JOY OUTSIDE THE COMFORT ZONE

Can I just shock you? I like football. Or do I? I numbly watch practically every televised match and get to as many Chester games as I can.

- Steve HILL

But as for attending neutral fixtures simply for the sake of it, almost never, the diametric opposite of a groundhopper.

While I have racked up in excess of a hundred grounds, it has been almost entirely organically. It initially began by following Chester City in the Football League, then into Non-League and eventually into oblivion, rising phoenix-like through the lower divisions as Chester FC before getting relegated again. Throw in a spate of England games and a handful of random encounters and the century comfortably came up, although I have no idea where or when that landmark was achieved.

Whereas I would concede that football is the best sport, for me it’s largely about the journey, the ritual, the faces, not to mention a cheeky pint and some kind of pastry item. Predominantly though it’s about the total and utter investment in the result, whether having your guts ripped out or going into paroxysms of ecstasy, otherwise known as giving it limbs. It’s about taking a gloriously one-eyed view of proceedings and bellowing encouragement at the lads for the full 90 minutes.