[Lord Stiffupperlip]

'Oh What A Lovely War!'
The 1969 musical satire on World War 1 seems a fitting analogy to sum up yesterdays battle for survival.
Are we all mad? We who follow football.
Every year we rush with patriotic fervour to join the colours, to don the scarlet tunic of our red army.
Every week we volunteer for front line duty. Hoping for victory but fearing defeat.
And as in war, for every winner there is a loser. For every survivor a casualty.
Strangely, I felt no sense of euphoria after yesterdays victory, just relief that we have survived another campaign - that we live to fight another day.
As I waited to board my train home, I was joined by a few stragglers, the walking wounded of the Pilgrim Brethren.
It takes a special kind of loyalty to travel 624 miles to watch your hopes die on a muddy field in Lancashire.
They travelled in silence mostly. Defeated & weary from too many lost battles. Resigned in the knowledge that for them, the war is over.
As we march back to the safety of mid-table, they face a fate worse than death for any football follower - Relegation!
'The Bells of Hell go ting-a-ling-a-ling for you but not for me'
Let us spare a thought for our gallant opponents. For there but for the grace of God & a Sean McConville hat-trick go we!
I recall a song from the film which captured the dawning reality of war for the weary foot soldier;
'When this lousy war is over
Oh how happy I will be
When I get my civvie clothes on
No more soldiering for me'
Will we come to our senses? Give up the fight & take life easy every Saturday, free ourselves from constant worry, from the heartache of defeat?
Never! I've already enrolled for another term on the front line.
Truly, we are all mad!