[Football] Friends who know nothing about football.

[portlock seagull]

It' not just friends. I have 2 sons - one is a total anorak and really follows the game. The other is curiously unmoved. Much as I love them both, I sometimes look at the latter, look at his mum and just wonder......................

It’s funny isn’t it. Even worse, I know of a Bloke who supports the Albion and has two sons, one who also follows us but the other follows ‘that lot’!! I mean, how screwed up is that? Surely you’d give Banardoes a ring? Or at the very least ask for independent laboratory tests or something?

 

[Mental Lental]

I have a guy I work with who is one of these "pretends to like football" people. I don't know if it's because he just thinks it's fashionable, or if he's clocked it as an easy way to make conversation in pubs but he does a number of things that give him away as not actually having a Scooby Doo:

He claims to be an Arsenal fan and is from some posh suburb in North London, speaks plummy rather than cockney and rarely talks about matches he actually went to (rather than watched on TV). Some clever probing regarding famous past Arsenal teams did not provoke any particularly passionate reactions (particularly the Mickey Thomas title winning season). He has no idea who Liam Brady is and only a vague passing acknowledgement of Wenger's classic team (Bergkamp, Viera etc). When we beat them in the league he gave me the whole "well done for beating "us"" line a full 3 days after being back at work the following week (a real fan would've mentioned it at first sight). He seems way too interested in the World Cup and in the England team, yet knows nothing whatsoever about the Japan national team. Yesterday he drew Spain in a little WC whip round winner takes all pot we're doing and I clocked him looking up Spanish players on t'internet whereupon he discovered that "oh wow Spain has a player that plays in Japan! Do you know Iniesta?"

 

[hart's shirt]

In Fever Pitch, Nick Hornby shared his opinions on those who turn up at football matches with no apparent interest in the game:

“My companions for the afternoon were affable, welcoming middle-aged men in their late thirties and early forties who simply had no conception of the import of the afternoon for the rest of us. To them it was an afternoon out, a fun thing to do on a Saturday afternoon; if I were to meet them again, they would, I think, be unable to recall the score that afternoon, or the scorer (at half-time they talked office politics), and in a way I envied them their indifference."

 

[dazzer6666]

I have a guy I work with who is one of these "pretends to like football" people. I don't know if it's because he just thinks it's fashionable, or if he's clocked it as an easy way to make conversation in pubs but he does a number of things that give him away as not actually having a Scooby Doo:

He claims to be an Arsenal fan and is from some posh suburb in North London, speaks plummy rather than cockney and rarely talks about matches he actually went to (rather than watched on TV). Some clever probing regarding famous past Arsenal teams did not provoke any particularly passionate reactions (particularly the Mickey Thomas title winning season). He has no idea who Liam Brady is and only a vague passing acknowledgement of Wenger's classic team (Bergkamp, Viera etc). When we beat them in the league he gave me the whole "well done for beating "us"" line a full 3 days after being back at work the following week (a real fan would've mentioned it at first sight). He seems way too interested in the World Cup and in the England team, yet knows nothing whatsoever about the Japan national team. Yesterday he drew Spain in a little WC whip round winner takes all pot we're doing and I clocked him looking up Spanish players on t'internet whereupon he discovered that "oh wow Spain has a player that plays in Japan! Do you know Iniesta?"

Is he called Roger ? This is him ?

https://youtu.be/Fvjk47UORFs

 

[Klaas]

Sad in a way, with my love of the game, but with a few exceptions, the great majority of my friends have no interest in the Albion or football in general at all.

A good example of that came at the weekend when we met our friends from Patcham for lunch. How are the Albion doing nowadays asked my friend? What league to they play in again? We have friends in Ditchling too, who asked me if Brighton are at home this Saturday.

Now l know that football isn't everyones cup of tea, but even if they have no interest, wouldn't you have thought, that living in the city, these people would have some idea, that a) the Albion had been promoted to the Premier League, and b) roughly how well they were getting on? let alone the fact that the season finished a month ago!

Some people really must live in their own little bubble.

I have no interest in other sports so couldn't tell you when the cricket season starts or how Sussex does, and would rather see the Albion eke out an important draw than England win the Rugby World Cup. They just don't register with me. I appreciate football has a higher profile but I can understand people not giving two hoots about it. Wouldn't describe it as living in a bubble.

 

[Perfidious Albion]

In that " Fever Pitch" quote, I seem to always sit behind blokes like that at the Amex who talk ,loudly, about anything else and constsntly leave their seat for beer or toilet. I could strangle ' em!

As for me, I have to spend a lot of time with wife's friends to whom football is a closed book. Coming here is my release......

 

[LlcoolJ]

I've known plenty of Brighton/Hove based crickets lovers, obsessed with SCCC, Test Cricket and Sussex League club cricket, who couldn't stand the Albion and football in general. Considered it a game watched by oiks. One of these snobs loved it when the Albion fell at promotion hurdles.

Might be a Northern thing. Cricket isn't an elitist / snobby sport in Yorkshire, it's everywhere.

 

[Goldstone1976]

In Fever Pitch, Nick Hornby shared his opinions on those who turn up at football matches with no apparent interest in the game:

“My companions for the afternoon were affable, welcoming middle-aged men in their late thirties and early forties who simply had no conception of the import of the afternoon for the rest of us. To them it was an afternoon out, a fun thing to do on a Saturday afternoon; if I were to meet them again, they would, I think, be unable to recall the score that afternoon, or the scorer (at half-time they talked office politics), and in a way I envied them their indifference."

This affliction is curable, even with an 80-something year old, though it does take time.

In 2015/16, we lost my Dad, and my mum asked if I would take her to a game - I think mostly because she wanted company. We went to the Birmingham home game. She was very excited when we took the lead, and clapped politely when they equalised. In a more venomous way than I intended, I took her to task, explaining that I would never take her again if she ever did that again. “Well, we always clap a good shot if an opposing player plays a good wood in bowls”, she said by way of explanation. “It’s not bloody bowls”, I succinctly said.

She went to a couple more games that season.

In our promotion season, she went to six games, including Wigan, where she was properly excited.

Last season she went to 12 games, including Arsenal and United, and half way through the season, we agreed that we’d get her a ST for next year. We sat in the seats that I’d picked out for us as best candidates for the Spurs and United games. The chap two seats down from us delights in calling the ref a “fing cxxx” at every justifiable occasion, and many somewhat less justifiable occasions. After the United game, I asked if she was happy with those seats for next season:

“Yes, dear. They’re perfect”
“Even though - well, err, you know?”
“I just tune him out, dear. Besides, he’s lovely before and after the game”.

She’s ready.

Though she does get very excited at seeing Gully. “Oooh - there he is” - every bloody game.

Having failed to get any of my kids at all interested in football - I think an extremely cold, wet Boxing Day loss at Withdean kiboshed that - I take at least some comfort from having introduced at least 1 new STH.

Persistence, clarity about etiquette, and a willingness to explain every nuance to start with (“See that big box? Well, the keeper is allowed to use his hands in the area”) will convert a total ingenue in three years.

Yesterday evening, on our daily catch up phone call she asked when the fixtures for next season would be out.

Atta girl.

 

[Is it PotG?]

 

[Questions]

Men who don't like football are often a bit odd. A mate of mine actively despises it - all he bangs on about is his home brewed beer, his telescope, his dog, and cake.

To be fair Easy that’s 3 more interests than you have.

(But I know what you mean)

I have to endure talk of Spurs, Newcastle and Man Utd by three guys who use the ‘we’ word constantly but none of them have ever seen these teams play. I would much rather they talked of hoppy ale, astronomy, canine cuteness and even Mary Berry’s chocolate fudge.I tell them that they are complete pricks but they keep on and I even have respect for the 4th guy who is a Pompey season ticket holder. Ok respect is maybe pushing it.

 

[Questions]

I'm always suspicious of those that don't like football but like Formula One.

I’ve been working with a guy of late who has told me during every tea break of every major technological advance in the sport since the days of ‘skirts’ and their effect on ground force and handling. That was in the 80’s.

Anyway back to planning killings.

 

[The Sock of Poskett]

I have a similar mix of bewilderment and suspicion when I hear people say they don't listen to music. Or even 'don't like it'.
How is that even possible? ��

 

[Dave the OAP]

I know some people, and I can see their point, that have gone through the fanatic phase and have now hit the " meh" phase of sport.

Strangely enough, last season I was a bit like that. When I was at the Amex at the games, I enjoyed most of them, BUT really I had no interest in games away from home and many of them I just tuned in at the end of the game to see the result and of course if you are away for holidays as there is only a small amount of games, you end up not seeing that many. I could take it or leave it to be honest.

After playing cricket for many years, I now have no interest in that, although I play golf 3 times a week now.

I can understand people who have no interest in sport and people are right, our society is so sport orientated, it must be so difficult to avoid it.

 

[Gritt23]

Men who don't like football are often a bit odd. A mate of mine actively despises it - all he bangs on about is his home brewed beer, his telescope, his dog, and cake.

It's remarkable how shallow we are as men, but truth is when that happens you drift apart so easily. Always liked Andy back in the day, but without football, I've literally said no more than 10 words to him in 10 years. Our paths simply don't cross, whether that's socially, message boards, or social media. Shame really, but without sport in common, I get a bit lost with most people.

 

[Klaas]

I have a similar mix of bewilderment and suspicion when I hear people say they don't listen to music. Or even 'don't like it'.
How is that even possible? ��

Now THAT is weird.

 

[Petunia]

This affliction is curable, even with an 80-something year old, though it does take time.

In 2015/16, we lost my Dad, and my mum asked if I would take her to a game - I think mostly because she wanted company. We went to the Birmingham home game. She was very excited when we took the lead, and clapped politely when they equalised. In a more venomous way than I intended, I took her to task, explaining that I would never take her again if she ever did that again. “Well, we always clap a good shot if an opposing player plays a good wood in bowls”, she said by way of explanation. “It’s not bloody bowls”, I succinctly said.

She went to a couple more games that season.

In our promotion season, she went to six games, including Wigan, where she was properly excited.

Last season she went to 12 games, including Arsenal and United, and half way through the season, we agreed that we’d get her a ST for next year. We sat in the seats that I’d picked out for us as best candidates for the Spurs and United games. The chap two seats down from us delights in calling the ref a “fing cxxx” at every justifiable occasion, and many somewhat less justifiable occasions. After the United game, I asked if she was happy with those seats for next season:

“Yes, dear. They’re perfect”
“Even though - well, err, you know?”
“I just tune him out, dear. Besides, he’s lovely before and after the game”.

She’s ready.

Though she does get very excited at seeing Gully. “Oooh - there he is” - every bloody game.

Having failed to get any of my kids at all interested in football - I think an extremely cold, wet Boxing Day loss at Withdean kiboshed that - I take at least some comfort from having introduced at least 1 new STH.

Persistence, clarity about etiquette, and a willingness to explain every nuance to start with (“See that big box? Well, the keeper is allowed to use his hands in the area”) will convert a total ingenue in three years.

Yesterday evening, on our daily catch up phone call she asked when the fixtures for next season would be out.

Atta girl.

What a lovely post

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

This affliction is curable, even with an 80-something year old, though it does take time.

In 2015/16, we lost my Dad, and my mum asked if I would take her to a game - I think mostly because she wanted company. We went to the Birmingham home game. She was very excited when we took the lead, and clapped politely when they equalised. In a more venomous way than I intended, I took her to task, explaining that I would never take her again if she ever did that again. “Well, we always clap a good shot if an opposing player plays a good wood in bowls”, she said by way of explanation. “It’s not bloody bowls”, I succinctly said.

She went to a couple more games that season.

In our promotion season, she went to six games, including Wigan, where she was properly excited.

Last season she went to 12 games, including Arsenal and United, and half way through the season, we agreed that we’d get her a ST for next year. We sat in the seats that I’d picked out for us as best candidates for the Spurs and United games. The chap two seats down from us delights in calling the ref a “fing cxxx” at every justifiable occasion, and many somewhat less justifiable occasions. After the United game, I asked if she was happy with those seats for next season:

“Yes, dear. They’re perfect”
“Even though - well, err, you know?”
“I just tune him out, dear. Besides, he’s lovely before and after the game”.

She’s ready.

Though she does get very excited at seeing Gully. “Oooh - there he is” - every bloody game.

Having failed to get any of my kids at all interested in football - I think an extremely cold, wet Boxing Day loss at Withdean kiboshed that - I take at least some comfort from having introduced at least 1 new STH.

Persistence, clarity about etiquette, and a willingness to explain every nuance to start with (“See that big box? Well, the keeper is allowed to use his hands in the area”) will convert a total ingenue in three years.

Yesterday evening, on our daily catch up phone call she asked when the fixtures for next season would be out.

Atta girl.

Amazing and heartwarming! Thanks for posting that. Just read it as I'm about to go to work, and it's cheered me up no end.

 

[Klaas]

I know some people, and I can see their point, that have gone through the fanatic phase and have now hit the " meh" phase of sport.

Strangely enough, last season I was a bit like that. When I was at the Amex at the games, I enjoyed most of them, BUT really I had no interest in games away from home and many of them I just tuned in at the end of the game to see the result and of course if you are away for holidays as there is only a small amount of games, you end up not seeing that many. I could take it or leave it to be honest.

I know what you mean. My interest in football has tailed right off over the last 5 years. I can only put it down to getting a bit older and more serious life events going on. But I was/am still mildly obsessed with the Albion and was surprised how after the two intense previous seasons, which were amazing, I wasn't as hyped up as I thought I'd be this season. I really enjoyed this year, and staying up was wonderful, but I wonder if my Albion passion is waning just a little.

 

[hart's shirt]

This affliction is curable, even with an 80-something year old, though it does take time.

In 2015/16, we lost my Dad, and my mum asked if I would take her to a game - I think mostly because she wanted company. We went to the Birmingham home game. She was very excited when we took the lead, and clapped politely when they equalised. In a more venomous way than I intended, I took her to task, explaining that I would never take her again if she ever did that again. “Well, we always clap a good shot if an opposing player plays a good wood in bowls”, she said by way of explanation. “It’s not bloody bowls”, I succinctly said.

She went to a couple more games that season.

In our promotion season, she went to six games, including Wigan, where she was properly excited.

Last season she went to 12 games, including Arsenal and United, and half way through the season, we agreed that we’d get her a ST for next year. We sat in the seats that I’d picked out for us as best candidates for the Spurs and United games. The chap two seats down from us delights in calling the ref a “fing cxxx” at every justifiable occasion, and many somewhat less justifiable occasions. After the United game, I asked if she was happy with those seats for next season:

“Yes, dear. They’re perfect”
“Even though - well, err, you know?”
“I just tune him out, dear. Besides, he’s lovely before and after the game”.

She’s ready.

Though she does get very excited at seeing Gully. “Oooh - there he is” - every bloody game.

Having failed to get any of my kids at all interested in football - I think an extremely cold, wet Boxing Day loss at Withdean kiboshed that - I take at least some comfort from having introduced at least 1 new STH.

Persistence, clarity about etiquette, and a willingness to explain every nuance to start with (“See that big box? Well, the keeper is allowed to use his hands in the area”) will convert a total ingenue in three years.

Yesterday evening, on our daily catch up phone call she asked when the fixtures for next season would be out.

Atta girl.

Congratulations - you've won today's NSC.

And your mum is a complete legend.

 

[Goldstone1976]

And your mum is a complete legend.

Gives me something to tell her on this evening’s call. She’ll be delighted to hear that - thanks!