I alluded to a good football score on the weekend, but I didn’t go into detail. Unable to watch because of the dodgy internet in the deep, dark wilds of deepest, darkest, wildest Africa (well, the very bottom bit of it anyway), I chose to nap the afternoon away, and catch up with the news at the end.
And what great news it was. But it was a couple of social media posts from the club which really brought home to me just what a special afternoon I had missed.
Here’s Jack Robinson (left) who – after a personally horrific first half – got our third goal. Yes, the passion and the relief is clearly evident, and Oli McBurnie looks like a naughty schoolboy running away having just chucked a stink bomb into the staff room, but the photographer getting the big screen in the background is what really makes this image so good.
And then the aftermath of that duo running to celebrate in the corner. (Is that the previous photographer bottom left?) (And is Oliver Norwood levitating?)
But everywhere you look: happiness, joy, unbridled glee. From the ball boy at the front to the dad missing the high five with his son on the left, and the chilled, gilet-wearing surfer dude in the grey beanie who is just taking in the moment. (I’m excusing the steward with the corner flag lodged in his chin – that must be painful). It’s another really great shot.
Football is a sport that often brings out the best (ok, and the worst) of passion in people, but we need more of this exaltation and delight in our lives, especially when you look around at what else is going on in the world right now. 90 minutes of escapism each and every Saturday afternoon seems like a very good idea.
I just wish I could have been there for this one.