04-09-2014, 20:50
I was a reasonable player. A striker. I played for Juniors, Seniors, Clubs, Scouts and a few local clubs and could score with regularity.
Playing as a teenager for a local team one of our fixtures was against a borstal. Normally both the 'Home' and 'Away' fixture were played at their ground, for obvious reasons. But one year, they were allowed to visit us, in the country.
Our pitch was set outside a village. You changed in the village hall and then walked to the ground just outside the village. Normally the opposition changed in the same place and walked up with us. But the 'Borstal Boys' came ready dressed for football and piled out of a minibus at the ground.
The game was good. We won. I scored a few, but I do recall their captain encouraging them while it was still close by shouting 'come on lads, if we win it's baked beans for tea'. But the reason for remembering the match so well was, at full-time when the lads piled into the minibus they were two players short.
When we looked around to find them, we spotted them. They had crossed a corn field and were breaking through a hedge and scarpering. Not sure when they were recovered or even if they ever were.
Playing as a teenager for a local team one of our fixtures was against a borstal. Normally both the 'Home' and 'Away' fixture were played at their ground, for obvious reasons. But one year, they were allowed to visit us, in the country.
Our pitch was set outside a village. You changed in the village hall and then walked to the ground just outside the village. Normally the opposition changed in the same place and walked up with us. But the 'Borstal Boys' came ready dressed for football and piled out of a minibus at the ground.
The game was good. We won. I scored a few, but I do recall their captain encouraging them while it was still close by shouting 'come on lads, if we win it's baked beans for tea'. But the reason for remembering the match so well was, at full-time when the lads piled into the minibus they were two players short.
When we looked around to find them, we spotted them. They had crossed a corn field and were breaking through a hedge and scarpering. Not sure when they were recovered or even if they ever were.
