Hope, expectations and fears

I did take another blue tit pic which you can see here but as it was the start of the football season and the ground looked so nice in the sun I decided to go with that instead.

This is my 24th consecutive season as a season ticket holder at Barnsley. I have supported them all my life but in my younger years I was away at university then married then single parent so I could not get there on a regular basis. When my son, J was 7 he wanted to watch a football match and his love affair with BFC started then. We have been going together ever since though today he was playing cricket so I took the journey alone.

A lovely summer's day and an early start and with myriad speculations in my head I arrived at the ground at 2.15. Then to the Oakwell Sandwich shop for my first home made steak pie, mushy peas and mint sauce. Magic start! Walking up to the ground you could sense the excitement of a new season. Expectations high, new players, new start, new hopes for success.

Back in my usual seat I awaited the start. Stan and Rhys arrived as always and with the usual 'Now then!' we settled into each other's company as if it had not been nearly four months since we had all been there when we got relegated.

Then reality starts to bite. A lacklustre first half. Murmurings of 'here we go again', the euphoria disappearing. Then mid way through the second half one of our players is sent off. This put us up against it. Could we survive? Substitutions notwithstanding the game was drifting away. They score, heads down and people start to leave. We lose. Another disastrous start to the season, there is shaking of heads as we quietly leave.

Still 45 games to go, its a marathon not a sprint. But predictably the season is underway with a loss. Why was I born in Barnsley? By Tuesday, our next game, I will be back for more. Its the fascination of football support. Maybe I should have stuck with the blue tits!