Definitely agree with geography.
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Geography. Anyone else's geographical prowess improved since being a football fan from a young age? I was always fascinated at to where certain places were, all of those exotic names i heard on the classified results...Bury, Port Vale, Halifax... I know it sounds a bit sad, but i had a detailed map of the UK when i was a kid and would look up where the football grounds were situated, paying particular attention to the Cities where there were more than one club, trying to fathom how any city could have more than one football club,
Later in life, driving to away games, a great education in my opinion. I still say that if you can drive from Cardiff to selhurst park, through London(no m25) and without a sat nav, you've cracked it
Definitely agree with geography.
i got B in O level geography so was and still is my strong point !
I did that and specially with the more 'exotic' scottish team names. "Queen of the South" "Hamilton Academicals. (That always made me think of a grand hospital and a place full of very clever people. (Sadly not )
Some names in England like Accrington Stanley, I'd wonder who Stanley was, and Preston North End. I'd wonder if the south and had a team.
It sounds silly now but sitting at home in front of the coal fire on a saturday evening, when the results started we'd try to guess the score by the way the announcer said the first part, the inflection in his voice. And the scottish results normally meant home made rice pudding wasn't far away.
Agree 100% that it improves your geography.
I have enjoyed looking up where Queen of South play, where Tashkent and Baku are. Helped me no end when doing crosswords.
We used to go to away games in a car. I was the map reader. I used to have a map book with all the routes marked with a highlighter pen. I loved it. And it's the reason I've been to many cities all over the UK. (why else would you go to Scunthorpe?) I always chose the town we'd stop off for a drink and a curry on the way home too. Droitwich was popular.
got C in everything else
port vale was a tricky one mind !
Geography definitely.
Making sweeping judgements on places based solely on spending a few hours eating and drinking there pre game for a few hours. Sometimes this lasts for decades.
I'm also not that bad at guessing accents from having watched City around the country although there are a few places where it gets a bit messed up like around the Nottingham, Derby area. Awful accent.
I’ve not lived in the UK for 10 years now but I still know the entire country like the back of my hand. I travelled it so extensively because of the work I did in the pub business that if you told me any address today to drive to I still think I could get within a quarter of a mile of it from just
about anywhere. I may get a little confused in centra London to be fair but that apart nothing would daunt me
Plymouth Argyle , great name for a club
The geography thing, definitely. It’s shocking that many women have no clue where places are located in the UK and the world but on reflection our football knowledge is an advantage. The break up of old Europe presented a new challenge to us with new names being thrown into the mix.
I can remember a primary school teacher of mine being absolutely amazed at my knowledge of UK towns and cities. i was about eleven at the time and it was entirely down to football - I don't think it's a subject I've improved much in during the intervening fifty three years .
Traditional industries of particular areas based on club nicknames - shoes in Northampton, hats in Luton, cutlery in Sheffield, glove making in Yeovil etc.
Great post.
Yes geography is definitely something that has been improved dramatically due to so many away trips, especially to the more unfashionable places like Rochdale, Northampton, Walsall, Orient etc. Meeting people from around the UK, they are often amazed that I know so much about their town, landmarks and local beers.
Also, service stations, I have an unhealthy knowledge of different urinals across the country.
Luton, and Stockport (the Hatters)
Everton (the Toffees - not quite the same I admit)
Newport County (the Ironsides)
Sheffield United (the Blades - steelmen)
Rotherham (the Millers)
Reading (the Biscuitmen)
Grimsby (the Mariners)
Scunthorpe (the Iron)