Being a Fa
by Frances Hambidge
YES — Frances is back. For the past year she?s bee
ing a novel that will be published during
Sharing Sean will be on sale at bookselle
through G OAL C OAST magazine. This month she returns t
around the stands, the sense of being
o question, we football fans are crazy. It it had previously been my
even if
part of something bigger than yourself.
starts with us just going to games but
favourite thing to eat, not even if I was
then slowly and very surely, our choice
ravenous and it was the only thing edi belonging. It?s an irresistible feelin
- Of
of team begins to influence our whole
ble within miles. And you don?t want and most of us continue to go week
to
after
life, from politics to food shopping,
know about the difficulties I had finding week, season after season, to
from mobile phones to friendships. For mobile phone company that didn?t experience it again. When the team
a
instance, though I would never insist on its name and logo blazoned all scores, it?s amazing. When they win, it?s
have
incredible. And when they achieve the
a politician being a Liverpool supporter a rival club?s shirts.
over
seemingly impossible, like coming back
before I voted for him, if a candidate This peculiar obsession started the
from
started harking on about his long- first time I walked into Anfield. Ask any being 1-0 down to win a trophy
..
supporter, whether they are for Everton well, there?s nothing like it in the
standing, deep-seated love for Arsenal,
or Newcastle, Burnley or Bolton and world. The fact that most everyone in
that would definitely put me off him,
they?ll be able to tell you, usually the stadium feels exactly the same way
in
regardless of his policies. If a
detail, about the moment they first only magnifies the emotion and the
Manchester United player became the
walked into their team?s ground. The experience. In normal life, we may have
spokesman for some snack or other, no
nothing in common at all. I may cross a
noise of the crowd, the songs echoing
way would I ever think of buying it. Not
20 • Dec.-Jan. 2002 • G O A L
Ind o o r
