payonthegate 2021

looking forward to 2021

Having reached my 150th blog in just over two years and slowly seen the number of people who read them grow from all over the world it’s a good time to reflect and look forward.

I have enjoyed passing on my current football experiences and sometimes looking back to explain what has moved me to be curious about football. What surprises and excites me is that it is not just a match that gains my interest but the journey of the club, its ground, players current and past, facilities and fans. Those who have read my match reports will know that I also have an interest in the chips which is a different angle on football ground food rather than pies which have had millions of words written about them. I have been contemplating also writing about tomato soup as this was the mainstay food for my son and I to eat with white bread rolls filled with luncheon meat before a Villa game. We did this for nearly 15 years (10 as season ticket holders) in the Holte End. This was brought back into focus as for a pre Christmas present my daughter presented me with a cache of different branded and supermarket tinned tomato soup. So far working through them I am impressed with Morrison’s value range. If I start to include tomato soup as well chips it will become a food blog rather than a football one.

So looking forward to 2021 the world is holding its breath hoping that the vaccines now becoming available world wide will stem the Covid 19 pandemic and reduce the disheartening death toll.

I cannot get entrance to watch a game at the moment which could last for a few months and expect the season, especially for Non League clubs to be extended to fulfil all of the fixtures.

Luckily I have built up a horde of football books and films to read and watch to sustain my passion along with a few televised games.

I look forward to creating more blogs in the coming year. I wish everyone a Happy New Year and hope you all stay well and achieve your own goals.