Football is for 90 minutes

Every single person in the world knows a football match is 90 minutes long, ask a toddler or a pensioner and everybody will give you the correct answer. A FOOTBALL MATCH LAST 1 AND A HALF HOURS, 90 MINUTES, 5400 SECONDS.

Then why do people who clearly care enough to attend the games, leave a few minutes before the end? Having attended my fair share of footbal matches, i just happened to notice the last 10 minutes is always the most exciting, as your team is either chasing a winner or an equaliser, or if you are lucky holding on to the slenderest of margins. Why anyone would miss the climax to a football match is beyond me.

Ive heard the excuse ' to avoid the traffic', well why not arrive late to miss the traffic? or get the train? You came to watch the bloody football! If you don't like the traffic, give the ticket to someone who will appreciate it.

Picture this scene, Norwich City, bottom of the premier league, Middlesborough at home, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink has just curled in a free-kick to put The 'Boro 4-1 up. Que max exodus from Carrow Road. But then the unbelievable happened, A Dean Ashton finish followed by headers from Leon McKenzie and Adam Drury lead to Norwich nicking an incredible draw (the final two goals where listed as going in in the 90th minute). The finest moment of my football viewing life, imagine all the people who missed these goals because they left the match early, the hours stuck in the car were more than worth it.

Halfway through last season, studies where done and research showed a football fan would have missed an incredible 126 goals from leaving a game 10 minutes early. Why do these 'football fans' do it?

Do they do it in all walks of life? Do they switch off Midsomer Murders seconds before Inspector Barnaby unmasks the killer? Do they leave the restaurant just before their food has arrived? During Sex do they.. well you get the picture.

On that note, leaving early is the only thing in football that really, really annoys me. I would happily sit in traffic for years following a last minute Norwich City winner.

So, if you are guilty of this horrible crime, next time you are thinking about running back to your Volvo, remember it only takes a second to score a goal.