Why I hate Manchester United part 1...1979-1991

Most Arsenal fans hate Tottenham but not me. I just feel sorry for them. In over 30 years I have never seen them as a serious threat to us and unless I hadn't had it programmed into me from an early age I don't think I would even care much that about them either way now.

No, my hatred has always been reserved for Manchester United. It all started on Cup Final day in May 1979. My mum had been visiting friends in Cornwall and was travelling home on the day of the Arsenal v Manchester United FA Cup final. Apparently a group of drunken United fans had got on the train somewhere between Exeter and London (so not a recent phenomenon that United fans come from the South-East then??) and proceeded to terrorise the passengers with their aggressive behaviour. As a 9 year old, seeing my mum so upset really got to me and watching the final that day was the first time I was aware of wanting one team to really beat another. Alan Sunderland's last minute winner therefore not only made me very happy but also cemented my support for Arsenal and began my long anti-relationship with United.

The goal where it all began

My next encounter with them was four years later. The 1982-83 season was my first as a season ticket holder at Highbury and we reached the League Cup semi final where we would meet United. The first leg at Highbury was one of my worst experiences watching football. The London-based United fans, known as the Cockney Reds, smashed up the Underground on the way to the match and that was the first time I had really been aware of violence at football matches. Things did not improve once inside the ground and amid all the fighting United scored four times to all but end our Wembley dreams. I did not go to the second leg at Old Trafford a week later but I heard it had all kicked off again as they completed a 6-3 aggregate success.

The League Cup semi final programme from the night I'd rather forget

As fete would have it we were drawn to face United in the FA Cup semi final later that same season. The match, at Villa park, was my first big away trip outside of London or Ipswich and it was meant to be a day to remember. Well I would certainly remember it but not for all the right reasons. It had started well enough as a goal from Tony Woodcock, my idol at the time, gave us a half time lead and I can still recall the feeling of elation I felt when that goal went in. But it did not last. Second half efforts from Norman Whiteside and Bryan 'man of the match' Robson killed my Wembley dreams once again although it was events after the match that will live with me forever. My friend and I, both 14 the time, were with a group of Arsenal fans making our way back to the station when we were chased by a gang of United nutters in Birmingham City Centre. We somehow found ourselves in a multi-story car park where it all kicked off and me and my companion were forced to hide behind parked cars as blood was being spilt all around us. Imagine the scene at the beginning of The Football Factory when it all kicks off outside the pub, well it was almost exactly like that. Scary stuff for a 14 year old. I'm still not sure exactly how we got home that day in one piece but once again United fans had ruined my big day.

United ruined another big day

Two years later I was at an Arsenal v United game at Highbury in February 1985 when news came through that the Cockney Reds were in the Clock End and trouble was imminent. I had grown up a lot in the period since that semi final in Birmingham so when a big surge occurred mid-way through the first half and I saw United fans punching out at everyone around them, I took great satisfaction in extracting a little revenge of my own. 'That's for Villa Park,' I said as my fist connected with one of the United fans and while I am not proud of it now it certainly felt good at the time! During this little scuffle United apparently scored a goal but none of us were aware of it and in the days before mobile phones and scoreboards we left thinking the game had ended goalless. In fact when I was asked by a West Ham fan on the Underground on the way home how we had got on I told him we had drawn 0-0, so imagine my surprise then when I watched the game on Match Of The Day that evening to see Gordon Strachen had scored to give United a 1-0 win...

Gordon Strachen - scored the goal that no one saw!

The FA Cup threw us together again in February 1988 and again there was plenty of trouble on the Underground before the game. United fans are easily the worst I have ever encountered as they were always so random with their attacks, picking on innocent people as their violence seemed to be unconnected with football at all. Anyway, on this day we would come out on top both on and off the pitch. The Arsenal boys were in no mood to take it anymore and then on the pitch things got even better. A crowd of over 50,000 saw an own goal from Mike Duxberry and a great header from Alan Smith give us a 2-0 half time lead but Brian McClair pulled one back for United early in the second half. We looked set to hold on until the final minute when United won a penalty but McClair blasted the kick high into the North Bank and I have never celebrated a non-goal as much before or since. Again the phrase 'Thats for Villa Park' was rolling around in my head as I jumped around like a nutter!

Brian McClair - his misery brought so much joy

The following April I made my first trip to Old Trafford for a vital league encounter. We were top of the table but had Liverpool breathing down our necks and the papers that morning were full of pictures depicting Tony Adams as a donkey. In those days the away end at Old Trafford was a terrace behind the goal with United fans in the seats above and we spent much of the match trying to avoid stuff being thrown down at us. Classy...However it all appeared worth it when Adams headed home right in front of us and the celebrations were amazing with us all going absolutely mental. Watching the video back now is still a joy to behold as the Arsenal fans dance about behind the goal. Unfortunately Adams then scored an own goal to make it 1-1 which led to the inevitable 'Eee Orr' chants from the United fans above us, and there was a rather tricky trip back to the station to negotiate as we again encountered the neanderthal element of the United support.

Tony Adams - Scored at both ends

The ill-feeling that seemed to exist between the fans had begun to spread to the players as my next trip to Old Trafford in October 1991 saw it all kick off on the pitch. The controversial nature of our goal, where Andres Limpar's shot may or may not have crossed the line, probably didn't help but midway through the second half the United players started acting like their fans. McClair was definitely getting revenge on Nigel Winterburn for his mocking of him when he missed that late penalty three years before as he kicked him several times in back, and it all kicked off from there. It led to a mad atmosphere in the ground and an even madder trip back to the station but the repercussions saw us deducted two points and United one, although it didn't stop us winning the title again.


It all kicked off on the pitch

So there you have it, part one of the reasons why I hate Manchester United. Coming up in part two will be United's first Premier League win at Highbury, Charity Shield fun in 1993, United fans in the Clock End in 1994, Overmars wins the league 1998 and another FA Cup semi classic in 1999 including the Ryan Giggs chest wig in all its glory! Not to be missed I'm sure you'll agree...

Huddersfield, Iain Dowie and my new best friend!

For me following the Daggers away this season has been all about work but it has been an incredible experience. So while the travelling fans are stood/sat in the stands singing and shouting for me it has been all about the press box, my laptop and the after-match interviews.

My latest assignment was a trip to Huddersfield's Galpharm Stadium on Easter Monday, and I have to say it was one of the best trips of the season. Of course it is a 'local' game for me, just 70 miles down the A1/M1/M62, so my trusty companion Emerson and me set off just after lunch on a warm, sunny Bank Holiday. With our recent run of seven defeats from our last eight games I was not expecting much but the Daggers have a habit of producing something special when its least expected so we both predicted a 1-1 draw.

Thanks to the extra traffic and the horrendous roadworks on the A1 we arrived at the ground just before kick off but what a fine ground it is. I had been here once before, for a pre-season friendly against Arsenal three years ago, but that was as a fan. This was something else.

Our view from the press box

We were greeted in reception and handed our press pass, complimentary match programme and teamsheet. We were then led into the press room and given a cup of tea before being shown to our seats by a friendly old steward. The view, Main Stand behind the dug-outs, was incredible and we had our own little desk and power-point, far more civilised then the trips to Hartlepool, Carlisle and Tranmere to name but a few!
The first half was an exciting affair which could have ended 4-3. We scored a superb equaliser from Romain Vincelot but almost immediately threw away all that hard work by conceding a soft goal to go in 2-1 down.

The real brains behind the operation!

Half time meant a trip back down to the press room for another cup of tea where we discovered that Bristol Rovers were 1-0 up and Walsall 0-0. If things stayed like this we would be in the bottom four by 5pm...

The second half saw an incredible performance from our boys, one of the best of the season. We created several good chances to equalise and how we didn't convert at least one of them I still don't know, John Akinde's effort from about six inches being the biggest culprit!

The lads show appreciation for the travelling support at the final whistle

The final whistle brought disappointment, although it was eased by late goals conceded by both Walsall and Rovers to mean we were in the bottom four but only one point from safety. However we couldn't help but feel a massive sense of pride in the performance, second only to Carlisle away in Emerson's opinion, and we were really looking forward to hearing what John Still thought of it all.

We made our way down to pitch-side where Stilly approached us deep in conversation with Iain Dowie. Not sure what he was doing there but as he was all suited and booted I assumed he was doing some media work. Despite us dropping back into the relegation zone John was very upbeat and proud of the boys display but he was convinced we should have had two penalties. Apparently Dowie had seen replays on Sky and told him they both stone-wallers! After the interview John said hello to Emerson, as he always does, and had a little laugh and a joke with him. Emerson, as he does, just took it in his stride. Yeah its only the manager of Daggers, the man who has got us where we are and Emerson just treats him like they are long lost buddies!


What was he doing here??

Me and Emerson then wandered onto the pitch where the players were still warming down. Danny Green was doing an interview with Stu for Radio Essex so we gate-crashed and he said he had definitely been caught and it was definitely a penalty, although the ref had thought he'd dived! I then told him we were back in the drop zone and would probably need 4 points from our last two games but he seemed convinced one win will do it. 'Carlisle next week then?' I asked but he said we were playing better away from home and I had to agree.

Then came the moment that made my day. Arbs walked past, nodded and said 'Alright Rick?' Yes our captain had acknowledged my presence...Wow! I guess I should not have been totally surprised as I had spoken to him after several of our away matches recently and we have had the odd conversation with him on Twitter but for him to acknowledge me was a great moment! He came over and asked me what the other results were so I said Walsall had drawn and Rovers lost having earlier been 1-0 up. 'What about Plymouth and Swindon?' he asked. Shit, I had completely forgotten about them so I was a bit stuck. 'Er...Swindon lost I think, not sure about Plymouth...' Yeah my big moment and I blew it! Arbs was unconcerned and seemed convinced we will survive anyway. Well if its good enough for him then its good enough for me!

We hung about for a bit longer and overheard an interesting conversation between Marvin Morgan, Bas Savage and Jon Nurse, who were all in the dug-out, talking about our attacking play but if you think I am going to leak the details of it then you are very much mistaken! See some journos do have integrity...

With that we went back to the press room for a final cuppa and to finish my notes before we made our way back to the car for the journey home.

The one thing I have noticed from watching matches in the press box is how differently you see the game. As a fan you are singing, shouting, talking to your mates etc and so get a very different view of the action. Up in the press box you are watching the game from a totally different perspective. So when fans complain that Akinde is 'shit' or Femi 'not good enough' I have to disagree. From what I have seen both have done really well.

Akinde is a powerful player who must be terrible to play against. He is strong and direct, holds the ball up well and if he can add goals he will be the perfect centre forward for us. Yes after his misses here you have to wonder if he will ever score but I seem to recall Benno struggled in his first season and look where he ended up? However unless we stay up we have no chance of keeping big John so we should perhaps reserve judgement until after the Peterborough match.

As for Femi, well I have been very impressed with him. I admit that he has performed far better away from home on the bigger pitches, but the boy has got talent. His is cool in possession, has a good touch and gets forward to great effect. Yes he can be found wanting positionally at times but then he is only young and has been thrown straight into League One. Plus this is a boy who gets the tube to home games so you've got to give him respect for that!

So in summary Huddersfield away will go down on my list as one of the greats. Yes we lost and survival is out of our hands but what a performance, what a game, what a ground and to cap it all our great captain is now my best mate! Bring on Carlisle and Peterborough!

Wenger out?? The alternative view...

Listening to many so-called Arsenal fans recently you would think the club were struggling to qualify for the Champions League or even battling against relegation...but no, we are actually still in the title race going into the final month of the season!

It seems the problems are two-fold - our failure to win a trophy for six years and a lack of big name signings. That, apparently, is enough for Arsene Wenger to be sacked!! Yes, the manager who has transformed the entire club, won us seven major trophies and led us to 14 consecutive Champions League campaigns should now be sacked. Unbelievable!

Is his time really up?

Okay so it been a while since we last won anything but is that the only way to judge success? Since we last won the Premier League in 2004 the football landscape has changed dramatically. Clubs like Chelsea and Man. City have had massive cash injections while Man. United have continued to spend big. We, on the other hand, have built a shiny new stadium and invested in youth, but despite that we have still maintained our place in the top four and challenged for the major honours.

 Since our FA Cup success in 2005 we have reached a Champions League final (06) and semi final (09), two Carling Cup finals (07,11), one FA Cup semi final (09) and challenged for the title on three occasions (08, 10, 11). Not exactly a succession of mediocre seasons is it??


These three trophies have eluded Arsenal for 6 years

Of course on top of all that we have continued to play the best football this side of Barcelona. Yes we have a weak under-belly, as has been shown in recent matches, but if you seriously think Arsenal have been unsuccessful in recent years then you really need to take a reality check.

The club are in a very stable position. Our financial future has been assured by the prudent management of Wenger and the top four position he has helped us to maintain. Yes he could have splashed out £30m here and £40m there but that would have put the very future of the club at risk and would not have guaranteed trophies anyway. Look at Man. City...

Don't get me wrong, of course I would love to see us lift a big shiny pot or two, just to shut up all the doubters if nothing else, but football is not just about that. Maybe its because I have seen us win everything, with the exception of the Champions League, that it is no longer the be-all-and-end-all for me anymore. I just want to enjoy the football I watch and know that the future of the club is secure. Yes, players like Denilson, Diaby and Squillaci are not good enough and we do need another centre half, a holding midfielder and a 30 goal striker (or give Theo a run up top??) but we are in a far stronger position, both on and off the pitch, then just about everyone else in the Premier League.

Time to play him up front?

But if its just trophies you want then think about this. The new rules coming in over wages and player nationalities will see the Wenger template viewed as the way forward. Clubs from all over Europe will be copying it but we will already be 2-3 years ahead. This should lead us to trophies over the next few years but only if we stick with the current policy and let the squad continue to develop. With players like Wilshere, Nasri, Djourou, Szczsensy, Gibbs, Walcott, Chamakh etc all set to improve even further over the next few years, and other like van Persie and Vermaelen who are already the real deal, the furture is looking very bright. Meanwhile we have the likes of Frimpong, Lansbury, Afobe etc. coming through so we really do have much to look forward to.

The future

But if you still want Wenger out then fine. Just don't complain when we are no longer in the top four and clubs like Spurs and Everton have overtaken us...But hey we might win the odd Carling Cup to satisfy your need for trophies so it will not be all bad eh??

Hillsborough...the day football died

IT seems hard to believe but it is now 28 years ago that 96 Liverpool fans so tragically lost their lives in the disaster at Hillsborough prior to the FA Cup semi final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest.

The clock at Hillsborough forever showing 3.06pm

I remember that day as if it were yesterday. I did what I usually did on a Saturday afternoon; I was at Highbury to watch Arsenal play a vital Division One match against Newcastle United. We were going head-to-head with Liverpool for the title and we simply had to beat the relegation-bound Geordies to stay on top of the table.

News began to filter through during the first half that the semi final had been delayed due to crowd trouble, but at half time it became clear that there had been some sort of disaster, although none of us were aware of the full extent of the tragedy at this stage. This, of course, was in the days before internet phones.

In a rather subdued atmosphere Arsenal scored in the second half - a goal from Brian Marwood in case you were interested - to win 1-0, but once news reached us that people had died in Sheffield our win became irrelevant.

Listening to the radio in the car on the way home and then seeing the pictures on the news that evening was simply awful and tears were shed. People should not die going to watch their favourite team.

Of course many reasons have been given as to why it happened, and blame has been laid at many doors, but every single football fan felt the pain of those who suffered that day as we had all been in similar situations before. Yes, it could have happened to any of us.

The full horror begins to unfold

I remember being at a game at White Hart Lane about four years earlier. Trouble had broken out in the stadium and hundreds of Arsenal fans had climbed from the terracing section of the away end to the seating area above. This meant that far too many people were now in that section and everyone was sitting on everyone else's lap or standing in the aisles, but the real drama happened at the end of the match as we were trying to get out.

The stairwell and aisles were not wide enough for the number of people now in the stand, and I remember being carried along with my feet off the ground, unable to breathe, until we finally managed to squeeze out. It was really scary and any panic would have led to a similar situation to that which we would later witness at Hillsborough.

Much has been written about the disaster since and watching football has now changed forever as a result. Stadiums are far safer and much more comfortable these days, which is surely the best legacy there can be to the 96 who perished so tragically in Sheffield that day.

Of course justice has now been given to the families of those affected. Blame has rightly been passed to those truly responsible. The real tragedy is that it took so long for this to happen.

The Hillsborough Memorial at Anfield

So on this 28th Anniversary, lets all take time to remember those 96 fans who went to football and never came home. If you are at a match this week take a look around the stadium and appreciate what you have and the fact that it is so much safer now. Be thankful something like Hillsborough can never happen again.

Former Liverpool manager Bill Shankly famously said, 'Football is not a matter of life and death, it is more important than that...' but after the events of Hillsborough I'm sure we all agree he was wrong. Nothing is more precious than life, certainly not a game of football.

RIP the 96.

Oh I do (not) like to be beside the Seaside

When the fixtures came out last summer the first one I looked for was Blackpool away. This was a ground I had never visited before, although I came close once back in the early 1990's. We had been drawn away to Blackpool in the 5th round of the FA Cup if we could win our 4th round replay at QPR, and the weekend by the seaside had already been planned days before we lost 2-0 at Loftus Road...

So nearly twenty years later I was finally able to make the trip although much has changed in the intervening period, not least the fact that my companion for the day was my 7 year old son Emerson who was not even a twinkle in my eye back in 1990!

Now I have been to Blackpool several times over the years, mainly to visit the Pleasure Beach, and I have to say I have never liked the place. It is a typical, run-down British seaside town that has seen far better days but has somehow still maintained an almost mystical-like quality that makes people want to go. Can't think why. Give me Southend or Margate anyday...

Emerson enjoying another away day

As luck would have it our visit fell on the hottest weekend of the year so far and a Sunday lunchtime kick off meant an early start so Emerson and me set off from Barton at 10.30am. Okay not that early then but it was a Sunday...

The journey across the A66, through Kirkby Steven and down the M6 was pleasant enough with me and Emerson playing our usual prediction game. I, rather optimistically, went for a 4-1 Arsenal win while Emerson, more conservatively, went for his usual 2-1. We were making good time until we reached the end of the M55 just outside Blackpool when it appeared that the world and his mother had decided to visit the place. Eventually we crawled into the town where we discovered that the local council had decided to dig up the main road. Good work guys. Don't think about doing it during the winter when no doubt the place is a ghost town eh?? No, just dig it up as the schools are off for Easter and the sun finally comes out. Genius!!

With the 1.30pm kick off time fast approaching and nowhere to park we were starting to panic, especially as we were picking our tickets up from a guy outside the ground who had already phoned three times to ask where we were. In the end I just left the car on the corner of a side-street about five minutes walk from the ground, not on a yellow line but not exactly well parked either, although time was very much of the essence now. We eventually met our pal Ian outside the away end just five minutes before kick off but with a long queue building up to what was apparently our entrance, although it looked more like a bomb site. Mmm I'm sure it will be okay when it's finished. I mean you have only had since last May...

While queuing we were desperate to find out the starting line-up and I asked a guy in front if Theo Walcott was playing. 'No thank God,' was his reply. Emerson looked shocked. 'But he's our best player...'he protested. 'Yeah,' replied Mr. Happy in front, 'If you forget Fabregas, Nasri, Robin, Jack and Andrey...'
I tried to argue that this was exactly the sort of game that would suit Walcott, and he had of course scored a hat-trick against them in August, but it was no use. It seemed Emerson and me were alone in our praise for the speedy winger.

Anyway by the time we had got into the ground the match had already started and it wasn't the right wing position that was the main talking point anymore, but the goalkeeper. There, before my very eyes, was Jens Lehmann. Wow! After Coco's dreadful recent performances I was actually pleased to see the German playing and happy that Wenger had finally made a stand, but it appeared Coco had been injured in the warm-up so the decision had been somewhat forced on him. Oh well...thank heavens for small mercies

The ground itself was rather nice, well at least 3/4 of it was. Our stand being the obvious exception. Portakabins for toilets, minimal facilities and a floor that shook whenever you jumped up and down on it is not what we are used to in the Premier League. Of course I have seen worse following the Daggers but then they don't charge £40 for a view obscured by supporting pillars. As much as I admire Ian Holloway and they way his team play I really hope they go down as their prices are nothing short of criminal and their ground is Championship standard at best...

View from our seats...not as good as it looks

But roared on by a passionate crowd behind the goal to our left Blackpool started well and it soon became clear why mad Jens was back at the club. He was shouting at his defence and commanding his area, something we haven't seen from a keeper since he left three years ago. He had a long discussion with Abu Diaby about his marking at a free kick and made it clear exactly was he expected which is just what some of them need back there.

From that solid base we began to get on top and went in front mid-way the first half with a sweeping move that was finished off by Diaby from close range with the home defence nowhere to be seen. Ironically Diaby had lost the ball in the build up to the goal which had led to the Walcott-doubter sitting next to me to call him useless just seconds before he put the ball in the net. Didn't stop him jumping about like a looney though did it. What a hypocite!!

It was 2-0 soon after with a wonderful strike from Eboue, following a lovely 1-2 with Jack, and the new fans favourite ran over the celebrate with us to the strains of 'We love Eboue, boue, we love E-boue' to the tune of 90's dance hit We Like To Move It Move It...

It should have been 4 or 5 by the break as Nasser hit the post, RvP teed up Diaby only for him to dally too long and get tackled (perhaps he is useless after all!), while RvP also had an effort ruled out for offside. As for Blackpool well they worked hard but it seemed their only tactic was to hit long balls into the corners, very Wimbledon circa 1988, a bit like their town then...

Half time 'entertainment' was provided by a fan from each club racing against each other inside a big inflatable ball. The winner was set to land £250 and inevitably it was the Blackpool fan who finished first leading to chants from the home fans of 'You're going to win f**k all.' Yes quiet possibly, although I was confident I would clean up in the penny arcades after the match...

The half time ball race!

Fired up by a rocket from Holloway, Blackpool came out all guns blazing at the start of the second half and pulled a goal back with a swift break five minutes in. Jack mis-timed a tackle on halfway and DJ Campbell, not the DJ Nicky Campbell from Radio 2 I assume, was upended by Lehmann in the area only for ex-Dagger Gary Taylor-Fletcher to roll the ball in. It was an incident similar to the one that had seen Mad Jens dismissed in the Champions League final in 2006 but thankfully this time the ref, Lee Mason, allowed the goal instead, although he did book Jack for his foul in the build up. With only an injured Almunia on the bench the last thing we needed was to have our new-old keeper sent off!

Now while I was pleased for Taylor-Fletcher to score it did lead to a rather uncomfortable twenty minutes as Blackpool threw everything at us. The guy sitting next to me was not a happy bunny again and kept shouting abuse at everyone wearing yellow and was convinced it would now finish 2-2. Emerson, on the other hand, kept saying he was going to be right with his prediction while I was just praying we wouldn't blow it again...

Then came the moment me and Emerson had been looking forward to, the introduction of Theo. 'He will score,' said Emerson confidently and I have to say I was inclined to agree. He immediately made a difference as the tide of the match swung back in our favour and inevitably he was involved in our clinching third goal. Some lovely play from Diaby in the far right hand corner, a lovely flick by Cesc and Theo was away down the right. I was hoping he would cut inside and go for goal himself but instead he looked up and played the perfect ball for RvP to smash home. Cue delirium in our end and smug looks from Emerson and myself to the guy around us who had been doubting Theo earlier. So that was that. A must win game that we actually won and with the only ex-Dagger on the pitch scoring as well it was almost the perfect away day.

Celebrating an away win in the sun, happy days!

Of course you cannot visit Blackpool without a walk along the seafront and a visit to the arcades but it seemed the Blackpool fans were right after all as I did win f**k all, although the three points and a happy Emerson more then made up for that! Seven cup finals to come then...

A day of guilt???

Ah Mothers Day, brought to you in connection with Hallmark Cards, Interflora and your local gastro pub...

Maybe I am wrong but I always thought the idea of Mothers Day should be to reflect on what a great role the mother plays in our society? A day to spare a thought for the wonder that is childbirth and the beauty of motherhood.

But no, not anymore. Just like everything else it has been sabotaged by commercialism and is now just about buying cards, flowers and taking your mum out for a meal. Is that really how it should be? Do we really need to be told to spoil our mothers for all they do for us on just one day a year??

If we really think that much of our mums then we should tell them everyday, or at least once a week, not just make up for a year of neglect with a stupid card, some flowers and a Sunday roast. Yes we should celebrate motherhood on this day but lets stop buying into this guilt trip sponsored by the groups mentioned in the opening paragraph.

When my mum was alive I admit that I did not appreciate her enough. Yes, I took her for granted. I thought treating her on Mothers Day somehow made up for it, but it doesn't. I have realised that now. I wish I had told her more often how much she meant to me and the whole family, how much we all appreciated everything she did for us. But I didn't. So out of guilt I rushed around the shops in the lead up to Mothers Day to try to put things right. I have no doubt she liked the cards, the presents and having dinner cooked for her but she should have had that more often. She deserved it.

So as you treat your mum today think about what you do for her on the other 364 days of the year. If you really do enough then there is no need to buy into this commercialism next year. She will know what you think of her. But if you don't do enough then please try to change that this year. Lets make Mothers Day a regular occurrence within our own families. Lets not rely on Clinton Cards to remind us...

As for me well I will spend the day remembering my mum, the greatest woman I ever knew. But then I do that most days anyway...

Oh Rocky, Rocky. A tribute to David 'Rocky' Rocastle 2nd May 1967- 31st March 2001

IT seems hard to believe that it is now 16 years since we lost David Rocastle. The words 'legend' and 'superstar' are branded about far too easily these days, especially at people who have not truly earned it. But someone who certainly did deserve those accolades was the man simply known as Rocky.

So what made him so special? Well at his peak he was quiet simply the best footballer I have ever seen. Back in the late 1980's people talked about Glenn Hoddle or Paul Gascoigne, and Arsenal fans would always mention Liam Brady. But for me Rocky topped the lot.

He had everything; strength, pace, skill, vision. He could run, tackle, pass, shoot, and score goals. Wonderful, wonderful goals. But above all else he was just a down-to-earth guy who never forgot where he came from, who he represented, and how lucky he was to playing football for a living.

Rocky was born on a tough council estate in Lewisham, South-East London, on May 2 1967, and was brought up by his mother following the death of his father in 1972. After leaving school in 1983, Rocky joined Arsenal as an apprentice and I first heard about him through his exploits in the youth and reserve teams.

It was therefore no real surprise when he made his Arsenal debut in September 1985 against Newcastle United at Highbury. It was not a particularly memorable match (it finished 0-0) and it was not a particularly memorable season (we finished 7th) but Rocky shone like a beacon through the mediocrity and he became an instant hero of mine. And he was only a year older than me.

The following season saw a then 19-year-old Rocky really establish himself in the Arsenal side under new manager George Graham. He was a regular in the No. 7 shirt on the right wing as we won the Littlewoods Cup at Wembley, and he became a true Gooner legend when he scored the injury time winner in the semi final replay at White Hart Lane.

Over the next two-and-half years Rocky became one of the best young players in the country as Graham plotted the downfall of Liverpool. He was ever-present in the 1988-89 title winning season and gave us many more great memories; a wonder-strike against Middlesbrough where the ball seemed permanently stuck to his right foot as he slalomed past challenge after challenge; a 30 yard chip at Villa Park, and a great goal at Liverpool in the Littlewoods Cup. And lets not forget it was Rocky who won the free kick that led to our all-important first goal in the title decider at Anfield that May. He was voted Young Player of the Year and became a regular in the England squad.

It was a shame that injury and illness began to affect his performances just as he was reaching his peak. I recall an article in the match day programme by Graham in early 1990 saying how Rocky was out of the team as he had been suffering with breathing problems, perhaps the start of the ill health that would ultimately cost him his young life.

Following an incident at Millwall in 1989 when he swallowed his tongue, Rocky suffered a difficult 18 months and played just 16 times in the 1990-91 title winning season. Many were writing him off as it appeared his best days were already behind him, incredible when you think he was still only 24.

However the signing in September 1991 of his childhood friend, Ian Wright (the pair had grown up together on that same council estate in Lewisham), seemed to re-invigorate his career and he enjoyed a fine 1991-92 season, missing just four games. The highlight was a wonderful solo goal at Old Trafford where he chipped Peter Schmeichal from 25 yards after out-muscling both Paul Ince and Bryan Robson.

But that proved to be his last season at the club. I will never forget when I heard the news he had been sold to champions Leeds United for what seems an incredibly low fee of just £2million. Rocky WAS Arsenal and it seemed unbelievable that he would no longer be playing for us. I heard he cried when Graham told him they had accepted Leeds' offer and that tells you all you need to know about the man. He loved Arsenal; it was his club and he showed it every time he pulled on the shirt.

Unfortunately his career rapidly went downhill after that. Following two largely unsuccessful years at Elland Road, Rocky played half a season at Manchester City, where he helped them avoid relegation, before returning to London with Chelsea in 1994. His time there was blighted by injury and the highlight was helping them reach the semi final of the European Cup Winners Cup in 1995, which had they won would have seen him face former club Arsenal in the final. In the end he made less then 30 appearances in his four years at Stamford Bridge, where he also spent loan periods with both Norwich City and Hull City.

He ended his playing career in 2000 in Malaysia with a club called Sabah where he was first diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma, an aggressive form of cancer that attacks the immune system. I did not even know he had been ill when the news of his death broke on the morning of a North-London derby on March 31 2001. He was just 33. It was the most emotional match I have been to and even though we beat Spurs 2-0, it meant nothing. We had lost a legend and I had lost my first football idol. The chants of 'Oh Rocky, Rocky...' were sang through tear-stained eyes that day...

I was actually lucky enough to meet Rocky once in the early 1990's. He was out of the side injured at the time and I was at the ground picking up a ticket when he emerged from the main entrance with David Hillier. Through my work in the media, I have met and spoken to many footballers over the years but this was different, this was Rocky. Although I was around 23-years-old at the time, I felt like a lost little boy as he approached me and smiled. I really wanted to say something but I was, for the first and so far only time in my life, completely star-stuck.

In the end I managed to utter some nonsense about his injury but he was only too happy to stop and chat, telling me he was on the mend and would be fit in a week or two. He then shook my hand, signed my ticket stub and he was off. Of course I now wish I had spoken to him in more depth and told him how much I idolised him but I was just a quivering wreck who could barely manage a smile and a thanks! Unfortunately this was in the days before camera-phones so I have no pictorial evidence of our meeting, but that is the moment I always look back on whenever I think of him.

Of course I am not a member of his family, I was not a personal friend of his and, apart from that one brief encounter, I never knew the man. Yet I feel a part of me died that day 16 years ago. He had been a big part of my life and contributed to so many of the greatest moments I had ever experienced.

Football may have moved on and many players have come and gone since, but Rocky will never be forgotten. We have won many trophies and enjoyed many great times but rarely does a day go by that I do not think about the great man in the No. 7 shirt.

He was from a different time; a time when players played for a love of the club and not the pay cheque. In fact he would probably have played for Arsenal for nothing. He was one of us yet one of a kind. He was simply our Rocky. RIP to a real legend.

Jon Boardman, the forgotten man?

When thinking back to the Daggers side that won the Conference title in 2007, central defender Jon Boardman may not be the first name that springs to mind. He joined the Daggers from Rochdale in January 2007 as replacement for Shane Blackett and was a regular in the side over the second half of that Conference title winning season. He played in the clubs first ever match in the Football League, at Stockport County in August that year, but injuries hampered his progress and he left to join Woking in the summer of 2009 having made just 36 appearances for the club, scoring three goals. In this exclusive interview, Jon reflects on his early career, his time at Victoria Road and his hopes for the future.

Jon Boardman in his Daggers kit.

Who did you support as a boy and who were your footballing idols growing up?

I began supporting Liverpool but then moved on to Crystal Palace as I began playing for them when I was 10. The players I used to like watching at Crystal Palace were Ian Wright, John Salako and Chris Coleman.

Tell us a little about your early career?

I started off at the Crystal Palace centre of excellence when I was 10 and was lucky enough to be offered YTS at 16 and then a pro contract at 18. I stayed there for 5 years full time but didn't make it into the first team so moved on to play for Woking in the Conference, staying for 3 and a half years.

How did the move to the Daggers come about and what made you want to join the club?

I was looking to get back down south as things hadn't really worked out at Rochdale, and we had just found out my wife was pregnant, so it was good timing as John Still was looking for a centre half to plug the gap that was going to be left by Shane Blackett's departure. As soon as I heard that Dagenham were interested I came to meet John and knew it was a great opportunity to join a club that was going in the right direction.

You arrived as the team where on their way to the Conference title, what was it like coming into the dressing room at that time?

I can honestly say it was the best dressing room I have been in. It was a great time to join as the lads were doing so well but the work ethic and positivity at the time were second to none, and I felt at home straight away.

What was it like to play for John Still?

I loved playing for Stilly and learnt more from him than any other manager. He simplified the game and made sure that everyone knew what their jobs were. He was very demanding and we worked very hard but nobody could complain that they weren't prepared and knew what was expected of them. It also helped that he used to be a centre half himself so we spent a lot of time working on the small things that make a big difference for defenders. He also used to let us win all the competitions in training which was always pleasing as the forwards had to do extra running, but they did need it as they never ran enough in games!! 

What are your memories from your time at the club? Your personal highlight?

It's a funny one really as my memories of my time at Dagenham are mostly fond, however I spent pretty much the whole of my last year injured which personally was a tough time. However my overriding memories are of when I joined the club and how lucky I was to be part of a winning team, personally scoring two goals against York at home to make it three wins in a massive week for the club always sticks in my memory. Also beating Sam Sloma at two touch on a regular basis was enjoyable!!

The move never really worked out for you in the end, mainly due to the injuries you mention, so how would you sum up your time with the club? Do you have any regrets?

I'll always maintain that I enjoyed my time at Dagenham, no doubt it was hampered by injury which definitely stopped me fulfilling my full potential. When I first joined I was fit and playing well and if I could have stayed fit and continued to progress under the guidance of Stilly I would like to believe I could still be there now. However I am fairly philosophical about my injuries, it is an occupational hazard of being a footballer and I was lucky enough to have a career playing full time football for 13 years. I don't have any regrets, it's always easy to look back with the benefit of hindsight and perhaps wish you had made different decisions, but every decision I made was the right one at the time and I always gave 100% which I believe is all you can do.

Do you still keep in contact with anyone at the club?

Yes I still speak to several of the lads. The team that won the Conference all try and meet up every few months, which I hope we always will as it was a good time in all our careers and was the best dressing room I was in in my career.

Tell us a little about your career since leaving the Daggers? Where are you playing now?

When I left the Daggers I was still recovering from injury and signed for Woking hoping to be fit for the start of the season, but unfortunately I had a recurrence of my injury and had to have another operation in pre season. I finally got fit in October and remained at Woking last season but I never really rediscovered the form or fitness I needed to so the decision was made for me to go part time and I signed for Kingstonian FC. However a month into my time at K's I found a full time job in Reading which made it impossible to combine the two. I am now a IT Recruitment Consultant working for Progressive Recruitment in Reading and play part time for Hungerford FC who are in the Zamaretto South and West. Both are going well. It is a shock to the system doing a full time job after being a footballer but I have been there six months now and am really enjoying it. Football is also good. I finally feel fit again, we have a good team and set up and our aim is to get promoted this season.

Do you still follow the clubs results?

I always look out for the Daggers results and would like to come and watch them more often but living in Reading now it is hard to find the time.

Who has been the best player you played with and the best player you played against?

The best player I have played with is Grant Holt when I was at Rochdale. It is a pleasure to play with someone like Holty as he never stops working and can get a goal from anywhere. He has gone on to prove himself in the Championship this season and if Norwich gain promotion he could even be playing in the Premier League next season. The best player I have played against is Tugay at Blackburn. He must have been in his mid-thirties but absolutely ran the game, his passing was unbelievable and you just couldn't get the ball off him.

Finally, are you surprised at how far the Daggers have come in the last few years? Did you feel you were a part of something special at the time?

I'm not surprised at all at how far the Daggers have come, Stilly is a great manager who knows how to get the best out of his players and build a very solid team. We had no right to win the Conference as we had much less of a budget than a lot of teams that year and no doubt that was more apparent when they got promotion from League 2. But it's about the team spirit and attitude that surrounds the club. They will need this more than ever this season as it is their first in League 1 but I'm confident that they will stay up and be stronger next season. I definitely felt part of something special, the club has defied all odds and anyone who has been involved in that journey has been part of something special, at the end of the day the Daggers are just a pub team from Essex!!

I would like to thank Jon for taking the time to do this interview and wish him all the best for the future.

Old Trafford...only more nightmares for us!

I have never really enjoyed going to Old Trafford. Maybe it is because I loathe everything the club stands for and hate giving them my money, maybe it is because I loathe all the glory hunting fans who attach themselves to the club or maybe it is just because we rarely seem to score there let alone win.
Despite all this though I decided to make the trip again for this FA Cup quarter final tie mostly because I had managed to get a ticket for Emerson for what would be his first visit to the 'Theatre Of (Bad) Dreams...more then most United fans then!
The trip down was livened up by a clown in a silver Astra who overtook us in the roadworks section of the A1 between Leeming Bar and Dishforth, giving the 'wanker' sign as he went past. He then slowed down to allow us to pass before speeding up again and giving us more hand gestures! Nice! Perhaps it was because of the Arsenal scarf in the back window or the fact that Emerson was wearing his yellow away top or perhaps he had just read one of my blogs...Anyway this continued all the way onto the M62 until he suddenly disappeared, presumably up his own backside, somewhere just past Leeds.
On entering Manchester we decided to park at the Lowry Mill Retail Centre where you get 4 hours free parking if you buy something in the Mall. So Burger King it was then, and much better then paying £10 to a spiv in a yellow jacket to park in a company car park that he probably has no right to charge you for in the first place...



Lowry Mill, free parking if you buy a burger!

 Emerson always likes to get in the ground early, so after he insisted on stroking a police horse, we entered the away section, East Stand Tier 2 Block E334, more then an hour before kick off. The atmosphere in the concourse area was building up nicely and Emerson was soon jumping up and down singing along to the Samir Nasri song and the song about Tottenham going to Rome to see the Pope. I was just glad he didn't ask me what it was all about!
We went up to our seats and were pleased to see the view was very good, far better then in the lower corner where I have always been in the past. Soon the away section began filling up and the atmopshere was clearly going to be something special with Emerson particularly enjoying the song about winning the league at Old Trafford.

View for our seats

Now I do not usually get nervous before a game, I have been to far too many for all that, but I was certainly feeling apprehensive as the teams came out. Maybe it was just the memory of my last cup visit here, a 4-0 FA Cup defeat three years ago. Emerson was feeling optimistic though and boldly predicted a 2-1 win with Nasri scoring the winner...oh the innocence of youth!
United's tactics were clear from the start, how else can you play when you pick seven, yes seven, defenders in your starting team? We dominated the early possession without ever really looking like scoring while all they did was hit a long ball towards Hernandez or one of the Di Silva twins. Very 1980's Wimbledon. They were so content with defending that even Rooney, apparently the best English striker we have, was playing as a third (or was it fourth?) centre back at times. No wonder the United 'faithful' were so quiet...
Inevitably though they scored in their first real attack. Almunia saved from the little P(rick) and one of the Di Silva twins tapped home from about three yards, although judging by his celebration you would have thought he scored a 35 yard screamer...
We continued to dominate proceedings after that but the nearest we came to scoring before the break was when RvP brought a fine save from fellow countryman Van der Saar and Koscienly then headed the resulting corner against the bar.
Half time was brought to life by a rendition or two from the United supporters choir, the first time anyone supporting United had been heard singing all day, but we soon drowned them out with another burst of the winning the league at Old Trafford song. Just a shame it was nine years ago...
The second half saw Valencia come on for his first appearance since breaking his leg in September and even I applauded his arrival, not least as it meant Fergie was now surely looking to attack. But we should have been level straight from the restart as VdS twice denied Koscienly in the same attack, the second of which was a truly world class save.
But our hopes for a better second half were short lived as they went straight up the other end to double their lead. I was not exactly sure how it came about as it was at the far end, but my initial reaction was that we should have defended better before Rooney headed home for his 100th goal against Arsenal or something.
Now we usually struggle to score one at Old Trafford so the chances of getting two seemed remote to say the least but we gave it a go. In fact only some more top keeping from VdS prevented us getting back into it and made us wonder why every single opposition keeper plays a man of the match performance against us? Foster at Wembley, Maginot last week and now VdS...



Van der Saar man of the match

 Emerson then took a break from his singing to ask me who our No. 2 was. 'Abu Diaby,' I replied. 'Well he is useless we should take him off...'
Then, soon after, he asked me who the No.7 was who had just come on. 'Tomas Rosicky,' I replied. 'He is useless as well, why did we bring him on?' Maybe he is not so innocent after all then...
The highlight of the second half though was the return of Aaron Ramsey who, just like Valencia, was returning from a broken leg. It was certainly great to see him back but it made our lack of variety even more obvious. Wilshere, Nasri, Ramsey, Fabregas...all great players but they essentially do the same job. Then when Scholes came on for them in the closing stages it was clear what we were missing. He proceeded to kick everyone in a yellow shirt but amazingly got away with just a single yellow card when he could easily have got three or four...but we could certainly do with a bit of that steel in our midfield.
The day was then made even worse when Djourou went down injured in the closing stages, a dislocated shoulder apparently, to leave us down to ten men for the remaining few minutes as we had already used all three substitutes. But rather then get down about it we just started a five minute rendition of the winning the league at Old Trafford song before the United fans finally came to life at the end. Yes we had certainly forgotton that they were here...



Beaten but still showing his colours

 After the support we had given the boys it was slightly disappointing to see only one or two come over and acknowledge us at the end, so well done to Nasri, Wilshere and Emmanuel Eboue who hadn't even got on, but where were the rest of them??
I thought Emerson would be disappointed we had lost but he seemed in good spirits.'It was a good match,' he said 'We played well,' before going out into the Manchester night singing 'We love you Arsenal we do...'
The journey home was far duller with no twat in an Astra to amuse us and we arrived back in Barton just in time to see the highlights on ITV, at least that was what we thought until we realised there were actually no highlights on! So perhaps there is a God after all...

Two down...two to go??

When we lost 4-1 at the Nou Camp last April we had witnessed a masterclass from Barca and from Lionel Messi. We had been outplayed and outclassed and I had no complaints. This time I just feel cheated.

Yes Barca had all the possession and all the shots before the ridiculous sending off of Robin van Persie but then we had produced the classic 'George Graham' European away performance. Soaked it all up and then got the crucial goal from a set piece.

At that point I knew we would go through. Barca would have got edgy towards the end and I fully expected us to get a second on the break. But once the referee decided to produce a second yellow card for the serious offence of shooting at goal in a noisy stadium that was that.

Even before the sending off it was clear where his allegiances lie. Every little thing went the way of Barca. Everytime we closed them down, went to tackle, even looked at one of their player funny, he gave them a free kick. Yet when Messi was brought down in the area by Johan Djourou he waved play on! Unbelievable. Of course he gave them a penalty in the end. He had to.

So while I would love to be writing about how great Barca were and how it was no disgrace to go out to them I am afraid I cannot do that.

Robin van Persie's sending off changed the game

Yes they played some lovely football. Wenger football as I like to call it. But while it was 11 v 11 we were very much in the game. We defended well and when they did breakthrough Manuel Almunia suddenly looked like a keeper again.

At no point in the first hour did I feel we would go out. Wenger got his tactics almost spot on. Almost. I would have started Andrey Arshavin instead of Tomas Rosicky and took the game to them a little more, but hey I don't get paid a massive salary to make those calls. I just get paid a tiny salary to write about them.

At 1-1 they would have taken more and more chances and with fresh legs the final fifteen minutes we would have scored again. No doubt about it. Yes we may have lost the game 3-2 in the end but it would have been enough.

Instead we are out of the Champions League thanks to the man in white and the quadruple has now become a mere double. No doubt by 7.30 on Saturday evening it will just be a single. Yes thats the way it goes with us. Lose one trophy and we lose the plot. It has happened time and again.

 

The Carling Cup was the first trophy to disappear

                          


Quickly followed by the Champions League

                                    
But whatever the result on Saturday I am convinced we will still win the Premier League. Why? Because Manchester United are awful. We will beat them at the Emirates, they will drop points against Chelsea and away at Bolton while, apart from Spurs and Stoke away, we will win the rest and that will be enough. 79-81 points will do it. Just another 7-8 wins.

But back to tonight. Every year around this time I feel like this when we get knocked out of Europe. Sometimes it is early April, sometimes late April, once it was the end of May. But it always happens. The only trophy we have never won is the only one I want us to win. But winning the Premier League will compensate. It has too. After Saturday it could be all we have left...