In three seasons of Toronto FC home games I have only missed one match. That was against Chivas in 2008, the infamous “Rick Titus” match where we had nine starters away on national team duty. My father was ill and I had to fly home to Newfoundland to be with him. And I watched that game on CBC, screaming at my screen because the bloody Blue Jays game went into 5 extra innings and CBC had to join the TFC game well underway. That was the game where stretcher-bearers dropped Big Zach Thornton onto the turf. Damn that was funny, watching that little girl on the end of the stretcher wobble, shake and eventually drop him…..

But I digress.

No off-season so far in this team’s short existence has been as contentious as this one. Never have fans been so short tempered and restless when it comes to their club. Never has there been such upheaval in the roster for a club that always seems to have a large amount of upheaval to begin with.

And there are hard questions that still need to be addressed. Will the club make the playoffs? Will TFC be able defend the Voyageurs Cup and get Champions League Footy again this year? Will Mo Johnston survive the season? Will fans still show up to support another year of losing soccer if that is how it ends up?

But for one day we can all I think step back from the angst and enjoy the experience…. Can’t we?

This supporter thing is supposed to be fun is it not? I go to the ground to enjoy myself, support my club, hopefully see a win for the home side and to spend time with my adopted family in the south end. The minute it feels like a burden to me I am gone.

Tomorrow at the office I will be a tired, maybe hung over, hoarse, happy man who yelled his lungs out and (crossed fingers) saw his TFC win.

Chad Barrett with a late beautiful goal to win it for TFC.

Come On You Reds!

Postscript: I will be posting an after game v-blog tonight made up mostly of sights and sounds from the game day experience. Plus I have a video already ready to go showing the making of the huge banners bring unfurled by U Sector and the Red Patch Boys at the start of tonight’s game. Hope you all enjoy them