Since I told him, our relationship is basically broken. I don’t think he has ever gotten over it.
Used to talk to him all the time about football. We both like Man United but he doesn’t talk to me about any football whatsoever now. We both liked the tennis, golf and horse racing. Refuses to talk about any of those now either. It’s like everything we used to have in common he’s frozen out on that one decision I made.
I enjoyed going to the football with him, it was bonding but if I’m honest I never quite understood why a man who lived in Ayr his whole life supported Kilmarnock. I would have went with him to support any team, be it Kilmarnock, Rangers, Celtic, St Mirren.... whoever....just enjoyed the time.
However as I was about to have a kid of my own, that pushed me into doing what I had thought about for years on and off. I used to think as I drove by Somerset To pick him up “Why am I driving past this football club on my doorstep to go somewhere 11 miles away?”. I want my kid to grow up supporting the team from their town. To be proud of it like I am now. It feels right, and I half think I regret not doing it sooner but then I think not because I enjoyed that time with my dad.
Its so weird how some people react. I wasn’t expecting high fives, but when we see each other it’s basically pleasantries and weather talk. Ok if he never wanted to discuss Ayr or Kilmarnock that’s fine but that’s only a fraction of our shared interests and he’s chosen to freeze out all of them.
Its upsetting but I love Ayr United and rather than just blindly supporting a team because “its all I’ve known” or “It’s the direction I was pointed because someone else supports them”, I’ve taken the undoubtedly unusual and unorthodox decision to make the change at 30 and I couldn’t be happier. I’m now supporting MY team. I’VE made the choice and I’ve never looked back.