They often go unnoticed, existing simply to get you from A to B, but coach drivers are privy to all sorts of behind-the-scenes information.
In this business they are the crème de la crème, sitting haughtily behind the wheel. Rarely, if ever, acknowledging the presence on the highway of a fellow coach driver. But there is no bitterness from us – only admiration. It takes years of sacrifice to reach the pinnacle: the early starts and late finishes, the irreversible damage to family life, the forelock tugging. Then one day, after decades of loyal service, they were rewarded by being made the coach driver of a professional football team.
Right across the leagues these elite wheelmen hold themselves apart. Wherever they turn up, be it Crewe or Ipswich, what they are saying is they are best driver in their home town. Even if the football team I am carrying is crap, I am number one, so kindly get out of my way.
Last year, on my first day as a coach driver in the provincial English town I’d just moved to, I was thrilled to see the local football team’s coach parked in the yard. But any hope that I’d be driving “the lads” (and possibly some I’d even heard of) was dashed with the kindly smile that I have since learned is reserved for overeager newbies.
But that did not mean that I wasn’t to be entrusted with driving the coach at other times. This local team are rooted firmly in the lower divisions and therefore cannot afford to own a coach. Instead they rent one for away matches. On weekdays and out of season the vehicle earns its keep ferrying schoolchildren and during the school holidays is used for day trips open to everyone but mostly undertaken by pensioners.
Denne historien er fra August 2017-utgaven av When Saturday Comes.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Denne historien er fra August 2017-utgaven av When Saturday Comes.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Pirate Transmission
Broadcasters around the world are paying huge sums to screen football, but they will not be willing to invest if they cannot be protected.
Scandi Drama
Years before it was screened live in the UK, England’s Football League was building a cult following abroad thanks to a visionary broadcaster.
Pot Of Gold
A rare meeting between two local rivals brought FA Cup fever – and a useful financial boost – to one corner of Hertfordshire
Digital Divide
From earnest post-match punditry to being used in actual players’ matchday preparations, the virtual game is becoming increasingly blurred with reality.
Haringey Ladder
The decision to walk off in the face of abuse has shone a national spotlight on a community club with a progressive approach
Bournemouth 0 Norwich City 0
Dean Court may have received a Premier League facelift but against today’s visitors the home team fail to live up to their status, although the low-quality draw they play out is still somehow reassuring.
Room With A View
Hampden Park
Not In The Script
ARSENAL FILM
Out Of Place...
After another unsuccessful qualifying attempt Martin O’Neill is under pressure, while a poor Republic of Ireland squad is only getting weaker
Uncomfortable Truth
At the end of April Sheffield United surprised many people by re-signing Ched Evans, who, following a retrial, has now been found not guilty of the rape charge for which he spent two-and-a-half years in prison.
