Tag Archives: Rymans Premier League

by - 4 Comments

A little white lie is OK sometimes, right?


For what I am about to write  may the Lord forgive me.

Every so often I make bold statements.  “I will not use my Blackberry after 7pm at night”, “I wont use my laptop in bed”, “I will have a weekend without watching any football”.  What, can you repeat that last one again? I WILL NOT WATCH ANY FOOTBALL FOR A WEEKEND.  Yes, in a mad moment some months ago I agreed that I would not go to any games for one weekend in a year.

I once agreed never to lie to my Mum, agreed that I would never kiss another girl whilst I was with my first love (aged 8), agreed that I would only have “one more” on a night out (frequently) and that I would not ever, ever open that box under CMF’s side of the bed.  So why on earth did I agree to this.  With West Ham away to Liverpool and Lewes starting their almost certain run to the FA Trophy final I agreed to go with CMF to an old work reunion (hers not mine) in Hampstead.  Fat chance of even getting to a pub to see a match, let alone an actual game – that area of North London is hardly teaming with football clubs.

Earlsmead

After driving up to North London, smiling at people I had never met, laughing with people I had met before and generally being the perfect husband/Father I was pulled to one side at 2pm. “You have been so good, do you want to go off somewhere to watch the rugby with Tom on TV?”.  Sod the rugby I thought….Could I get to a game anywhere?  A quick check on the TBIR iPhone app revealed the nearest club we had never been to was some 8 miles west-south-west in Harrow.  And they were at home.  Could I?  Should I? Would I?  Silly question really. Continue reading →

by - 4 Comments

Basel Forty


“Jealousy is nothing more than a fear of abandonment”

For a number of reasons I found myself standing in the bar at the War Memorial Sports Ground in SM5 at 7.35pm instead of in row 3 behind the goal at the St Jakobs Park in Basel last night.  It is a long story that involved very early flights, lots of work and the fear of rain.  But that is all for another day.  Dagenham Dan had taken up the baton, and his story can be heard later this week, but having finished my reports, collected the kids from school and basically topped up on the chores account, been allowed to choose a game for the evening.

There was no real choice to be truthful.  I needed something within an hour of home (as it was 6.30pm when the necessary CMF paperwork had been completed) that I had not visited before, thus ruling out everyone in the Rymans Premier bar one (There would have been two but Tooting & Mitcham’s game versus Croydon Athletic had been postponed as the latter dealt with the fall out from the Pakistan match fixing allegations)..and that was Carshalton Athletic. Continue reading →