PTSD – Me? I have taken to watching Newcastle United YouTube in my moments of stress. | OneFootball

I am a big fan of Bertolt Brecht, who actually isn’t one of the countless Newcastle United summer transfer targets, he was actually a talented German poet and playwright.

One of my favourite quotes from him is; “Because things are the way they are, things will not stay the way they are.”

The more I read that quote, the deeper the meaning becomes.

As a Newcastle United fan growing up in the seventies, I would go to games with a best friend, who in later years would laugh and say to me after discussing the state of Newcastle United, his philosophy; “We are a basket case mate, always have been, always will be.” Unfortunately, my soul mate and political brother didn’t live to see our famous win at Wembley on the 16th March 2025.

I had an article published at the weekend on The Mag, in that article I referenced an incident which led to a friend and colleague being diagnosed with PTSD.

Me? I have taken to watching Newcastle United YouTube in my moments of stress.

In particular, a Sky Sports piece which lasts six minutes…

‘Tonali takes the ball and tees up a shot. Every time I watch it I visualise it hitting the back of the net. The build up before the goals. Trippier touching the ball with his fingertips and Gary Neville’s commentary of “oooohhhh, if this was Europe that would be a penalty”, sends a shiver down the spine. No need for a hit of MDMA when that Dan Burn header drops into the bottom corner and then the bursting the net Isak finish. A double MDMA overload, a bolt of euphoric electricity into the brain. And then nerves shredded when Liverpool get that goal back.’

Watching this Sky Sports loop again, when Liverpool pull that goal back and the sickening feeling in the bottom of your stomach returns, as if Liverpool are going to equalise. But then the final whistle and the sense of relief and jubilation.

Stress, what stress?

Me and the daft lad jumping around a boozer in Soho. Out of control emotion. The pressure valve released and a trophy in the cabinet.

I have written before about the art world and some of the Artists who I have had the (mis)fortune to know.

I also believe that those creative athletes on the pitch are artists in their own right.

Bertolt Brecht sums it up nicely for me…

“All art forms are in the service of the greatest of all arts, the art of living.”

Boy, were we alive each time the ball hit the back of the net at Wembley, then of course when that final whistle blew.