And so it begins.....

[Lord Tredegars Macaw]

Am about to get on the coach to Bishops Stortford for the first game of the season. All is sunshine and optimism. As PG Wodehouse would no doubt have written: "The snail is on the thorn, the lark on its twig, God is in his Heaven, and all is for the best in this the best of all possible worlds."

Ah, 'tis the first day of the season. The optimism is palpable. All dreams are possible on this most golden of days.

Non-League football has a wonderfully curious aspect that supporters of the more famed sides perhaps would not appreciate. If you are attending the North London derby between Arsenal and Tottenham for instance, and happen to be a Spurs fan, whenever Fabregas gets the ball, or Arshavin, or (on those rare occasions he is actually ON the pitch) Rosicky, you know what they are capable of. You know their faces. You have seen them on TV countless times or have found their grim visages staring back at you from countless websites, newspapers and magazines. They are famous, familar.

How much more sinister the opposition feel if you are a non-league football fan. You know all YOUR team's players of course, but the opposition remain a mystery. They could be anyone; and here lies the delicious danger. It is so much more satisfying barracking the "dirty number 5" who has just kicked one of your heroes up in the air. As far as you are concerned the man has no mother, no wife, no kids of his own, no dreams, he exists purely to injure your players and ensure that you have a terrible afternoon. Sinister. Most sinister.

I'm sure Bishops Stortford's team shall be full of nameless sinister players this afternoon. They will spend all afternoon kicking my brave heroes of Newport County and cheating in a myriad of ways that only the nameless can know.

Football is back.

Roll on 3pm

[Lord Tredegars Macaw]

1. We drew 0-0

Got that point I was after.

Glorious weather, decent game (despite lack of goals), football is back thank goodness.

And it could be a LOT worse. Imagine being a Norwich City fan right now. They drop down to League 1. They still sell loads of season tickets. The fans turn out in force, and pack Carrow Road, for the first game of what is expected to be a triumphant, promotion-winning season.....

...and promptly lose 7-1 to Colchester.

Ouch.