What should we talk about today?
The world according to Kirkey
Football is, for me at least, a metaphor for life. I’ve spent time in the National League of existence, trudging through those dark, grey afternoons when every result seemed to go against me and the table didn’t make pleasant reading. We’ve all been there. Looking over our shoulder rather than ahead of us. Wondering where … Read more
The essence of genuine football support is not happiness but fluctuation. A proper fan moves endlessly between irrational optimism and profound depression, often within the same ninety minutes (plus additional time). “Fucking Hell” becomes the central philosophical principle, equally applicable to moments of brilliance and disaster. In this way, football teaches life’s deepest lesson: expectation … Read more
Footballing heritage can be divisive, disruptive, even damning. It can split loyalties, ignite arguments, and turn social gatherings into tactical debriefs. Yet every so often — on those rare, magical occasions — something deeper rises to the surface. A single strand that blurs tribal lines and reminds us why this sport continues to hold its … Read more
Catching up with my old mucker John, he casually dropped a bombshell: apparently we feature in David Davies’ autobiographical romp FA Confidential: Sex, Drugs and Penalties. The Inside Story of English Football. Henry Winter’s review in The Daily Telegraph retells Davies’ version – a late night knock at his Burnham Beeches hotel door during Euro … Read more
Arthur took to the circuit for his first time and quickly became the dirt track star! Winding the throttle fully open, he displayed the grit and determination to make it to the top of speedway and showed all the signs of a future Grand Prix rider in the making. His big moment came when he … Read more
In my later years I’ve become a seasoned crier – not just at football, but in the full, messy, human sprawl of life. Films, family moments, unexpected kindness, the odd existential wobble… they can all set me off. Sure, I’ve shed a tear or two at matches over the years, but I’m not the sort … Read more
A story for my children and those that fear loneliness. Recently I attended a networking event that reminded me why I don’t like these affairs. In an effort to shell out at least two of the business cards I’d remembered to bring, I struck up a conversation with a fellow attendee. I did my best … Read more
Since the dawn of consciousness, humanity has wrestled with one question more than any other: What is the meaning of life? Philosophers have pondered it, poets have wept over it, and pub philosophers have debated it between sips of lukewarm lager. From Plato’s cave to Camus’ absurdity, from Nietzsche’s will to power to Sartre’s existential … Read more
There’s something irresistibly paradoxical about Poole Pirates. In a sport built on speed, chaos, and heroism, they’ve mastered the art of stillness – of sustained success that feels almost certain. Year after year, while other clubs flail in the dust of reinvention, Poole simply win. Not necessarily always with swagger, but with the quiet efficiency … Read more
The curse of the underdog is an idea that suggests that while smaller fry often have an advantage in motivation, they can frequently struggle when they transition into a position of success. There exists an argument that, once an underdog achieves victory, they lose the hunger and drive that made them successful in the first … Read more