Ever had your other half cancel a special anniversary dinner? Or perhaps you’re the one who has pulled out of a date because your favourite team has been playing? Either way, football fans are apparently always putting off important events including romantic weekends and family gatherings in favour of watching the match. According to a new study, commissioned by William Hill, a quarter admitted to missing a wedding while one in six said a fixture had landed them in the bad books on an anniversary. Half of those questioned confessed that they had checked the score on their phones while their other half went to the bathroom with over a third saying they have done it under the table. It will come as no surprise then that almost 50 per cent said that football was their first love, which will also explain why over a third said they argued with their partner over the amount of time they dedicate to the sport. Perhaps learning from past mistakes, 38 per cent sweeten their significant others before admitting that they’re going to watch the match, which is much more thoughtful that the 28 per cent who just lie about it. From these findings, and the fact that the World Cup is on, we predict a LOT of excuses over the coming weeks!