A Man's Game?

A new year usually brings us new year resolutions, new dreams and new beginnings. This year brought me a new experience. And a new Blog!

Barrow AFC’s first home game of 2012 saw the Bluebirds  entertaining Darlington.   The referee in charge that day was  a young lady named Amy Fearn - the first female ref to ever take charge of  a competitive home game in our club’s history.

Did she understand the Off-Side law? Did she keep up with the players? Did she cope with the caustic comments being directed at her that day from the stand and terraces? And most importantly  - did she look good in shorts?  Well...a resounding YES to all!  In fact, she excelled, - to the surprise of many, including myself.

The Bluebirds won 3-0. But the biggest winner that day, was Amy.

Her performance got me thinking about which team she may support? If she wore her team’s shirt? If she really understood the beautiful game? I’m not talking about the rules. I’m talking about the passion; the loyalty;  the history and the sense of  tradition that resides behind a football club.  The sense of kinship that can be derived from standing on the terraces together - being part of the big  ‘football family’.The simple things that bring tears of pain and tears of joy to a man’s eyes, week in, week out, throughout  each and every hurly, burly season. Then It got me thinking  -  Do women, in general, really understand  Football? 

I’m open to persuasion…