Feast of football

Not so very long ago, the very idea of going to a football ground in expectation of treats for the tastebuds would have seemed ludicrous. And, in truth, the catering facilities at many stadia still serve up dreadful chips and burgers that look like they've got botulism written all over them. (On my first visit to the Cardiff City Stadium with my son, he was perversely delighted by his half-time delicacy: a dried-out oversized pig-in-blanket in a cheap hotdog roll that appeared to have been on a sunbed for hours rather than merely beneath a heat lamp.)

But the times they are a-changin', as Pete Brooksbank reported for When Saturday Comes in an article subsequently republished by the Guardian. The variety of food on offer is increasing, as is the quality - thanks in part to technological advances but also demand. The broadening palate of those who attend matches is probably a reflection of the shifting demographics of football fandom. While those shifts might provoke mixed feelings, as more supporters are priced out of going to games, it's nevertheless a positive that clubs are having to up their game and provide tastier tucker.

The Twitter account Footy Scran, mentioned by Brooksbank, showcases the good, the bad and the ugly, but it often has me salivating. If there's one lesson to be learned from the pictures they post, though, it's that other countries generally still do football grub better (or at least more interestingly), and cheaper too - so there's more work to be done.