Here we go again

Well let us give this blogging thing ago again.

To those that don’t know I am a Raith Rovers Fan living, working, training, in Barcelona. For the last 13 years I have made the Catalan capital my home. But this hasn’t stopped my love of Raith Rovers and scottish football.

Occasionally I pen an article to appear in Raith’s match day programme and in the past I have posted the articles on this blog.

Here we go again.

Fresh from the paella dish to you metaphorical footballing plates. Here is paella and Bovril.

 Paella and Bovril 

Across the rooftops of the back of Barcelona a game kicks-off. Local residents can hear cheering, grumbling and the occasional naughty word. They know it is football but they say to themselves “però Barcelona no juga aquesta nit”. You are correct fellow Barcelonians, this is no midweek Champions’ League football, this is Scottish Championship play-off final football. This is a big game, this calls for “the works”. Projector, screen and Raith TV commentary coming loud and clear through the surround sound. This isn’t the first time they have heard the dulcet tones of Fife. Most Saturday afternoons they’ll be treated to a Raith game. And when we say most, we really do mean most! 

Time seems to be flying by lately.  One minute you’re drowning your sorrows in a wee lemonade at the end of another season and before you are even at the bottom of the glass it all kicks off again. At this rate my neighbours are going to be having weekly Fife/Scots/English lessons all year round. Maybe we’re all getting older but is the summer break getting shorter as we get wiser? 

I am going to be honest here, Raith has caused a few tiffs in our household. We both love sport, doing and watching, but sometimes the other half does get a bit put out when the reply to “what are the weekend plans?” is constantly “Football Saturday”.  He must look forward to the off season as much as the team do, their two minute off season that is. Even here in the land of the siesta, the legend of hot lazy Spanish summers are a thing of the past in football. Chatting with my football pals they were complaining about many things, cost of game, kick off times and, the length of the season. Gone are the long days in July and August filled with sangria and tapas, on July 23rd Barcelona will play Chelsea at the Saitama stadium, home to the Urawa Red Diamonds in a pre season tour of Japan that the London club have on their warm up games calendar. To many locals the summer hasn’t even begun, with many seeing July and August as holiday months and September being the true return to normality.  Oh how surprised/pleased/confused they must be at the sweet sounds of Stark’s park and other Scottish grounds bringing some football to their summer already. 

But do I want a long, lazy summer away from football?.........of course not, I’ll just take Raith TV to the beach with me.  Here’s to the season ahead. C’mon get behind your team and enjoy.