The Middle-Aged Spectator

The Middle Aged Spectator has been involved with football clubs and their teams, both junior and senior, in many ways over many years. Junior Coach, Club Secretary, Committee member, League Delegate, Team Manager,  barman, BBQ cook; the list is fairly extensive (and quite surprising to see all those positions listed). The MAS’s sons played under-age and senior football at their local club, before leaving town for study and employment. Football clubs are interesting places full of interesting people, and one of the most important social tasks they perform is giving on the opportunity rub shoulders with, and work with, people you might not have anything to do with otherwise. I recall coaching kids who were in all sorts of trouble with local police, or at school, but never put a foot wrong at the Club. I know of others who were never going anywhere academically, and were destined to a life of menial work, but always took part in training and matches with enthusiasm and on the same le

The MAS has been following horse racing since he was a boy, taken along by his father to the Saturday races in Bendigo or Ballarat (depending on where we were living at the time.) He grew to be an under-age punter trying to place 50c and $1 bets, and revelled in the thrill of finding a winner. As recently as last summer, the MAS finally realised that he was a hopeless punter, and decided to give it away. No regrets there, really, as he still watches and enjoys the races on Sky Racing and Racing.com, and still is of the opinion that if he were betting, he would still be losing. Those decent collects were, of course, so few and far between that one can never be properly in front of the game. But, watching trainers, jockeys and owners considering their chances, and seeing the thrill of (a very expensive) victory is great fun. Today sees the first day of the famous Warrnambool Carnival. In a lifetime of following horse racing, the MAS has always been at work when this meeting has

The Middle-Aged Spectator is a white male, and acknowledges the privilege that goes with that. Now not in the workforce fulltime, the MAS has the time to observe and reflect on life around him. It is hoped this blog will cover a range of topics including (but not limited to) politics, sport, life in general and education, the industry in which the MAS was employed for nearly 40 years.