Howdy Folks – I just received this e-mail from a girl called Kirsty. She has the old problem of boyfriend and football – a tragic tale that we've all seen many times before. Here's the e-mail and afterwards I'll put my response:

I am a girlfriend of an avid football fan. He isn't a fan of a specific team, just anybody that kicks a ball in any league. He plays for several teams and so therefore is either playing or training every night of the week.

I therefore, would like to understand everything there is to know about football and I understand my disadvantage is 20 years of not caring.

I wondered how any of you would feel if your girlfriends/sisters/mates/cousins etc. felt the same as me? So they too could talk about football with you?

Would you consider your girlfriend understanding football and being able to hold an in depth conversation about it with you good or bad?

Answers on a postcard please!

Well Kirsty – As a guy who works in an predominately female office, all of whom care about football about as much as I care for latest fashions (if you knew me then you'd understand) and also having the problem of living with three girls, none of whom really care about football but put up with me ranting and raving at the telly every so often. I know what it is like for a guy whose unable to discuss my love for the game for vast stretches of time.

However I think in general guys are quite comfortable with their partners not knowing too much about the game. You say he doesn't support any team so you are lucky in the fact that he won't reach the deep lows that I often experience, supporting a team and them losing and playing badly kills and there is very little that can bring a guy out of that funk.

Personally speaking as/when/if* I get a girlfriend – them being a football fan wouldn't make too much of a difference to me. All I'd want is an understanding that if my team had lost on a Saturday afternoon that I might not be in the greatest mood on a Saturday night and would definitely want a take-away.

If anyone else has an opinion with better advice than the single guy then please comment here or in the forum thread

* = delete as appropriate