Norf London turns red...#118
A post I so nearly didn't write
It’s 1030pm, Sunday night.
I had decided I was going to give myself this week ‘off’. Because I can. Nobody’s keeping a register. This is my gig. I only have to answer to myself…well, ok, and you, lovely readers1. But you’re generous souls and let me off every now and then…but this is history in the making.
Yes, I referred to it last week, Arsenal winning the Premiership (and being within a whisker of winning the Champions League last night but let’s not dwell).
I am what some would call a fair weather supporter. Of ‘the’ Arsenal, Birmingham City and Newcastle United. I know three teams are not allowed but these are my rules, which maybe I will explain sometime.
Regardless, as a North Londoner, I cannot let today pass by and not comment.
From the moment I boarded a train at 1000 this Sunday morning in Market Harborough after being at the quintessentially British Neville Holt Festival (check it out, 100% age appropriate my friends - we were there to see the Ibiza Symphonic and drink frozen Margaritas… ) I’ve been surrounded by a sea of red. Men, women, children, all ages, sizes, shapes, cultures, faiths all travelling and gathering for one thing. To celebrate and have fun at the Arsenal 5.5 mile parade from the Emirates around North London.
As I battled home, I realised, extensive crowd control preparations had rendered all local tubes, trains and buses diverted. Not to be outdone I took to my trusty Brompton to get me from home, in Stoke Newington, to Euston station to meet a friend for a cuppa before getting a train to another glorious friends’ 60th in Hemel Hempstead, and home again.
Buoyed by one or two too many glasses of Crémant, my 10pm cycle home from Euston just now was a trip.
I smiled with joy as I cycled past pub after pub, still partying, red flags and scarves still flying, chants of ARRRRSSSEEENALLLL still ringing. Streets full of debris. Car horns still honking. Police sirens whining. I dunno. It just feels special to me. A celebration in times that are a tad testing to say the least.
I know aspects of football are divisive. Some football supporters can feel less than generous in their celebration of difference (an irony for another time) and I appreciate at least half of North London will not be celebrating. And of course there are myriad people who don’t like or get football, or think the sport has been ruined by commercialism. All of which I understand.
But for now, I’m just noting the joy, passion and pleasure of the people gathered in Norf London today.
You
As I sip my cuppa and get ready for bed, as ever I’m interested in you. Football fan or not, what gets, or would get, you out to support and cheer?
Drop me a line, I’d love to hear from you.
And remember, sometimes you don’t feel like doing something, like me and this blog, but just do it anyway, you know you will feel better for doing so;-)
Until next week my friends,
Ruth x
ps please excuse any typos…1030pm is not the best time to write ;-)
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Sounds like a fab weekend! And I agree with your post on LI, 9/10 you never regret the things you do! So much of life is literally just showing up.
Didn't realise you had packed so much into your Sunday! Feel even more honoured you made it to HH. Glad you had the Brompton to do the last part of your journey home. As far as I can tell your post was a day early! Football supporting is a new skill I am trying to adjust to - time will tell but I can imagine it was a worthwhile sight on a Sunday night.