I hadn’t been back for some thirty years, but as I walked down the streets from the station I felt a familiar quickening of the pulse, a nagging mixture of fear and excitement that took me right back to the first time I made that journey, when still a small boy on my way to winter nets at the County Ground. I’d known then there was nowhere else I wanted to be, and I’d already written my future. County debut, county cap, playing for England. “Simples” as they say. And for the next ten years or so some of that at least came true, and Hove and that ground became just about my all. It loomed large in all I did, all I thought I was – and I was saddened beyond words when the dream faded. So I was chuffed to bits with my invitation to a past players’ reunion: drinks and lunch and do you remembers with a bit of Sussex v Derbyshire thrown in: what more could a poor boy want?
But seeing the ground again after so long came as a shock: it was tiny – or at least nowhere as huge as I remembered. And this got me thinking, because although I’d heard plenty of people tell me that their first school seemed small when they went back to visit, I’d always assumed it was because they were only children then, and as they’d grown so the school had shrunk, or at least seemed to shrink. A physical repositioning if you like, perspective inevitably shifted as the magic barriers of three, four and five feet fell behind. But this was something else: I hadn’t suddenly shot up in my late thirties, and I rather doubt if any shrinkage of the ground had taken place. But there had to be something to explain it, and I think it goes something like this. When something is important to us, like a job, school or hobby, it assumes a much greater significance than anything else in our life, and so takes up a disproportionate amount of space in our minds. When we move on, and other things replace it, some shrinkage inevitably happens: the proportions are altered and we see it as it always truly was – we no longer let our emotional state dictate dimension. Everything is relative I’m told, but I also like the way the human mind can bend time and space.
And I wonder if this is the problem for football fans when their club decides to move stadium? Does the ground that they remember from their youth still loom large in their minds, dwarfing the current stadium, however contrary to the physical reality that is? Will West Ham fans forever feel Upton Park as bigger than the London Stadium? Will City supporters remember Maine Road as somehow larger than the Etihad? Is Highbury greater than the Emirates for Gooners of a certain age? I think perhaps it might be – and there is something else too that I realised while talking to some of the game’s greats who had come to that lunch. The modern player just doesn’t compare to the heroes of an earlier age. As the Derbyshire attack laboured to dismiss fragile Sussex batters it was impossible to forget Khan and Le Roux, Wessels and Miandad, Dexter and Snow. Surely they would have been doing better? That is certainly how it seemed as one glass led to another, and I am equally sure that the footballing heroes of an earlier time are accorded the same rose-tinted privileges as the Tollington pints bolster the memory of those frustrated by Giroud’s failure to penetrate the two banks of five so irritatingly parked across the North Bank box. Thierry would find a way, Dennis would break the deadlock, Charlie would be flat on his back waiting for the plaudits.
And yet, of course, they wouldn’t – or at least not all of the time. Even the Invincibles spluttered and stuttered to disappointing draws, and I saw enough human frailty in those cricketers I mentioned to know that although at times they were brilliant, all too often they missed straight ones or bowled unaccountably short and wide. They too were compared unfavourably to their forebears, and perhaps that is the fate of us all – to never quite match up to what went before. And yet, and yet, the irresistible march of progress suggests that new generations frequently outdo the exploits of previous ones. Olympic records fall, coaching methods improve, players look after themselves properly, and I am as sure as I can be about anything that the bar in all sport is being raised all the time. Yes, the greats of the past would thrive if they could travel to the future, but they’d probably have to find new ways of playing to do so. As my children point out to me, the world I grew up in was black and white, and it seems to me that just about everything is better now than when I was a child – except, of course, my ability to have a child’s eye wonder at all that I see, and the energy and optimism to make of the moment something special.
But is also seems to me that Football, and in particular The Arsenal (for that is the club that has chosen me in later life) offer me the chance to become properly childlike once more for brief moments of time. Coleridge spoke of the willing suspension of disbelief, and this (for me, Glen) is the whole point of football and my enjoyment of it each match day. I could adopt a weary cynicism, reflect the game not worth stopping for, hector a few well-worn phrases and know the current cast of crooks and tarts are not fit to wear the shirt. But what on earth would be the point of that? Why make myself miserable each week, when I could be doing something better? So what I choose to do is to Peter Pan it, and see the team as I used to see my earliest heroes back in the 60s. Each time we play I enjoy the terrible nervousness that they will let themselves down and force me to explain to all and sundry how good they really are. I get caught up in it all once the whistle starts. I wear the shirt, and hold the scarf (ridiculous in a Berkshire suburban home, but there you are). I even make a mug of Bovril at half-time, which I enjoy every bit as little as ever I did on the terraces all those years ago. And I know too that thousands of real 10 and 11 year olds think that Mesut Ozil and Alexis are the stuff of legend, and that one day they will shake their heads at the stars of 2040 and reflect that they are just not the same. Things may come and things may go but the art school dance goes on forever, as some dismal prog rockers had it, but it is the on-going dance to the music of time that is so special and allows the terrible sadness of our little life seem sometimes not quite so sad. One day we won’t be able to watch at all, so why not gather our rosettes (whatever happened to them, by the way?) while we may and enjoy the sumptuous feast that our fragile heroes attempt to provide each time they pull on the famous red and white. Let the coaches and those who are paid to at least not make things worse deal with realism – but let me be young and easy in the mercy of time’s means – or at least for 90 minutes each week. Its not just London that is calling, but a brief oasis free from care and worry. Like out near neighbours, it is the gift that keeps on giving, and I, for one, am truly thankful still to be allowed a sense of life’s feast.
That exceptional writing was brought to you by our man @foreverheady
Positively Arsenal 
yeah Chile pretended so much that Alexis was injured that they left him out of the last game, and dropped two points, they did not want those points, they only want what they can get off Uruguay
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Given how tough November’s butcher’s bill seems invariably to be the very existence of these pestilential internationals is a trial up to which I fear I am not fit to face.
Seriously. I’m in despair.
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Precisely eddy – who can fathom the cunning ways of these Latin intriguers? A spiral wrapped in an enigma hidden in a haystack
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The power of positive thinking Stew – the lads will sail through and we shall be like tigers on Saturday, ready to roar
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I’m not up to it Andy. My positivity lies in ruin.
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The Chilean team have grown up together, won everything they can but the WC etc. Played under various great coaches.
I don’t think Alexis is capable of stopping himself *blubbers*
George if there was ever a good use for Ketamine (never?) now is time! Load up your snipers rifle it’s time to get on that flight alongside the boys from Brazil, just remember to take your connection!
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The sites theme tune?
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Men of Arsenal stop your dreaming
Can’t you see their spear points gleaming …..
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What a fantastically well written piece, such context and saturated with truths.
Does make you think how players past would cope with today’s highly advanced and well drilled defensive formations
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I fear Jimmy Hedrix has already put the hex on Alexis.
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Looks like Monreal will get 180 minutes in this interlull, to complete the set Walcott and Chambo will probably start for England too (I hope not!)
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For those of you missing your weekly spoonful of data from Shotta gorge yourself on the monthly average points score for the “Big Seven” ‘ (Arsenal, Chelsea, Everton, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham) plus, bizarrely , Aston Villa. And they have links year by year for the data foe each club !!
http://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/revealed-what-are-premier-league-clubs-best-and-worst-months?
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highlights of hitchin v arsenal xi
http://ht.ly/pldM3066G9r
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Pádraig 〽️ @VintageOzil 19m19 minutes ago
Koscielny rested tonight. Amen, Deschamps.
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https://www.tbnsport.com/2016/11/14/ex-footballers-big-words/
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afcstuff @afcstuff 26m26 minutes ago
Laurent Koscielny, Olivier Giroud, Nacho Monreal, Theo Walcott & Jack Wilshere are all on the bench for their respective countries tonight.
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Monreal rested!
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Eds & 19.27:
Great news!
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< @
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Deschamps got the call from le gaffer.
Hopefully the Arsenal Chile Ultras can work their magic upon the Chile manager. All will be well.
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England more cohesive this evening.
The extra time training together?
Both Utd and AFC will have little time to regroup and train before K.O. Another unknown and unfathomnable influence on the upcoming match.
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Former Ireland international Ray Brady has passed away aged 79.
Ray, brother of Arsenal legend Liam Brady, played a great number of international matches for his country.
In a statement, FAI chief John Delaney said “He was from a great footballing family and our thoughts are with his brothers Liam and Pat and all of Ray’s family at this sad time.
“Ray made his Ireland debut against Austria in Vienna 53 years ago so it’s poignant that he passed away just a matter of days after the national team recorded a win in the same city.
“Ray served his clubs and country with distinction as a player. We will pay tribute to him at next year’s World Cup qualifier against Wales.”
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Stephen Cole @coledinho1984 17m17 minutes ago Swindon, England
England : To dare is to Spurs
had to check the score to see what happened, as it was 2-0 when I last checked, nice surprise to see it ended 2-2, what Arsenal player can be blamed for the result.
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Get French Football @GFFN 1h1 hour ago
The French national team in 2016:
Top Scorers: Antoine Griezmann & Olivier Giroud – 8 goals.
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My full support behind Alexis Sanchez tonight – proud and talented footballer.
Go and fuck up the Uruguayans son – dont falter
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Cavani with a fine finish has put uruguay 1-0 up after about 15 minutes, they have had two or three other good chances so far.
Alexis is wearing strapping on his thigh
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glad to see it look like suarez got hurt when he was in the process of faking an injury. he got hit in the head as he dived having pretended he got hit in the head.
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just before half time, alexis goes on a run wide left, lays it off wider still, the cross in is headed home by vargas, 1-1
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HT: Chile 1-1 Uruguay
too much diving, cheating and theatrics for my liking. Uruguay with the better chances, and more of them too. Alexis made two lively runs, second one in the build up to the Chile goal.
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alexis in action tonight
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60 minutes and alexis turns smartly on corner of the area and fires under the keeper at the near post. 2-1 to chile
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76 minutes alexis races onto a ball over the top, holds off the defender and fires home to make it 3-1 to chile
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83 minutes alexis is subbed off. he scored two vital goals and was involved in the other chile goal too. He appeared to be limping many times during the game, but he still showed a great burst of speed several times in the game.
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87 minutes bravo saves a suarez penalty
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FT: Chile 3-1 Uruguay
and as for Alexis
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https://youtu.be/4lsYpA4eTu8
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Thanks Fins: and there was I thinking Sid Waddell had passed away some time ago.
Only one word to describe that: “magic commentary”.
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//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
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Alexis will play on Saturday but i doubt he will be at his best. But just being on the field will make United fearful.
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“spins like a cork in a bottle of chardonnay”
” a yellow cat that grows wings when needed”
Who is this bloke ? He is BRILLIANT
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But if a cork is used to plug a bottle then how can it spin? I don’t understand.
But it’s still better then the usual tripe! The perfect commentator for the player he christened Electric Sanchez (shocks from the occasional wayward pass or overdribble included)
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ha ha ha, now that alexis scored two goals last night for chile, the malcontents who were in meltdown over his injury, are now claiming it was all lies put out by Wenger, that the lad had no injury at all, despite him clearly limping many times during last nights game, and him wearing heavy strapping on his thigh.
Next it will be Wenger’s fault when he is left out of the starting 11 v man utd. It will be so he can play his fellow french man Giroud.
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the breakdown, the season so far
http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/20161116/the-breakdown-the-season-so-far-special
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What do we think: 50:50 Alexis will be available, given strapping throughout and ice attached to leg when he went off?
Was a new one for me that there could be a hamstring ‘something ‘ capable of keeping a football maniac like Sanchez out of one game but not bad enough to stop him playing brilliantly 5 days later.
Heck of a headache for Wenger coming up, unless something definitive in a scan removes the choice. Good news is he is, as yet, ok, if just about, we think.
I’d hate to be making that call, but if there’s a problem surely it’ll be bench at most.
The ole ‘huge game vs weeks or months’ dilemma.
——————————-
Any media junkies keep a look out for more of this is next couple of days.
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/manchester-united-arsenal-mourinho-wenger-12184801?
Kick them, kick them, kick them. Kiiiiick them. Never seem to see that stuff with other clubs. Common with us, and I’d expect Neville and maybe Scholes to chip in between now and the game
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not only do we have a huge game v Man utd on saturday where we can go top of BPL, but we have another huge game v PSG in midweek, with chance to confirm top spot in our CL group.
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reports that Cazorla will miss the utd game, he is quoted as saying he does not know when he will return, that he don’t know if it will be soon, or if its still weeks away.
Alexis will be assessed by AFC medics when he gets back to London Colney,
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Alexis sends injury update to Arsenal fans
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZbGbrP3Jh0
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wenger press call on now
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