It’s late on Sunday the 12th of May in Australia, and if you are not watching the final round of games in the English Premier League, who knows what you’re doing.
Twenty teams, 10 games, 900 collective minutes of football to soak in and enjoy before the end of the season leaves a gaping void in our lives for two months.
It has been nothing short of a roller coaster ride so far, and for the first time in five years the title race is going down to the very last day.
Whether it be out and about, in the comfort of your own hope with the perfect snacks or in a room with six screens all going at once, there are a number of different ways to engage with the action.
The right snacks
Liverpool fans, if you’re not stress-eating your way through a whole tub of ice-cream within the opening half hour, then kudos to you.
A midnight snack during the football always goes down a treat, but it’s about getting the right snacks in the correct amount to suit the mood of the matches.
Huddersfield, Fulham and Cardiff fans, for your last 90 minutes of Premier League football for at least another 14 months, go out with a bang. Don’t eat anything sour though; too many parallels to your season. Fulham supporter’s in particular, don’t buy anything expensive that you might not like, and quality over quantity is always a good mantra to follow. Nothing over £100million
The teams in no man’s land from 17th to 7th can sit with their feet up on the table knowing that whatever happens, none of it really matters anyway. There’s not much to celebrate so you can’t go too classy, but treat yourself to some nice chocolates or some lavish biscuits perhaps.
The top four race seemed like it would go to the wire but now is almost confirmed as Chelsea and Spurs going through. For all four, even the two that will make the Champions League, the campaign has been far from what was hoped being miles off the pace at the top. Keep the snacks nutritious, you need to start think about a healthy future.
Now, supporters of Manchester City and Liverpool. Anything but fingernails will do for you, really. It really has been a fantastic campaign. Get the champagne ready, some high-class scones or gourmet finger food would be ideal. Don’t forget the tissue box as well, could be handy in either scenario.
The right venue
There’s nothing like watching the football in the comfort of your own home, on the couch, in bed, nice and cosy with your carefully picked snacks by your side. But, if you’re into heading out, keep a couple of things in mind.
Don’t go to another person’s house whose team is aiming to beat yours in the match or to a certain position in the table. Football gets serious, but it’s not worth losing friendships over.
Don’t go to a place where you’re likely to be outnumbered against by rival fans, we love harmoniously watching our team.
Keep in mind that it is late at night. If your mates’ parents or pets aren’t into being woken up due to spontaneous shrieking and banging, find other arrangements. There is no substitute for loud, passionate support; sleep included.
Lastly, if you go to a pub or a bar to watch the game surrounding by large numbers of fans, don’t be one of those that complains about the noise and the business. That really kills the mood.
The right way to watch
Thanks to incredibly forward-thinking people and the power of technology we now have the ability to watch one program that takes us around the grounds when a goal is scored. That could be one approach but if your team’s game isn’t the feature match then there could be issues.
The most ideal option would be to have your team’s game on front and centre, with maybe an extra device set up to keep tabs on another game involving a team close to you on the table.
Again with the title race being so intense, remember to watch your game first and foremost. Don’t get sucked into hoping the other team will lose or draw, that leads only to false hope. Stick with your team and give them the faith that they will do what needs to be done.
Make sure your loved ones are aware of what’s at stake, and if they don’t understand, don’t take your anger out on them. Hold your disappointment inside and let them go to bed. Talk about it in the morning – or not.
All in all, the most important thing is to enjoy. In all seriousness, drink it in whichever way you like, and I swear you may never see anything like this again.
