Room 101 - Clarets Nightmares
I like the inclusion of the Room 101
section and would like to offer just one item to be sent there - Gillingham!
As my parents moved to Kent from Colne when I
was only 7 (yet still totally devoted to the Clarets at such a young age) I do harbour a
grudge against my "local" team The Gills.
It wasn't much of an incentive to a grieving 7
year old that "we could go and watch Gillingham" - after all Burnley were in the
first division and Gillingham were.... well certainly not close enough to warrant my
support.
Sadly, some 30 years have passed and I must
admit to having visited The Priestfield stadium - albeit only to watch Burnley gift
countless victories to the best league team in Kent - a title that the Gills still
retained during Maidstone's brief sojourn into league football.
I can't quite understand why Burnley play so
badly in Kent - it is a lovely county and the weather is usually pretty good. Maybe my
expectations are too high, but I still think that Burnley should not lose to
Gillingham.... But they nearly always do.
In recent years I have had a bet with a work
colleague which works out at £1 per point on the difference between his team (Gillingham)
and mine. I am seriously out of pocket, although at the moment I look like making a small
gain.
The loyal fans who always appear in Kent deserve
better. I only have to travel 30 miles, and yet I still call myself a supporter and feel
aggrieved when we lose. At one point I almost considered asking the team not to travel -
just send the points in the post and save on travelling costs.
Maybe you can now see why I want the Gills to be
banished forever ! Still, at least I won't have to suffer the taunts in the office about
"Sumo" Bob Taylor and those five goals - thanks to Joe Royle for committing Bob
to Room 101/Maine Road on my behalf.
Anyway, in closing, I'd like to hope that
Gillingham may be too distracted about their cup run to present too much of an obstacle
for the Clarets.
Andrew Nutter
February 2000
