Glory of Victory?

Why, oh why, have I been so muted about Southend's promotion when I've written about most other facets of football since?

This is a tricky one to answer. Every football fan goes from game to game hoping that the team can do something, anything, to get three points. As the team gets more points the supporters gain hope and expectations. As the team gets fewer points, supporters get anguish and despair. These are the two contrasting emotions that make following professional sport the insatiable addiction it is.

It sounds bizarre but in some way, I enjoyed watching Southend scratching round the bottom of League 2 for points as much as I have enjoyed seeing them flying at the top of League one. This leads me to think that football is an outlet, tantamount to watching a soap, where you turn up for those 90 minutes each Saturday and put your life on hold while this assumed life runs another week of drama. This certainly seems to be the case for me and many more because there's little other explanation for the attachment that grown men take to this game.

When Kevin Maher lifted the trophy, I was happy but the delirium had gone. For me, the delirium was when Hartlepool equalised against Brentford all but clinching promotion. For, me the delirium was when Wayne Gray broke free and beat the Bristol City keeper to put us 5 minutes away from being champions. The emotion of football comes during the game for me, not whilst watching celebrations, and parades all seems a bit flat when compared with the excitement of the moment itself.

Of course, there is one thing that makes being at the top half better than the bottom and that is the quality of football on display. If people suggest football can't take an art form, then they don't watch enough football. Football moves in patterns at the most basic level. At the foot of league two, generally, players defend in fours, midfielders protect their back line and strikers try to offer an outlet. As you move through the league ladder, more and more sets teams apart until you get to the top of the chain where players like Henry have such sublime talent that they change the game.

For Southend, although it might not be much to anyone else, Freddy Eastwood, whilst far from being the only Championship quality player, sets games alight with almost outrageous flair, fine technique and the ability to move past players before they know what's happening.

For Southend supporters, this is near the pinnacle and with 5,000 season ticket sales already confirmed, there are a lot of people wanting to be a part of it right now.

All that remains to be said is:

Championne, Championne, Olé Olé Olé!!