by shrimper » Wed Jul 16, 2008 2:34 pm
Apart from Morecambe (and Middleton when my dad played) Blackpool was the first team I ever watched. My dad took me a few times with his former boss who supported them and I think he thought it would be a good, top flight team for me to end up supporting, being so close.
I never got that particular bug and, by the age of seven, was 'into' Spurs instead (not having a clue how far away London was).
But that early introduction helped me develop a soft spot for them.
Also, in the mid-70s Ireland's coaches in Lancaster used to go to every Burnley home game so, if I had nowt better to do, I'd go and watch them a bit as well.
So I grew up 'liking' Blackpool and Burnley and, therefore (cos that's how it worked as a teenager), not really liking PNE and Rovers very much.
But I do have various mates who support all of those sides and now, them being fellow Lancastrians, I want them all to win against teams from elsewhere in the country (when they play each other my sympathies revert to those of my youth). Plus my wife's a former PNE regular so they're 'okay' now.
One amusement that PNE have afforded me over the years is, when they are going through a particularly bad time, via the post-match letters pages of the LEP.
We all have them but the scale, phraseology and utter savagery of the weekly PNE whinge-athon is an absolute joy to behold.
Is the glass half full or half empty? Mmmm? hard to say - but it does look like there's room for more beer!