Football, as Nick Hornby remarked in 'Fever Pitch', comes in seasons, not years. And as football fans we do not live our lives in the same calender as the rest of the world. We go through nine months of anguish, agony, disappointment and occasionally, if we're lucky, a little bit of ecstasy. But no matter the final outcome, there is always next season.
Come the new campaign we wipe the slate clean, as if we were doing a memory back up on some old files on our computer. Store it all away in some dark and dingy part of our brain ready to use in the future, normally when sat at the bar after a game, remembering how we made exactly the same mistake at the same ground five years ago.
The King is dead. Long live the King. This is very pertinent for us Beavers in our time of need. For while there is a period of mourning to live through, while we chew over the if only's and wonder what might have been, we know that on a bright and sunny Saturday in August we will be standing shoulder to shoulder, cheering on the boys, asking someone who's been to all the pre-season matches "who is the fella wearing number 8?". We all bow down and worship our new team, our new King.
The way we differ from the rest of the world, is that our new year's eve lasts a hell of a long time. I think the 8th August will be the start date for next season. That's roughly 13 weeks, or 91 days if you prefer.
13 Weeks of looking back, 13 weeks of wondering. 13 weeks of doing what the rest of the world does instead of going to football. But, thankfully, unlike in the film of 'Fever Pitch' we don't live in 1989. We have Sky Sports 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We have the Internet, where we can post constantly on countless forums about who is signing for us next season, which grounds we are looking forward to visiting and which teams are going to get a good hiding next time they come to our place. So it's not all bad news then.
Yes, there may be no more Hampton for the best part of 3 months but we'll keep ourselves busy. Anyway, the football season isn't really finished just yet. You've got the Champions League and FA Cup Final, League Play-Off's, World Cup Qualifiers and the European Under 21 Championships. That takes us up till the end of June at least. If you can bear it there are also other sports you can watch. Ally yourself to a Super League, Cricket or Speedway team. Go and watch some live or view it from the comfort of your armchair. Before you know it we'll be onto the friendlies and fixture list for next season. Booking day's off for those long away trips and wondering if maybe, just maybe, we can go one better next year.
So keep your chins up. Beavers and non Beavers alike. That feeling, that anticipation, that hunger for success. It will all be back before you've had a chance to miss it. The events of 7th May 2009 will be a distant memory, and we will be dreaming of watching the ever graceful Dean Wells pick up the Blue Square South Championship trophy after a 5-0 win over Staines Town on the final day of the season.
Blessed are the Beavers.
Friday, 8 May 2009
A brief introduction.
Greetings and Salutations Associate Bob.
Welcome to my blog. I suppose I should start by explaining the name of the blog, well, I won't. If you are a Hampton fan or an interested observer of all things Beavered then you will already get it. If not, get yourself down to the Beveree and you will find out. Just listen out for a song coming from the Hampton end that sounds a bit like the Hokey-Kokey.
So, what's the blog all about. Mainly it will be about Football. I am a massive fan of Hampton & Richmond Borough FC and a lot of the content on here will be about our efforts on and off the pitch. Over time I hope the players and the supporters will become familiar to you, you may even come to think of them as a kind of extended family. With Alan Devonshire (forthwith known only as 'Dev') as the mafioso don (not that type of don). I will also do some random ranting about any other football, from the premier league to Sunday league, whatever I happen to be watching, like the European Under-21's Championship during the summer.
Aside from the football I'll also probably give you some of my views on life in general. Other sports, family life, politics and anything else I can think of at the time.
I hope you enjoy it. All together now........
You put your right arm in.......
Welcome to my blog. I suppose I should start by explaining the name of the blog, well, I won't. If you are a Hampton fan or an interested observer of all things Beavered then you will already get it. If not, get yourself down to the Beveree and you will find out. Just listen out for a song coming from the Hampton end that sounds a bit like the Hokey-Kokey.
So, what's the blog all about. Mainly it will be about Football. I am a massive fan of Hampton & Richmond Borough FC and a lot of the content on here will be about our efforts on and off the pitch. Over time I hope the players and the supporters will become familiar to you, you may even come to think of them as a kind of extended family. With Alan Devonshire (forthwith known only as 'Dev') as the mafioso don (not that type of don). I will also do some random ranting about any other football, from the premier league to Sunday league, whatever I happen to be watching, like the European Under-21's Championship during the summer.
Aside from the football I'll also probably give you some of my views on life in general. Other sports, family life, politics and anything else I can think of at the time.
I hope you enjoy it. All together now........
You put your right arm in.......
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