‘Drop ten, turn and Face.’ Quilty’s Football Yarns 5 Finding a side

‘Drop ten, turn and Face.’ Quilty’s Football Yarns 5

Finding a side

Moving on to Parmiters Grammar School, in Bethnal Green, meant that with only one school side, most players had to settle for a run in the house competition. In some ways this pushed me, and my mates to play for a local club, Fields United run by the Sally Army. When eventually leaving school as a group of 17/18 years old’s we started our own side. We would play in the Hackney & Leyton Sunday competition. Our side was Strathspey FC.  We went the whole season of that first year without a win until an opposition team forfeited the last game of the season. As a teenager coming into men’s football you learn fast. Breezing past a twenty-five year old defender would only be something you would do once! Every occasion to follow would see you end up on the ground with an agricultural tackle sorting you out. Hackney Marshes was indeed a brutal place. One hundred and ten pitches and none having nets. One freezing Sunday morning there we were, with our nine playing their ten players. It was so foggy that you couldn’t see the goal posts from half way, even more of a problem with no nets on the goals! Here I was, frozen to the bone and with a dodgy stomach, when all of a sudden I’ve hit the sweetest shot form 25 yards top corner and turned to celebrate. The Referee blows his whistle for a goal kick! In disbelief I pleaded with anyone who would listen but no, he was unbending. In desperation I ran up to their goalie and said, “Mate, that is the best goal I’ve ever scored and the ref didn’t see it”. He looked deep into my pleading eyes and somehow some pity stirred. “Oi Referee.....That was a goal, it went in”. In that moment my faith in the game, fairness and humanity was restored.