Memories

It goes without saying that the whole world is going through the biggest health crisis for over 100 years. Everything we take for granted, a whole way of life has been affected, and all we can do is follow the government guidelines to try to minimise casualties, wait, and hope that it will all blow over sooner rather than later.

With no football to speak of, I've been reminiscing over past games and, rather than focus on the bad/cynical side of the game, as in controversial incidents, e.g. Bilic and Rivaldo in the World Cup, I've recalled a couple of amusing moments that have stayed with me down the years.

The first one is a Division 1 match between Leeds and Everton in 1975 which Leeds won 5-2. I was stood on the Lowfields terraces for that match and remember an incident where play had been stopped for an Everton free-kick and the ball was rolling out towards the touchline followed by an Everton player giving chase to retrieve it. As the ball rolled towards Duncan McKenzie, McKenzie stooped as if he was going to pick up the ball, stopping the Everton player dead in his tracks. However, McKenzie knelt down and started to tie up his bootlace instead and allowed the ball to roll past him making a bit of a Charlie out of the Everton player. Everyone in the Lowfields had a great view of it and there were howls of laughter in the crowd - it was a priceless moment and one I've remembered for 45 years. It always brings a smile to my face.

The second incident I remember was when watching Match Of The Day, probably in the 80s. The highlights were of a match between Aston Villa and West Ham. Villa's Peter Withe and West Ham's Billy Bonds had got into a bit of a tangle which looked as if it was going to turn ugly. As the referee arrived, what was a shirt-pulling and physical confrontation suddenly developed into a mock dance between the two to play the whole situation down. As far as I can recall, both players escaped any punishment and perhaps rightly so. Haven't seen any footage of it on YouTube which is a shame. It was another great moment that has stayed with me and, as with the other incident, I would love to see them both again.

I'm sure the good folks on the board will have their own funny memories from football matches, be they from the professional game or even personal memories of games at amateur or "grass-roots" level.

Feel free to add your own stories below and you can be as brief or descriptive as you like. It might just help relieve some of the tedium of social-distancing and self-isolation (my God, how quickly have those terms been incorporated into the everyday English language).

Stay safe and keep healthy everyone, and see you all on the other side of the madness


MOT