What’s the obsession with Football? What’s the obsession with anything? We’ve all got our hobbies and interests. For me, I love the sport and I’m massively interested in it, but the obsession part is my own team. I’m a season ticket holder, so I’m at every home game and I’ll try to get to as many away games as I can. Honestly, it’s ingrained in me. It’s my local team, a lot of it is about being connected to and identifying with the community and about civic/local pride. There’s a strong connection between the club and the city. My love of both are two sides of the same coin. I’ve been through dark times personally, and when I was at my lowest point, it saved my life. Going to matches, having that connection, sense of belonging and feeling part of something. You get to know people around you and just those interactions, just those ‘alright’ or the little conversations or comments during/about the match, it helps you feel part of a community, where your accepted.

I’m aware of the Mitchell and Webb sketch about the ‘we’ which probably seems very clever to them, but actually misses a very big point. For many supporters it IS ‘we’ or ‘us’. Because we support our teams from a young age, for life, through thick and thin. The connections and bonds are deep. Of course it’s not THE deciding factor, but the term ‘12th Man’ referring to the supporters is a factor that even managers and players acknowledge. The atmosphere, the support, encouragement, intimidation provided by the crowd can and does help. It’s not like going to the cinema or the theatre. When you’re at the match ‘audience’ participation is part of it!

As for how much it impacts on my life. I’d be lying if I said it didn’t. If it’s my club playing and we’re at home, then I’m there. If we’re away, I’m there if possible but there are going to be factors that means I can’t always (midweek evening games that I can’t get to because of work - sometimes I do take leave), or it’s going to be a ballache because of issues with trains etc, or maybe there’s a really important event.

In general terms if we’re not playing, then absolutely I’m going to watch a ton of games as a neutral - IF there’s nothing else I have on. I’m not going to be ‘oh I’m sorry, I can’t go because I want to watch Man U v Everton on Sky’.

And as for international football. I’m not bothered. I mean I am, but only as a neutral. I don’t mind if England do well, but I’m not bothered if they don’t. I’ll be watching plenty of the World Cup but there’ll be some early hours kick offs where I’m going to be ‘nah I’ve got work in the morning!’

The other thing I’d say about Football are the things it taught me, that aren’t specific to Football itself. I learnt about countries and cities. I’d be looking in the Atlas to find Milan, Munich, Barcelona etc (I remember getting really upset because I couldn’t find Sampdoria! - my Mam goes ‘they’re from Genoa’).

I learnt how to pronounce or at least guess how certain names may be pronounced simply by knowing the names of footballers and therefore learning how certain letters are pronounced in certain languages.

But also just the conversations and interactions with fans from other clubs from across the country and Europe, because 99.99999% don’t want to kick each other’s heads in.