The pharmacist in my local chemist is a keen Sunderland fan. We haven't talked about football at length for a while, but we did yesterday.
Of course, we talked a great deal around the time of the Greatest Game. I think that particularly at the time there was little ill feeling between the two clubs, rather the contrary.
He said that when Sunderland were in the Premier League, he hardly paid any attention to other leagues. I asked him if he got fed up with the endless relegation struggles, but he said they were exciting.
Many pundits have written Sunderland off this season. Four Four Two which admittedly does not have a great track record predicted a 14th place finish, but that echoed the views of others. However, they have made a stronger than expected start to the season.
My pharmacy friend said that he had found out that there was a programme about the Football League starting at 9 p.m. on Saturdays which he had never heard of, but was finding really exciting.
He did not realise that Charlton were now in League One and had heard nothing about Roland and the protests against his ownership. League One was terra incognita to him, 'there be dragons'.
Today we celebrate (or not, according to your views) 25 years of the Premier League. I enjoyed Charlton's years there, even if did mean playing matches on odd days at odd times. I doubt whether we will ever return, but getting to the Championship is a reasonable aspiration.
For more of my views on the Premier League: Huddersfield Town and When I dedicated a book to Curbs
Also Hyper inflation and Win, lose, on the booze
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