It was last weekend when a mate of mine pointed out to me: "Butler, wherever you move, the football team always gets worse."
He provided me proof and evidence of the statement, and I had to agree. I think I'm a curse on the football teams I follow and support.
Let's look at the evidence:
1989-2005 - East London era
I grew up in East London, Forest Gate followed by Walthamstow. I'm an avid Leyton Orient fan, and during this time they spent the first six years in Division Two. Not bad, but in 1995 Orient were on the brink of bankruptcy, after chairman Tony Wood lost his tea-making money in the Rwandan genocide. This led to relegation, and sitting in the duldrums of fourth division football for 11 years.
2005-2010 - The Southampton years
I moved down to Southampton with my family in 2005. At my new school, my new mates would joke that I supported Orient, a club very few had heard of. I would try to defend myself, and in fact would joke with them that in 'a couple of years we'd be playing you (Southampton)'. Incredibly, the first year I moved down to the South coast, the Saints were relegated from the Premiership, after a 13 year stint there.
Fast forward a year, and lo and behold Leyton Orient, the area I had left, got promotion for the first time in 11 years. Just one division between O's and Saints, and my prediction soon became an incredible reality, as Saints were relegated at the end of the 2008-09 season, to League One.
2008-2011 - Oxford, the university era
Probably the only area to buck this trend. Oxford, who ironically Orient relegated at the same time as they got promoted in '06, were langushing in the Conference until the end of the 2010 season, when they got promoted. The only time I went to see Oxford United play was at the end of the the 2010-11 season, when they actually beat Lincoln 2-1.
2010-present - Nottingham
My family moved up from Southampton to Nottinghamshire in February 2010, with immediate impact. Southampton, in League One for two seasons, got promoted at the end of last season, and are now flying high at the top of the Championship. But what about the clubs I now live around? Well, Nottingham Forest, who had finished 3rd and 6th in the respective previous seasons, now lie 20th in the Championship - having lost two managers (Billy Davies and Steve McClaren) in the past 12 months.
Notts County? Fair slightly better, though just avoided the drop last season.
So, in conclusion. Where am I now? Still in Nottingham - Orient lying stable in League One, Southampton flying high in the Championship, and Oxford in the play-off places in League Two.
If anyone from Nottingham wants to have a whip-round and pay for me to leave the city, feel free.
He provided me proof and evidence of the statement, and I had to agree. I think I'm a curse on the football teams I follow and support.
Let's look at the evidence:
1989-2005 - East London era
I grew up in East London, Forest Gate followed by Walthamstow. I'm an avid Leyton Orient fan, and during this time they spent the first six years in Division Two. Not bad, but in 1995 Orient were on the brink of bankruptcy, after chairman Tony Wood lost his tea-making money in the Rwandan genocide. This led to relegation, and sitting in the duldrums of fourth division football for 11 years.
2005-2010 - The Southampton years
I moved down to Southampton with my family in 2005. At my new school, my new mates would joke that I supported Orient, a club very few had heard of. I would try to defend myself, and in fact would joke with them that in 'a couple of years we'd be playing you (Southampton)'. Incredibly, the first year I moved down to the South coast, the Saints were relegated from the Premiership, after a 13 year stint there.
Fast forward a year, and lo and behold Leyton Orient, the area I had left, got promotion for the first time in 11 years. Just one division between O's and Saints, and my prediction soon became an incredible reality, as Saints were relegated at the end of the 2008-09 season, to League One.
2008-2011 - Oxford, the university era
Probably the only area to buck this trend. Oxford, who ironically Orient relegated at the same time as they got promoted in '06, were langushing in the Conference until the end of the 2010 season, when they got promoted. The only time I went to see Oxford United play was at the end of the the 2010-11 season, when they actually beat Lincoln 2-1.
2010-present - Nottingham
My family moved up from Southampton to Nottinghamshire in February 2010, with immediate impact. Southampton, in League One for two seasons, got promoted at the end of last season, and are now flying high at the top of the Championship. But what about the clubs I now live around? Well, Nottingham Forest, who had finished 3rd and 6th in the respective previous seasons, now lie 20th in the Championship - having lost two managers (Billy Davies and Steve McClaren) in the past 12 months.
Notts County? Fair slightly better, though just avoided the drop last season.
So, in conclusion. Where am I now? Still in Nottingham - Orient lying stable in League One, Southampton flying high in the Championship, and Oxford in the play-off places in League Two.
If anyone from Nottingham wants to have a whip-round and pay for me to leave the city, feel free.
