Some people believe football is a matter of life and death…

I’m very disappointed with that attitude.

I can assure you it is much, much more important that that.

So said the late, great Bill Shankly, legendary Liverpool boss.

*******

In a bar not too long ago:

Tap on my shoulder, I looked over and the lady points to a guy, and he asks me,

“Don’t you have a better shirt to wear?”

*******

A few minutes later:

A guy, obviously drunk, comes over to me; his hand raised to high-five me. As I was about to high-five him, he pulls his hand back, folds his fingers except for one, and says,

“Five - one mate… five – one.”

And he walks away, proud.

A girl that was behind him then comes up to me and says, “Do you remember, goona noona anna?”

“What??”

“Do you remember, goona noona anna?!?”

“Ahah! Yep, yep…!” And we both laughed.

No idea what the heck goona noona anna is, but at least she left!

*******

A few more minutes later:

A group of four guys see me across the floor, start pointing at me, and then break out into a song.

I have to admit, that kind of freaked me out.

Then another guy from behind this group walks up to me, shakes my hand and gives me a good strong manly hug.

“You’re alrite mate…”

I decided then that this was a dangerous place, and I will not go to the gents. If this was how they were out here, god knows how they’ll be inside there.

*******

All this for wearing the jersey of a team I don’t even support!
The only reason I wore Arsenal’s jersey was because I had to wear something red for the Year of the Rat Party, and this free jersey I got was, well… red.

The Year of the Rat Party...

We went out after the party and I didn’t realize how much emotion this garment would evoke in this city.

And what were Tottenham and Chelsea fans doing in Nottingham anyway??

The Gunners’ fans owe me big time for this.

*******

Must be careful with whatever we do in public...