Wednesday 15th April 2026, 8.20pm (day 5,347)
Half-time, time for refreshments for players and fans alike. The match we are watching is to have a great last five minutes, but all that is in the future at this point.
Tea bar at Thackley
Being 42
Life, one day at a time
Tag Archives: spectators
Play-off semi-final
Saturday 11th April 2026, 4.35pm (day 5,343)
Some leagues get themselves wrapped up early, like the Northern Counties East League, which has already reached its play-offs. These are fans of Beverley Town, the home team. There are about 10 minutes to go on the clock at this point (though what they don’t yet know is that the ref is going to keep things going for about 20) and the 1-0 lead is going to be retained, don’t worry folks — although if you ask me most of them are looking at their phones at this point.
Where’s the puck gone?
Friday 6th March 2026, 9.40pm (day 5,307)
Never let it be said that I am closed to new experiences, particularly not when they are suggested by the wife, so behold — my first ever ice hockey game. Manchester Storm, in the dark kit, beat Dundee Stars 5-1.
I chose this shot because it illustrates one basic characteristic of the sport, at least from my perspective as a rookie spectator. For a significant slice of the playing time I wasn’t completely sure where the puck was, partly because the sightlines from our seats meant one whole side of the rink was obscured and partly because it just zips around without much pattern or relationship to how the players are moving. I acknowledge the skill, balance and athleticism of the players but based on my having seen some games on TV in the past (particularly in Toronto, where it’s kind of unavoidable) I have previously described ice hockey as ‘like watching a bunch of wasps buzz around in a bottle’. My first experience of watching it live has not changed that opinion.
Watching the ball
Sunday 1st March 2026, 12 noon (day 5,302)
One could speculate as to just what it is that drives these two guys out on a Sunday morning to spend 90 minutes watching unimportant sporting events but, of course, these days I am just like them. In the background, Wainhouse Tower, apparently the world’s tallest folly, makes its fourth appearance on the blog, allowing this shot to be pinpointed to Halifax. No one was coping all that well with a strong wind, which is why this latest cross has gone over harmlessly and miles off target.
Arriving at the Etihad
Wednesday 7th January 2026, 6.35pm (day 5,249)
Another picture of fans arriving at a football stadium, but unlike Sunday, at least we saw a game today. Manchester City v Brighton was my first Premier League game since April 2022 and only the second in the last six years. Habits have changed…. but I suppose I still feel a certain sense of allegiance. And no, not to Manchester City. It was nice to see some old mates in the away end tonight, £30 for a ticket was an acceptable price and a 1-1 draw was a reasonable result. I pick this shot because of its Blade Runner-like qualities, as much as anything. Let’s turn on all those lights…. and worry about the electricity bills later, shall we?
People on a pointless pilgrimage
Sunday 4th January 2026, 2.20pm (day 5,246)
Hull City fans approach their club’s ground for this afternoon’s quite important match against Watford. Both teams are in the play-off zone in the Championship. But what they don’t know yet (and nor, then, did I as I took the picture) that all this anticipation is to be made pointless in about twenty-five minutes’ time. At that point, fifteen minutes before kick-off, the game was postponed, because though the pitch was in great condition, ground staff hadn’t bothered to de-ice the touchlines or the technical areas so the managers and linesmen said, er, hang on — we can’t do our work on an ice rink. I took pictures of that too, and looking at them, they’re probably justified. But all it would have taken was some salt applied at about 1.30. Instead, all these people just had to turn around and go home, including all the poor buggers who had trekked up from Watford on a Sunday and spent god knows how much to do so (and I’m down £35 on the train fare).
The thing is all this happened to me (and, in this case, Clare) yesterday too, at Altrincham. For the same reasons. As I was, almost certainly, the world’s only person to have been at both of these games you understand that I’m somewhat prickly right now.
Scottish League Two
Saturday 27th December 2025, 3.30pm (day 5,238)
I wasn’t trekking all the way to Scotland without adding one more to my life list of football grounds, and as there’s not much else to the town of Forfar (though it seemed a perfectly decent place), Station Park, home of Forfar Athletic FC, can get the nod for today’s shot. At this point I think it’s 1-1; the final score was 4-2 to the hosts, over Elgin City, with Scott Shepherd of Forfar scoring all four of their goals and thereby winning the game more or less on his own. These things keep me going…
Hough Top, Leeds
Sunday 31st August 2025, 11.50am (day 5,120)
Going on somewhere between me and these two was a Sunday morning football match — the guy on the left started out as the goalkeeper but after about 15 minutes, having conceded two, he decided his shoulder wasn’t up to it so pulled out. First game of the season, too. At least his girlfriend was in attendance: which might have influenced the assessment of the injury’s seriousness. Behind them both — a bit of Leeds. August finally comes to an end; it seems a long time since I was in Orkney.
Busting the photographer
Saturday 5th July 2025, 3.40pm (day 5,063)
I was taking a shot of the dog, when the guy turned around as well to finish it off. Yes, the 2025-26 football season — at least, some its ‘pre-season friendly stage’ — is up and running…
Pre-match atmosphere
Wednesday 14th May 2025, 7.45pm (day 5,011)
Two minutes to go before kick-off and someone, somewhere lets off a flare to add to the atmosphere. The two guys in the centre look pretty tense about it all. And considering their team are about to concede three soft goals in the first 12 minutes of the game that is to come, they were justified — not that they knew that at this point. Final score, Oldham Athletic 4, Halifax Town 0. This lot all go home now and wait for next season.
Being 42 