Day 112. Partisans/Bucks (22/4/19)

And the Easter bank holiday weekend passes on its way. The sun vanished somewhere early afternoon, kind of saying "it's okay, you can go back to work now, I'm done for a while".

I'd been working all morning anyway. Made the choice that I'd crack on with the stuff that I wanted to crack on with.

So the morning was spent indoors.

The afternoon though?

Went the match.

Me and J went the match together. This, as you may be aware, very rarely happens. Her being blue, me being red and all that.

Today we went to a game together and genuinely supported the same side.

We've been back in Bootle for twenty-five years now, having left Leeds in summer 94. We have spent quarter of a century living five minutes from Bootle FC's ground but never been there together, despite the fact that for a couple of years one of our neighbours was the manager of 'The Bucks'.

I've been there a couple of times on my own. To watch either Bootle or City of Liverpool FC, as nobody on earth calls them. (The Purps currently housed at Bootle's ground). They're 'The Purps' due to the colour of their kit. It blends the red of Liverpool and the blue of Everton, the idea being that they're neutral and both can support.

I can, however, attest to the fact that there are Evertonians who won't back them because they've chosen to have 'the L word' in their name.

I almost thought I might commit to them in a casual manner for a while. I've got a fair few mates who follow them and it always looks a good day out. It's a game of football where you can have a pint while watching your team. In the way that supporters of other sports are able to.

The irony being that when Liverpool hold rugby games (which they shouldn't, it's blasphemy) I'm able, if I so choose, to have a pint while watching THAT game, in the same seat that I can't if I'm watching a real game, one that involves finesses and skill.

That last sentence is going to upset people. So is the next.

We went today and we supported Bootle. My CoL supporting 'partisan' friends may not be happy with that one but the argument goes like this:

We're both from Bootle. Both born in Bootle. J grew up here, I was transplanted to Fazakerley for a while but genuinely haven't actually lived in Liverpool for thirty years now. That half a mile makes a real difference. I've lived here, in this district, this postcode, this house, longer than I've lived anywhere else in my entire life. I am from Bootle.

So I'm supporting my hometown team. We both are. Which is as pure an attitude to the beautiful game as you're ever going to get.

So, we went today and supported the same team. In a derby.

Genuinely a derby game.

Bootle FC vs City Of Liverpool FC. The Dodge derby.

Those living here can explain to you the 'dodge' reference, I'm going to leave it as mystery, it's more fun that way.

And it seems we made the right choice.

Bootle 1. The Purps 0. None. Nil.

A tight game, deservedly won by OUR team, the team we've embraced today. A big game, a record crowd for Bootle of 1200 people. An excellent afternoon watching an entertaining game of football not populated by millionaires. Won by a single goal scored in the seventh minute.

Which I missed because I was in the bar getting a pint.

All part of the appeal