5 Struggles Only People Who Own a Newcastle Top Understand
Some people wear their Newcastle top simply because they like it, but many wear they wear it to show their appreciation and commitment to the team, to showcase that they're part of the global family of the team and, last but not least, because they are comfortable and act as a proud badge of loyalty and belonging. If you've ever worn your Newcastle shirt to a match or anywhere else, then you will most likely relate to these 10 struggles only people who own a football shirt understand. From deciding if you should wash it or not to refusing to admit when it's the time to get a new one, here are some of the top struggles every football fan has faced at least once when wearing their shirt.
1. Everyone Assumes You're Always Going to a Match – Even Though You're Just Going to the Corner Store
People who wear their Newcastle shirt during match days only are the first to ask you "Hey, is there a game today?" if they see you wearing yours. But, if you wear your Newcastle top simply because it is comfortable and you were in a hurry, then this question might be at least random.
What follows is a quick series of stutter replies trying to explain to your interlocutor that there is, in fact, no game today, and that you're wearing your Newcastle shirt simply because you want to. Some will understand, some will not, which is what makes these interactions a struggle for any football fan.
2. You're so Scared Not to Spill Something on Your Newcastle Top You Barely Wear it
So you bought your Newcastle top to show support for your favourite team and to foster that feeling of belonging, but now you're not wearing it because you're afraid it will get stained or damaged. We get it, you want to preserve it for as long as possible, but the line between precaution and exaggeration is thin when it comes to this.
You would happily, even intentionally, stain any other shirt, but you better not stain this shirt, or the team will be disappointed in you – or at least, that's what it feels like.
3. You Always Have to Defend the Team – Even if They Lost
When wearing a Newcastle top you're basically a walking merchandise and there's no hiding from that. People will see you and will take the shirt as a conversation starter to try to talk to you and, depending on how well or bad the season is going for your team, you might have to either join in the celebration or defend it with pride and determination.
Most fans are faced with two choices in this scenario: either stand by your team and applaud their efforts while trying to defend them, or laugh a bit awkwardly and change the topic so you can spare yourself the embarrassment.
4. You'll Know Your People from Afar, but You'll Know Your Enemies Too
Nothing compares to the joy of running into yet another fan rocking their Newcastle top, especially after a victorious match. The joy, the laughs, the smiles, it's simply magical. What's not so magical and can, in fact, ruin the magic, is seeing someone wearing the adversary's shirt.
Without saying a single word, is like the dynamics have changed and you're now staring your opponent up and down, trying to assert dominance. Some might laugh it off and try not to take it personally, but some other people might and will take it personally and when that happens… Well, let's just hope it doesn't.
5. Buying a New Newcastle Shirt Feels Like a Betrayal
Your Newcastle shirt has been there with you during the happiest, most proud moments. It shared with you the joys and the tears, it was there for the ups and it was there for the lows and, as life would have it, there comes a time when you will need to say goodbye to this one and buy yourself another one.
You said you wouldn't, you said you'd take better care of this one, but there's not much you can do. But that's what's great about these shirts – you can get yourself a new one and it will still carry the meaning and weight of the other one. You're not just buying a random shirt; you're buying one that says you're part of something bigger, part of a national and global family, part of a movement. This means that, no matter the wear, the tear, the shine or if the tag is still attached to it, it still says the same thing: you're a Toon Army.
Pride Overweighs Every Struggle
Yes you might get some weird looks from less cultured people on the street and you might get a bit more attention than usually but, at the end of the day, you're the one enjoying your life unbothered, you're the one supporting your favourite team out in the wild and you're the one making friends with just one look.
The struggles football fans face are many, and by publicly showcasing your admiration for a team you're making yourself the target of attention, especially outside of game season, but none of that compares to the pride and happiness one feels to meet another one of his kind out on the street.
Wearing your Newcastle shirt is a unique experience, no matter how often or rarely it occurs. It brings a sense of belonging that evokes in one the moments spent on the field, the emotions, the expectations and the joys, sometimes the tears as well. Clothes are powerful and, when linked to something bigger, when linked to a community, they have the ability to bring strong feelings to the surface and foster that unique sense of belonging that one is reminiscent of while wearing them. If you don't own a Newcastle look yet, you're missing out. And if you do own one, then you already know you're in for a great experience.