The Book of Enitharmon

I suppose I was alone again yesterday evening, hiding behind my musing, hoping and praying that the England football team lost their match last night. And feeling mightily relieved when they did. It's not that I want national teams to fail, I'm as enthusiastic as anybody in rooting for cricket and rugby teams, it's just that I can't bear all the hype surrounding the football team. And maybe I can watch Euro 2008 with some enjoyment.

Of course, there has to be a scapegoat, because we still have a primitive need for a scapegoat when things go wrong. So it's the manager's fault and the manager has to be sacked. It couldn't possibly be the players fault, could it? That a bunch of over-paid, sociopathic, vacuous louts might actually be crap?

Let's put football to one side, and celebrate things that actually matter.

Years ago I used to quite like football. Now it mostly leaves me cold. Ever since the Premiership came in, the spirit has gone out of the game. It's part pf the entertainment industry now, more to do with selling replica kit in Sichuan than with community pride.

Still, I've felt a glow of pride for Reading FC, winning what is laughably described as the 'Championship' these days. I much prefer to call it Football League Division Two! Still, it means that Reading will be playing in the the top division next year, and the sense of pride about the town is palpable. Yesterday's parade, which I didn't actually see but I did see the periphery of it, was quite an event.

Even though I''m leaving Reading soon, and feel little affection for the place, I'm happy to have been here when it happened, to enjoy this last shout of community pride in football. Next year they may have lost their soul, but this year I still get a warm glow from someting that isn't quite lost yet.

(Photo by BBC Radio Berkshire)