The World Game
Trip Start
Jun 01, 2002
1
57
74
Trip End
Sep 11, 2007
London,
United Kingdom
Saturday, March 20, 2004
It started like this:-
Ian (mate):
"Hey Jay, you are not going to believe it but you know how we couldn't get those tickets to the Fulham Vs Leeds Football (aka soccer) game on Saturday? Well my brothers, friends mother, sisters cousin met this lady in the supermarket, who knows this girl who is living in the UK and her step-brothers fathers grandmother said it would be alright if we called her and she would be able to get some tickets for us because she works at the box office.
So I called her and we got 3 tickets....!"
Me: "Nice One Big Fella, nice one."
So there you have it I was going to attend my first live football match. Yes the alleged 'World's Game' and I was going to be in attendance with two of my mates. To top it off we were off to see "Powderfinger" play that night. A boys weekend in the making, some would say.
Ahhh football. The game where a bunch of men run up and down a tiny field for 90 minutes with the possibility of leaving the game with the score still Nil - Nil. Frustrating wouldn't you say. Which leads me into one of my theories of why there is a stereotypical "branding of hooliganism" against UK Football and their supporters.
Take a simple man, he pays his £20 to and see his beloved team try and beat the 'scumbag' opposition. Here he is fuelled with beer and hotdogs and screaming at the top of his voice to his so called heroes. For 90 whole minutes (plus injury time of course) he will shout at his players, at the same time throwing offensive remarks to surrounding opposition fans and on a regular basis joining in this kind of man bonding thing by singing songs and clapping hands in time of some ditty about his team and making it catchy in some way.
While all this is going on his beloved team has not scored a solitary goal, he is starting to get a little on edge, starting to get a little frustrated. Perhaps even angry. Then there is an opportunity to score, his over-paid £11 million player has made a break and there it is the light at the tunnel, the opportunity to go one up.
The well known player launches into a furious run and then with all his might shots towards the net. Is this it? No....it hits the top cross bar and flies off into the crowd. The player hangs his head in shame and must be thinking about his sponsorship deal is now jeopardised.
Meanwhile, back in the stand, this missed goal just ignites our simple man's temper and in all his fury he knocks over his mates beer onto a guy in front who just happens to support the other team. He does not even glance at this man as he is still in shock about the previous goal attempt. The guy in front, is now even more angry than our simple man and because this is UK Football he happens to be caring a baseball bat and an emergency flare on him for this exact scenario. Before you know it Hooliganism is here! All because the opportunity of scoring a goal is so rare that all this frustration is built up and you need to get it out of you somehow. So violence seems to be the answer, not rethinking the scoring system.
So keeping this theory in mind, there was no way I that I would turn into "one of them".
Well that was my mindset before the day began. That was until the half time break between Fulham Vs Leeds. Yes, here I was fuelled by beer and hotdog, here I was singing stupid songs about this team that I was now supporting.
"If you ate a whole pig by yourself, you would be FULL....of.... HAM (clap, clap, clap)" (yes I shamefully have to admit that I did make that 'little ditty' up. It was better than the mundane chant of "Come on Fulham" clap clap).
Anyway, so it is half time, the score is (wait for it) Nil - Nil. I have watched for 45 minutes a bunch of men run up and down a tiny field, I have thrown abusive comments at players. Insults have flown left, right and centre at other supporters around me (mind you they are at the other end of the stadium and way out of ear shot). And there is still no goals scored for either team. Frustration and yes perhaps anger is starting to build.
The 2nd half begins like the first, with no real opportunity to score. Until in about the 61st minute there it is, a break, a chance, a hope. Some over priced player has got this rare talent to kick a ball in front of him by a couple of metres and then dodge an opposing player and then continue on his way towards - the light at the end of the tunnel with full control of the ball. Some call it talent.
My body has released a rush of endorphins, is this it. Is this what I have been waiting for? Is the moment where the scoreboard would show 1 - 0 in the way of Fulham. The man of the minute is approaching scoring distance, his leg arches back and he strikes the ball solidly. It is a good connection, the ball darts into the air at a height of the top cross bar. Oh shit, I did not even bring my baseball bat and emergency flares! But then like the football gods are looking over "my team" the ball drops down under the cross bar and past the sleepy goal keeper and into the back of the net. GGGGOOOOOOAAAAAAAALLLLLL!!!
The west side of the stadium is explosive, the cheer is ear piercing. Arms are thrown into the air and scarves are swung around in a demonstration of triumph. Grown men hug each other (that was Paul and Ian) and young kids cheer with their Dad's because they really do not understand the game, but it is the first time they have seen their Dad so ecstatic before.
Meanwhile, on the east side of the stadium. Silence. Perhaps a few shouts of encouragement to the players who are re grouping for the start of play again. I look up towards the opposition end and see the supporters who were so vocal throughout the 1st half stand there in silence, with their heads hung low. They stand and watch the Fulham supporters take their moment of glory. I take this moment to do what any decent sportsman would do. I reach over to the guy in front of me, reach into this open bag take out one his Red Emergency Flares, pull the tag and throw it towards the Leeds supporters......Hooliganism is here!!
Only joking. ;-)
Fulham went on to win 2-0 and both goals were scored at our end of the ground. Very exciting. So as the game ends and the crowds begin to disperse I wonder if this is what it is all about? Perhaps the scoring system was setup this way to ensure that goals were that scarcely scored would give every man, woman or child that amazing buzz... who knows?
What I can say is that yes I have changed my mind about the World Game, disappointed at the lack of hooliganism, but very pleased to involved from a spectator point of view. I will be attending another game hopefully in the near future and yes I am now a proud supporter of the Fulham Football Club.
Come one everybody join in!
"Ooooooohhhhhh if you go out and eat a whole pig..... you will be
FULL of HAM
Clap, Clap, Clap
Take care everyone and hope everyone is well. Have actually got some real travel plans booked so stay tuned for "Jay Hungry in Hungary"
Jay
