Football Cold Turkey- Surviving The Domestic Close Season

PLAY THE DUTIFUL PARTNER

There is another world out there. One the football fan resolutely avoids during the season. That of visiting shops with your partner, doing DIY, taking part in family activities. During the summer these things are hard to avoid. Even worse, you have to pretend that your heart's in it. That you care about shades of potential new wallpaper when your whole being is really transfixed with your club's latest transfer rumours. You have to become an actor of Oscar winning proportions. 

SUMMER SPORTS

Cricket, golf, tennis etc. All fine in their place but not a proper substitute for the beautiful game. Summer sports generally revolve around hitting smaller balls with sticks. They seem to attract people with great attention spans, prepared to sit in the sun for hours, politely clapping when good things happen. You do not, in general, hear top banter from the summer sports crew. Losing cricket supporters are not serenaded with, "We can see you sneaking out!" etc. The footie fan will tolerate summer sport but is longing for the short sleeve experience of that first pre season friendly. 

HOLIDAYS

You can't beat a sunny getaway. Especially, if your team are on a summer tour. Or if you can book in at some sunny clime while The World Cup is on. See, even on vacation, the football fan is never free of his true loyalty. The first item in the suitcase is always the shirt of your team, which you wear religiously every day. So everyone knows who you support and hopefully you will meet fellow fans of your own club or else indulge in polite pleasantries with supporters of clubs you in reality, despise.

 

DOING OTHER THINGS

There's a world of other activities out there. Days out, adventure parks, cinema visits. This is known as, operation kidding yourself. Where you pretend there are other things you like beside football. Watching films, walking the dog. You are not addicted, not just a one track footballl minded obsessive. Then at last you get home and scour the channels for anything remotely football related. A sneaky game of FIFA suffices for a while. But your mind is like a footballing advent calender, counting down the days to the big kick off.

LIFE CHANGING EVENTS

It is the unwritten holy law of the football fan, that if you get married, it has to be in June or July. This way, neither you or your guests miss out on a match day. There is nothing worse than receiving a wedding invite in season, checking the fixture list and screaming, "No! Same day as the big local derby." This clearly indicates a friend who is failing in their priorities. Likewise, if you can time the birth of a child for close season, so much the better. The mind then is clear of other issues, like, "Is this three at the back system really working?" You don't need that worry during the arrival of a cherished new family member.

In conclusion, there is nothing that will replace the football fix. You have to pretend the hot night sweats are down to the rising temperature not your low football free spirits. Help is out there, the day the fixtures come out for example. You can start planning then, those pesky television companies permitting. The friendlies help too, another ground visited for the first time despite the lack of competitive edge. Be strong, club football will return. And with it, emotions that make you wonder if its all worthwhile. Think of the domestic football free summer break. Of course it is. Roll on August.