to the Man Utd guy in your neck of the woods. I had no idea.
My old boy was ex-wartime RE [1942-46] and a PLA copper based at the West India dock for most of his working life. A West Ham fan, he begged me not to go to Millwall. I didn’t and not just because of what the old man said. It was truly frightening in the 1970s, when I largely followed Tottenham – in body if not in spirit.
There were the Chelsea Headhunters with their sick business cards while the Hammers boasted of the ICF and the under-fives who had to make the initial insurgence before the ICF would steam in. Been there, seen it.
Spurs-Arsenal was civilised by comparison.
Ironically the pub I worked in [Buckhurst Hill] was the habitual haunt of the head honchos of the Tottenham gang as in Grizzly, Nutty and Vulture. Hearing them plan the weekend’s violence from behind the ramp was real bad – no mobiles then.
They didn’t ever do me any harm [and were great company] although I was more than once called out for claiming to be working rather than go to White Hart Lane with them.
I went with Vulture once [UEFA Cup v FC Bruges I think] and there was nobody for him to attack. He looked a little lost but Graham Roberts got a couple as Spurs won 3-0 so I guess he got over it.
That was nearly 40 years ago and I’m so glad things are different [but by no means perfect] today.
Thanks as always.