January 2012

When it comes to football fans and their superstitions, a pair of lucky pants barely tells half the story in this season’s Johnstone’s Paint Trophy, which has thrown up as many supporter apprehensions as it has goalmouth action.

Most managers will say that the business end of the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy starts here.

At the exact same time, most football fans will say that their pre-match rituals truly begin, with so much riding on the outcome of the forthcoming area finals.

With a trip to the Home of Football beckoning, supporters are becoming more consumed in their superstitions, as if they actually make a scrap of difference to the final outcome.

These are the same supporters who tell their fellow friends to stop singing songs about ‘Wem-ber-lee’ for fear of putting the kiss of death on their team!

We remember a story about a giddy Wolves fan putting the ‘mockers’ on things, many moons ago.

So confident was he of a trip to the final of the 1988 Football League Trophy that he began making provisions for his stay in London, having seen his division three table toppers beat Torquay United 2-1, away in the first leg of the southern finals.

He should have known what was coming next...

Torquay United won 2-0 at Molineux to scupper his best laid plan, with the goals coming from an ex-player by the name of Dean Edwards, who was born in Wolverhampton!

It is twists of fate like these that reduces so many supporters to superstitious nervous wrecks, with many contacting the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy to tell us about their habits.

Jon Butt, a lifelong Southampton fan, tweeted us to comment on a friend who eats the same sandwich if the Saints win.

With Southampton only losing once in the whole of 2011, mackerel and watercress began to taste a bit bland, having eat the same sandwich for the best part of 12 months.

Another fan by the name of Nick Ball told us about the time he used some of his sister’s hairspray on his pet dog ‘for a laugh’.

After he watched his team win at home only hours afterwards, he continued to style the Golden Labrador’s blond locks for a further two months, until they next lost a game at home.

Our Facebook account has been swamped with supporters’ twitchy tales as well.

Danny Nowack told us that before he plays football, he actually eats a blade of grass from the penalty spot his team are defending, despite not being able to explain why.

Carlisle United fan Anthony Donnelly even wore his lucky hat to last season’s trophy final, despite wearing his suit and tie while sitting in the corporate section of the ground.

Meanwhile, Stevenage fan Callum Jackson insists on wearing three quarter length jeans whatever the weather – but only in cup games.

Most people would brandish such behaviour as downright insane, but logical thinking doesn’t always come easy to the average football fanatic.

We should know...

...We’re about to embark on our second ‘warm weather dance’ to get the Area Final fixtures to go ahead!

Johnstone’s. Bringing colour to the beautiful game.