Crocodile Blackpool

I don’t know how many of you know this, but Australia’s always been called ‘The Lucky Country’.

Why? Well, ease of lifestyle, never been a shortage of money, no depressions, good weather etc etc.

The Lucky Country? How unlucky could I have been, 12,000 miles away whilst my beloved ‘Pool reached the Promised Land?

Still, at least now, we’ll get some recognition worldwide won’t we?

I can see it now, Blackpool shirts adorning the shelves of my local sports store, people walking around in ‘Kiss Me Quick’ hats, youngsters sporting tangerine scarves hung from their board shorts. Right? No, probably not!

The stores will still be full of Man Utd and Liverpool shirts, people will be wearing cowboy hats and youngsters will still have i-pods hanging from their board shorts. Philistines!

I, along with a few others, have waited 40 years for this moment and unlike a lot of you, I probably won`t be able to witness this achievement first hand. Yeah sure, we`ll be on the TV more and I’ll be able to sit there in my tangerine jim-jams at 1 o’clock in the morning cheering them on, but it’ll never be quite the same. Lucky country?

I’d like you to spare a thought for all of us Exiles throughout the world and consider yourselves the lucky ones, despite your weather, your over-inflated house prices, your cost of living and all the other bad things I remember about the UK!

You never know, one day I might be able to get my hands on a Blackpool shirt (with help from my friends in the UK!) and wear it with pride here in Australia. Imagine the scenario in the local pub…

‘G’day mate, I’ll have a schooner of New.’

(Bloke sat next to me looks me up and down)

‘G’day, how ya goin?’

‘Fine thanks.’

‘That’s a mighty colourful shirt you’ve got on there.’

‘Yeah, it’s Blackpool.’

‘Who? Which code do they play?’

‘Football, or soccer as you call it.’

‘Oh, soccer. I’ve always followed Liverpool myself as my Grandad was from there.’

‘Liverpool!’, says I, ‘Call that a team?!’ as I point to the badge on my shirt, ‘Now, THAT’S a team!’

Crocodile Blackpool strikes again. Which code indeed!