So here is the run down...
11 - Me. The good looking one - number 11 (like Ryan Giggs) and in the middle front row looking all serious. The only other time I got to play at Roots Hall I stuck my first shot over the old 'north bank' and down Prittlewell Chase. There used to be a fat bloke who stood in the north bank for Shrimper's home games. he would shout stuff in this gruff voice and everyone - I mean everyone could hear. Goalie Jim Stannard took some stick often for his fat arse - I can't repeat the rest here...
10 - Dave. My mate. Cheeky smile and number 10 - probably because he whacked me with a broom stick to get it.
3 - Ian. Short but fast and a sweet left peg. Ian's dad was Roy, the glass eyed bully smasher. Roy was a really great guy. Ian too.
7 - Gary. Manager's son. Shorts slightly too short and smiling because he never passed to me. I always thought he had wooden legs. Lovely family.
4 - Martin. We never got on. He liked my ex-girlfriend when I was 18. He gave her a TV to take to College. I moved on.
2 - Stuart. Bit of a nutter and joined the army. Nice chap but spat on me once and I never recovered from it.
5 - Ian. Also short and red haired. Go figure. Dad drove a Jag and we thought that was cool.
6 - Devlin. This kid was a classic. He soaked his toes in surgical fluid each week to harden them. I mean, we all could do with a 'Devlin' in a fight to back us up. He scared me but he never missed a tackle and made those he tackled cry, I mean ''serial killer turning the screw' cry.
Adam - the lad not looking at the camera. Very fast and not very good but like Devlin, probably great in a punch up at the local on a Friday. Assuming he remembered to turn up.
Roger - the manager. Spurs Fan and super nice guy. Might have favoured his son but let's face it, if I run a team one day Henry is starting right midfield even if Brooklyn Beckham turns up. I felt sorry for Roger once - he set a lovely birthday treat up for Gary and a chosen few - we went to White Hart Lane for Spurs v West Brom. A certain 'Ron Atkinson' in the heyday of WBA left 3-1 victors that afternoon. Hammers fans can live with losing - as long as Spurs do too.
The rest? Vague memories but decent chaps. I remember some names - interestingly, most the lads I do recall were simply in the two 'houses' (like Harry Potter) I was in at Fitzwimarc. It's all about the 'circle of trust' - see comment above regarding Martin. He was not in my house.
Anyway, they say something about a 'picture and a thousand words' etc. My therapist also says sharing is good for me.
Matt - good job this is in black & white - far too much ginger in here otherwise (obviously counting myself) - i have the very same picture somewhere. Those kits were soooooo shiny! Had to get the 10 shirt mate - the mighty Brooking. Cheers, Dave
ReplyDeleteHave to admit, I thought your 'keeper was wearing a jockey helmet.
ReplyDeleteInteresting because in your comments, this doesn't sound like all that good of a team. Yet, you all were able to accomplish something so on some level there was a commitment.
I don't know if a lot of people run into this, but the best team I played on did not include some of the best players that I played with. We had highly-talented teams that did nothing and low-talent teams that squeaked out 1-0. Hence, I guess, becoming a coach to figure it all out.
Thanks for sharing, Matthew. Somewhere in the dawn of life, the best pools that the amphibians were climbing out of had a coach favoring his son.