Match day anxieties (2)
Companions
On match days the fans begin to gather early, an hour or two before the game in the pubs and clubs close to the stadium. Unlike America we don’t have acres of car parks around the stadiums where people enjoy “tailgate parties” we gather in groups around familiar landmarks conversing and reminiscing of previous good years or bad times (replica shirts, of course, are a necessity). Here it’s the Companions Club on Bridge Street, Sunderland, where I meet one of my friends before every home game, we enjoy a couple of pints and then move on to watch the game. We get anxious about the result either of our match or the other games taking place this weekend.
This weekend we get lucky, we won on Friday and our rivals lost today, so Sunderland now get promoted to play in the Premiership (see my post in my other blog.)
Do you have a favourite sporting team who you follow, do you have set routines on match days?
South Shields Daily Photo 
Curly, the brightly coloured shirts on the portal photo really caught my eye. This kind of gathering looks like it’s more fun than tailgate parties. Yes, I have a favorite team. Although I think that American football is particularly brutal, I grew up in Green Bay, Wisconsin and am a devoted Packer fan and watch many games of many different teams. Watched the Super Bowl even when I was in Mexico (cheering for the losing team, of course!) Our family watches football during the entire season several times a week.
Kate
April 30, 2007 at 3:00 am
Interesting customs and how different from here where we live in Ohio. I like the shirts.
Abraham Lincoln, oldmanlincoln
April 30, 2007 at 12:00 pm