I've just came back from a kick about with M, god I'm unfit!
M has decided that he really does like football after all. The only problem is that living in the west of Scotland most of the kids grow up identifying with one side of the old firm or the other depending which school they go to. So at the moment I am trying to persuade him not to follow the pack at school and if he is not going to support Airdrie then I suppose that he will have to support Motherwell, the nearest premier league team to where we live.
It is becoming increasingly difficult when asked for the one hundredth time "why can I not support Rangers?" not to just tell him the truth but I'm just not up to making him aware of the real hatred that can be involved in the supporting of either of those two teams.I do however realize that he is not buying the ," they are not your local team" any longer.
Gl as - Flowers And Football Tops (full version)
12 comments:
Round here it's all United and City, as you'd expect. Suspect City will pick up more and more fans over the next few years. Being a United fan goes against most of my beliefs - y'know, indie & underground culture, disliking big business, liking underdogs over corporate bullies, not supporting your local club like the thousands who troop round the ground & shop from all over the world- but you're stuck with who you start with arn't you. Besides United's history (Munich, Europe, Best, Cantona etc) and glamour ring true for me. I sympathise with your predicament. Not sure what the answer is. I've always quite liked Motherwell's kit colours....
This is a man's biggest, most important part of fatherhood, passing your own much loved team on through the generations. It's especially difficult in the west of Scotland as you correctly point out...perhaps a new bedtime book for M, Bill Leckie's Penthouse and Pavement, about the trials and tribulations of a Buddies fan. Otherwise, best of luck.
In a rare lightbulb moment!
Drive with M to Glasgow in rush hour, in the most congested roads you can find making the journey last for hours. The week after take a trip to Motherwell, timing the traffic just right and be there in 20 mins.
May work.
SA - You at least don't have the religious bigotry and hatred.
ANCB - Good idea. It is going to be really difficult for me to go and sit at Fir Park watching Motherwell as an Airdrie supporter but needs must. It's sad to say but after being at the game the other week, I don't really want him going to New Broomfield the language in the stand was choice to say the least, I don't remember it being like that when I was a kid.
Oh I remember that one well...as a Liverpudlian growing up in Glasgow, I started following Queens Park, but I would always get asked "No which team do you really support?" Hmmmm!
My brother in law made that very disturbing documentary a couple of years ago for Panorama about the bigotry that still exists within the old firm. I suppose that is one benefit of having all of my 3 sons born in Australia!
Regards
Like Mona I suffered from the "who do you really support" question when I told my classmates I supported Queen's Park! I still get it at work today...
However, as a kid I used to like being a bit different in my footballing choice.
My grandfather stopped taking my dad to Ibrox because of the sectarian nonsense - he just wanted his son to see a game of football. There's plenty of entertaining football outside of the SPL and it's nowhere near as expensive. And there's something grand about supporting your local, community club.
Drew, I don't envy your conundrum, but you and M will be welcome at Hampden for a QP match anytime!
g.
howdoesthatonegoagain
Actually I liked (Sir) Bobby Moore on This Is Your Life (early 70's?) when he was asked which team he supported and he said "his wife and kids!" LOL!
Regards/
PS- Is it still the case that if you turn up at Hampden at 2:45 you might even get a game? :)
Regards/
Tis a quandrary for sure. Good luck with the challenge; it's important stuff.
Funny to watch things wax and wane over the years.
The 'too much money in football' aint a new thing. I recall the same mantra in the 70s, even before the million pounds transfers of Trevor Francis et al.
Since the 'driven off the cliff' fall by Leeds Utd a few years ago (tempered a little last week!), it's been interesting to see the shift in emphasis locally. Relatively few folk (from a population of 600,000)were brave enough to advertise themselves as supporters of a team in freefall. Some local non-league clubs have benefitted and the entertaining and successful rugby league club (with salary cap) has welcomed the defection of many a football fan.
Newer social sights around northern towns these days include people of african descent in Arsenal shirts, asian folk in Man Utd tops, girls in Chelsea gear. This was unheard of 20 years ago. Although, it has been nice to see the drop in sales of replica shirts - at £40/50 a pop - a rip-off to say the least.
Sage advice from all your contributors Drew.
Peer pressure at school can be a factor, but if I were you I'd persist with the local team. Get to know the players (mingle in the bar post match), the mascot, the priceless characters, the pies.
Smell the embrocation!
Get him to support Carlisle Utd instead.After all,according to the majority of our away supporters in recent seasons,we're just a small town in Scotland.
What? You mean you are not? *snigger*
Regards/
Word verification amazingly "brwckrngrs"!!!
Stevoid - my mother-in-law's from Carlisle and she thinks she's Scottish!
Post a Comment