leffe186

When I was in 5th form at school I was CB with Greg Heald, who was in the Upper 6th. One or two older guys might just remember him - played for England Schoolboys then Peterborough and Barnet.

My Dad came to watch a lot of my games but I don’t remember him ever praising me or screaming at me. He certainly had a go at a ref or two. Dad was a really good old-school eccentric goalkeeper. I feel incredibly lucky that I actually got to play with him in his “Old Boys” team - he was a 40-year-old keeper, I was a 12-13 year old sweeper in front of him. Getting a tear in my eye just thinking about it Maybe my favourite memory of playing football was in a local team that he had played for briefly in the 1960s. We got to a Cup Final - played at a local stadium with hundreds watching. At the time we played 3-5-2 with me at LWB. Our classy little CB/sweeper got injured, tried to play on and cost us a goal. I moved to CB and held us together. We got to 2-1 but kept missing chances to kill it off. Last second they get a corner, somebody gets to it and heads it down but I’d moved to the goal-line, chested it down like a cocky cunt and volleyed it off the line. Whistle blows. I can still feel the whole thing. Don’t know if my Dad was ever prouder. Think I’ve got something in my eye…

Was really rather good when I was young. Played for the Borough (Enfield) and then for Middlesex. I loved playing but just never took it seriously enough - never really worked at being a proper footballer, either fitness or technique. Manager at my Sunday morning side took me aside once and said the scouts had been. Told me that I’d have been picked up years before if I’d learned to use my right foot - I just never did. Asked my Dad years later why he’d not made me learn and he said I’d just flatly refuse to do it Played as a sweeper for years then at higher levels I moved to left-back. Then when I went back down to pub teams I started to get bored and ended up left mid or up front. Known for being a bit languid and lazy but could still be a bit special on my day tbh.

Oh God it’s Villa. Forgot about that. The wife and I usually avoid the game and mentioning it afterwards (she’s Villa) but we have friends over from the US so we’ll probably have to find a pub to watch it in to give them that experience.

Those are the ones where I feel the player in Joelinton’s place should have the right to just kick the guy writhing around on the pitch as hard as he can up the arse.

Didn’t bother with the second half. I see the only home player the ref booked was the guy with the Jimmy Hill chin and beard at the beginning, and that was only because he called the ref a pillock.

Genuinely still laughing out loud at that penalty decision. Utter nonsense.

Yeah, I’m with you. It’s still football though

These games are so frustrating. The ref clearly decides to be kind to the underdogs and not apply the rules, then some bullshit like that happens. Fucking do your job you silly twat

What an absolute joke. Can you start booking them now then?

This will be the worst penalty ever

Fucking hell ref, get the book out.

I just wanted you to think back to the last goal we scored We clearly can do it at times, just not consistently, and it definitely depends on the personnel.

He clearly didn’t give a pen because it was a fucking ludicrous dive from the forward

Can we just put Maguire down? Great dive that

Who on earth is this crazy woman in the background?

Patience and working the angles, no?

Ref has done a good job here but I do not envy him. They should have three yellow cards by now really. The fouling is relentless but tedious.

I burst out laughing at it and my Villa wife was not impressed.

Think that’s a bit premature. We should be a couple up already and have you completely forgotten the last goal we scored?

Looking forward to this. Pitch looks shocking. My wife was saying Dublin was just wibbling nonsense. Only then did I realize I think I just unconsciously tune him out.

Joe Cole sounded good there from the bits I caught. Great hat too

Also, I really want to be excited about tonight but ehhh. Will watch it anyway,

I thought Pickford was incredibly impressive on the ground last Friday. I don’t think I’d have Maddison in my first XI. Him, Saka and Foden on the pitch together seems like one too many, but it would be interesting. My concern would be that you could end up with Bellingham, Foden, Kane and Maddison all trying to be in the same place. If you could make it work it would be amazing though.

I’m fine with them being at the Euros, just don’t start the fuckers. Bring Henderson on to shut up shop near the end and bring Rashford on to scare the living daylights out of teams with tired legs.