Adrian Chiles, the well-known broadcaster and writer, believes he is under a peculiar and persistent curse involving pigeons, a situation that has taken increasingly strange and dark turns over the past year. What began as a simple annoyance has evolved into a series of eerie events that he fears are impacting his beloved football team, West Bromwich Albion.
The Origins of the Feathered Torment
Chiles first wrote about his disdain for pigeons when they invaded a drainage channel on his roof, an incident that left him feeling the birds were giving him funny looks ever since. While he acknowledges this might be his imagination, a more tangible event followed. During a West Brom match against Derby County in September, a peregrine falcon dropped half a dead pigeon onto the pitch, halting play in a bizarre "pigeon stops play" moment.
A Portent of Doom for West Brom
At the time of the falcon incident, West Brom had been dominating Derby County, but the match took a sharp downturn afterward, resulting in a 1-0 loss. Chiles interpreted this as a portent of doom, and his fears seemed justified as the team's fortunes plummeted. From that day forward, West Brom's performance deteriorated steadily.
The team drew matches only to lose them, played well but failed to win, and eventually gave up hope of promotion. The manager was sacked, a new appointment made things worse, and without a single win this year, relegation became a real possibility. Another managerial change brought in an interim coach, a much-loved former player, which briefly lifted spirits and made Chiles feel the pigeon curse might be easing.
A Brief Respite and a Grisly Discovery
On a recent Saturday, West Brom finally secured a victory, leaving Chiles relieved and even tearful. Hoping the curse had lifted, he visited his mother to share the good news. However, her reaction was one of shock, not from the football result, but from a disturbing event she had just witnessed.
Beneath her kitchen window, there had been a commotion. When she looked out, she saw "some kind of bird of prey" standing over a headless pigeon, feasting on it from the head down. This grisly scene occurred approximately 7.4 miles from West Brom's ground, as the falcon flies, leading Chiles to wonder if it could be the same peregrine falcon from the match, though he admits it's unlikely.
The Unanswered Questions and Lingering Fear
Chiles is left pondering the meaning of this latest turn of events. Is it a coincidence, or is the pigeon curse taking an even darker turn? He expresses concern for himself, his team, and even the pigeons, praying that the torment stops. The series of incidents has woven a narrative of supernatural interference in both his personal life and West Brom's football season, leaving him anxious about what might come next.
This account highlights how superstition and real-world events can intertwine in the mind of a sports fan, creating a compelling story of feathered foes and football fate. Adrian Chiles' experience serves as a reminder of the strange ways in which nature and sport sometimes collide, sparking fears and folklore that resonate beyond the pitch.
