As I get older, I find myself less interested in my birthday. The last one I celebrated properly was my 30th, with a party in the back garden. For 32, I contented myself with shouting "Noooooooooooooooooooooo!" at the television as I watched Michael Jackson evade conviction on even the minor charges of giving alcohol to a minor, something he'd admitted to doing. Yesterday, when I turned 36, I ticked the no publicity box and celebrated with a swim in the sea, a takeaway curry and a dip into the bottle of single malt I received in the morning.
From now on, however, I have a real reason to celebrate on 13 June. In the Birthday Honours, an OBE was awarded to Brian Lomax, chairman of Supporters Direct and father of one of my dearest friends. Brian's a life force. He was instrumental in saving Northampton Town FC when the club hit the buffers in 1992, and, subsequently, has shown many football fans how grass-roots activity can see off inept and corrupt management of their beloved team. In the mid-1990s, he almost succeeded in getting me interested in football, after years of hating sport in any form. I liked the singalongs, the pies, the Bovril and Brian's excellent company in the nearest pub after the game, but I couldn't quite work up enough of an interest in the blokes doing things with the spherical doodah. After attending the play-offs at the old Wembley in 1997, and seeing the Cobblers despatch Swansea for a well-deserved promotion, I felt my work was done.
So, from this moment on, 13 June is Brian Lomax Day.
4 comments:
By sheer coincidence, I was at another Wembley play-off two days later - in which Crystal Palace beat Sheffield United to (briefly) join the Premiership. I too have never been a regular at any football ground, and that was the only time I've ever been to Wembley, old or new (as I suspect the Northampton game was for you).
I did, however, once go straight from a classical concert (one of the much-missed Ernest Read Concerts for Children at the RFH) to a Palace game at Selhurst Park. I wonder how many people in Britain (continental Europe plays by very different rules) have ever done this? I would say Baker & Kelly might have used it as a phone-in subject, but they'd only have done it to take the piss.
It's almost but not quite the plot of You'll Never Walk Alone by Galton and Simpson, Robin.
I see. Something I should acquaint myself with, then!
For the record, the day of my dual experience was the last day of the 1990-91 season, which within a few years seemed very distant indeed.
Belated birthday wishes young 'un.
Blez xx
Post a Comment