A football match serves as the invitation to enter into the realms of the gods. It is an authentic darshan (profound seeing) of the emptiness of self existence and the meeting with the non-dual.
Passion serves as the means to delight in this realm of the gods, and make darshan available for some. Believers in the detached meditator, such as Buddhists, or believers, such as Advaitins, who support neither one side nor the other, may need to go for darshan further afield for realization. Football is still the beautiful game. By the way, Torquay United, the team I support, is having a remarkable run of games. Herald Express, the daily newspaper of South Devon, published this week my letter as their lead letter on Torquay United’s run.
Dear Editor,
The Herald Express has rightly applauded this week the incredible achievement of Torquay United for currently playing 10 consecutive football league games without conceding a goal, that’s a breathtaking 16 hours and 1 minutes.
The Football League tells us only three clubs in the entire Football League history, since its foundation In 1888, gone 11 games without conceding a goal. Reading 1978 season, York City 1973 season and Millwall in 1925 season. These are golden days for all Torquay United football fans. I hope residents in Torbay have a sense of what this team has accomplished.
Under the manager, Paul Buckle, Torquay United join the elite of the elite in terms of such a record. No wonder more and more fans throughout the country are waiting to see if Torquay (yes, Torquay) can break a football record going back to 1925.
How many league football matches have been played since the league was formed in 1888? It must run into some hundreds of thousands of matches. In this 2010 season alone, 96 clubs in the four divisions play a total of around 3500 matches. It is an understatement to call this a rare phenomena to keep 16 hours plus of consecutive clean sheets. It Boys Own football. Every player and every fan will always remember these incredible days. Stuff of legends.
My grandson, aged 9, and I go to Plainmoor to watch. He will be telling his kids about this team.
No wonder Manchester United manager, Alex Ferguson, arguably the greatest club manager of all time, kindly invited Paul Buckle to a training session of Man U players last week.
Last Saturday, Torquay played at home to Bradford City. It was edge of the seat stuff every time Bradford had the ball in Torquay’s half of the field. And if the game does have its quiet moments, there is always the humour of Torquay fans such as “We’re top of the league. Who are you? “ (Bradford City’s manager is Peter Taylor, who was England’s under 21 coach, and took briefly in charge of England’s national team. Bradford City have a 25,000 capacity, state of the art, football stadium).
In the first match of the season, Torquay fans chanted to Northampton fans. “We’re going up. You’re going down” – only a few minutes into the second half.
Torquay United should put up a plaque in the club with the names of all the players, and the manager, who took part in this amazing run of matches. Torbay’s Mayor Nick Bye should consider offering a civic reception to the club as well. There are no big stars in the team. They play as a team with a great spirit. They play for each other. Next Saturday, Torquay are away to Port Vale in perhaps the most important match in club history.
The Herald Express will give us its usual full and comprehensive report next Monday with another splash of great photos. Football is still the beautiful game!
Yours truly
Christopher Titmuss
Totnes
Devon