The Beautiful Game

I have been a football fan since the age of 5. The first game I can recall is the 1990 FA Cup Final between Manchester United and Crystal Palace, although I am reliably informed by my dad that I first attended a Colwyn Bay game at the age of six months.

I don’t actually remember anything about the 1990 Cup Final, or the replay, although I have since familiarised myself with what happened. What I remember most strongly is the pre-match kickabout with my dad. I played as Palace. I recall that I found something pleasing about the red and blue of their shirts, and the majesty hinted at by the appearance of the word ‘crystal’ in their name.

This desire to pre-empt what was going to happen in the game was a recurring feature of my early encounters with football. Love of watching the game sprang from love of playing it, and that is the kind of football fan I am. I find takeover bids and boardroom wrangles less than stimulating. What excites me is what happens on the pitch: the grass, the mud, the roll of the ball; the perfectly executed volley, the feint that leaves two defenders on the turf.

I may have supported Palace in 1990, but before long I was a United fan. I hope that doesn’t put you off. I will use this blog as a forum to air my views on the beautiful game, mostly in
Great Britain, but also around the world. Whatever your thoughts on my views, please let me know.

I will get the ball rolling (so to speak) with my 10 Favourite Goals of All Time.