I am already nervous. I did not think football had a major impact on my life but I am already worrying about the points we need to get tonight and our fight for Championship survival.
Sarah will tell me ‘it’s only a game’. Of course, in the wider scheme of things it is. If I compare the game of football with world poverty there is very obviously no comparison.
Richard wrote something on football a little while ago and it has been niggling me since. There is something about football that is incredibly infectious and emotive. I have been watching the Gills now for nearly 10 years since I returned from Bristol. I have seen normally quiet people become very loud and emotional during ‘the wonderful game’.
The thing I find odd is that I do not notice this in any other spectator sports. My experience here is not extensive, but football does seem to have a bit of a monopoly on crowds full of mixed emotion and I find myself asking why and wondering how this happened?
There is ‘something’ about ‘my team’ ‘our boys’ with comments like ‘we must win’, ‘we can’t lose to them’ and ‘we played well’. It is as if we are all playing the game with the 11 players on the pitch – flipping ‘eck sometimes I have even felt my leg try to kick the ball!!!! How weird is that?
I wonder if this is all about belonging? Is this nothing more that a base tribal instinct that is aroused within us when we all get together to ‘fight it out’ on the pitch. Two tribes fighting for victory? Or is it something else? Could it be an indication of the hunger of people in the UK? Are we replacing our worship of God with worship of our team?
I have no answers, only lots of questions!
It is only a game … although tonight is quite an important game where we need some points. I hope Gillingham has more pray-ers than Stoke tonight!!
Final thought? Does God enjoy football? If he does, I wonder who he supports?!!!
The Shiny Headed Prophet 
I’d like to say God supports Watford, but he’s probably a neutral who enjoys a good game regardless of who’s playing – I’m sure he’s a purist at heart.You ask some questions which I’ve been pondering for a long while too – I feel a blog coming on. . .
I’d like to say God supports Watford, but he’s probably a neutral who enjoys a good game regardless of who’s playing – I’m sure he’s a purist at heart.You ask some questions which I’ve been pondering for a long while too – I feel a blog coming on. . .
I’d like to say God supports Watford, but he’s probably a neutral who enjoys a good game regardless of who’s playing – I’m sure he’s a purist at heart.You ask some questions which I’ve been pondering for a long while too – I feel a blog coming on. . .
Our football, which art in Gillingham, hallowed be thy game 🙂 Not being a football fan, I do have to say that the emotions you describe come close to how I felt during the final of the Olympic mixed pairs badminton (GB v. China). I don’t even *play* badminton! Perhaps there’s a parable somewhere about our desire to see good triumph over evil… and how most of us tend to spectate more enthusiastically than we take part. We’d possibly rather leave Christianity to the experts.
BarrieIs that there 3 times cos you think in a trinity sort of way it may come true? I’m sure it clearly indicates that you know, deep down, that God can’t possibly support Watford!HelenI like your comments on spectating rather than partaking. I think you have hit on something there that we don’t like to acknowledge, but is probably quite painfully close to the truth.