Winter?

Lord Byron wrote: "The English winter - ending in July, to recommence in August." Kind of the exact opposite of winters here in Sydney: Commencing in July, ending in August. I prefer it this way.

But enough weather talk, after all "Conversation about the weather is the last refuge of the unimaginative" (according to Oscar Wilde)

This weekend is the weekend that really, officially, unquestionably ends winter in the UK.

The final Premiership week, when fortunes will be saved or lost (none to be gained -- you can't be promoted above the Premier League, at least not yet).

An avid follower of football since my wee son (who now stands taller than his mom) took up the sport, this weekend tinges my heart with a bit of sadness. Regular team football at the highest level takes a break, and the selfish spectator that I am can't understand why they won't consent to a year 'round job, like mine.

There is still the youth football that is followed equally as avidly by all parents whose children are involved in the sport, but aside from that, and a handful of World Cup 2010 qualifying games (decisions are almost all completed on that front) it's going to be a dry spell. At least next year the end of the regular season will be followed by the World Cup in South Africa.

The end of the season, though, is always filled with last minute dramatics. Like will Hull beat Manchester United (scoff, scoff) and dodge relegation to the lower league? Will Sir Alex Ferguson play his under 13 team (he doesn't need to win this and has a cracker of a Champions League final next week), or will he field a team that challenges Hull? Will Newcastle United have a spectacular day (a thing they've been avoiding for the better part of three months), beat Aston Villa and dodge relegation?

All kinds of drama. (I know. Most people don't care.) And while I'm not a Newcastle fan, I'd hate to see that team drop a division. So I'll be up late tonight, flipping between the games (all games on the final day are played at the same time, the bastards), setting myself up for a very tired Monday.

At the Saturday morning games a group of five or six of us dads sideline-coach, exhort the players to, well, play, and discuss at length the ins and outs, ups and downs, of the Premier league.

After this week we'll have to actually focus on the boys on the pitch. We've got twelve more weeks of games.

Up to the 15th of August.

Up to the weekend that really, officially, unquestionably ends winter in Australia.