So I decided now was the right time

...to renew my season ticket. So i have. And, even though this afternoon is painful and will only be dulled by cheap wine, i'm already looking forward to next season.

We all made out choice, living at a nexus for football clubs with so many being less than a hour away to travel. I'm sure we all remember the funny looks on school trips with the red of our barnsley shirt in amongst the shirts of the newly minted premier league. We all hear the comments when people ask who we support and, when we answer, we get the name of our town spoken back to us with a few extra 'a's in for good measure. We all share the common scorn for sky and media outlets when they (it feels like to me) constantly get factual information about our club wrong including names of current strikers or injured defenders.

what's this got to do with owt? well, I'll be there next saturday willing on the team to win as if it were the first game of the season or the FA cup final. I'll still applaud good tackles and I'll still tell JOB to 'gerrem guin' like I shout to every player who I think cares about the club. At the end of the match I'll stand and applaud. Certainly, many of them won't deserve it- and i will hope that in their secret hearts those players are ashamed of that applause- and certainly I won't be happy that we've been relegated. But i'll be applauding nonetheless.

I won't run on the pitch, I'll retire to the courthouse for a guinness after the match rather than before it and i'll reflect on how bonkers it is to be a Barnsley fan sometimes.

I'll also be chuffed to mint balls I don't support anyone else

You Reds