I now live in Monterrey , Mexico (where England were based in 1986) with my wife kids. I was born and lived as a kid in Wallsend. Moved with my family to North Northumberland (Belford, about 15 miles north of Alnwick) as a boy.

Left school in the 80's and for several years spent my every spare penny following the Toon around the country. I was there at home and away most games and one season managed to do all the games. I was on the pitch and Huddersfield I was in the Melee in the coach park and surrounding slums of Moss Side. I saw the good and the bad, slept in the car in Swansea , stayed over in Blackpool after Liverpool away and owned a silver away top which I thought I looked dead good in but in retrospect I resembled a dirigible. I stood in the flag corner and almost got crushed to death many a time as the steam rose from the people relieving themselves and the smell from the brewery filled the air. Did I love it? Yes, I did.

Would I change the old dump that was St. James for the new stadium? No, I wouldn't. BUT I was back last Easter and got tickets in the rafters with my two kids for the Wigan game and I have to say if St. James is the most intimidating place in the Premier League then the rest must be like graveyards. I was
embarrassed by the lack of noise. The Wigan fans made far more noise than the home fans. What happened? My kids wanted to know why there was no singing or such. I couldn't answer them.

In Mexico I get to watch one of the 2 local teams here. The Tigres - a team that always fills its stadium, sells more season tickets than anybody else, spends  a fortune, changes manager every 6 months and never ever wins anything.

I feel right at home.