It’s not a city which makes following West Ham particularly easy, not just because the Tribune doesn’t cover it, but because there is no one for me to talk about football with.

But yet - there are people to talk about FOOTBALL with. My grandfather, for example, who at the age of 91 was able to tell me all about the new quarterback that the Chicago Bears have acquired this season and who is giving him high hopes for the season.

And the interesting thing is that I’m pretty sure he would also be able to tell me about the quarterback that they acquired in, say, 1983. Which is rather fascinating.

Coincidentally, earlier this week at my brother’s wedding, I discussed football with two of my male cousins. One supports Liverpool and Spain. ‘My favourite player is Torres,’ he explained. The other informed me that he backs Aberdeen and Scotland.

Their ages? Six and three. This amazes me: not only that they are able to gather information about these teams, but that they are then able to synthesize it in to opinions.