FOOTBALL has always played a massive role in my life. I have experienced the good, the bad and the ugly of the world’s most popular sport. Some people disregard it entirely, most consider it a simple curiosity in some shape or form, but for others like myself, it is something which captivates our entire lives.
From the oddly competitive nature of Fantasy Football to the endless hours spent arguing over whether or not Man United are in a relegation battle. There’s the excitement of the away days which end up cleaning out your bank account and the orchestrated chanting for our favourite players.
It isn’t just about watching, of course. I play grassroots football for Crumlin United at under-17 level. Waking up at seven o’clock on a Saturday morning and bracing the stinging cold in the swamps of Mallusk playing fields might not be the most appealing way to spend your precious day off, but it has become second nature for the thousands who play youth football across the country. This year, our team made it to the U-17 NI Cup Final, a competition usually dominated by the likes of Linfield and Glentoran. Despite a disappointing result on the day, it was an incredible achievement and reward for our efforts throughout the season.
Off the pitch, my passion for the game continues to the stands. I have held a season ticket at Cliftonville for the last three seasons and there is nothing quite like the Saturday afternoons at Solitude, soaking in the atmosphere, the abuse hurled at opposition players you never even knew existed and waving goodbye to the away fans as we put a fourth unanswered goal past them (not that there were many of those days last season). Without a doubt however, my greatest day as part of the Red Army came at Windsor Park just over 13 months ago. A moment of unbridled emotion that will never leave me for the rest of my life. Time stood still as Ronan Hale crossed the halfway line in the dying seconds of the game. The realisation, came first, that there was no keeper in the net. Then came seven long seconds, as the ball was taken from the centre circle to the penalty box before being passed into the empty net to cue bedlam in the Reds’ end. A remarkable end to a remarkable final, 45 years in the waiting.
On a larger scale, my support extends to Liverpool in the Premier League. I have been very fortunate to experience the world renowned Anfield atmosphere in person when we defeated Newcastle 4-2 on New Years Day 2024. Never did I imagine my mood for the week would rest on the shoulders of a frizzy haired Egyptian, but such is the rollercoaster of being a loyal supporter of a worldwide club.
Michael McCarthy
After surrendering to the truth I would never make it as a professional footballer, my focus quickly shifted to journalism, where I saw an opportunity to remain involved in the game I love. If it is not to be that I am on the Anfield pitch scoring a last minute winner in a Champions League semi-final, perhaps I could be the one in the gantry calling it for the world. I want to bring my experience and perspective both as a player and supporter to a career in the media, capturing the emotions that only football can produce, from the elation of Origi’s iconic goal against Barcelona to the agony of a penalty shootout defeat in this year’s Irish Cup decider. These stories need to be told with honesty, conviction and passion and I hope my knowledge and devotion to the game brings them to a global audience.
Rathmore pupil Michael McCarthy is on work experience at the Andersonstown News this week.
