My World

As I've mentioned before, I work for a company based in Birmingham - and as a result often have to go into the office for all those hum drum work-type things (meetings, and filing my expenses claims mostly) so I've got used to hearing cries of derision from Villa and Birmingham City fans at me wandering around the office with my brew in a Newcastle United mug.

However, we've recently had a new addition to those who speak the universal language of football; a Liverpool fan. He's not actually a Scouser (apparently born in Cumbria which has (obviously) included him in Liverpool's catchment area) but he's obviously as daft as the rest of us. He was at Athens (the Champs League one that they lost) and regularly travels the 200+ miles round trip for home games... and makes it into work on time the next morning (which suggests he's not a big drinker). Anyway the point of this background is that he's had the sort of week that's been a shock to him, but commonplace to me. A 'welcome to my world' moment.

For him last Saturday must have been the lowest of the low. Getting scuttled out of the FA Cup by Barnsley won't have been a lot of fun for them (although half of Merseyside and all of Manchester found it hilarious) but then beating Inter Milan must have been so sweet. From the depths of despair to joy unbridled within the space of 72 hours... Its why we watch sport isn't it? Well, maybe not for the likes of Liverpool, Chelsea and Manure fans... Are the highs as high if you get them all the time? I guess not.

So, if Newcastle follow the Liverpool model, then after the humiliation at Villa we should be odds on to win on Saturday... Its only Manure after all. Only a month ago they put six past us at their place, so all those odd omens are in place. Or maybe not. I can dream that Paul "I always score against Newcastle" Scholes is going to announce his retirement just before the game - but its as likely as Roy Keane's dog being taken for a walk by Alan Shearer. As for the game - its on telly, so I'll be hiding behind the cushion hoping that the Toon play like they mean it and win. But I'll not be putting any money on it.