View over the top of my book #20
I love watching football, and there aren’t many things that beat the thrill of a live match. Unfortunately, the distance from West Wales to East London prevents me seeing my team, West Ham United, play very often, but whenever I get the chance, I go and see Swansea City at the Liberty Stadium. While watching your own team play is always a nerve-wracking experience, there’s something wonderfully liberating and agony-free about watching a match as a neutral.
As my Dad couldn’t make the Swansea vs Manchester United fixture yesterday, he lent me his season ticket so I could go in his stead. I’d not been to the Liberty Stadium yet this season, but it promised to be an exciting game, especially as the Red Devils came a cropper here not too long ago. As I went to the match on my own I took my book with me to read at half time. It drew a few stares, but beat watching the giant Swan mascot trying to save goals kicked by terrified youngsters at the far end of the pitch.
I enjoyed the match, although, to be honest, Swansea were pretty dismal, and Manchester’s win with three goals to City’s one was more telling of Swansea’s poor performance than United’s flare. I’ve never heard the Swansea fans so quiet, with only one lukewarm rendition of ‘Hymns and Arias’, and even that was lacking the usual gusto. It’s a shame to see the club like this, although there is a silver lining – there’s just the sliver of a chance that on this form, West Ham might nick a point or three fro them when they play here on Boxing day. Fingers crossed!
Lucy
Sarah
A giant swan? Football is weird…. 😉
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I’d have to agree with you there, at least when it comes to club mascots at half time. At every match I’ve been to, a corner of the pitch turns into a miniature throw back to ‘It’s a knockout’ where small children lay down a lifetime’s worth of traumatic nightmares by having to kick a ball past a gigantic fur fabric creature in front of 20,000 people. It brings me out in a sweat just thinking about it!
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I have never, ever been to a football match!
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It’s an extraordinary experience, Liz. Yesterday wasn’t exactly a vintage performance, but in the past I have seen some cracking matches. There’s something really visceral about being part of a crowd of over 20,000 people all willing their tribe to win. I usually go on my own, which can feel a little intimidating at times as it is such a male space, but it’s worth it for the live football action which I love. I’m always blown away by the thought that all over the country there are these huge congregations of people going on, with all that emotion stored up and poured out within the walls of stadia week after week. I’d say it’s certainly worth a visit even if it’s just as an anthropological excursion! 🙂
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Like Liz, I’ve never been to a match…. But I loved Mr. Fortune’s Maggot!!
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Sitting in the stands in the cold, surrounded by a crowd of 20,000, reading about Mr Fortune’s mission on his tropical island was certainly an ‘unusual’ experience! 😉
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I have been to a football match, but I’ve always found rugby matches, especially rugby league, to be more exciting 😉 And Karl’s book is out!! I’m seeing it reviewed in the papers everywhere, apparently it’s very good 🙂
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Despite living in Wales, I have never been to a rugby match, although I have watched matches on the telly.It doesn’t float my boat in the same way as it’s all a bit stop/start with none of the fluidity of football (controversial, moi?). That said, watching a live match is so different from telly, so I shall have to make an expedition of it!
I’m so excited about Karl’s footy book! I shall have to crack on with ‘PIlgrimage’ before I’m allowed to luxuriate in it though – ah, the bittersweet pain of delayed gratification!
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Michael Bradley was an interesting choice for manager, I can see West Ham improving though, I think they will come good at some point, it’s the adjusting to a new stadium syndrome like Ajax for example. Or I could just be making that up to keep you positive.
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Indeed he was. Fans sitting around me were calling for Allardyce as a replacement – and it wasn’t so long ago that their fluid creative football could out-Arsenal Arsenal! I think you’re right about new stadium syndrome. It was the same at the Emirites too, so if the hammers can hold on for this season, I think they’ll eventually bed in. I fear for Swansea though, they’ll need to buy in January or I’ll be watching them play Championship sides this time next year!
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Blimey Allardyce isn’t likely to bring back sexy football but at least guarantees a good chance of safety from relegation. I’ve got this decent lad on Football Manager on my Brackley save, they can have him for a couple of million!
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Hi Sarah… I love football too… But it has been a while since I last went to watch a match… I remember it was Tigre vs Boca Juniors, here in Argentina…. 😀
The last match against Brazil was awful to our team. We lost 0-3 … I hope we can make it through!… Not sure if we´ll be in the FiFA World Cup if we keep on playing like this, Messi is not playing as good as he usually does, either
Sending love. Aquileana 😀
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Hi Aquileana, It’d be unthinkable that Argentina might not qualify for the World Cup – what on earth’s going on? I love watching footage of Messi, he moves more like liquid than human – sheer genius. Fingers crossed he sees a return to form soon! 🙂
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