Find out what "the biggest game of his life" is by reading on.................

Chapter One

My First Pair of Boots

It was the start of summer, May 1970, watching an international football match on television when I first realised what I wanted to be when I grew up. England was beating Columbia 4 - 0 at Bogota in a warm up game for the world cup finals. After the game was over my pal Jim knocked on our street door.

"Ello Mrs Carlings, can Charlie come aht ?"
Mum turned and called out, " Charlie it's fer you "

I scampered out of the front room to see who it was.
"Ello Jim, what's up ?"
"Comin aht Charlie"
Overhearing our conversation, mum walked up behind me and spoke endearingly into my ear.
"Be back by six love, dad wants an early dinner"
"What shall we do ? " asked Jim "Ow abaht playing soldiers" he quickly suggested.
" Let's play foota, run ome and get yer ball "

Agreeing with my idea, we scampered off to Jimmy's house, it was at the end of the street, six houses away. Having collected his ball we went over the recreation ground. The Rec, was quite a large park which ran the length of my street at the rear of the back gardens. There were three football pitches, a swing park, playground, two cricket tables and an old wooden shack that was a pavilion.
The fence that separated the rec from the gardens, was made of steel railings, standing six foot high and pointed at the top to deter climbing, Keith, my brother three years senior, had some how loosened a railing that we could remove so we could climb through, rather than over.
Later in my life, I was to learn of some horrific accidents of boy climbing such fences. Although just like ignoring warnings of smoking and cancer, we still persisted in climbing,
Carefully looking to see if the park keeper was around, we removed the loose railing and climbed through, replacing it once successfully on the other side. In my younger days, I would imagine that I was escaping from a prison of war camp. Why the Parks department would get upset and persistently weld the railing back after each time that Keith would remove it, was always beyond me.

"You be the Germans " Jimmy said with excitement.
"Na, I'm always the Germans, I'll be the English "
You see, when we played at soldiers I was always a German and was killed, I could never understand why. It was six o clock when mum called over the fence.
"Charlie"
"Gotta go Jim, see yer later, fanks fer the game"
I had just beaten the Germans 36-30
When I got in, mum gave me a piece of her mind.
"Look at the state of yer shoes"
she screamed, waving a soup spoon at me.
"What's all the noise ab'aht " shouted dad.
" Go and see yer farver, show'im what's the noise ab'aht "
Shaking at the knees, I entered the front room, dad was sitting by the fire place clenching a newspaper. For half an hour, it seemed, I was lectured on the cost of good shoes and how lucky I was I did not get walloped. Talk about being saved by the bell, mum walked in with our dinner.

" Come on you two, dinner's up "
Mum almost threw the plate, dinner and all, off of the table as the plate bounced in my place.
" Ow' long as this football lark bin going on " mum asked.
With eager and excited response I gave them both a blow by blow report of the game on the television and how I beat the Germans 36 - 30.
" Get on wiv yer dinner Charlie " mum retorted.
Through dinner there was a deathly silence, I so much wanted to ask dad for a pair of boots. Rolling a potato around my plate for the umpteenth time, I plucked up enough courage to break the silence.
" Dad " I softly said.
Not being able to keep a stern face any longer he acknowledged my request for conversation.
"Yes son "
"Can you get me a pair of boots ? Then I won't ave to knock out my school shoes."
" What dya say mum ? " he asked.
" Well if it keep im out of trouble and save is shoes."
" Oh fanks mum, fanks dad."
After dinner I ran round to Jim's. I knocked an the door and ran in.
" Old up Charlie, where's the fire" asked Jim's farther.
" Guess what I'm gettin ? " before anyone could answer
" A pair of boots ! " You would have thought I just won the pools. Jim turned to his dad,
"Can I ave a pair ? "
" Well if Charlie is getting a pair, spose you can too" He frowned.
" Gotta go Jim, dad's taking me to market in morning" Every Sunday dad went to market. This was place where you could buy anything from a Canary to a dinner service.
While we were there I spotted a boot and shoe stall.
" Dad look ! Over there I fink they'll ave a pair ? " we both changed direction, and walked over to the stall.
" There they are dad ! " I shouted with excitement within minutes I had my first pair of boots.
" All we need now is a ball"
" Yes son, I'll nip out in my lunch break, and get one tomorrow,"
disappointed all I could do was agree. I so much wanted to show off my things that afternoon, over the park.
When we got home, within minutes I had donned my new boots and ran round Jimmy's.
" Cor nice boots Charlie," he said with a wanton look on his face.
" D'you get some yet "
" Na dad says tomorrow, "
"come on let's play, get ya ball " and off to the park we hurried.

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