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The Love I lost
Written by Mr_Brightside on Monday, 11th Aug 2014 16:19

Picture a 9 year old lad stood in the old South Stand tunnel alongside 11 men, three times his height, who I'd looked at from behind the dug outs in the West for the previous few years. In full Blackpool kit and with my stomach full of butterflies, the hand of Tony Rodwell reached down and grabbed mine and he gave me a wry smile and said 'fancy playing for us today nipper' (funny how words can stick in the mind!). I ran out on to the Bloomfield Roaf pitch to the sound of 'Come on you mighty Seasiders'' blaring through the speaker and my love for Blackpool FC was cemented that day as I revelled in my birthday present of becoming the club's mascot.

Fast forward 22 years and at the age of 31 I wish I could get that passion back. My heroes are now anonymous faces, my butterflies have been replaced with a knotted stomach filled with rage and rather than look forward to matchdays I now shy away from them. Having experienced 4 trips to Wembley and 4 to the Mill Stad plus having done a 41 game season in the Prem years, it's fair to say Blackpool FC has brought me a lot of the highs in my life (as well as some crushing lows). The start of each season over the last quarter of a decade has been greeted with the same anticipation and excitement that I've had my whole life ... apart from this one.

On Saturday I spent the day doing the garden, walking the dog, nipping to the shops and painting the kitchen ceiling. At 2-0 down I even switched the radio off and would have been oblivious to the result had it not been for the texts from fellow Blackpool fans bemoaning our crisis club. Is that it then? Have I lost the love of my life? Will I ever get back those feelings I had stood in the tunnel of the old South Stand? I hope so but at the moment those days seem a long time ago and I fear they will be a long time coming.

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OldSkool added 16:43 - Aug 11 Very Good
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beagle added 16:45 - Aug 11 I think you will get it back, when the oyston's have gone. Well that is what I am hoping.
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voyeur added 11:12 - Aug 15 Just be grateful you are only 31. Some of us put up with all this nonsense for years before anything good (Latvian inspired) happened. :-)
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PeteGriffin added 00:18 - Aug 18 Just come on the forum and love this blog. At Forest away I had no passion, love, heart to sing, it had totally gone. Nearly 50 years a Pool fan and I am now totally devoid of feelings for Pool. Hopefully it will return, but like this blogger, I too fear it will be a long time coming. Beagle I do think it will take that for mine to return. UTP
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Blogs by Mr_Brightside

The Love I lost

Blogs 31 bloggers

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Knees-up Mother Brown #22 by wessex_exile

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