Another Saturday afternoon at the Macron Stadium watching Bolton Wanderers and another stranger for my series.
This is John, who is a programme seller at the Wanderers.
I spotted John a couple of games ago and thought he might make a good stranger, so when I saw him stood undercover by one of the exit doors to the stadium , I decided to approach him.
My introduction is always polite and with a smile, explaining I am an amateur photographer doing a project on street portraits. John had no hesitation is agreeing to let me photograph hin.
John has been watching the Wanderers since 1958. "I've done over 50 years " John said. I joked that he must have seen some rubbish in all those years. I started watching the Wanderers in 1967 when I was 9, so I was confident in my statement about some of the rubbish served up. Mind you todays 1 nil loss to Reading is up there with some of the poorest ever Bolton Wanderers performances. Totally lacking of ideas , 15 points from safety and only 7 games left !
Getting back to John's story, he has been selling programmes at Bolton matches for over 20 years .
Football is full of cliché's and If I may steal a cliché football term , I think I can call John a stalwart supporter.
I edited this is Rawtherapee with a some tone mapping and level adjustments. I thought I had some dust on my sensors as I noticed some little blobs on the blue gate behind John, but when I moved from image to image it is just faded bits of paint on the gate ! Such are the finances of Bolton Wanderers, I doubt we can afford a lick of paint for the stadium gates !
This picture is number 22 in my 100 strangers project. Find out more about the project and see pictures taken by other photographers at the 100 Strangers Flickr Group page
Well, Phil, your club may be in dire straits (sp?) but they are certainly playing a big part in your strangers project, even if it sometimes includes bits of faded paint. Well done, and also for a lifetime of support (from 9 years). I'm really hoping for a big turn around for you, John and all the supporters! A characterful portrait.
Beautiful portrait, Phil. I am always looking forward for your portrait shots and the stories that accompany them. Sorry for Bolton to lose another game. You guys must be so brave to continue supporting your team year after year without getting any great result. Sorry, I shouldn't said that: I can't remember when Malta won an international football match and the supporters still go to watch.
There is an "eye" hiding in the blue! (I have been playing a hidden image game today so it jumped out at me! lol)
Lovely portrait and I like the narrative too :)
@quietpurplehaze thanks haze, Bolton Wanderers demise continues at a pace, we are officially relegated on saturday when we lose :) Glad you like John :)
Lovely portrait and I like the narrative too :)
@sangwann cheers dione, Bolton Wanderers are a bit of a joke at the moment an embarrassment of a football club.
@sketch2 cheers dave :)
@sdutoit thank you sylvia
@nicoleterheide thanks nicole
@quietpurplehaze thanks haze, Bolton Wanderers demise continues at a pace, we are officially relegated on saturday when we lose :) Glad you like John :)
@alinz cheers ali
@eyesmile thanks gena , the collar of his football shirt is blue and he also has a blue lanyard containing his ID pass
@maggiemae many thanks maggie
@gamelee thanks lee, glad you like this