Don't know the answers, but I'm asking myself exactly the same questions. The journey has been amazing, but ..........................................The 23/24 season represents my 30th season of supporting the Albion and as we all know this has been a truly historic year for the club. Starting my Albion supporting journey back in 93/94, never did I envisage we’d be beating the likes of Man U and Liverpool (amongst many others) in the top flight of English Football.
Which makes my recent indifference to football all the more difficult to understand. Not too long ago, my whole working week would be solely focused on the game at the weekend. The pre and post match drinks, visiting new town/cities, the smell of the pitch, the atmosphere and 90 mins of escapism.
None of that invokes any kind of excitement in me anymore, yet given the recent success of the Albion I know it should. As recently as Fulham away I shamefully walked out after 15 mins for, no other reason than sheer boredom - back to the pub I went. Ajax away, whilst fantastic to go there and win, didn’t quite fill with me the euphoria it previously might have done.
So I then ask myself is this just part of getting older where one starts finding enjoyment elsewhere? Possibly, but I’m only 39.
Is it the Premier League? So focused and hell bent on getting there, that the destination is never as good as the journey? Possibly, but given this seasons Europa exploits you could argue against that.
Or through our success, are we now just too far removed from the ‘grass roots’ of the game? Has the monetisation of football evaporated my enjoyment from the game I once loved? I’ve certainly not ruled out taking in some non league football to reignite some passion.
I don’t know what the answer is, but it started creeping in pre COVID and whilst for a short while it abated following numerous national lockdowns, the ambivalence has very much returned. I’ve renewed my Season Ticket for a 14th year and will in all likelihood attend a handful of away games once again, but my hopes for renewed invigoration are decreasing with every passing season.
The truth is I just don’t care like I once used to and whilst I know I should probably pack it all in and cancel my ST (or adopt a local non league team), I can’t bring myself to do it.