Birstall Terrier: There’s nothing quite like match day

Oh no. It’s an all day event that starts by putting on your club’s replica shirt. In my case that of Huddersfield Town.

Incidentally, the wearing of the shirt immediately turns us all into football managers. We tell anyone who’ll listen what the starting line up should be, who should be named on the bench and what formation the team should adopt.

Arriving at the John Smith’s Stadium still gives me that goose bump feeling, even after 30 years of following Town.

There’s something about the sight of the blue and white army heading into the ground that gets my heart racing.

The match itself stirs up every emotion known to man: Joy, despair, anger, disbelief, nerves – the list goes on.

It begs the question why we put ourselves through it week after week, but it’s like a disease that takes hold of the mind and body with no known cure.

The day doesn’t end when the final whistle goes, as the mood of the evening is point related.

Three points = joy and dreams of a winning run, play-offs and Town in the premiership; one point = disappointment had Town taken the lead; relief had we come from behind. No points = a rant at the players of both teams, the manager and the referee. Not to mention a few slammed doors.

That’s only one match day. This has to be gone through 46 times in the league, plus any cup games Town are involved in. And I love every single second of it.