PARTY tricks are portrayed as a great social unifier. The thinking goes that, in situations with unfamiliar people, a good party trick can impress a crowd, show off your personality and enable you to make new friends.
The reality can be somewhat different. For example, one old friend from Bristol was known for being able to down a pint in six seconds.
Being around him and seeing how requests to perform his ‘trick’ were met with politeness then weariness, it became clear that greatness can indeed be thrust upon some.
My own party trick was slightly different. With a reputation as a football obsessive that preceded me, some people would take the opportunity to ‘test’ my knowledge – like a self-appointed Bradley Walsh. While these questions never extended beyond naming the winners of bygone World Cups or domestic competitions, demonstrating the ability to name all the FA Cup winners from the 1970s provoked looks of incomprehension similar to the one worn by Monty Panesar during his appearance on Mastermind. It goes without saying I was not a popular child.
This links into the curious role football history holds within the younger generations of football fans.
It is natural that every generation believes they are living in the height of cultural nirvana – after all, who would want to admit that their parents had it better? However, with football this idea is intensified. It seems increasingly unchallenged that football has never been as exciting as it is now, the quality of play is unsurpassed and records achieved now consequently hold greater significance.
It’s as if a generation of fans are drunk on Premier League and Champions League hype.
This story is from the August - September 2020 edition of Late Tackle Football Magazine.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the August - September 2020 edition of Late Tackle Football Magazine.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
PASSING THE BATON
NOTTS COUNTY FAN IAN KIRKE REFLECTS ON AN UNFORGETTABLE DAY AT MEADOW LANE...
CHEEKY CHARLIE
TOM GREEN LOOKS AT THE LIFE AND TIMES OF CHARLIE MITTEN, WHO WENT FROM BURMA TO BOGOTA VIA OLD TRAFFORD
HAPPY WITH OUR LOT
WATFORD FAN JONNY BRICK IS QUITE CONTENT WITH HIS TEAM NEVER GOING UP AND NEVER GOING DOWN...
LIFE AFTER THE CUP HEROICS
BEN SMITH LOOKS AT THE REALITY FOR MAIDSTONE UNITED FOLLOWING THEIR STINT IN THE SPOTLIGHT...
JAMES RODRIGUEZ TEN YEARS ON
DANIEL MOFFAT LOOKS AT THE CAREER OF THE COLOMBIA STAR
AND SMITH DOES SCORE
BARNABY ROSTANT LOOKS AT THE CAREER OF EVERGREEN CENTRE-FORWARD MATT SMITH..
JUST HOW DO YOU REPLACE JURGEN KLOPP?
ROBERT J WILSON ON THE CHALLENGE AHEAD FOR LIVERPOOL AS THEIR INSPIRATIONAL GERMAN BOSS PREPARES TO WALK AWAY...
FIGHT TO THE FINISH
JOHN LYONS LOOKS AT HOW THE PREMIER LEAGUE TITLE RACE IS SHAPING UP AS WE APPROACH SQUEAKY-BUM TIME..
GIANT-KILLING CANARIES
SAM TODD RECALLS WHEN NORWICH CITY ENJOYED A SENSATIONAL FA CUP RUN 65 YEARS AGO...
HOWARD'S WAY
LIFELONG BIRMINGHAM CITY SUPPORTER KEITH DIXON RECALLS WHEN HOWARD KENDALL HELPED SAVE THE BLUES FROM RELEGATION HALF A CENTURY AGO...