THE JOY OF GOING AWAY
Late Tackle Football Magazine|November - December 2024
ON THE radio Gabrielle sings about dreams.
THE JOY OF GOING AWAY

Fluffy tassels protrude from the car window's top edge, trapped rigid. The rest of my scarf quivers outside, a red and white ensign lofted by the motorway headwind.

One mishap with our new-fangled electric windows and it will skedaddle through the air and lay to rest in some South Yorkshire farmer's field.

"I can't stand this song," says my Dad as he blindly jabs the 'MW' button. Quickly we are hearing pre-match tidings of Sheffield Wednesday's trip to Anfield and Oldham's hosting of Ipswich.

Radio Five is more our thing, the rhythms and crescendos of its Saturday coverage our muchloved album. Medium Wave 909 and 693; there were so many numbers then and all of them still offer comfort when recalled Ceefax 302, Teletext 140, Middlesbrough ClubCall 0898 12 11 81...

Scarves hover from other cars on the M1, some we pass and some that pass by. Many are red and white, Boro like us or the Sunderland-minded bound for Derby. Encountering blues or maroons, we try to guess the team; "Black and amber. Where are Hull today?" During term time, through all torturous school days, I think in these colours - someone has a red and blue striped pencil case and I picture Selhurst Park on the telly, then a teacher's quartered blouse summons Bristol Rovers.

It is an obsession that makes real-life supporters queuing at the Burger King concession in Woodall Services seem impossibly exotic.

We reach Nottingham and I'm still thinking what a shame it is that neither of this city's teams play in the green home colours of Robin Hood.

Outside Meadow Lane, Dad buys me a programme, just like he does at Ayresome Park, and we are seduced by the vapours of a burger van, which happens there too. We perch on a wall to eat and watch people trickling towards the ground. Most wear black and white with the occasional yellow flicker.

This story is from the November - December 2024 edition of Late Tackle Football Magazine.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the November - December 2024 edition of Late Tackle Football Magazine.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM LATE TACKLE FOOTBALL MAGAZINEView All
ISLANDS OF OPPORTUNITY
Late Tackle Football Magazine

ISLANDS OF OPPORTUNITY

SAM TODD REPORTS ON A NEW DESIGNED TO GIVE FOUR WOMEN'S TEAMS VITAL COMPETITIVE MATCH ACTION...

time-read
4 mins  |
November - December 2024
THE JOY OF GOING AWAY
Late Tackle Football Magazine

THE JOY OF GOING AWAY

ON THE radio Gabrielle sings about dreams.

time-read
6 mins  |
November - December 2024
FORGOTTEN FOOTBALL NATIONS
Late Tackle Football Magazine

FORGOTTEN FOOTBALL NATIONS

THE world has always been changing, with conflicts arising throughout history.

time-read
6 mins  |
November - December 2024
DREAM, BELIEVE, ACHIEVE
Late Tackle Football Magazine

DREAM, BELIEVE, ACHIEVE

THE INSPIRATION A PAN-DISABILITY FOOTBALL CLUB MAKING BIG STRIDES IN THEIR COMMUNITY

time-read
4 mins  |
November - December 2024
FLYING WITH THE BEES
Late Tackle Football Magazine

FLYING WITH THE BEES

DAVID OHL REFLECTS ON BEING A LIFELONG BRENTFORD FAN - AND THE CHANGES HE S SEEN OVER MORE THAN 60 YEARS...

time-read
5 mins  |
November - December 2024
A GROUNDHOPPER'S GUIDE TO GOOD GRUB
Late Tackle Football Magazine

A GROUNDHOPPER'S GUIDE TO GOOD GRUB

TREVOR HEFT ON AN IMPORTANT AND TASTY PART OF THE MATCHDAY RITUAL...

time-read
4 mins  |
November - December 2024
JAPHET'S JOURNEY
Late Tackle Football Magazine

JAPHET'S JOURNEY

BARNABY ROSTANT TAKES A LOOK AT DEFENDER JAPHET TANGANGA'S HIGHS AND LOWS...

time-read
3 mins  |
November - December 2024
FAMOUS OWNERS IN THE SPOTLIGHT
Late Tackle Football Magazine

FAMOUS OWNERS IN THE SPOTLIGHT

SAM SHEPPEY LOOKS AT THE BIG NAMES WHO HAVE BEEN TEMPTED TO INVEST IN ENGLISH FOOTBALL...

time-read
3 mins  |
November - December 2024
GOALKEEPERS ARE A LITTLE NUTS
Late Tackle Football Magazine

GOALKEEPERS ARE A LITTLE NUTS

JONNY BRICK LISTENS IN AS WATFORD FAN PODCASTS TRY TO MAKE SENSE OF WHERE THE CLUB THEY LOVE FINDS ITSELF...

time-read
4 mins  |
November - December 2024
VOICES OF THE VIC
Late Tackle Football Magazine

VOICES OF THE VIC

JONNY BRICK LISTENS IN AS WATFORD FAN PODCASTS TRY TO MAKE SENSE OF WHERE THE CLUB THEY LOVE FINDS ITSELF...

time-read
5 mins  |
November - December 2024