Last weekend marked the FA Cup First Round Proper - a significant event as professional teams from Leagues One and Two enter the fray, often facing non-league and semi-professional squads that have battled through the qualifying rounds. For football fans, it can be both thrilling and nerve-wracking.
I was delighted when my team, Cambridge United, secured a close 1-0 victory against Woking. Sunday evening found me in my favourite armchair with a comforting cup of tea, eagerly tuned in to the BBC highlights programme. I looked forward to that forty-five-second recap of my club's hard-fought win. However, as the highlights dragged on - 90 minutes covering 40 matches - boredom overtook me. I fell asleep, blissfully unaware that my team had been drawn against Wigan at home in the second round.
It's curious - I've never dozed off while watching my team play, perhaps because we're hardly ever on television. However, I have been known to snooze during Premier League matches. If you're a supporter of one of those elite clubs, you might find it hard to understand how anyone could miss the spectacle offered by Arsenal, Liverpool, or Manchester City. But I assure you, there's a logic to my slumber. When you're nestled in your living room with a cup of tea and a chocolate biscuit, even the most extraordinary players and coaches can lose their lustre.
Eternal perspective on life's final whistle
Crossing the Severn Bridge from my home in Cambridge always evokes nostalgia, connecting me to my childhood in South Wales. …