It's one of those not-so-much-slow-as-stopped news times, so I though a little ramble was in order. Fans of "The Likely Lads" may recall an episode in which Bob and Terry go through a day/evening desperately not wanting to know the score from a match. I was thinking last night about times when I'd done this, and how nigh on impossible it can be to achieve, and thought I'd invite Saints fans to share their stories. It doesn't have to be a Saints match. I can remember being in a hotel while away for work and watching that amazing 4-3 at Anfield match v Newcastle. A big group of us, whom we all thought were equally ignorant of the result, gathered around a TV set, and as the 7th goal went in one bloke announced "that's that then, I'm off to bed". He was killed painfully you'll be glad to know! But my hardest "don't tell me" was 1976. Some people know that I missed the Cup Final as I was stuck in an airport. My wife and I had been going to go with two friends. Communication was difficult to say the least so by the time I flew into Heathrow on the Sunday after the game I didn't even know if my wife had gone or stayed away out of some sort of mis-placed loyalty. When I had spoken to her post-match I made it clear I wanted to know nothing, and she picked me up without a reference to the game. The plan was to get me home (Manchester at the time, so hardly a hop and a skip) and watch the ITV Sunday "Big Match". There were some close calls. I wouldn't get out of the car when we stopped at a service station, but some bloke walked past carrying a paper and I had to bury my head to avoid visual contact! Of course we had a strict radio silence in the car, which meant we had to talk about anything but football. I had to take a disproportionate interest in office gossip once updates on our kids had dried up. Once safely ensconced at home, the kids were the next problem. They had watched on TV, my eldest who was 7 had done so sporting a Saints shirt and apparently had gone to bed in it at his grandparents. I really wanted to see the kids as I'd been away for a couple of weeks, but we both knew that my middle one, who was 4, could not have kept "the secret" and so grandparents (who were fanatical Liverpool Reds so understood) were going to hang on to them until I had seen the programme. My wife started watching with the sound down while I paced the kitchen, and only after the programme started to show the highlights was I allowed in. Adverts were a problem to overcome, but sure enough we reached that moment when Bobby scored. I screamed and began a run around the house, but now I wanted to hide and not watch. Could it be possible that Saints were going to win a major trophy. At this point my beautiful wife could contain herself no longer, and I could see in her face that the goal I'd just seen was the one that would win the Cup. Yes, I'd shared that goal moment with every Saints fan who'd seen it live, but I missed the excruciating squeaky bum final seven minutes. But then we could talk about it. Yes she'd gone, with our two oldest friends and so they could share their moments with me. And as can happen, I can now almost believe I was there. Oh and it's raining here and you've got sun, so FLT there is no envy required today. Hope your barbecue weekend is good, fellow Saints, and if you've got a tale to tell I'd love to hear it as I'm going nowhere.
I love that one! Mine is my son's baptism. We had the service and then we had hired our local Chinese restaurant for the reception, before everyone piled back to ours for a few (!) drinks. Saints played Fulham at St Mary's in a 1pm kick off. I had all my friends and family there and it was only my Dad who also supported saints. Well the other swines had the waiters telling me as goals were going in until I reminded them I was paying the bill .. And the tip. I thought it was a wind up anyway as twice in a bout 10 minutes the Chinese waiter came over and said "goal to Fulham". I was recording the match. Anyway, got home rather drunk and watched Saints come back from 2 nil to win 4-2. Great day and a great start for my son as a Saints fan. Ps. I'm still jealous, rain or no rain. I am heading to Beaune twice next month though and then south of Bergerac in August!!
These days it is nigh on impossible to not know a score with modern technology, and tv on the go lets you watch it on your mobiles. I HAVE to know how Saints are getting on and i tend to watch any game im not at on-line. Obviously the last few seasons we weren't on as much so most away games i couldn't make i listened on the radio or Saints player when I was away. I generally tend to plan any social events around Saints and luckily the missus is very understanding with this and being a season ticket holder from far back as i can remember i have been luky enough not to miss a home game. To the the point of not wanting to know scores last year we stayed at my girlfriends parents. Now they live in a small village in Wiltshire and the internet is prehistoric and it was the last day of the prem. I wanted to watch the day unfold so i recorded the Man City game, i banned the missus from logging into facebook and twitter because i didn't want to know. I put CD's on in the car for the hour and a half journey to avoid news. Now here's the best part, i got in turned the telly on and it had been left on Sky Sports News and i saw a big yellow banner saying Man City were champions. This pissed right off as i tried my damnedest not to find out. Still i watched the game and it was still an amazing ending even though i knew the outcome.
Have no particular story, but I am the second most nervous Saints fan (after Nicola, of course). This means that when we are on Sky I rarely see the whole match. Sometimes I turn it off when we are winning...sometimes as soon as the opposition score. I believe it will all be alright as long as I'm not watching. I have to wait until 10 mins after the match finishes (as the Saints game is always the last to end). My son knows this and therefore doesn't call or txt much during the match. There is the conundrum...is he not texting because the news is bad or is he not texting out of consideration to me. I am in anguish. I would have definitely turned off the TV after Bobby scored.
Fran, this is that slightly different but equally absurd thing about how we think we can influence a game. I do all those "if-I-make-a-cup-of-tea-they'll-score" things. When I listen to a match I always turn off if the opposition score late on and then check the score later in the belief that this time Saints will have scored a late equaliser/winner. How often do we do that?! I love your conundrum point. My kids ring my wife if I haven't been at a game to check if I know the score before they speak to me next! Let's face it if we supported Man Utd it would be easier, wouldn't it?
If we supported ManU, we would know that any loss was due to dodgy refereeing, insufficient/too much time, and cheating by the opposition.
The most annoying individual I know is a bloke in my local pub who while we are all watching Saints on Sky in the bar sits in the corner listening through his ear phones to Solent. When there is a goal he jumps up and shouts but of course that is seconds before we have seen anything on the screen as he is listening in analogue while we are watching in digital. He seems to take great delight in his behaviour and turns to everyone with a stupid grin on his face. I have concluded that he must be one of those sad little blighters who have to be ITK before anyone else as his life otherwise would be one of sad lonely insignificance.
Very well written story! If anyone is a betting man then placing all your bets on a Saturday then not looking at any scores until match of the day is on makes accumulators and singles alot more exciting than soccer Saturday. Only problem is what you do from 3 till 10. I used to work nights from 1 till 1 so id get home and sleep till MOTD
I don't see anything wrong in it. Perhaps you could simply ask him to keep the secrets to himself for the seconds that will elapse before the event happens on the screen. He's annoying perhaps, but he's perfectly entitled to do as he wishes. Perhaps he's just being principled enough not to watch SKY. Whenever a crowd intimidates an individual from doing what he/she are legally entitled to do, then we are in trouble.
Possibly. Which is why StG's crowd could ask the guy to keep it down. Or... [roll of drums] do the amazing, wonderful and outrageous gesture of inviting him over to watch with them. Or is that too inclusive and friendly for modern day pepys..?
I remember sitting down ready to watch the world heavyweight title fight between Frank Bruno & Tim Witherspoon on ITV a few hours after the fight. When the TV announcer says " Now on ITV you can see how Frank Bruno lost to Witherspoon" . Aaaaarrrrggghh
As to a story, I don't any excellent football ones, but like Fran I can be as nervous as a cat. There have been times, especially during the last few seasons, when Saints have gone behind, and even badly gone behind, where seasons previous I would have just got on with my work, but nowadays I'm nervous because I know they're capable of turning a match around. There was one match, in the Championship, I think [might be Millwall], when I left home to go to work, knowing we were 1-0 up. Then it became 1-1, then 1-2, not going well and I was even starting to allow myself to get into a foul mood because of it. So, for the sake of myself and inflicting my gloom on others, I left it completely. The next day my eldest brother rang me about something and at the end mentioned about Saints. I gloomily answered Yeah, well we can't win every game, and he said What do you mean..? We won 3-2..! I'll leave it you to imagine my reaction. I nearly deafened him in one ear.
I remember that game really well. I was "watching" on BBC final score and I remember us getting back to 2-2 and then almost straight away Gabby Logan announcing that there was a "penalty at the Den". For a split second I was convinced it had gone against us and having come from behind we would lose what was a really important game in our promotion race. When I found out that Rickie was stepping up I actually cheered. When he scored... Well you can imagine... The dent I made in the ceiling is still there!!!
I am exactly like Fran (well, except that I'm male, 43 and not as sensible!). If we go one up when I am listening, I turn it off. If we go one down, I turn it off. If it is 0-0 with 10 to go, I turn it off. Why do I listen in the first place! In fact I normally take it a bit further - I always walk the dogs during the second half, listening to music on my iPhone, and make sure I am back at least 10 minutes after the game! For that Millwall game I was so cheesed off we went 2-1 down, I went shopping - ended up in Waitrose (why not somewhere cheaper like Asda!) and spent £60 on crap as I was sure I would need 'crap' to get me over the loss. I got back to the car at 5pm and turned on the Radio...the noise and the car shaking when I heard the score was like Del Boy & Rodney when they made their Millions!!!!! No 7
Maybe because with technology these days scores are so accessible, I never find myself not knowing how we get on. I don't have a smart phone, but it seems I'll always be in a place where I have either tv, radio, a mate's smartphone, or the usual point of call, mum. Working in Canada the last few months has made it tricky however, and some days I have come started at 7 (bang on 3 at home) and not found out til my shift has ended at 5 (1am!). Luckily there have been been a few odd Brits about who work here as well, and one of them will nearly always fill me in with the news. If I can find out, I WILL find out!
The day my daughter was born, Saints were playing Liverpool on Friday night Live MOTD. This clashed with visiting hours, of course, so after paternal and husbandly duties were fulfilled I went to a friend's house and he'd recorded it for me to watch with him. What he didn't tell me was that he'd decided to make it a blokey night in and there were fans of every North West club - including Liverpool of course. I was desperately trying not to read the body language of the Evertonians and Reds in particular, and fair play they kept quiet. First goal - Danny Wallace overhead - and I'm off round the room getting hugs from Mancs and Bluenoses. Second goal - Danny's header - and I'm in dreamland. Final whistle, and the Red next to me told me he'd now watched it twice "and it was no ****ing better the second time"! Cue celebrations and hungover dad picking up wife and daughter next day.
