The morning after the day before

The morning after the night before. It's a terrible sensation - that feeling of that horrible knot in your stomach and not really wanting to face the day. After all the anticipation and hope, you are left with an intense feeling of disappointment and regret.

I've had this feeling quite a few times over the years for one reason or another. My football team, Crystal Palace, has been in the cup final twice. The first time, in 1990, I was lucky enough to be at the old Wembley stadium to witness a classic cup final against Manchester United. It finished 3-3 after extra time. Ian Wright, having been injured, came off the bench to score twice. Palace were within touching distance of winning the FA Cup. Then Mark Hughes equalised and the match finished level. No penalty shoot outs in those days - a replay a few days later. The next day I queued up at Selhurst Park, along with thousands of other hopeful and happy Palace fans. The banter in the queue was great. There was no doubt that Palace were going to win the reply. The replay was a damp squib and Man U won 1-0. Devastation. 

Similar empty feelings today after the England defeat to Italy yesterday. Bloody penalties. Would've been better if we still had a replay to loo forward to. Or would it? Stringing out the agony might be even worse. If only England had played a bit more attacking football, if only the subs had been brought on earlier, if only Italy hadn't scrambled a lucky equaliser, if only England had scored all their penalties, If only England had been knocked out earlier in the tournament and we wouldn't have got our hopes up so much. Football is full of if onlys. England lost the final - but the manager and the players have done a brilliant job on and off the field, The way they have conducted themselves has been fantastic. And now, 24 hours on, the players have been subjected to abuse. And the black players have been singled out for vile racist abuse, This brave, dignified, talented young men. That knot of disappointment in my stomach is now tinged with anger that we live in a country where we should be celebrating the achievement of the team and what they represent, but instead everything that is the opposite of progressive comes to the fore. 

The other times I've woken up with that horrible numb feeling is the day after nearly every general election in my lifetime. Another five years of Conservative rule.....again. If only Labour had a different leader, if only the press weren't so biased, if only we had a fairer electoral system, if only the anti-Tory vote wasn't split.

The Euros are over. The next World Cup is not far away. Maybe it will be England's opportunity for success.

The next General Election will follow. How will we avoid that feeling in the stomach the day after the election. Any ideas?

 







Comments

  1. MaryBJuly 14, 2021 at 11:26 AM

    England was a pleasure to watch - even with the heartbreak ending. Gareth Southgate and his squad have been inspirational and give me hope for a progressive future! Thanks for starting this blog - I'm really enjoying following it.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Progressive Hexham ConstituencyJuly 23, 2021 at 12:09 AM

    Thanks Mary! Glad you are enjoying the blog. Here's hoping for a progressive future for Hexham and the rest of the country

    ReplyDelete

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