It seems strange now looking back but having followed the reds since 1977 the love affair seemed over. I know it's hard to believe when you're a young lad when the most important thing in life is Saturday afternoon but as you get older life changes, family, children and for some of us having to move away to make a living. After following the reds home and away for over 30 years work took me North of the border and trips to Oakwell became few and far between. Following from afar the passion wanes, especially as the team and more lately manager didn't seem to care. Gone was the passion of the Redders types now these nomadic types would kiss the badge one day and then try to get a move to a bigger club the next. To cap it all we had a manager who wanted to compare the cars driven by the opposition rather than concentrate on the game. From someone who used to travel to Plymouth on a Tuesday night I didn't care about the results, I honestly thought KH had killed our club. The rejections from SOD and TB felt like nobody wanted us. It's strange but that type of rejection started to bring back the passion. Flicker got the job and what was most notable was the change in attitude. Gone was the defeatist views of KH but a new positivity emerged and with that a change in form. Players seemed to want to play for him and the fans seemed to have a new togetherness. We made the 500 mile round trip to the Blackpool, man city (glory hunters) and Leicester games. The most obvious difference off the pitch was the mood of the crowd. We were down last week and since the prem I've not witnessed the togetherness from pitch to fans as that on Saturday. I now have a 6 year old son who has followed his daddy and become another Red despite living in Scotland. Whatever happens tomorrow with Flicker in charge the future looks bright. Whichever league we are in there will be two season ticket holders living in East Lothian. The love affair continues!
Good post mate. Supporting a team that represents you, your childhood,your roots.your memories and all the things you remember about growing up its in your blood its a passion its more than football its more than a club. It's you and all you have been and are. That's how I feel anyway can never for the life of me understand how someone can be so passionate about a club from another town
Wow. As flicker would say. Great post mate. That's how I feel. Will be taking my little lad next year when he's 5 whatever league we are in. Asked me a year ago whether I would have been saying that and the answer would probably have been no. You reds.
