….the most stupid thing I’ve decided to do continues……

So last night I missed what is traditionally one of my favourite games of the season. The first home match. I’ve been lucky that over the last few years the team I follow has been extraordinarily successful, so first game thoughts of the season aren’t filled with what 90% of supporters are usually bothered about.

Will this be our season?…….Can we avoid the drop?……..and increasingly …..Will we go bust this year?

No, being a Manchester United fan has under the direction of the GREATEST FOOTBALL MANAGER OF ALL TIME™ Sir Alex Ferguson been a most pleasurable experience for the past 20 years. During the summer the talk has been of how many trophies, not can we win one. Not for us the trawl for players that are available/out of contract/at the end of their shelf life. It seems with one or two notable exceptions TGFMOAT™ has picked out his targets, gone and got them and blended them into the team.

Wheel keeps on turning, United keep on winning. First home game of the season for me has always been one I’ve looked forward to. Warm later summer afternoons, that feeling you shouldn’t be back at the Stadium yet, sun/booze blushed faces and shirt sleeves, and for the first time in action – seeing the new kit. On the players that is, not stretched against the pot belly of a forty year old man who really should realise with his propensity to sweat and not shower daily leaves the idea he can wear polyester preposterous. I’ve not got a problem if you are buying sportswear if you are going to do sport. If you are buying sportswear in XXXL then that’s bit wrong. Dressing up as your heroes is for kids. Not middle aged men and women. It’d be like going to see Batman with your own cape.

Last night, because of this ridiculously stupid idea I’ve had I did’t get that. What I got instead was a middle aged man dressing up in different outfits and doing a one man musical based on the board game Monopoly. That’s still not as weird as Barry a welder from Eccles squeezing his hairy lump of a torso into a shirt designed for the lithe and toned body of Chicarito. Chicarito – the Little Pea. Not Barry whose idea of sophistication is a little peas with his fish and chips on the way to the match.

The show was MONOPOLISE! – a one man murder mystery musical performed, written,produced and directed by one for the nicest friends I have. Alfie Joey. I have to say – it was bizarre. I don’t know how to describe it, comedy – yes. Musical theatre – yes. Cabaret as well in many ways. Loads of fun and performed with dedication and aplomb. I think he might be onto something with it. It’s early days – anyhow you can tweet him by clicking his name.

I believe – in fact I know United won, I didn’t seek the result out, it found me. Via Twitter, text and facebook. People seem to be enjoying telling me the score. Though to be fair I tip my hat to this particular tweet from my mate Euan McMorrow

 

and then this one from @paulrskendal