Stereotype Lancastrians - flat caps (but no whippets)
This is shot outside the Reebok stadium today. My team Bolton Wanderers slumped (yes 'slumped' ...a well know football phrase) to a 3-0 home defeat against Fulham. after three successive wins we were looking like avoiding relegation, but today's defeat keeps us in the relegation 'mire' (another classic footie word 'mire'
These are two Wanderers fans stood outside the stadium. The structure behind them is the base of the floodlight structure. Lancastrians (a collective term to describe people from the county of Lancashire) are meant to wear flat caps and own whippets. I'm calling these two elderly gentlemen 'stereotype Lancastrians', because of the traditional head wear they are wearing ! No whippets to be seen, but then you could not take a whippet to an English Premier League stadium / match !
BTW: I'm an exiled Lancastrian living in Nottinghamshire , I don't have a 'flat cap', but as many of you will know, I do own a whippet !
BTW2: Technically Bolton is in the county of 'Greater Manchester' , but we are really Lancashire people !!
These gentlemen don't look too happy. This was before kick off. I dread to think what they looked like at the final whistle. The football was dire !!
Well I have had to fave this Phil the main reason being it made me laugh so much !!! You have got the Lancashire scene in one & I love the words 'slumped' & 'mire' they are just so expressive !! You men do take your footy to heart & these poor guys will probably not sleep a wink tonight going over every lost chance ! Love the way that one on the lefts mouth turns right down at the corners !! Ah well what do the say ''itl 'b reet ' or similar !! Hooray for Lancashire !! Don't take Ruby any where near this lot !!
@happypat thanks for the fave Pat. I shot this from the hip blind as I walked past them. I've done a 'portait crop' of just the two men, but I didn't think it worked quite as well !! They do look like two characters though !!!
@phil_howcroft No I think you pick up the whole story with the bigger picture, wonder if they are waiting for their mates!! Tom Finney's 90 birthday celebrated at PNE today I believe, they managed a draw !!!
LOL - I just love this Phil - great expressions you've caught and they look like typical Lancs...! sorry to hear your boys didn't pull their fingers out (so to speak!) you need to give 'em a good talking to!!
So sorry your team lost. No, these fellas don't look happy at all! So your right to wonder how much worse their faces could be after the loss! Very nice black and white shot. Good balance of highlights and shadows. One question... What kind of a hat do you own and wear? LOL!
I absolutely love this! I'm sure I would never have seen the potential of this everyday scene and that is why 365 is so good for those of us who are learning. I am inspired to try my own 'public/people shot so stand by . . Fav!
@tishpics Patricia, thanks for the fave and the very kind words you say about this image. I'm pleased that my image has 'inspired' you to try some 'street photography'...good luck, I'm sure you will do fine :)
@marlboromaam thanks Maggie for your great comments :) in answer to your question what kind of hat do I wear ? Well.....I only wear a hat when I 'have to' :) :).....here's a summary of hats 'when I have to ...'
WINTER
When it's really really cold at the football a hat with furry sides
(see Peter @sleepdozer57 on 24 Jan 2012)
When its just cold at the football a Bolton Wanderers woolly hat
SUMMER
When it's hot one of three baseball hats...a Bolton Wanderers hat, an FC Barcelona hat or a Detroit Tigers hat (from when I went to Detroit in 2009 on a work trip)
When on the beach in summer ...a straw hat (very trendy in the UK ...I think)
@caddick I bet they've got pigeons at home!! Yeah for Lancashire - who ever got stirred with pride at the thought of coming from Greater Manchester? @happypat Go Tom!! I thought he might be older than 90 - he seemed pretty old when I used to get my Green Flash trainers from his shop for PE. I can still remember him shaking hands with my dad - and my dad who isn't fussed about football came over all star struck and was chuffed all day!!
@judithg thanks Judith. As for Tom, he is the last remaining stalwart and gentleman of the three famous Lancashire footballers of a bygone era of long forgotten real football and footballers ....Matthews , Lofthouse and Finney ...wore the shirt of club and country with pride, honour and respect to their fellow footballers. Oh for some of that respect today, I've just been watching....to quote Gary Neville .... the circus that is Manchester City and Balotelli
@marlboromaam LOL Maggie, well the version we all know in the UK is one from Tom Jones that was made famous because it featured as a soundtrack in a film about working men in a gritty northern yorkshire town :)
@phil_howcroft Yes, I believe the name of the movie was "The Full Monty!" Loved it and own a copy. =) I also loved "Calendar Girls" with Helen Mirren! I just adore British films! LOL!
@marlboromaam WOW Maggie 'The Full Monty' and 'Calendar Girls' made it all the way to USA and then to your movie / film collection too. I'm not only impressed by your photography but now I'm impressed with both your knowledge of UK films and your choice of films :)
@marlboromaam maggie, lol, flat caps on two elderly gentlemen to maggies film collection... 365 comment threads take us on some obscure paths....surprise me :)
WINTER
When it's really really cold at the football a hat with furry sides
(see Peter @sleepdozer57 on 24 Jan 2012)
When its just cold at the football a Bolton Wanderers woolly hat
SUMMER
When it's hot one of three baseball hats...a Bolton Wanderers hat, an FC Barcelona hat or a Detroit Tigers hat (from when I went to Detroit in 2009 on a work trip)
When on the beach in summer ...a straw hat (very trendy in the UK ...I think)
"You can keep your hat on"