Trying2beVegan

I have recently made a return to playing football as an adult in an 11 aside league on a Saturday for a local team to me. I joined to get fit, socialize and enjoy playing a team sport with like minded people. It seems a lot of other people join these teams as a sort of free reign to have a scrap at any opportunity. I play goal keeper myself so rarely find myself in close contact with opposition members of teams for prolonged periods of time. Anyway the reason I happened to find myself in between two parties fighting each other were due to some agro between a player on my team and an opposition player. Supposedly there had been prior wind up talk goading as they say between the two parties throughout the game. It was a close game with us playing at home and I think at that point leading by 1 or 2 goals. ( I rarely remember the scores – possibly a good thing as I’m not the worlds greatest keeper hence why I play local league football….). So tension had built between the players throughout the game not helped I doubt by the overcast stormy and ominous weather that lurks menacingly above nearly every English football field. The setting for the gladiatorial battles that take place on Saturday afternoons on rubber chipped and plastic grass pitches. (Gone are the days of sand and sandals).

The Referee was distracted at the time by a foul committed by another of the opposition when the offending opponent chose his opportune moment to try and start trouble with my teammate. He started to push my teammate and screamed offensive obscenities (Words Im sure would get you fired in the work place) in his direction. As the opponent went to follow my player who walked sensibly away I Bear hugged the player as to stop his advance. ( In hindsight possibly not the smartest move) but alas it worked and stopped him approaching my player until the referee was aware that a situation, a drama was on his hands, one which most referees I find are not equipped with the persona or skills to deal with (I mean they are refereeing local league so I can forgive these shortcomings)

Luckily the situation quickly resolved itself with both teams nearly lining up for an 11 aside brawl this was narrowly avoided on the bleak and windy Saturday afternoon. I hold out hope for the day when I play a football game in my local area that doesn’t come close to a punch up at some point in the 90 mins but I guess its true what they say? ‘ Boys will be Boys’…