Well, we are hours away from the first home fixture at St Marys and the forecast is pretty good. Personally, I love the early games and the late ones in the spring, mainly because I don't have to deal with the cold. I can wrap up warm of course, but I love leaving the ground in sunlight, coat undone and cursing the fact that I brought too many clothes. Are ther seriously any who actually prefer the miserable, cold and dark mid-winter games? (I will give you the Boxing day/New Years day fixtures which are special) It's not that I want footy to be a summer sport but I do like to be able to feel my toes whilst I am watching. So who actually likes the frostbite?
I can remember only one first home game that was wet. It is usually baking. I also love the fact that it is still light at the final whistle. Can't make this one, but hope to make the next home game.
Actually a fan of the winter games, especially mid week ones. Maybe its just because watching football in the Sun doesn't feel right (doesn't happen a lot) Perks of standing up, warms you up a bit!
Oh don't remind me CF. I can still feel the dig into my midriff of the wall at The Dell, after I'd spent the previous half-hour [sometimes an hour - what a twerp] before the match, hopping around while the cold concrete ebbed into my little feet and into my soul. I'd hoist myself up onto that wall in order to let my feet take a rest from the cold. Then, after standing all that time in the effort to get a good view, adults would muscle in and obscure it. Invariably I'd find my way to the front again and then get squashed for my trouble, but at least I'd started to warm up. It is why, to this day I hate standing at football matches, when there is no need to be uncomfortable, and it really annoys me when adults stand right in front of people who sit. The vast majority of them haven't a clue what it was like when you HAD to stand. There was no other choice before all-seating. I also had the worst case of flu I ever had after watching Saints play Birmingham City at St Marys back around 2003. It was bitterly cold and it pissed down, and the wind whipped the rain under the roof. Mind you, I was near the front anyway. Not good.
I should say that I am a big fan of the summer and spring games. The early autumn games are OK too, comfortable wise. Course, it's all a matter of getting the clothes right. And the opposition have never bothered me. I'll no more or less go to watch Saints play, say Liverpool or say Crystal Palace. I don't go to watch the opposition. Anyway, having thought about it, I like all the games. Especially when I'm properly kitted out.
August and May are the only times I get to wear a replica shirt. There doesn't seem much point wearing one under six layers of clothing. Once again I am reminded that you really need an athletes body to look good in the Air Florida retro top, and don't have one of those anymore. Roll on winter, when I can get the sheepskin out and hide a multitude of sins.
Mention of your sheepskin reminds me why I hate winter. My breathing space in always severely impeded when I get sandwiched between two salad dodgers wearing thick coats. There should be a maximum width for football fans...skinny people can wear overcoats, fat people have to wear gossamer jumpers.
Unless you are Fonte, that was a suggestion I was trying to avoid...luckily southern softies can't do it.
I love dark winter evenings, not too cold and watching football under floodlight while sipping on a coffee laced with a tot of brandy and Saints two up. That is the way to watch football.