Nothing new with technology or people's reactions to it. How many times have you been to a game and been surrounded by people filming, snapchatting, vlogging or whatever. A whole generation growing up focused as much on their gadgets nestling in their palm as the action, if there is any, on the pitch.
It seems like football clubs have conceded the terraces, ok the stands, to the corporates and the techies and the rest of us, that is those who actually wanna watch the ebb and flow of the game and even create a bit of atmosphere come way down the list of priorities. Gripe against the modern game over. For now.
Back in 1962/63 it seems people were less tolerant of the latest technology invading their terraces. Some supporters it seems had the temerity to take their transistor not only into the stadium but also listen to the damned thing. For those who think the 60s were people who voted for Theresa May the transistor radio was a small portable tinny sounding radio people would press against their ears to keep up with the latest news. Or, on match day, the results from around the country.
In the days before ear plugs the noise could be quite annoying and I imagine older fans would tut-tut at the uncouth youth with their trannies and moan about the young generation, hence the request in the programme, this clip comes from Wolverhampton Wanderers on 27/10/62.
One wonders how they moaners would view the selfie generation. Scratch that. How would the trannie holders view the selfie mob?
To be fair fans had good reason to have their minds elsewhere while watching the Arsenal. We had won the first two games of the season before embarking on a hapless run of one win in 12 games. How bad were we? We had even lost at home to Sheffield Wednesday. We haven't lost at home to them since.
For the Wolves game the programme is considering the FA Cup and opines 'There is an equally strong view that never again will a second division team win the Cup.' Shut up!
Elsewhere in the programme a special mention goes to the Chief Honourary Steward Claud Stevens who had recently celebrated his golden wedding anniversary meaning he had got married back in 1912. A marriage that had survived two world wars plus god knows what else. I wonder how he felt about transistor radios/
I'll close with one of the Do You Know questions that were a feature of those pre Google days
'Father and son who followed each other in the same paid position with a football league club had 82 years of aggregate service with the club. Can you name them?
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