Most summers when I was a kid I had to visit my grandparents in Grimsby. Never has a town been more aptly named. On one of these trips my mother took us to the beach [I use the word liberally] at nearby Cleethorpes. Earlier that summer I'd broken my arm, so an afternoon sitting on the sand but not being able to go into the water [probably a blessing in disguise considering British pollution] wasn't fun. Then all of a sudden my mother spotted Tony Hadley. Yes, the Tony Hadley from 80's greats Spandau Ballet. Certain it was going to cheer me up, she dragged me over to Tony and demanded he sign my plaster cast. Thinking myself a genius, I handed Tony a pen I knew didn't work. Tony tried courageously to leave his mark but failed. Unfortunately this totally backfired on me, as my mother spent the rest of the summer gladly telling all my friends how heart broken I'd been at not getting Tony's autograph. I never really lived down the shame.
Image then my horror at reading yesterday that Spandau Ballet plan to reform! This sent me into an almighty state of panic. Childhood trauma came rushing back. Luckily the girlfriend stepped in, and, in typical Germanic fashion, calmed me down. Alec, she said, there's an absolute top week of European footy coming up. Other than Liverpool, every game is on a knife edge. There's even Spurs/Sevilla on Thursday. Forget the very poor man's Duran Duran and concentrate on Mourinho, Bayern, Ronaldo, etc...
I'm trying.
Tuesday's Champions League Previews:
Mourinho undaunted by Valencia cauldron
Depleted resources leave United disjointed
Alan Hansen on the Champions League
2 comments:
Come on, now! You WERE heartbroken, we all know it. Did you ever meet Phil Ball in Grimsby? I think that's where he grew up. Or perhaps your grandparents would take tea with the Balls??
Phil, or Ballsy, as my grandma used to call him, was a bit of a loser to be honest. He does come from Grimsby, after all. Then aged 16 he discovered Spanish football, moved to Spain and became the legend he is today.
Post a Comment