As the prospect of seeing real, live football seems to disappear ever further from our cognisance, I thought I might pose the MFW community a question: do you miss your casual matchday mates and if so, how much?
You could [like me] sit in a Barclay rag, tag and bobtail of lifetime friends, relatively new acquaintances and a couple of mild annoyances. Or you might wander around the corner to a friend’s house and listen to Chris Goreham together on Radio Norfolk over a beer or a cup of tea.
Or you could go into solo mode and follow Archant’s matchday online with the radio softly on in the background. I know a few folks who take that approach, which is the modern equivalent of watching a Test Match on the BBC with the sound off and listening to the Test Match Special crew on said radio. It’s a great approach for cricket, but cricket only in my opinion.
I rarely pub it before a game now but if I do I’ll go into the Ribs or the Wig and have a yarn with folks I know. I might even walk as far as Morrisons with one or two of them but then it’s straight into the store for me for essential pre and post match supplies [okay cigars for later and a bottle of naughty I neck before I head to the ground].
Until he moved to Thetford a few years back, my first point of call was a chat with steward James who stalked the corner between the Barclay and the Snakepit. He’d give me the team news and any gossip he had. I knew him pretty well as we worked in the same pub in Wroxham for a while.
I also knew the late John V who doored the Gunn Club and we’d always find time for a natter.
These days, if my back is really playing up, I’ll use the service lift to the Barclay and chat with steward Richard, the world’s most friendly Yorkshireman, while he checks my ticket and I wait for said lift. A fine fella. I always manage to walk down but it’s the up part I cannot always cope with.
Exiting the lift I once bumped into MFW’s Steve Cook and his father while crossing from blocks B to D; an unintended pleasure as I’d momentarily lost my gyro. A great chat with both ensued though.
Then it’s always a five-minute dissertation with my oldest and best NCFC mate, KK. No not that one, Keith King.
And of course I sit down. And then I get up, sit down, get up again ad infinitum until all in my Barclay row eventually flock in.
The guys in the row behind me are uniformly brilliant. There’s Alan the postman [whose son sits directly in front of me] and Kevin who occasionally comments on MFW. He didn’t know I wrote for us until he put two and two together and accused me of it before a match around Christmas time. I pleaded guilty.
Graham, if I might say so, has something of a weak bladder. He always has x pints in The Jubilee before a match and grabs his seat just as the referee blows for kick off. He is not delicate and his arrival never fails to startle me. We have a ritual. He yells “Sit Down” and I respond with “Shut Up”. Always great banter, even if only because he’s Leicester and I’m Harlequins.
We’re obviously both massive City supporters. He’s great fun.
His near neighbour is a guy I was hoping to do an MFW close season article about – not much chance of that now but he’s part of a British Civil War Society re-enactment group called Sir Thomas Lunsford’s Regiment.
(He’s on the very far right of the picture and his wife’s in there somewhere too.)
Right next to me in the Upper Barclay is a guy who appears with either his wife or his son, depending. Nice folks except…
During the demise of the Hughton regime, Archant produced the infamous clapperboards. The gent thumped his into my left lug for what felt like the full 90 minutes of a game we lost.
Now he didn’t know I’ve only got 80-90 per cent hearing in that ear because of a misspent youth involving heavy metal bands and close proximity to bass bins, but he picked up on my filthy looks towards him and got the message. We get on terrifically now because he understands and the clapperboards are unlikely to reappear. He’s a good guy.
And I’m missing all of these folks. Really. Each and every one of them, most of whom I can’t even get into contact with.
Do you miss your matchday mates?
Let me know if you do.
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Gary
Great idea for an article, Martin. Should raise a few comments (maybe we’ll name check the crowd before it’s done!) For me, I’m currently unable to see my mate Pete, who we also usually go out with on a Saturday evening. We sit on the back row of the River End lower tier, just to the right of the goal as we look at the pitch, with Pete next to the gangway, so he can stick his long legs out.
On my other side is Charley, who works nights at one of the big hotels, and often has bits of gossip about visiting teams staying there overnight. Next to him is Hughie, who always nips out just before the half-time whistle, and gets a lot of stick from us as he squeezes past. The other side of Hughie is Richard, who missed a couple of games before the break, as he didn’t want to pick up any infection (not corona virus) which would have delayed his long awaited hip operation. Hope you’re recovering nicely, Richard.
In front of Peter, is Terry, a retired school teacher. Always good for an intelligent chat. Then there are the guys who sit further along the row, whose names I don’t know, but who usually stop for a chat about how they think the game will go.
My son sits on the same row, but at the far side of the same block with some of his old mates who used to go to away games with him, and he usually pops over for a quick debate on how it’s going during the half-time break.
My wife sits in the corner in-fill, above the disabled section, with Pete’s partner Kathy, and a lady called Eileen who she chats to.
Most of the blokes around me have been there for years, and used to stand in that area before the seats were put in.
I miss them all, and look forward to seeing them again, though I’m afraid it might be quite a while. We need that vaccine!
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Hi Jim.
I seem to recall you mentioning before that you went to matches with several family members but you were all a bit spread out as it were. I never realised just how spread out you are!
I love the entire sociability of the experience tbh – I’m not sure about the River End these days but in the Upper Barclay it’s great to see the age variation around me.
Back in the 1980s I got to very few games but when I did I’d always stand at the River End with my then wife’s uncle Wally who was the previous Lord Somerleyton’s gamekeeper and one heck of a character. We’d pop in the Kingsway before a game. That’s now long gone of course.
I can’t remember when the River End seats were put in but when I moved here for good in ’88 I’m pretty sure they were there.
A great reply – thank you.
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Yes, Martin, the family are spread out. I didn’t mention my son-in-law and grandson sitting in the South Stand, or the other two grandchildren in the Barclay lower. We converted my son-in-law from being a Coventry fan!
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Absolutely no bull Jim, you should tell NCFC about that.
It would make a good heartwarmer for their online content or possibly something to save up for a feature in the Matchday Mag [programme to you and I] when they start producing them again.
You could always write something on the topic for MFW as well 🙂
Cheers.
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You have my respect Jim, to sit your wife with her friends, genius and would have saved me from years of ” why’s he kicked it back again, the goal is that way, why doesn’t the Manager tell them”? Now, she has a point but after the fourteenth trillion, zillion, time of hearing it? I gave up responding in about 1999. Fortunately I now rely on hearing aids, funny how both batteries seem to die 5 mins prior to kick-off. Mind you she retired as a Staff Nurse at N&N on 31st March after 40 years with the NHS, I really don’t won’t her go back much more than I won’t to go to Carrow Road.
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Hi Colin
That made me laugh.
Mrs P knows more than enough about the game to work things out for herself and as we only go together once or twice a season – FA or League Cup normally – it’s not really an issue anyway. I’m blessed in that respect I guess.
Sometimes I’ll miss something, usually off the ball, and she’ll have spotted it and announced the misdemeanour to the world in no uncertain terms.
40 years service to the NHS is worthy of respect from absolutely all of us and I’m sure every one of our readers would wish you both all the very best.
Thank you.
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Nice piece Martin, as ever.
What it’s done more than anything is highlight just how bad I am at finding out people’s names. Folk I’ve sat beside for 18 years are, in many cases, still nameless! Something to be recitified when, God willing, we all return.
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I suffer from “Ohjeezwosisname” syndrome too.
No word of a lie there’s a guy I’ve known for 30 years [he used to drink with a different gang to mine in the Kings Head in Blofield] and we have always got along.
On meeting in the UB bar we always give each other the No1 cut greeting: a rub on the head and a fistbump. But I am buggered if I can remember his name although he knows mine. It kind of brings it into perspective as you say.
I tend to use the word “mate” in these situations as a cover-up but if you forget a lady’s name it’s even worse. Mate doesn’t work under those circumstances. As you say it will be time to put that right when we reconvene. Which we will.
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Great article! I had to laugh about the weak bladder. Mine is too but not because of drink but nerves! The people around me including my mate Tim just get used to me disappearing at inappropriate times!
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Hi Richard.
We all suffer from nerves, even the hard guys who pretend not to. With our defence why wouldn’t we of course!
There’s been a very old lady on the opposite end of the row in front of us who has had to use the ablutions at unexpected moments for many seasons now.
Every time she passes by as everybody stands up she gets a chant of “we know where you’re going”. I was quite appalled by this until I discovered she absolutely loves the attention. On the way back she gets a round of applause and flaps her wrist at us like Larry Grayson with a massive beam on her face.
As Gary and I mentioned earlier, another name to be discovered.
Thank you.
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Hi Martin
Many years since I attended a City game at Carrow Road, but in my youth, in the late 60s, a dozen or so old school friends and workmates would meet at Vauxhall Station and have a couple of beers before getting the train to Norwich – always a noisy affair.
When in the RAF I would have a season ticket with close friends in the South Stand. All tickets followed in number, so no great separation and they were a great bunch to be with.
It would seem that most people around us were in similar family groups and we all got along very well. We even got to exchange Xmas cards and I even dated one of the young ladies a few times – but that is another story.
They say Norfolk people are very reserved and hard to make friends with, but I have never understood that perception. If you make an effort, so will they and at football games, it’s strange who to start a conversation with.
Onwards and upwards
OTBC
Stay safe
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Blimey Alex – that must have been a long old haul from Vauxhall to Thorpe [as it was known then] and often an even longer haul back if we’d lost. It’s good that you remember the folks from those seemingly far-off days.
I have never found Norfolk folks to be anything other but genuinely friendly – bloody wars I’ve married two of them – but I suppose I’ve always had family and other connections here so I’ve never really had to consider it an issue.
Like you I’ve moved around an awful lot of the UK for “work” and, maybe simply because I don’t have a pronounced regional accent I’ve had a great time everywhere I’ve been. Except for one relatively small area which I won’t specifically name but put it this way, this county does not possess a PL or EFL football team. And never will.
Cheers mate.
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Not many of my old game friends still around these day the few that are no longer go to games which is sad and trying to get away tickets nign impossible but a few times I get to games I usually sit with the home teams supporters and just enjoy the games and banter.
I have been asked on a few occasions who I support and am always honest and so far no trouble not like a couple of times I was at an Ipshite game and was in amongst their supporters got some real stick but no violence lol usually it was a quiet night for them.
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I can always get a spare for an early-round home League or FA Cup match if you fancy it. Not League matches I’m afraid but when we’re back to normal ask Gary G for my private email and I’d be happy to sort one out for you.
I’ve friends in London, Brighton and Sheffield [the Wednesday contingent] and always sit in with them when I go. I don’t sport colours out of respect – I wouldn’t get in the grounds [Fulham, the Emirates, the Old Lane, Craven Cottage, the Amex] in their areas if I did anyway. Never any trouble over several years.
And then Norwich restructured the membership system and now I cannot get tickets at Carrow Road to reciprocate. I won’t pay £50k for a lottery and my friends understand and are still generous.
I’ve still not been to the “New Lane” though.
Cheers.
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Oh $*** I meant fifty quid not £50k. But as we’re playing indoor water pistols with the dogs I’ve got half an excuse.
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I miss my irregular visits to the home of football like I would miss my arm if I lost that. As I only get to a game a few times a season, it’s a huge event for me. I look forward to it with the same kind of excitement and apprehension as a 6-year-old looks forward to Santa’s visit (I hope he can make it this year).
Meeting up with lifelong friends and neighbours before the match to catch up and then after the game to analyse and philosophise is always a great joy. Going into some of my old haunts and bumping into non-football friends later in the evening is also part of what makes football great. I’m good at not letting the football get in the way of a good day at the football.
My liver (and my bank balance) needs time to recover after a football weekend, but I miss them terribly and look forward to the time we can all get together again. Unfortunately, I think that time is a very long way away.
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I’ve met a couple of Don’s crew and can assure readers he does not speak with forked tongue.
And I do a better Black Country accent than any of them 🙂
Yes mate it will be a while, but We Will Be Back.
My shout in the Bell?
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Might have to be somewhere else after Tim Martin’s atrocious behaviour.
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The Murderers is always top dollar and just round the corner from Spoons.
We’ll speak at the time and before, obvs 🙂
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I’m sorry if this has been asked and answered before but why, when I click on the link to be a Patreon, does it show the amount in US Dollars?
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Have emailed, Derek. Best.
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Love the personal insight, Martin, and ticking off the shared (but different) experiences. The matchday routine and who you share it with is a wonderful thing.
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Hi Chris.
I think you’ve nailed it there with “the similar but different” term.
Cheers.
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The matchday camaraderie is the reason I used to go to matches (I’ve lived in the US for the last 20 years). I’ll be the first to tell you I am crap at football, but that never stopped me from pontificating. Is Ruel Fox our best ever winger, Sutton our best striker? It really doesn’t matter who’s right or wrong. It’s the connection we have as fans, before and after the match, which makes sports unique. I doff my hat to every single player who is good enough to pull on a shirt, but they wouldn’t be there were it not for those of us who gather before and after every event to support them
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Hi Geoff.
I wasn’t the greatest of players either and, just like you, that’s never stopped me from pontificating!
There are exceptions, obviously, but by and large fans very much love the camaraderie. I think being a one-club City kind of intensifies that in a way.
I’m amazed at just how many followers we’ve got in the States and not just because of the influence of Hucks or the Rowdies link either.
Thank you.
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This is a solvable problem in the same way all others are today – zoom meetings.
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Hi David.
Yes I would tend to agree with you but it depends on the level of tech knowledge people actually possess.
I’m no fool [ha!] but I’ve had no real need for what I would term recently-advanced tech since I retired early so I’ve not investigated the possibilities but I’m well aware of them.
Two of our collective three sons or my daughter could set it up in a trice of course. I’m not sure I could do it solo these days. Maybe. Maybe not.
I just want to see my buds’ ugly faces in the flesh, as it were 🙂
Thanks.
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