Laurenson rues missed chances
A baffling practice or pure logic? Alex Hoad comes clean about his
betting ‘habit’.
Racial tensions in Ferguson, the Ched Evans situation, Christmas decorations in mid-November, all massive topics worthy of further discussion, however this week I want to talk about something really contentious... Betting against your team. I’d consider myself to be a pretty respectable football supporter. I go to some games (not as many as I once did, but hey, life tends to take over once you hit 30), I have a membership, I own a shirt and every day I drink out of a mug celebrating a historic triumph over a deadly rival. That, I’d say, is football fandom, summed up pretty neatly. However, there is one thing I do which causes consternation and even indignation from other fans – I have bet on my own team to lose. Now I’m not one of those people who scours the daily fixture lists for obscure Columbian Second Division fixtures, combining them with Ryman League home bankers in 12-team accumulators but I do like a flutter on the football. What I don’t do, however, is bet on my own team to win. If we ever win a trophy, in the few moments before I died of sheer disbelief, I’d be ecstatic and no windfall could enhance the sheer joy of seeing an impossible, lifelong dream fulfilled. Logic dictates I do the opposite. When I watched us in a League Cup final a few years back, I bet on the other team to lift the trophy. And they did. I like to think of this practice as ‘emotional compensation,’ should the worst happen. My team is Tottenham. On Wednesday night, I’ll be in the Spurs end at Stamford Bridge, home of 2014/15 Premier League champions Chelsea and a ground where Spurs haven’t won since February 1990 when Nelson Mandela was imprisoned, Margaret Thatcher was Prime Minister and Sinead O’Connor was No.1 with Nothing Compares 2 U. This, plus the fact I have paid £60.50 for a ticket (I know, I know... and don’t tell the missus), means I will be lumping on us to lose. And given the fact that after our recent run of unconvincing away wins, there is a wallpaper shortage in north London from covering all the cracks, I will also be betting on us to lose by two, three and four goals or more. I know what you’re thinking, what if you draw or even win? I’d be delighted. I would never stake so much that I’d find myself wanting to win the bet. I’d have gladly paid more for the ticket if I was guaranteed to see us not lose. What’s worse, a £100-day to watch us lose 5-0, or watching us lose 5-0 safe in the knowledge that at least my ticket, train and beer money has been covered by my foresight? Does that make me less of a fan? You decide. But if hedging my bets is wrong, then I don’t want to be right. High-flying Sutton Valence men’s 1sts scored six goals for the third consecutive week in Kent Division 1 but they conceded just as many last Saturday. The clash with Marden Russets 2nds ended 6- 6 after second-placed Valence had trailed 3-1 at one stage. Marcus Bawden, Jamie Drewe, Fred McVarish, Max Ife, Ricky O’Neill and Andy Turnill were on target for Valence.