When the football fixtures came out in June the drinking Oldham Athletic supporter spotted bank holiday weekend, August, Blackpool away.  It was the talk of the town.  Well, talk of the hashtag #oafc anyway.

Hope for the new season and a big Lancashire derby early doors.  Played four lost four meant a little of that excitement has vanished.

As a less committed drinker I thought “how easy is disabled parking in that area?” – a sign of my inability to get excited at alcoholic frolics these days.

Something more exciting popped up on my two American Express cards.  A spend £20 for 500 Avios offer.  Limited retailers including Shell, so with a near empty fuel tank and a qualifying Shell petrol station down the road I fulfilled the requirements of the offer using my Platinum AMEX.  The extra 3p a litre on the fuel price compared to Tesco costing me 51p.  The Avios having a value between £2.75 and £25 depending on my ability to use them smartly.  Several hours later I doubled up with my BA AMEX card.  Life is good!

It is a long time since I got a buzz out of visiting Blackpool.  Two beers for less than a fiver lifted my mood.  Entering the modern ground that bears no resemblance to the 1980s death trap I recall from my younger years, this felt almost clinical.  Modern stands replacing an awful place to watch football.

In fact it remained a death trap terrace in the late 1980s or early 1990s when I visited to see Cantona play.  He was awful.  Eric’s brother Joel turning out for Stockport wasn’t close to matching the ability of the Manchester United legend.  I don’t think Eric ever got to Bloomfield Road.  He’s not missed much.

The result today’s?  2-1 to Blackpool.  Played five, lost five.  Never mind, it’s the Checkatrade Trophy next week … I know.  I know.

My Fake Limp