A little side on the bit

A CORK contributor to the Football365 website got me thinking the other day, always a dangerous thing as the Sports Editor will testify.

Jordan O’Brien, a self-styled “supporter of a big four club” — but why be so coy, sir? — provoked a lively thread with his admission that he has what he calls a “second, hobby team”, something he defines as “a team that you have an affection for and root for whenever they are not playing against your own club.” The response to his missive indicates that most people pick their hobby side for either the most arcane of reasons or, better still, for no good reason whatsoever. Typical of the latter is my good friend, the Long Suffering Liverpool Supporter.

“Colchester,” LSLS instantly replied, when I asked if he had a hobby team. And for why? “No reason,” he admitted, “I just picked ‘em.” There’s no arguing with that. Nor, seemingly, with his dad whose hobby team is Sheffield Wednesday. “He texts me their results,” LSLS revealed.