Ever felt old? It crept up on me this week. Two events made me feel my age, probably for the first time.
On Tuesday I attended a retirement seminar, my first after 32 years at work. Suddenly,I have realised that the end of my working life will quickly be upon me. The Big 5-0 next year and there's only so much I can do now if I want to retire before I am 60.
I am fortunate to have a longstanding company pension scheme, mostly final salary, but I have to think now about AVC's and being at least slightly more circumspect about finances if I am going to be able to retire at a reasonable age without a significant drop in living standards. Longevity doesn't run in my genes, so I have always wanted to get some in early!
If that was not enough to make me see more grey hair and wrinkles in the mirror, we now appear to have a new Youth at the Valley. The Youth themselves are no longer young and must be wondering about the wisdom of their monicker, although I suppose they were handed it rather than adopting it, in line with the Youth phenomena up and down the country ten to fifteen years or so ago.
The new youth model themselves on Italian Ultras although it does appear to be more about passionate support for your team than cowardly and vicious attacks on opposition fans. "Red Division" have turned up at recent Charlton away games and whilst my initial reaction is to cringe and say "Gawd no" I am reminded that I am knocking 50 and that 30 years ago it would probably have excited me. I bought my tickets for Millwall away this week and wondered whether I would have to wear a scarf around my face to hide my embarrassment as I left the New Den.
Like all things, I have decided I should reserve judgement until they have been given a chance. I suspect they are planning their first Valley show tomorrow in a game in which our team will need all the support it can get. Boro are on top form and Nicky Bailey appeared in a dream in the early hours of this morning running rings around Stephens and Hollands. Finally I am wishing for a 4-5-1 at home without either of them.
If we are to go down thePalace Ultras route my only ask is that we do it with the class of proper Red Ultras.
On Tuesday I attended a retirement seminar, my first after 32 years at work. Suddenly,I have realised that the end of my working life will quickly be upon me. The Big 5-0 next year and there's only so much I can do now if I want to retire before I am 60.
I am fortunate to have a longstanding company pension scheme, mostly final salary, but I have to think now about AVC's and being at least slightly more circumspect about finances if I am going to be able to retire at a reasonable age without a significant drop in living standards. Longevity doesn't run in my genes, so I have always wanted to get some in early!
If that was not enough to make me see more grey hair and wrinkles in the mirror, we now appear to have a new Youth at the Valley. The Youth themselves are no longer young and must be wondering about the wisdom of their monicker, although I suppose they were handed it rather than adopting it, in line with the Youth phenomena up and down the country ten to fifteen years or so ago.
The new youth model themselves on Italian Ultras although it does appear to be more about passionate support for your team than cowardly and vicious attacks on opposition fans. "Red Division" have turned up at recent Charlton away games and whilst my initial reaction is to cringe and say "Gawd no" I am reminded that I am knocking 50 and that 30 years ago it would probably have excited me. I bought my tickets for Millwall away this week and wondered whether I would have to wear a scarf around my face to hide my embarrassment as I left the New Den.
Like all things, I have decided I should reserve judgement until they have been given a chance. I suspect they are planning their first Valley show tomorrow in a game in which our team will need all the support it can get. Boro are on top form and Nicky Bailey appeared in a dream in the early hours of this morning running rings around Stephens and Hollands. Finally I am wishing for a 4-5-1 at home without either of them.
If we are to go down the
Alright old man.
ReplyDeleteI'm willing to give the Red Div Youth a chance too. Let's face it the atmosphere needs being sparked back into life a little and us oldies are too worried about smuggling our thermos' in let alone a flare.
I believe from what I have read the Red Div are only starting their Ultranism at away games to start with.
By the way, is that Aberdeen in the pics?
Yes CA, Britain's first and best Ultras, the mighty Dons.
ReplyDeleteI must have missed this post from Charlton Casual last year but I found it when trying to locate the "Stand"
ReplyDeleteFree"http://lifethroughalense1.wordpress.com/2011/09/06/the-rise-of-the-british-ultra/
Interesting to note that Boron have their own Ultras....