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THOUGHTS, FROM ABROAD
Well, not exactly abroad, more over
the border. That�s Scotland not Wales. I thought I�d
let you know about what it�s like supporting your favourite
team from 300 miles away.
The obvious problem of course is not
being able to get my fortnightly fix of going to the
Deva to see the boys in blue. I�d sort of got used to
that after living in London for 15 years before moving
to Scotland but at least then you could see plenty of
games in the south and have the comradeship of other
members of Chester City Exiles, travelling to games
together etc.
Also in London there are plenty of
other people from elsewhere in the country supporting
equally insignificant teams, so you don�t feel like
your a complete freak. Up here you feel altogether more
isolated. If there were to be a Chester City Supporters
Club (Scotland Branch), I think I would have to be the
chairman, secretary and treasurer. If there were to
be a club outing to a game we could travel on a scooter.
So what can you do? Well there�s an
annual trip to Carlisle, a mere 160 miles away, or Hartlepool,
something similar only without a motorway in sight.
Otherwise I have to spend every Saturday in front of
teletext.
Actually, since my kind wife graciously
allowed me to get Sky (just in time for the Brighton
game last year), I now sit glued in front of something
called �Gillette Soccer Saturday�. For anyone that has
never seen it, there is effectively a continual vidi-printer
at the bottom of the screen, which flashes up each goal
scored around the country (with the scorer) as it happens
whilst the presenter, a bloke called Jeff Stelling (a
Hartlepool fan), gives you various bits of statistical
information to go with it that would make John Motson
look like some football ignoramous. I�m continually
amazed by the knowledge he has to hand. No sooner has
a Chester goal flashed up on screen (not very often
this year admittedly) than he would come up with �that�s
Agogo�s fifth goal in the last six games for the side
that�s propping up the league and of course cash strapped
Chester have not won at Sincil Bank in their last eleven
visits�. Notice the term �cash strapped�. This term
seems to prefix any mention by Stelling of Chester City.
I almost expect the final results to be read out as
�Northamton Town 4 v. Cash Strapped Chester 1� .
Mostly, watching this programme is
extremely depressing, especially this season when I
seem to be waiting for the inevitable opposition scorers
to flash on screen. The problem is that there is no
build up to a goal, no expectation when say Beckett
is one on one with the keeper that leads you up to the
highs of a goal being scored, or the despair of a goal
conceded. Just a bland statement on the bottom of the
screen that can lead to what must be dangerously violent
mood swings. e.g Brighton 2 v Chester City 2 (Cullip
82 mins) � Arrgh. Useless bastards� to Brighton 2 v
Chester City 3 (Agogo 90 mins), �Yeeeesssss. Come on
you blue boys�. Despair to ecstasy in eight minutes.
Truly mindblowing.
Of course living in Scotland, there�s
no one to share your despair or ecstasy with. Naturally
the wife makes comforting noises when we lose �Never
mind maybe they�ll win next week� but deep down you
know she�s thinking �Bloody Hell, it�s only Chester.
What does it matter if they�ve just got whoopped 4 -
0. You�d think he�d be used to it by now.� She supports
St Johnstone. Why don�t I, a lot of people might ask.
In many ways there are similarities.They play in a town
(Perth) similar in size to Chester, get crowds of 3-4,000
(when Rangers or Celtic aren�t in town that is) and
have even enjoyed European football this year. I�ve
even gone along a couple of times to watch them, on
one of those occasions they stuffed Dundee 7-2. But
at the end of the day they are not Chester and you can�t
just transfer your loyalties like that at the drop of
a hat. Anyway, the wife supports them so obviously I
can�t otherwise I�d have nothing to wind her up about.
On the subject of Dundee, I understand
from my next door neighbour (a Dundee fan) that Dave
Rogers (remember him, Scouser who played midfield for
us a couple of years ago) has left them to join Ayr
Utd. he was quite liked by Dundee fans apparently but
was always out injured.
I suppose that being 300 miles away
does have its benefits though (other than being 310
miles away from Wrexham). I managed to get down to the
Deva to see the Macclesfield game the other day. I think
I would rather have watched that one on Teletext !
Spare a thought for me when England
play Scotland. I think I�ll keep my head down that day.
Ian Riley |
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