by Snowball »
05 Oct 2020 10:15
Carlisle
My first wife was from Carlisle and I got to love their rags to riches story
and for at least a decade after me and the Mrs split I looked for their result.
But home games would be an issue, so I couldn't call myself a fan any more.
And it was a lonnnnnnnng time ago
Leeds United
(OMA Alert)
When I was in the Royal Air Force based near Beverley, Yorks, my RAF bestie and I
went to every Leeds United game. Oh, those days, just turn up, queue, pay cash
at the turnstiles. I LOVED watching First Division football and it was The Revie Era.
I remember Leeds beating Chelsea 7-0, seven different scorers as far as I recall. I remember
a game (West Brom?) where Leeds had cruised into a 4-0 lead and were playing keep-ball. The
crowd were p!ssed and started to get really antsy. Billy Bremner, in the centre circle, stopped, put
his foot on the ball, held up his hand showing "five". Thirty seconds later they scored! Amazing!
Not sure how I drifted away from Leeds. Think it was all the financial shenanigans etc.
Newport County
I was born there, but lived a long way away, always went to games when home, loved
my little club. We got a promotion, got to the quarter finals of The European Cup Winners Cup
drew 2-2 away to the eventual finalists, lost 0-1 at home in a game we dominated.
Good Times, Aldridge, Tynan.
Then we went bust, rebirthed in the 99th level of the tier. OK, not that bad... but got ourselves up
the leagues, lots of promotions and cups, then got to Wembley in the FA Trophy and the year after
that Wembley again to win the PO and get back into the league.
When I moved to Newbury I still travelled to South Wales (free fuel) but when that disappeared
I couldn't justify the time away and expense (and my son supported Arsenal!!)
Arsenal
My second wife was an Arsenal fan.
I always liked Arsenal, and got to see games, taking my son. I enjoyed games
but seeing the look on my son's face when we won was priceless. First three games
he saw Arsenal won 4-0 and he thought that was the norm. He has only seen Arsenal
lose live, once, 2-0 at WBA. I'd call myself an Arsenal fan.
Reading
Started taking an interest in Reading around 2004/5 but was still going
to Newport. Interest shot up when they went up (mea culpa, the chance
to see Premiership Teams live, at the time) and saw the first game v Boro?
when we went 0-2 down and it looked like it would be a bad season
But we pulled back and then won it and my son was hooked? I fell for the
special club, the Reading Way, stuff, big time.
I consider myself now, totally a Reading fan. I want to beat Arsenal, Leeds,
Carlisle, and (just-about) Newport County, but not 5-0 if that's all right with you.