So, I’m sat in a bar waiting for the England game. Very subdued atmosphere. Then again, I am in Scotland. Nobody seems to want to talk to me. Admittedly I’m stripped to the waist and have painted a red cross on my chest. One guy mistakes me for a paramedic. I don’t yet know the result of the big game. (That’s a pre-season friendly between Forfar Athletic and Livingston) (I presume).
So, I browse some social media. There’s a whole section on the England v Spain game. “I couldn’t find an English flag, so I bought a French one and painted a red cross on it!” Takes a few more lines to realise this history buff meant the French flag was white. Apparently because they surrender so much. Hmm, they didn’t at Dunkirk, they held the perimeter allowing the British French army to retreat. And that’s before we even mention ‘la Resistance’
This screeching attack on the French goes on for 300 or so comments until they run out of anti-French insults, and one remembers the Italians “ ’ere that’s the Italian flag as well”. Cue the next 300 posts of tanks with just reverse gears before the keyboard Warriors of St George leave satiated. Now then, is that the Italy of Garibaldi and his redshirts? The Roman Empire? Vittorio Veneto? Must be another one. These lads must be mistaken.
From Goebbals to the Gorbals
What an odd place we’ve reached. Thank God Hitler didn’t have social media, who knows what he might have got up to!
We’ve just had a General Election. The Scot next to me wearing a tee-shirt which isn’t terribly complimentary about the Tories doesn’t want to speak to me about it. So, I google the last few elections.
It doesn’t take a statistical analyst to notice that Labour didn’t win the election (our atrocious voting system did). But for sure the Tories lost it. The Labour vote actually dropped to below the last 2 Corbyn results. The Tory vote dropped by the similar rise of the ReformUk party to the right and the Lib Dems to the centre and the Greens to the left. Plus a few independents.
That Starmer won the election possibly means the people generally want a period of tedious stability is my guess. Tough call but he was the least hated politician on offer. Meanwhile…. on the far right there’s a monster coming and don’t say you haven’t been warned.
Proud Edwards’s army? Have a word..
I try telling this to my Scottish tablemate. He gives me a lecture on Edward the First. I accept it. I wonder what the score will be. The rest of Europe seem to want Spain to win. And who’s that spectator who’s wandered onto the pitch? Oh no that’s Harry Kane. He’ll get a hat trick for sure. You just have to believe. And then maybe wake up.
“Did you see the big game then?”
“No pal. Hamilton Academicals were playing away this weekend..”