The four major turning points

In my mid 50s now, when I look back, I can see a number of relatively negative areas of my life which all, rather unexpectedly, became the positives of today.
It was a shock to meet the love of my life when only 17. It all seemed rather too early but has been a cornerstone of my life.

As a vague deist who tried desperately hard to disprove the Christian God over a solid 10 months, I was truly shocked to encounter His absolute reality and personality which transcended mere opinion.

At 50, as one who had voted for the Common Market and thought that being pro EU was the same as being the pro European I still assuredly am, I was challenged to investigate the 'real' EU. The seething mass of utter spendthrift corruption I discovered changed my life. I had to dedicate everything to fighting its evil.

The fourth pillar of my life precedes all the above and began when Bob Dook - that Singaporean citizen who sees more Iron games than the average supporter - also a former Chairman of the London and S. East Supporters - made me attend a match back in 1965 against Brighton at the OSG.
I wouldn't mind but I did not even like footie. I could not play it and it got in the way of cricket.
It ended 2 - 2. It was fast, passionate and my hometown club. The excitement, the pace, John Colquhoun! The oneness of the crowd. The ability to let off steam and scream your head off was so releasing. The thrills. The anger. The hot Vimto.

I decided to go back the following week and we played Millwall. Ah. The all pervasive smell of Wintergreen. It ended 4 - 4 and I was hooked for life.

41 years now of: pleasure, addiction, desperation, frustration, joy, depression, uplifting, downcasting, surprises, misery. Such is the fate of the Iron fan.
My eldest son attended his first match (away at Chester) aged just 8 months and has spent 24 years building an equivalent loyalty - and he was not even born in the town!
I ask myself whether it is fair to inflict such things on your offspring but it IS!
One more lifetime supporter. We need them all.
"I YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEARN!"

Love, spirituality, politics and SUFC. A pretty rounded life, I reckon. There are many other things but these top all the rest.
Les A.