Today I got called a bastard

 

..and I loved it.

bastard

ˈbɑːstəd,ˈbast-/

noun

noun: bastard; plural noun: bastards

1. archaicderogatory

a person born of parents not married to each other.

synonyms:

illegitimate child, child born out of wedlock; love child.Mor archaicnatural child/son/daughter "he had fathered a bastard"

2. informal

an unpleasant or despicable person.

"he lied to me, the bastard!"

 

There are very few things in general for Crewe fans to be upbeat about. We, as a club, tend to lollop around the bottom half of League 1, never quite sure how safe we are from relegation - and more often than not, leave it until the final day of the season to find out.

You'll often catch me bragging about former players, and touting the likes of Nick Powell and Ashley Westwood as future England stars - but the reality is, they have left Crewe and have moved on, whilst my beloved Railwaymen sit around twiddling their thumbs in the lower reaches of the league.

In the last two years, however, Crewe have taken me to Wembley twice. Firstly in the League 2 Playoff final, which we won against Cheltenham 2-0. Secondly against Southend in the Johnstones Paint Trophy Final last year, which we also won 2-0.. and it is this victory against Southend that leads to my being called a bastard at work today.

Whilst casting an eye over proceedings during the interval, a lady in her 40s approached me asking where she could get phone signal as she wanted to check the football results - so I told her to head to the Box Office where signal is best. I waited a couple of minutes before, quite professionally, deciding to go for a wander. My wander just so happened to take me into the Box Office, where I thought it may be a good opportunity to also check out the football results.

Needless to say, Crewe are 1 point clear of the relegation zone with just 1 game to go - so as by their usual standard, are leaving it until the last minute to inevitably lift my spirits or drop me into a miserable depression. Their penultimate game was today, and I knew that it was 0-0 with 10 minutes to go, but unfortunately work got in the way and I couldn't check the final score.

My curiosity got the better of me and upon reaching the spot where this woman was fiddling with her phone, I asked her the simple question "Which team are you after?"

I was expecting a reply like 'Spurs' or 'Chelsea', but to my surprise she said Southend.

Brilliant, Southend - currently a division below Crewe, and defeated by Crewe in the JPT last year in a game that I attended. These moments don't come about often for the average Alex supporter, surely I should brag and gloat! I should tell her how great it was to see my team lift the cup! I should rub it right in her little Southend nose at how my team are better than hers..

But no. Having not had much experience of being able to gloat about my team, I stood their awkwardly silent as I reached for my phone (professionally).

Then she asked me.. "What about you? Who is your team?"
"erm... Crewe" I said, followed with a "we're on the verge of relegation..."

It took her a few seconds to process what I'd said, but when she figured it out she started the ball rolling... "Crewe? We played you last year..!"

"Yes you did, I went to the game"

"Yeah.. You beat us didn't you?"

"Yes, it was the JPT final.. I went to that game" 

"Bastard"

 ...and that was it.

I laughed a little, and wished them well for their promotion campaign before sweetly walking away with the feeling of having one over someone, because of the team I support, for what feels like the first time ever. Today is a good day!