I used to love football as an escape from life, but now it's as political as anything

FOOTBALL matters. I cannot tell you how many weekends have been salvaged by last-minute goals or ruined by offside flags. It is the escape valve of passion, enabling people, historically men, to express feelings of joy, despair and everything in between because the normal rules of emotional suppression have been suspended

- Jack Kessler

Football marks out the important moments in our lives. I only recall the date of my bar mitzvah party (held at Highbury, in keeping with religious doctrine) because it took place the day after Arsenal lifted the 2002 league title. It also works for events before our time. That is how I know Britain adopted decimalisation in 1971 — the year Charlie George lay down on the Wembley turf.

This is all by way of context for what I’m about to say next: football matters precisely because it isn’t real life. This can cause confusion, because it shares many of the characteristics of reality. For starters, the players aren’t actors. Their wages are accepted in all shops. But if you wanted a clue that something was amiss, surely It’s the cheering, booing and singing. This isn’t warfare, it’s panto that runs all year round.