Darwenblueswearehere

[darwenblueswearehere]

Hi everyone.

My name is Andy. I am approaching 50 and was born and spent the first 30 years of my life in Darwen. Played for various local football teams including Darwen Olympic, Marsh House, Ewood Amateurs, Blackburn Olympic, Sunnyhurst/Alex and Lower Chapel Olympic. Looking at some of the other posters I'm pretty sure Arbitro has reffed games that I've played in and come along to watch cup finals and the like (if he is who I think he is....?). Scored around 300 goals in amateur and junior football but never had enough natural pace to play professionally.

I was also a fairly well known pub league snooker and pool player in Darwen in the 80s. I have lived in Glasgow for the past 16 years, having promised my Glaswegian wife that I would "Fulfil your wish to move back home when Rovers have been crowned champions of England". A promise I made in 1988........

I saw my first Rovers game in the late 60s, and started going on a regular basis in 1972 when Tony Field was banging them in and Roger Jones was keeping them out! am a Darwen End season ticket holder along with my sons who are 22 and 17. We catch the train to and from games from our home north of Glasgow, a 450 mile round trip, and often meet Fife Rover and other Rovers fans on the train, along with supporters of many other clubs from all divisions. We can normally be found in the Infirmary (or the Lockside Tavern as it is now known) before games.

I have managed to persuade quite a few disillusioned Scots to make regular journeys to Ewood over the past couple of years, not sure how long they'll put up with the current atmosphere though.

My job entails representing the interests of Scotland's housing association sector with politicians and civil servants and I can often be found giving evidence in the Scottish Parliament and speaking at conferences etc. I mention Rovers at every possible opportunity. I carry the Arte et Labore motto into my working life and am proud to be a Rover, despite the current shenanigans.