“Where do you go? Buttoned in your favourite coat, stepping out to a different world. And you might be home late.”- Ocean Colour Scene. Aged 17 I flicked through the CDs in His Master’s Voice record shop in Belfast city, the Northern Irish passion-drenched capital. Imagine the thrill of it all. Life was amazing. I Read more about Sunday’s Inspiration: Why Did I Ever Ever Travel?[…]
I did an unintentional “Brian Lara”. 501 NOT OUT OK it’s a milestone but when you get to the facts, it’s nothing special. Here’s why – I have to be honest here and admit that even this figure of 501 NOT OUT (whether astounding or not) could and should have been much more sensational and Read more about 501 Not Out: Football Nomad On Tour. My Story Attending Over 500 Matches Around the World.[…]
“I look to the future, it makes me cry. But it seems too real, to tell you why. Escape from our history. Free from the memory” – Nicky Wire. I didn’t know what to write today so my heart is just pouring out some emotion here while I jot this down, live from the Hostel Read more about Sunday’s Inspiration: I Don’t Know Where I’m Going #gawa[…]
“Michael O’Neill’s Green and White army” – Northern Ireland football fans. Now that June 2016 has arrived, it feels crazy that this month, I am finally living out a childhood dream. Since my early days growing up in Bangor, Northern Ireland I only had one dream in life. To watch the Northern Ireland international football Read more about #gawa #daretodream Living Out A Childhood Dream Supporting Northern Ireland: My Plans for June 2016[…]
“Out comes the goalkeeper [Rinat Dasaev no less]. Nat too sure this time. And it’s a goal! Terry Moore taking the credit for that” – Northern Irish commentator (1988) commenting on the night Glentoran were 1-0 up and just a goal away from taking the mighty Spartak Moscow to extra time in Belfast City. My Read more about The Day I…Lobbed the Goalkeeper From 30 Yards in Afghanistan[…]
“Teenage dreams so hard to bate” – The Undertones It wasn’t Fearghal Sharkey, Norman Whiteside or Colin Clarke that got me into supporting Northern Ireland. It was my Dad. My Dad, Joe Blair is a veteran of over 200 Northern Ireland matches down the years. He dare not count them, but in the past 50 Read more about Watching Northern Ireland Bate The Faroe Islands 3-1 in Torshavn and Go Top of the Group[…]
As we travel to countries torn apart by war (past or current), let’s not forget that football is the people’s game, the one happy medium from my journeys through a century of countries. Football brings the people together and in most cases, it acts as some kind of peaceful entity between people. Anyone who has Read more about My Top 10 Football Stadiums From My First 100 Countries[…]
As a serious football fan, global nomad and travel writer one of the joys of my travels around the world is watching football, visiting football stadiums and collecting items related to football. You’ll have noticed I included a visit to a football stadium in each of these posts: 1. Top sights in Coleraine, Northern Ireland Read more about Backpacking Football Nomad Alert!! Become the Ultimate Football Fan[…]