More than just three points – memoirs of a fan

The net rattles as the ball spins to a halt. The score sheet updates – 3-2 with literally 2 seconds of extra time left. The goal keeper and defenders all look deflated as they watch the opposing striker who is later mobbed by his team mates sprint away in jubilation. He beats his chest, kisses the crest with such emotion and passion, he has got to be committed to the club for the rest of his career. I mean how many times has he led his club to victories, lifted trophies and now has scored the final goal that seems to have won not only the game but the competition. Where else could be better than here, this league, my team. It’s not just the three points we sealed but the glory that has been brought to the club and not to mention the bragging right for at least the next one year. This is where it all happens and so this is where is should all end. It is why this betting portal is so popular, football is driven by emotion.

So he has passed is medicals, the deal is done. He shakes hands and raises the jersey. That ugly, thoughtless design that passes for one at least. Why would he? How could he? Imagine the disgrace if his new team wins the competition or even worse, if or indeed when he scores against us – his former team. The humiliation, the embracement……again, why would he? How could he? But he signed my shirt, we had a selfie together and more so he said he loved the club, my club…. our club. What went wrong?  Why couldn’t Gerrard convince Torres to stay? They made a great team. Why couldn’t Wenger keep Van Persie after sticking by him through his Injuries? Why would Beckham leave Man U for Real Madrid – he can’t even speak Spanish for crying out loud. Maybe he’ll regret it, maybe he’ll have a terrible season, maybe he’ll flop, grab a season long injury. I can’t wish him well, I won’t wish him well.

Why couldn’t they stay? After all I stayed with this club through thick and thin. I cried when we lost and also when we won. Seen players come and seen managers go. I’ve watched almost every match and followed every update. I’ve rejoiced with 3points, consoled with 1point and had to get through the pain of 0 points – but I never transferred at the end or mid way through the season. I’ve never been paid for being a fan, never made money from supporting -except the occasional bets. So why couldn’t they stay? I must admit sometimes after a bad season I say to myself, never again will I support my club. Enough heart aches, pain and tears have been shed. I will slowly detach from the club and be a neutral supporter, that’s if I ever watch the game again. But for now, that’s it – I am done. “Wait! What? Liverpool beat Chelsea 3-1?” GET IN!!!!!! with a huge fist pump. We are back, this could be our season, this time around it will be different, this is it.

But what makes us support the clubs we do? As a fan you don’t really get to choose your club, you really don’t get to pick, you don’t get sought after by other fans offering you deals to come help support them. You just find that you get drawn towards a club maybe from childhood, your location, certain attributes the club displays that attracts you to them, their style of play, a particular player or their history. But regardless of the reason you support a club, once you really become a true fan it becomes hard to stop supporting them. So whether your club gets the 3 points they need to win the competition of they just missed the 3 points they needed to escape relegation, unlike the players who get paid thousands and millions whether they win or lose, we the fans still stay true. It might be for the hope of continuous or future glory, the passion and excitement it brings or the unity it creates. We might not be able to explain the reasons why we continue to stay with our team, but one thing for sure is that for us a win or lose is more than just 3 points.