We all know that British football fans don’t have the best reputation.

On the whole, we’re not a bad bunch, but occasionally one or two bad apples have spoiled it for the rest of us who are just good, football loving fans who want to follow their teams around the world. 

A couple of weeks ago, I went to watch the Villa play at Fenerbahce Stadium in Turkey. Now, I have to be honest, I was a little apprehensive. This “reputation” British football fans have means that, sometimes, when we go to matches abroad, we have to follow special rules and restrictions. And in Turkey, that meant getting escorted by the police from the city centre directly to the stadium. So 5 hours before kick off we got loaded onto a coach and ferried to Fernebahce. As it turned out, I shouldn’t have worried. The police were friendly, it was well organised and we felt not only safe but welcome. 

There was just one problem (ok, two really), we arrived 3 hours before the match started and there was no alcohol on sale. Now, I do enjoy a beer, but not being able to buy one is no biggie. But sitting in a stadium waiting for three hours with nothing to do and not even a bevvy to keep things interesting is another matter. I usually wander into European matches 30 minutes before kick-off! This was new to me… Not only that, but after the match finished, we had a 2-hour wait before they let us back out and on the coach again. 

So 7 hours in total trapped in the stadium just waiting, if you consider waiting before the match, the match itself and the hold back after… I’ll be honest, I was dreading it a little. It was rammed, no beer, thousands of people and poor toilet facilities. But in reality, it was ok. Time actually flew. Do you know why? It was the people I was with. I’d travelled there with a good group of around 10 chaps, all good guys, who just share a love of the Villa and like to have a good laugh. Some of them are successful business owners, others are not. But they all have one thing in common, a good attitude and positive mindset. No one whinges or whines. No one is lairy or out for a fight. We all just chatted, had fun and enjoyed the game and the experience. 

It got me thinking about that saying that’s often bandied about the business world, “You’re the average of the 5 people you spend most time with.” I think it’s not far off the mark. The people you hang around with do matter. They can build you up or push you down. They can inspire you or hold you back. They can give you a laugh or stress you out. Don’t get me wrong, I am not above anyone. I come from a council estate with no education. This isn’t about money, class or anything else except mindset and attitude. 

Time flew at Fernebahce because we all got on and had a laugh, that’s why we travel together. It probably helped that we won the match 1-0, so that lifted our spirits but had we lost, we’d still have had a cracking time. 

So, who do you hang around? Are you with negative people who drag you down, or with people who lift you and raise your standards? Drop me a quick email and let me know!