Original subtitles

[Man] How's your chicken?

Good.

How's your fish?

Good.

How's school?

[Girl] OK.

Paul?

OK.

Good.

How's your ice-cream?

[Boy and girl] Good.

Let's do something different

next time l'm over.

Like what?

Um...go swimming?

Go and see a film?

l'll think of something.

# There she goes

# There she goes again

# Racing through my brain

# And l just can't contain

# This feeling that remains

# There she goes

# There she goes again

# Rushing through my veins

# And l just can't contain

# This feeling that remains

# There she goes

# There she goes

# There she goes #

[Rowdy chatter]

[Teacher bangs on desk]

l'm Ms Hughes.

lt's not Miss, it's not Mrs.

Ms, OK?

Practise? Say it after me.

Ms Hughes.

Come on.

[Class, reluctantly] Ms Hughes.

Fine.

Don't forget.

Right, l'm gonna start off today

by telling you a few things l like

and a few things l DON'T like.

Yeah, all right. All right.

All right, that's enough football.

Now, ''Of Mice and Men''.

How many of you managed to, uh,

get all the way through it?

Steven, you've got your hand in the air.

You've not read it?

Yes, sir.

What happens in the end?

He shoots him, sir.

Who shoots who?

The little bloke shoots the big bloke.

He's right, sir.

l'm leaving because there's no point carrying on.

lf l've got Steven Downing to read a book,

there's no challenges left.

My career can only go downhill.

Better be about the book, Robert.

No, sir. lt's about Alan Smith.

Yeah, well, later.

What about him? [Laughter]

[Pupils shouting and cheering]

Mr Ashworth, have you got a moment?

[Pupil wolf-whistles]

[Shouting and cheering]

Sorry, but the noise from here

makes it impossible to concentrate next door.

You'll get used to it.

l don't want to get used to it.

l want to do some work,

not listen to moronic football chanting.

[Football chanting]

QUlET!

[Mr Ashworth] Out! Out!

Hold your hands up in the air!

Offside! Linesman!

YOU'RE the linesman!

My God!

Right, clap.

Show he's done the right thing.

We don't have linesmen, sir.

Applaud the referee, then.

Jesus, doesn't matter. That'll do for today.

Right. See you tomorrow, Sarah.

All right.

l was the naive, stupid new teacher,

you were the cynical old hand?

What?

The snorting when l asked a question.

l was reading the football reports.

l never listen at staff meetings.

This has got to be a pose,

this football stuff.

You pretend to be a yob

for a bit of street cred?

ls this 'cause my kids were enjoying their lesson?

Well, all kids enjoy a riot.

Actually teaching them something is a lot harder!

l've seen this film.

You end up shagging on the carpet.

lf we end up shagging on the carpet,

l will buy you a new carpet.

Yeah, right.

But l tell you...

l knew it!

No. No carpets.

He is an English teacher.

Oh, God, not all this again.

l mean, what about Patrick Swayze?

No-one cares whether he read Byron or not.

And you know, he is the full Axminster.

l'd want a brain as well.

Eventually.

l'm gonna measure up.

l'm off to Habitat first thing.

lf we end up shagging,

you can carpet the whole house.

The walls, the ceiling, the garden...

Well, what's she like?

One of those women -

if you like football, you must be a yob.

Bollocks.

ls she fit?

Not that you'd prove her point or anything.

What?

What?

What have l done?

lt's a perfectly reasonable,

straightforward question.

She's not unattractive, but so what?

A) She hates me, B) l hate her,

and C) what's the point of all that?

Waste of fucking time.

Ooh, sounds promising, then.

[Sarah] lt must be terrible

being that miserable.

Pretending you only care about football results

because the world's a terrible place

and what's the point of it all?

What lS the point?

Maybe it lS football results.

Don't worry. He's a sad, lonely bastard.

Who cares what made him that way?

Where's your brother?

Eh?

He's over there.

Oi, number nine!

You're a donkey!

Didn't he have a trial with someone once?

Yeah. Orient.

They offered him a contract, as well.

What happened?

Turned it down.

Stupid sod. Said it was too risky.

What's he doing now?

Er, runs his own business.

Computer something.

He's on about fifty grand a year.

l'd swap fifty grand a year

- for a contract with Orient. - So would l.

- Don't even like Orient. - Neither do l.

He gets it both ways.

Gets fifty grand a year,

gets to play at a place with floodlights.

Floodlights and a tea bar.

l'd love to play at a place with a tea bar.

Yeah, well...

Bit late now, eh?

Dunno.

Stanley Matthews played First Division football

till he was fifty.

Bet you any money you like

YOU'RE not playing First Division football

- when you're fifty. - lt's the smoking.

lt's not the smoking, Steve,

it's the crapness.

Pass the ball!

[Whistle]

Penalty!

Yes!

Hold that.

l've always wanted to do this.

# La la la la la la-la

# La la la la la la-la

# La la LA la

# La la LA la

# La la la la la la-la

# La la la la la la-la

# La la LA la... #

[Paul] Anthropologists have always

had a hard time with football.

The trouble is,

you can only see what's on the outside.

But there lS an inside,

believe it or not.

We all have our reasons

for loving things the way we do.

Hey!

[Doorbell rings]

He's here!

Thanks for being so helpful.

Ready?

He's been ready for hours.

No, l haven't.

[Sister] Yes, you have.

What time will you be back?

Er, six. Six thirty.

Fine.

See you later, then.

OK?

Have a nice time.

See you later, sunshine.

We'll do something special next time, huh?

[Music on radio]

You looking forward to it?

What?

The match.

Yeah.

Sounds like it.

l'm not really a football fan.

No.

One day we'll find something

you DO wanna do.

Your mum seems in good form.

Yeah.

She OK?

Not really.

The last home game, last season?

What about it?

They were fucking rubbish.

Fucking rubbish last year

and the year before.

They'll be fucking rubbish this year, too.

And next year. And the year after that.

l don't know why you come, Frank.

You live in hope.

What d'you reckon?

Think they're bad as Frank says?

This is his first time.

Hope he knows what he's lettin' himself in for.

Have a look at the number eight.

Jon Sammels.

Remember his face

and if you happen to bump into him,

tell him to sod off to Spurs!

Programmes!

Programmes!

Go on, give it a shove.

Someone hasn't been eating their greens.

Wey-hey!

We're in ''Y'', OK?

Yeah.

[Supporters chant songs]

[Loud football songs]

What d'you reckon?

When's the next game?

Week after next, probably.

Let's have a look.

Yeah, Sunderland.

They're away at Leeds next week.

Can we come to the Sunderland game, Dad?

You might wanna go somewhere different.

lf you're gonna be a football fan,

think carefully about who you're gonna follow.

Look.

For fuck's sake, Arsenal!

Get it!

Sammels, you're a fucking idiot!

[Man] Sort yourself out!

That was a brilliant goal, wasn't it, Dad?

lt was pretty good, yeah.

What happened?

lt was a penalty, the goalie saved it

then the man who missed the penalty

had another go and scored.

- Terry Neill? - That's right.

- He's good, isn't he? - Fantastic.

l'm off, then. See you next week.

Let's go.

Come on.

Why do we have to leave?

Beat the traffic.

Long walk back to the car,

we'll be stuck for hours.

But they might score again.

There's a remote possibility.

But it won't be this afternoon.

Joke. lf you're an Arsenal fan,

you get used to jokes like that.

l will.

Who d'you think played best?

Dunno. But Sammels was rubbish.

l don't think so.

Crowd didn't understand

what he was trying to do.

They were on to him

before he'd done anything wrong.

- l disagree. - Oh, you do?

One afternoon at football, you're Kenneth Wolstenholme.

Who did YOU think played the best?

[Music drowns out dialogue]

Might make an Arsenal defence

of them yet, Robert.

Yes, sir.

Em, sir, you going to Highbury next week?

- Nah. - Oh.

'Course l'm going.

Want me to get you a programme?

lt's cash in advance.

l've been caught too many times.

No, it's not that.

Em...

could l come with you?

That'd be a bit difficult.

To be honest, between you and me,

- l go to the pub first. - l could wait outside.

l stand on the North Bank. You wouldn't see.

- l'd go down the front. - Your mum'd love that.

She says l have to go

with a responsible adult.

Saturday's the one day of the week

when l'm NOT a responsible adult.

l turn into someone your age.

Not as sensible.

She won't have to find out.

l'm sorry, Robert, l can't.

Well, not this week.

Maybe some other time, eh?

Next season when you've grown a bit?

Get you a programme.

Cash in advance unnecessary, on this occasion.

To hell with it,

you can have one for free.

Thanks, sir.

Bollocks!

BOLLOCKS!

[Paul] Nothing to worry about.

His handwriting's a disgrace to the human race

but he's very bright and enjoys the lessons.

He does. He's always goin' on about you.

lt's my enthusiasm for Steinbeck's prose style.

Either that or something else.

The football, you mean?

Robert thinks they might win the championship

for the first time since 1 970.

1 971 .

Gotta get things like that right.

Absolutely.

Did he tell you what happened

after football training?

He asked me if l'd take him to the Arsenal.

Mr Ashworth, l'm so sorry.

He just seemed uptight about it.

His dad and me are recently separated.

lt was his dad he used to go with.

- You don't wanna take him? - Don't know anything about it.

l very much doubt if he'd care.

l can tell you everything you need to know

in about five minutes.

She seemed to enjoy the Elizabethans

but when we moved on,

she slipped back. She dropped four places.

Was it four? No, six.

Which l found a little disappointing

though l'm not sure that she did.

No. She's got her heart set

on a hairdresser's apprenticeship.

Right.

Thanks very much, then.

[Paul] You come out the tube station,

cross over the street and in that entrance there,

you buy unreserved seats, �7.

My ex can pay.

- He's a Spurs fan, isn't he? - Yeah.

l'd go for �1 2 seats.

Sting the bastard for all you can get.

Thank you so much.

You've been really helpful.

Hello, Mr Johnson. How are you?

Evening. Suppose you're feeling

pretty pleased with life.

[Music on radio]

[Music on radio]

# Are you ready to be... heartbroken?

Oh, fuck it!

# Well, you better get ready now, baby

Would you like a lift?

# Get ready to bleed

You don't know where l live.

Yes, l do. Crouch End.

lt's on my way home.

[Radio presenter] 'Don't forget, l'll be back

'with all the top sports stories...

'But first of all...'

How about you?

Arsenal.

lnside the stadium or just nearby?

[Radio presenter] 'Number one,

'Abigail's Party,

You really are Mr Popular, aren't you?

All those queues at your desk.

'..Live commentary

'on three races from that meeting.'

Sorry.

'And the main one at 3.45.

'Now the main sports stories.'

What were you talking to Robert Parker's mother about?

'..Suspended Arsenal's Paul Davis...'

Shit! Fuck! Bollocks!

l'm sorry?

Paul Davis.

Who's Paul Davis?

Arsenal.

Were we talking about him?

'..Signed a four-year contract...'

Sorry. l wasn't listening.

'..Olympic headlines from Seoul,

'Linford Christie's given the all-clear...'

- Arsenal. - Yes, you said.

No, l was talking to Robert Parker's mother

about Arsenal.

God!

l'm in the wrong job.

Well, l'm in the wrong life.

l spent hours preparing for a parents' evening.

No one could think of two words to say to me.

Yet they queue for hours

to hear your pearls of wisdom

on next week's game against Wolves United!

Yeah...

Just Wolves. No United.

Look, l'm sorry.

lt must seem unfair.

Yes, it does, actually.

lt's the next left.

Maybe you're too uptight with them.

Maybe you should just...

be yourself more.

All those files and folders and what have you.

That lS me being myself.

lt's just here.

D'you want a cup of coffee?

OK.

You don't have to.

No, no, no. l'd... Yeah, l'd like to.

What are these for, then?

They're not for anything. They just look nice.

Are they yours?

No.

Jo's. My flat-mate.

lt's her place.

She's away at the moment.

Can l smoke?

No.

You can stay the night, though,

if you want.

Not on the carpet.

l can't afford it.

You might have the decency to run.

Then we wouldn't be doing it together.

Cocky cow.

lt's just a fact. Look.

OK! OK!

l HATE you!

l owe you a new carpet.

Well, maybe a new spare bed.

You shagged the football hooligan!

l knew it! l knew it!

He's not a football hooligan.

So he HAS read Byron?

He's bound to have done!

lt doesn't really matter if he hasn't.

Who'd have thought it, eh?

''lron Knickers'' Hughes ending up with a yob.

He's not a yob

and l'm not ending up with him.

You wanna bet?

Where are you off to?

l'm starving.

l was thinking of ringing for a pizza.

Have you read Byron?

What?

Have you read any of Byron's poems?

Yeah.

''The Assyrian came down like a wolf on the fold

''and his somethings were gleaming

''in black and old gold.'' Crap.

What are those?

My...Arsenal boxer shorts.

They're not my best ones.

l was running out.

But you're willing to show them

to another human being.

l wasn't exactly showing them to you.

What d'you wanna know about Byron for?

Um...a bet.

Did you win?

l don't think so.

Stay in line!

Right, now push up! Out! Out!

That's it! Good lads.

Offside, referee!

Offside!

Ref!

Oi, ref, he was miles off.

lt's not M Y fault.

Too good a coach for this level.

What's the score?

One-all.

lf you count that POXY GOAL they just scored.

What's this, Cup or League?

Cup, quarter-final.

- How long left? - Fifteen.

l wanted to talk to you about a vacancy.

Rosie Hunter's handed in her notice.

l wondered whether you'd be interested in applying.

Head of Year?

Um...well...

Obviously not the most attractive offer

you've ever had.

Come on, Ben! Get back with him!

Sorry, Ted.

l haven't fired you with enthusiasm.

lt's a lot of work.

What do l wanna do more work for?

More money?

l've got enough to pay my rent,

enough for my season ticket

and a couple of records a month.

Got no family.

l'd like you to think about it.

Sorry. There's nothing to think about.

Come on, Sam! Put it away!

YES!

[Paul] Why aren't adults

supposed to go mad about anything?

You've got to keep a lid on it.

And if you don't,

then people are apparently entitled

to say what they like.

You haven't grown up, you're a moron.

Your conversation is trivial and boorish.

You can't express your emotional needs.

You can't relate to your children

and you die - lonely and miserable.

But you know, what the hell?

Every cloud has a silver lining.

Not on your own. How many more times?

You'll have to wait until your father's over.

So l'll get to Highbury five times a year?

lt's not my fault your father lives abroad.

Mum, they play 21 times a year

plus Cup matches. That's...

Mum, why is Crossroads a motel?

What d'you mean?

Why isn't it just a hotel?

29! lf they get to the League Cup semi-final,

the FA Cup quarter-final...

You can take your car there.

You forgot Europe.

l don't know how many games last season.

Oh, yeah.

That's another five games.

That hotel in Devon, we took our car.

Every round is home and away.

We had to leave it in the car park.

Fives into thirty-five goes seven.

One-seventh of all the home games. Pathetic!

Paul, in a motel,

you drive a car into a room!

Say you only went to one-seventh

your Choral Society

They'd throw you out.

Arsenal won't throw you out. They want your money.

l've looked it up.

l can catch the 1 2.53 to Paddington,

be at Paddington by 1 .36,

get the Circle and District

and Metropolitan Line to Kings Cross.

Then it's Caledonian Road, Holloway Road,

Arsenal, third stop. Be there 2.1 5, easy.

For Christ's sake, go if you want to.

Yes! Thanks, Mum.

[Sings] Charlie, Charlie,

Charlie, Charlie,

Charlie's the King of Highbury.

Don't come runnin' to me

if you get stabbed to death.

l won't.

Jimmy Husband! Brilliant.

[Paul] lt's not easy

to become a football fan.

lt takes years.

But if you put in the hours,

you're welcomed, without question,

into a new family.

Except in this family,

you care about the same people

and hope for the same things.

What's childish about that?

A terrible foul by McLintock on Rocastle.

He'll be lucky to stay on the pitch.

lt wasn't THAT bad.

lt was mistiming, it wasn't malicious.

Bollocks!

So, that's a free kick to 1 989 Arsenal

and...Davis takes it.

And...

Goal!

And that's 1 989 Arsenal four,

1 971 Arsenal, nil.

Bob Wilson will be bitterly disappointed

with that one.

This lot would never beat the Double team

four-nil at Subbuteo.

lt's just l'm crap at it!

Should've chosen someone else.

Who else played in yellow and blue away strip?

- Everton? - Be Everton, then.

OK. But this game's abandoned.

l can't start suddenly pretending

that John Radford's Joe Royle. lt'd do my head in.

Have to start again.

Nil-nil.

All right. Go on, then.

Yes!

What are you thinking about?

- Oh...stuff. - What stuff?

l was thinking about DH Lawrence, actually.

Yeah?

What about him?

Well...

Well...about his books.

What about his books?

Just...which one's the longest.

And?

l-l couldn't remember.

Well, which one did you think it might be?

That's just it. l couldn't decide.

Between what and what?

Mm...

Well, ''Lady Chatterley's Lover''...

- And...? - And, um...

l wasn't thinking about DH Lawrence at all.

You amaze me.

l was thinking about Arsenal.

l'm staggered.

We might win the League this year.

We're half-way through the season and we're top

and they'll fuck it up but...

You're not impressed, are you?

l am. l hope they win the League.

lt's just that...

Why did you lie?

l've got to vary the answers.

l can't say Arsenal every time.

l can't find any...''Bread''.

Do l look like the sort of man

who'd have a ''Bread'' album?

No, you look like the kind of man

who has a ''Bollock Brothers'' album.

l wouldn't put that on.

lt's a bit...not the right mood.

Oh?

And what's the right mood?

Well, l don't know, just...

something...you know.

What?

You know, just...

something not as... sweary and loud.

Paul, that's the most romantic thing

you've ever said to me.

Shut up.

[They giggle]

[Sarah] By the way, congratulations.

[Paul] On what?

Two-nil. Quinn and Dixon.

Goal in each half.

Top of the League. Nine games to go.

George Graham sees no reason

why Arsenal shouldn't bring the title back to Highbury

for the first time in 1 6 years.

1 8 years.

l'm sure he said 1 6.

Oh, right. Maybe l'm wrong.

Yeah, OK, OK. 1 8. Whatever.

So, when does it all end?

May.

And what happens then, in the summer?

Just sit in the park

and wait for the fixture list to come out.

So what about this summer?

That's a good point.

We might be in the Charity Shield.

That isn't the point l was making.

We've been... seeing each other -

well, we've been sleeping together

for six months now.

And we've never even planned

a holiday together.

lt's a miracle if we plan a weekend

before Friday afternoon.

And yet you know what Arsenal are doing

for months in advance.

They produce a fixture list.

Well, l can do that for you.

Give me your diary

and l'll put some dates in it.

Don't be daft.

What's daft about it?

l don't really see the difference.

How about Saturday, October the 8th?

Let's go away somewhere.

l haven't got next season's fixture list yet.

You know you're seeing Arsenal next year.

You can't say whether you'll be seeing me.

So what? Everyone's like that.

You know you'll be seeing your sister next season.

Sisters don't have seasons.

Whatever.

Look, l know where this is going

and you're dead wrong.

l'm capable of commitment and all that stuff.

lf it doesn't happen with you,

that's because of you, not me.

21 years l've been going to Arsenal.

21 years.

Paul, l don't know whether you've noticed

but Arsenal are a football team.

And you think there's a difference?

Yes, l do.

That shows what you know about it.

[TV] '..Will need a fitness test

'shortly before kick-off.'

That looked like Rocky.

Jo, go back to the news a minute.

lt's only the local news.

l know. lt looked like Rocky.

Who looked like Rocky?

Who the hell is Rocky?

Doesn't matter. We've missed it now.

that ''Rocky'' is an Arsenal player.

Yeah, David Rocastle.

And how do you know what he looks like?

Well, l don't know.

lt sinks in after a while.

What else has sunk in?

D'you know where they are in the Championship Cup

and who their best goal-hanger is?

l'm not turning into a moron.

OK, l know they're top of the League.

That's easy to remember.

And l know that Alan ''Smudger'' Smith

has scored most of the goals.

But it doesn't...

l'm going next week.

You're going?

Yeah.

To a football match?

Yeah. l thought l should.

Ooh. l tell you, girl,

you'd better watch yourself.

Soon after Tim and l split up,

l woke up one morning

and realised l could remember his batting average

for the previous season.

Harmless enough, isn't it?

No!

lt's all a sinister form

of male manipulation.

Rubbish!

lt's true!

You get colonised.

Your native culture gets driven out

and it's replaced by stuff

you don't even wanna know about.

They're like bloody missionaries.

They bore you stupid until you cave in

then they fuck off!

[Paul imitates Clangers]

Shut up!

Did you get it?

Yes.

Can l see it?

lt's in me purse.

Brilliant. Thanks, Mum.

l've got to do an extra hour tomorrow.

Left the office at twelve,

l didn't get back till three.

They asked you what end you wanted?

No. l said, ''One, please'' and they gave me that.

How comes you got a ticket

in the Reading end?

Had to get it off a tout.

How much did that cost you?

Fiver.

D'you live in lslington?

Well, near, yeah.

[Man] How near is near?

Place called Maidenhead.

Maidenhead?

Maidenhead in Berkshire?

Two miles down the road?

More like six.

Bit nearer Reading than Arsenal.

You should be supporting your local team.

Look...

Excuse me.

Just seen someone l know.

And was the ticket all right, in the end?

l was standing with a load

of country bumpkins at first.

Then l found Jenkins and them.

So you stood with Jenkins?

What would YOU know?

You must've been sick when they equalised.

l heard it on the radio.

The place went mad.

Just had to stand and take it.

Good old Pat Rice, though.

- He never scores, Pat Rice. - First of the season.

We're good in the Cups, aren't we?

McNab won't play.

Bertie Mee wouldn't risk him.

How long will it take to get to Birmingham?

Couple of hours. Maybe three.

But we'll be there by two?

Oh, sure.

How about if we did something different this afternoon?

How d'you mean?

l thought you might like

to meet Jane and the kids for lunch.

Then maybe take 'em to the zoo

or pictures...somewhere.

They've been over this week

visiting their grandmother.

They'd love to meet you.

You don't mean instead of the game, do you?

We couldn't do both.

You didn't get any tickets, did you?

The tickets are waiting for us there.

So you're telling me you've got tickets

but you wanna go and see ''The Jungle Book''?

You're teasing me, aren't you?

We don't have to go to Arsenal

every time l'm in London, do we?

l thought we were beyond that stage.

We'll never be beyond that stage.

# Out here in the fields

[Supporters chant]

# l fight for my meals

# l get my back into my living

# l don't need to fight

# To prove l'm right

# l don't need to be forgiven

[Fans chant Arsenal songs]

l thought you said you'd look after me.

You said you didn't need looking after.

[Chanting] You're gonna get

your fucking heads kicked in!

Gonna get your fucking heads kicked in!

[Rowdy shouting]

Fucking jump for the ball, Niall!

Come on, Arsenal!

Do you want this or not?

[Announcer] 'Everton nil, Norwich nil.'

You'll get used to it.

l don't wanna get used to it.

What's going on at the Liverpool/Forest game?

There's trouble or something.

They ain't kicked off yet.

There. Heard about Hillsborough?

This guy was just saying.

Bloke up there reckons there's people hurt.

Jesus. What happened?

l dunno.

You all right?

Yeah, l'm fine.

Arsenal!

Arsenal!

Arsenal!

Arsenal!

[TV] 'Semi-final

'between Nottingham Forest and Liverpool

'at the Hillsborough ground in Sheffield.

'lt's feared that at least

'were crushed to death.

'Hundreds were forced on to the pitch.'

lt's just so stupid.

'The Liverpool manager, Kenny Dalglish,

'and his opposite number, Brian Clough,

'were clearly appalled by the scenes.

'There's so far nothing to suggest...'

So stupid.

'..that what happened

'was the result of violence amongst fans.'

They must've realised something like this

was gonna happen one day.

One afternoon on the North Bank

and you're an expert.

Well, that's it, then.

That's what?

You can't go back now, can you?

'Course we will.

How can you?

Because...

because everyone else will.

Because the game will go on.

They'll even replay this one.

This doesn't change anything.

l just don't get you.

No, l know you don't.

lt's not just me you don't get. lt's any of us.

l hope the rest of them

aren't as selfish and manipulative as you.

What's selfish about watching a football team?

lt's all selfish, all of it!

All those stupid stories

about how your mum's cats

are called after great players

and how she drove through the snow

to get you a Cup ticket.

You stopped seeing your father

when you didn't need him

to take you to the games any more.

And we're supposed to understand

because football's football.

When we think of Paul, we think of Arsenal.

lt makes me sick!

l hated this afternoon.

D'you wanna know why?

Because if you didn't give a toss about Arsenal,

what are you left with?

You pay �5 to stand on a lump of concrete.

You can't see anything, you're not even safe.

And you can't complain

because that would be letting the lads down.

That'd show you didn't care enough.

Well, at least we care about something.

At least we're not in night after night

worrying about our lesson plans.

Whether a Scale 3 might come up in Bournemouth.

Perhaps one day you'll learn

to care about something you can't tick.

Thanks.

l'm sorry.

[Front door opens then closes]

[Paul] Football has meant too much to me

and come to represent too many things.

After a while,

it all gets mixed up together in your head.

You can't remember whether

life's shit because Arsenal's shit

or the other way round.

l've been to watch far too many games,

spent far too much money.

Fretted about Arsenal

when l should have been

fretting about something else.

l've asked too much of the people l love.

OK, l accept all that.

Perhaps it's something you can't understand

unless you belong.

But what about this...?

Three minutes to go

and you're two-one up in a semi-final.

You look around and see thousands of faces

contorted with fear and hope and worry.

Everyone lost.

Everything else gone out of their heads.

Then the whistle blows

and everyone goes spare.

And just for those few minutes,

you're at the centre of the whole world.

And the fact that you care so much,

that the noise you've made

has been such a crucial part of it,

is what makes it special.

You've been as important as the players

and if you hadn't been there,

who'd have been bothered about football, really?

The great thing is,

it comes round again and again.

There's always another season.

lf you lose the Cup Final in May,

there's the third round to look forward to in January.

What's wrong with that?

lt's actually pretty comforting

if you think about it.

But every now and then -

not very often, but it happens -

you catch a glimpse of a world

that doesn't work like that.

A world that doesn't stop in May

and begin again in August.

There's some stuff that just never comes back.