Few things can shake the bond between a man and his best friends. Yes, there might be a bit of footie team rivalry, some envious comments about his brand-new BMW, maybe some mickey-taking that goes too far after the ninth pint – but it’s always quickly forgotten.
However, there’s an often unspoken issue that really can make or break a man’s friendships. His other half.
A recent survey reveals 75 per cent of women don’t like most of their fella’s friends, and almost one in five actually admit trying to prevent their man meeting up with his mates. Many women believe he regresses by more than 10 years in their company – adding he “drinks too much, ignores me, swears, shows off and retells the same stories.”
I suspect I may have been one of those who’ve been regarded with suspicion by mates’ girlfriends. Could it be my track record for trying to chew the legs off pub tables after a few drinks and being a bit too vocal about how fantastic Amsterdam is at this time of year? Guilty as charged.
But here’s another stat for you. Did you know that 83 per cent of men say that excluding his friends is a deal breaker? He loves you, but he loves his friends too. And he won’t appreciate being made to feel it’s a case of one or the other.