OFF THE PITCH
Before the football, a word about Samaritans
No conspiracy theories today. No shouting about the officials. Just something I actually want to say properly, for once.
This blog is usually about Tottenham and nothing else. Today I want to put all of that aside for a minute and talk about something real.
I have talked before, on my page, about the work Samaritans do, and I want to say it again properly here, because it matters more than any of the football nonsense I usually go on about.
Samaritans are there, day and night, every single day of the year, for anyone who is struggling. Doesn't matter who you are, doesn't matter what club you support, doesn't matter what's going on in your life. You can ring them free on 116 123, any hour, any day. Someone will pick up and listen. No judgement, no queue, no form to fill in first.
I care about this because football, for all the noise I make about it, is supposed to be a good thing in people's lives. A place to escape to, a laugh with your mates, something to look forward to on a Saturday. For too many people it isn't that. Life gets heavy, and sometimes the people carrying the most don't say a word about it.
If you are one of those people right now, please hear this clearly. You do not have to be in crisis to call. You do not have to have the right words ready. You can just ring and talk, or not talk much at all, and someone will stay on the line with you.
You are not a bother. You are not wasting anyone's time.
If you are not struggling yourself, you probably know someone who is, even if they seem fine. Check on your mates. Actually check, not just a thumbs up on a text. Ask twice if you have to. Sometimes the second "are you alright" is the one that gets the honest answer.
Samaritans do not do this work for headlines or thanks. They do it quietly, constantly, because it saves lives. That deserves more attention than it gets, so give them a follow, share what they do, and support them if you are able to.
That's it from me today. No bit, no nonsense, just a genuine thank you to Samaritans for what they do, and a genuine ask that you look out for the people around you.