AS we head into the holidays maybe it is time to end the year with some home truths.

I have always held the view that we are very quick to judge people because of their religion, culture and background when in fact it has more to do with their attitude.

We are more likely to make a comment because we don’t like the look of the person.

A person who is generally an idiot will remain an idiot and it our job to make them think otherwise. But if that person chooses not to change their thinking then there is very little one can do.

Yes, we can try to change a perception but in the end it does not matter.

For instance this week (and yes in 2018) I had to tell one fellow that Higher Croft is not a ‘racist area’. It isn’t. Never has anyone said anything racist to me on the times I have been there. I even got a cup of tea once when I was substitute on the pitch on Fishmoor Drive.

In the end it was a pointless conversation because the bloke hadn’t actually visited the area but was happy to make a stupid comment like that.

This I find is a regular occurrence. We want to say things on places and people without ever going to that place or ever having spoken to anyone.

It seems to be a recurring theme and one which breeds further ignorance.

More so, I have found people who moan the most tend to do the least amount of work to change anything.

Sunday morning football is the best example of this ignorance. Every team has a player who will moan at the referee for every decision but when that decision goes his way he applauds the official.

In the meantime he spends more time moaning at the referee than actually helping his team win. The reason he does this is to mask his own insecurities and lack of real talent.

When the team gets smashed 8-1 – he will tell fellow players that he scored his team’s solitary goal. You will find this analogy goes a long way to explaining the actions of people I meet.

So, veil or no veil, jubbah or jeans, bacon or biryani – despite it being miserable on days and a Brexit plan that has gone to pot just remember we are all on the same team.