We are big time. I now know it. Maybe not yet on the pitch but on the street.
I'm a teacher based in Prague, teaching kids. Kids over here, like elsewhere in the world follow trends almost blindly, relying on what others tell them to do, say and more importantly wear.
So, Monday afternoon I have a class of 9-10 year olds. In walks Lukas, bit of a 'generic' football fan, wearing his coat. No change there. He stops by his place and unzips his jacket...... and was wearing a City shirt!
I was so shocked I had to sit down.
It was jekyll, of course, but still, a City shirt in my classroom that hadn't been pre-empted by me! I couldn't speak. Now of course, Lukas couldn't name two City players to save his life, I didn't ask him as I didn't want to spoil the illusion, but if City shirts are starting to get knocked off for sale in dodgy Czech markets, and more importantly, ten-year-olds are wanting to wear them, well, ladies and gentlemen....... we are big time.