As I was saying .....

As members of my family, among others, have pointed out more than several times, my posting has gone into abeyance.  The reasons have been various.  Partly it was resistance to being programmed to post.  But only partly.  It was also something to do with the difficulty of summoning up enough bile when West Ham were doing (relatively) well.  The usual football supporter's superstition that one's own actions can effect the results (except for improving them, obviously).  However, when the Ides of March came and went with West Ham (predictably) throwing away automatic promotion, I had more than enough material to get back into the groove.  But still not enough impetus.  Then there was the added focus of my impending retirement.  In my usual fashion, I denied that this could possibly construed as a big deal.  This was, of course despite (because of?) everybody asking me how I felt about it, what plans did I have and so on.  

But of course, it is a big deal and now it's (almost) done - I'm still on the payroll until the end of July but my successor is in post and I have leave to spend my time gardening, walking dogs, irritating the Controller and anything else I'm good at (but none at the scale of irritating the Controller).

So it's time to resume blogging as a chap needs an occupation.

So where are we?  Wem-ber-ley, that's where, and the season ticket family (distinguished from the non-season ticket family by obsessiveness off the scale) is all going.

And I certainly wished to be playing Blackpool rather than Birmingham.  Putting aside the sage advice to be careful what you wish for, The Pornographers have a lousy record against their former side (even though they rarely play), whereas we beat Blackpool 8-1 on aggregate in the league.  Which means zilch except as a comfort blanket.

It could even be Julien Faubert's last game for us as his contract ends.  Perhaps he could manage a Tommy Repka style fuck-up in his last appearance?  Whatever, the possibility of his appearance is a suitable antidote to over-confidence, but, what the hell, I THINK WE'RE GOING TO WIN.

Retirement surely does funny things to one's mental state....