Why I Hate Pre Season
Posted by Nik Myles on Saturday, July 18, 2009
All through the summer, you are confident you won't be going to any PSF's this season. After all, you went last year, and they were rubbish. You went the year before, and they were rubbish then too. And the season before that. So why on earth would this crop be any different?
I guess there is an argument for going to home games, if only to see bigger and supposedly better players sharing the pitch with the usual suspects. But those bigger and supposedly better players care no more about the game than the usual suspects, and even less, if it were possible, than the foolish spectators who have paid their way in. If and when the goals come, the celebrations are rightfully muted. And once the substitutions start, we might as well all go home.
Don't get me wrong, I understand the point of them. I appreciate the need for the from the playing side. But seriously, they are not legitimate contests in any way, and that clubs have the temerity to charge for them is laughable. But no more laughable than the fact that we are willing to cough up. As fund raisers go, the lure of having Retford United come to visit can't be that great, so whilst any money through the gate is appreciated, it's not going to pay anyone's wages.
So then, why do I go? And to Gainsborough Trinity at that?! For those who have never been, it is a horrible place. Lovely to get to, don't get me wrong. But ugly, neglected and full of the very worst dregs of humanity. Topless teenage lads with soverign rings and tracksuit trousers. Gold-hoop earing-ed girls, pushing prams past Bargain Booze. Wrinkly faced ex-miners with fading tattoos on their fingers, smoking roll-ups between profanities. Hardly a trip to rival the exploits of FCUM.
It wouldn't be so bad if the ensuing game had been any cop, but after the first fifteen minutes, Retford never really had look in. Whether this was due to Trinity being any good, or Retford being really rather poor, well, I wouldn't like to say. What I do know is that the midfield lacked bite and physical presence, the front line got very little protection from the officials, and the defense appeared to be waiting on the management to introduce them to each other.
Still, it's pre-season, so fitness aside, it doesn't actually matter. Does it?
I guess there is an argument for going to home games, if only to see bigger and supposedly better players sharing the pitch with the usual suspects. But those bigger and supposedly better players care no more about the game than the usual suspects, and even less, if it were possible, than the foolish spectators who have paid their way in. If and when the goals come, the celebrations are rightfully muted. And once the substitutions start, we might as well all go home.
Don't get me wrong, I understand the point of them. I appreciate the need for the from the playing side. But seriously, they are not legitimate contests in any way, and that clubs have the temerity to charge for them is laughable. But no more laughable than the fact that we are willing to cough up. As fund raisers go, the lure of having Retford United come to visit can't be that great, so whilst any money through the gate is appreciated, it's not going to pay anyone's wages.
So then, why do I go? And to Gainsborough Trinity at that?! For those who have never been, it is a horrible place. Lovely to get to, don't get me wrong. But ugly, neglected and full of the very worst dregs of humanity. Topless teenage lads with soverign rings and tracksuit trousers. Gold-hoop earing-ed girls, pushing prams past Bargain Booze. Wrinkly faced ex-miners with fading tattoos on their fingers, smoking roll-ups between profanities. Hardly a trip to rival the exploits of FCUM.
It wouldn't be so bad if the ensuing game had been any cop, but after the first fifteen minutes, Retford never really had look in. Whether this was due to Trinity being any good, or Retford being really rather poor, well, I wouldn't like to say. What I do know is that the midfield lacked bite and physical presence, the front line got very little protection from the officials, and the defense appeared to be waiting on the management to introduce them to each other.
Still, it's pre-season, so fitness aside, it doesn't actually matter. Does it?
Tags: psf
