One of the most entertaining pieces of non-fiction I've read in the last few
weeks was 'Pointless' by Stephen Connor. It's an account of a season spent
with East Stirlingshire, Scotland's, and Britain's, worst senior level
football club, bottom of the Scottish league now, and last season, and the
season before, and ... (etc)
Based somewhere behind a shopping centre car-park in Falkirk, East Stirling,
or the 'Shire' (affectionately known as the 'Shite' by opposing and often
home supporters, dream in vain of finishing second-to-last in the league.
Their players are on a wage of 10 pounds a week and the manager works
without pay (that was why he got the job). Their average home support barely
scrapes 200 and they have also become something of a minor international
cult, with fan clubs in such outlandish places as Bulgaria and, um,
Coventry. They rely on the local prison to supply support ground staff on
day-release.
The beautiful thing is that you end the book being rather fond of them: such
persistence in the face of no hope whatsoever borders on the heroic.
Underdogs par excellence.
Alex Ferguson was once their manager (for a couple of months at the very
start of his career). Among their many problems is that visiting supporters
often go to the wrong grounds (such as Falkirk's, which is in Grangemouth
nowadays not Falkirk, or Stirling Albion, on the assumption that East
Stirling play in Stirling)
Best
Dave
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jill Jones" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Saturday, November 19, 2005 6:51 AM
Subject: Re: snap - jones
> On Saturday, November 19, 2005, at 05:44 PM, Douglas Clark wrote:
>
> > The Scots on one of the Glasgow football newsgroups were saying they
> > would be supporting Australia being the underdogs now that Scotland
> > are out.
> >
>
> Hi Douglas,
>
> My Scots granny would be pleased.
>
> I'd say we were definitely the underdogs. Let's hope we get past the
> first round next year. With the Scots barracking for us I'm sure we've
> got a fighting chance (as well as having that Dutch bloke as a coach).
>
> Best,
> Jill
>
> _______________________________________________________
> Jill Jones
>
> Latest books:
> Broken/Open. Available from Salt Publishing
> http://www.saltpublishing.com/books/smp/1844710416.htm
>
> Where the Sea Burns. Wagtail Series. Picaro Press
> PO Box 853, Warners Bay, NSW, 2282. [log in to unmask]
>
> Struggle and radiance: ten commentaries (Wild Honey Press)
> http://www.wildhoneypress.com
>
> web site: http://homepages.ihug.com.au/~jpjones
> blog1: Ruby Street http://rubystreet.blogspot.com/
> blog2: Latitudes http://itudes.blogspot.com/
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