Today's Blog is courtesy of Lord Rainford (aka John Hawkins) In his usual under=stated way he offers not 1 or 2 but 3 versions of today's Blog title You're being spoilt dear readers!
Come in all you footballers, enter all you fools
Sit down? No-no! Old players? Fools!
Trip the G4 fantastic, dance the spiral hips (that’s you Tony) (1)
St Helens WFC Members at Ruskin on Monday cast a wistful eye back to last week’s snow and freezing conditions and instead this week were forced to contend with driving rain!
Coach John Davies kept his charges on the move for most of the warm up before settling on the following line ups: -
All Blacks – Anita, Andy Capt., Chopper, Stretch Tom, Mark Davies and Lord Rainford
Bibs – Les, The late Colin Williams, Phil the Power, Mike, Tony ‘Snakehips’ Byrne, Citeh Geoff and Alex (his Greasy Thumbs protected by natty gloves)
The whole affair was overseen by Jeff Betty refereeing in possibly the most luminous pair of yellow trousers ever seen in the history of Walking Football. Splitting the session into 3 blocks of 20-ish minutes the Blacks made light of their one player disadvantage in the early exchanges. Short passing, playing to feet and pass-and -move kept them in the game over the more direct approach of Phil Colin and Les. Even going 1-0 down when Les was given too much space did not phase Black Tom soon equalised to take the game to 1-1 at the first break.
Quick rotation of keepers in the cold and wet conditions was the order of the day throughout the morning.
When he’s near me I’ll kick him
And when he leaves me, I’ll trip him
Though sometimes we fight I won’t really care
And I know it’ll be alright because Jeff Betty the ref will be there! (2)
It was the 2nd session that did for Blacks as Anita had the misfortune to face a shot from Les that was excellently placed in the corner and then one from Colin that just had too much force behind it. Blacks struggled in this phase of the game, penned in their own half and with fewer options up front when they had ant rare spell of possession Only the ample backside of M’Lord prevented Colin from adding to his tally.
Into the final 3rd and with Black being 3-1 down coach John D decided to join in; either taking pity on the Black’s struggles (probably not!) or to try and unfreeze his limbs from watching behind the far goal (much more likely!). With a strict order to his Black team mates to ‘play it to my feet’ (well, we did try John, honest!)
The final section of the match was much more even, with only a late 3rd goal and Hall-of Fame entry for Victor (Les) when – yet again – he was given too much space. That was nearly the last move of the match; and it did put a bit of gloss on the Bib’s performance for them to end their morning's work with a perky 4-1win.
Playing football in the rain with the ones I love
Feels so fine
To each his own I’ve heard them say
Well, I’ve got my football in so many ways
Did we get caught in the rain?
Yes, but it was so beautiful! (3)
1 – Walking in the Rain - Grace Jones (but originally Flash and the Pan)
2 – Walking in the Rain – The Ronettes
3 – Walking in the Rain – Love Unlimited
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