A memory came back to me the other day.
Imagine a warm, sunny day in late spring.
I'm sitting watching a football match unfold. Feels like I'm a long way from the action as the stadium is so big. I'm surrounded by people all wearing the same colour and they're all tensed up. Seems that the team they're watching has already come very close to winning a trophy a few weeks earlier but couldn't quite finish off their local rivals. And in the same stadium. Now they're back again, seeking victory.
Two goals later and - as the final whistle approaches - I hear the guy sitting (standing mostly) next to me, his eyes bloodshot with passion and rage, screaming,
"Fourten Years!! Fourteen long years! 1984, the year of the rat! Vengeance is mine!!"
A few minutes later it was all over. And the rest is history.
Now someone remind me, how long is it since Paul Rideout put a smile on all our faces?
- then I explained the concept of knock-out competitons. Should of known better really
have contested 13 finals and won 6
