Fortune's Always Hiding

“I fell in love with football as I was later to fall in love with women: suddenly, inexplicably, uncritically, giving no thought to the pain or disruption it would bring with it.”
Nick Hornby, Fever Pitch

Within the space of 5 hours yesterday afternoon/evening I was reminded why I love and hate football in equal measures.

I play a bit of football a couple of times a week - last night saw an appearance in goal for a team made up from friends from work who compete in a local 5-a-side league. Our results so far this season haven't truly reflected our performances (copyright just about any football player who's team gets regularly beaten) but despite that I was looking forward to the competition and the exercise. After taking the lead courtesy of a goal from the team captain after just 30 seconds I felt exilerated: finally we were going to dominate a game I thought.

Twenty minutes later, having conceeded 16 goals with just one more scored in our favour I felt really low - even my best save of the night went unrewarded as the referee gave a goal saying that the ball had crossed the line. The 20 minute drive home was once again spent blaming the referee for the result (again, copyright just about any football player who's team gets regularly beaten!).

Home - and after a cup of tea, a bath and a roast dinner, in that order - I felt better and settled down to watch my team (FC Barcelona) in action on TV. After 25 minutes they were winning by 2 goals to nil and the world seemed a better place.

With 5 minutes of the game left it was 3-3 and I somehow knew worse was to come ... in the 89th minute an uncharacteristic mistake from the Barcelona captain led to a winner for the opposition. Sixty seconds later the referee blew for full time and a defeat.

Thankfully, after 8 years of marriage my lovely wife has learnt not to even try to offer words of consolation and after a period of silence I got up, left the room and went to bed - only to lie there for about 2 hours trying to come to terms with my Sunday afternoon and evening.

I'm playing again tonight, a different venue with a different bunch of lads and it'll be different this time.

Won't it?