Quote: violetrwb "This is a really interesting read. It can't have always been like that on the money front can it? It's perfectly possible to go to a game and not drink (I very rarely do) or spend on ancillary items. If you're spending that much and not actually watching the game then you don't have the same outlook on the game as most of us I'd imagine. I primarily go to watch the game because I like watching rugby league - surely this must have been the same for you, otherwise why go in the first place and how would you develop a love of the club to the extent where you wrote a fanzine.
I think it's a shame you're not attending, why not come along and enjoy the sport, and the atmosphere and leave the betting and the boozing alone. You might just discover why you fell in love with Trinity again.'"
I sound like a gambling alcoholic !! Maybe I am !!
Home games - Id go to the game with a group of friends. We would either meet at Weatherspoons at 12pm and start there before moving on to the game. It latterly moved to meeting in a pub in Normy at a similar time and again making our way to the game from there. The friends were brilliant, some amazing times. We'd go to the Con Club before and after the game to either celebrate the win or drown our sorrows. Drinking in the ground wasnt always a norm though. The beer was watered down garbage in all fairness (dont know if still is) but one person goes to the bar, normally the rest will follow. Plus when youve had a good drink, your more than likely going to continue than having a break for a couple of hours. All my money didnt just go on beer within the ground though, Id buy a programme, a fanzine (one of the others), a golden gamble, Id chuck money into the collections, I just did my bit to help the club as at the time it was my club. Id stand as passionate as anyone in the famous corner of the ground and watch the whole game and support the team till the end. It was only after the "meeting" and when I lost a little faith that I lost the will to stand in the corner. Id watch from there and think, god this is boring. In the John Kear 5 Drives And A Kick era it was terrible. Dont get me wrong, he saved the club and will never be forgotten for that but eventually his mentality and direction on the pitch lead us to playing a game that as poor as it could be. I began to watch from behind the sticks in the bar there, and slowly began to watch the game as the crowd got a little louder and you knew something was happening. I moved upto Cats bar, the beer got no better and neither did the performances on the pitch. Again, Id catch up with whoever I saw in there as I probably knew most, Id watch the game a little and still think it was boring. We'd score, instead of cheering it was a simple "oh good". It just became intolerable really. I stopped going eventually, my mate would text me at half time "should be glad you didnt come, its **** !"
Away games - Similar, started in a boozer and jump in a minibus to where ever. If we got there on time, we'd hit a pub near the ground, if we were struggling we'd go straight to the game. Friday away games became expensive, half days holiday at work just to be able to set off on time etc, plus entrance & minibus fee, it wasnt cheap. The performances were probably a little better to be honest, the strong contigent of away fans were always good fun to be around. When we won in some of the bigger grounds, hairs would stand on your neck, youd be closer to tears. Wigan away & that Solomona try was a prime example of that. Id been to every away ground in SL including France over the years but ultimately I just lost the faith.
I still enjoy the sport, I still watch and listen to the games but I know I dont have the same desire I once had. I'll be open and say Ive attending more Leeds Rhinos games than Wakefield in the past three years. I hate Leeds, but I got the odd freebie over the years so Id stand with the away fans, Wigan, Warrington, Salford etc... I took my daughter to Leeds vs Salford a few weeks back (freebie), she is 5. On the way she was like "we are going to watch the LEEDS RHINOS daddy", "Yes darling, but were not Leeds, were Wakefield". She looked at me puzzled !! It was dire, she got bored faster than me, we left after 40 minutes as the idea of a Macdonalds Happy Meal was more appetizing to her than watching the 2nd half, I didnt disagree either.