RYAN A toast to Bert - cheers
Joe Hart has very neatly sidestepped his involvement in two England debacles. The first was not being associated with any of the appalling World Cup performances in South Africa and the second was missing last Wednesday night’s friendly against France. What felt a bit disappointing at the time is proving to be a blessing for Joe and I just hope the issues that appear to be arising at Manchester city do not affect him too much.
What was the point of a friendly game against France at this stage of the season? It has merely confirmed what I think we all feared, a great dearth of talent in England, particular among the support group to what would be regarded as our first team. The game could hardly be justified on the grounds of giving players an opportunity of playing together because if recent experience is anything to go by, none of the players on show the other night will ever play together again. Some fifty odd thousand people were therefore charged on average £60 to go and watch a dreadful game on a wet Wednesday night involving footballers who are never likely to represent their country again in a competitive football match. It was a rip off and for what?
The previous Saturday I went to Twickenham. The tickets were about the same price but the cost of the day, including travel, food and drink, well drink mainly, was considerable. In case my wife shows a previously unknown interest in what I have written here, I am not going to say how much, but it was a significant amount of money. I can justify it because it was a great day out involving the usual traditions of drinking a lot – only because I believe in maintaining the fine traditions of the game - from what I vaguely recall of the day. On Wednesday night there would have been no opportunity for extending the day, it was straight home to bed and presumably for most, but not Mr Cappello and his sidekicks, back to work next morning.
There is another issue as well. Liverpool were having a nightmare of a season prior to Wednesday night. Due to an injury sustained in the final minutes of the game to Steven Gerrard, their season is unlikely to improve. The Liverpool captain, their talisman and one in-form player this season is likely to be missing for a month. Virtually every other player of any note had been substituted much earlier in the game – Barry went at half time –but that might be because he was rubbish. So, on Wednesday night Joe was probably sitting in his luxury apartment somewhere, reading old programmes of Shrewsbury Town, flicking through the pages of back copies of the Shropshire Star that his mum sends to him and occasionally glancing at the pictures on his giant plasma screen of a wet Wembley and mouthing a silent prayer of gratitude. And who could blame him?
hmv
hmv.com 20 A couple of weeks ago I was returning from London with Mrs
Jervis – travelling first class on the Wrexham and Shropshire train. It was early evening and we sat adjacent to a largish group who seemed to be celebrating something. If you have not yet used the service, I suggest next time you go to London you give it serious consideration. It seems to be cheaper than Virgin and if you book far enough in advance you can get some good deals in First Class. We cracked open a bottle with our dinner and shared in the bonhomie that was being encouraged by our fellow passengers. Among the group was an elderly gentleman and he appeared to be with his two sons, daughter and their respective husband and wives. As someone who prides himself on keeping up with the news, I should have known the answer to the question when I asked if they were celebrating something special. As my friends will tell you, I can sometimes be a bit slow on the uptake. ‘Our dad has just been to the Palace to pick up his MBE’, came the answer. Of course, it had been in the papers and they went on to explain they had recorded BBC Midlands today because the cameras had followed the family all day and when they got home they would be able to watch it. It was a blessed relief that the people with the cameras had long since gone and were not around to capture this over exuberance. This delightful and very proud family were the sons and daughter of Bert Williams. Sitting amongst them was this wonderfully dignified and delightfully modest ex. Wolverhampton Wanderers goalkeeper who in British footballing folklore holds his own alongside the greatest footballers in the land. Reminding me of my dad, Bert was insisting on sobriety and a jacket, shirt and tie. Not for him the imbibing of great quaffs of the most wonderful Merlot, but obviously with the quiet satisfaction to have at last been honoured, not just for being a great footballer but also a superb ambassador for our wonderful national game.
Bert was as lucid as a man half his age – he is now a very sprightly 90 –happy to ask about how Graham Turner is getting on, recalling fondly many of the ex Shrewsbury players, remembering their names more rapidly than I could bring them to mind. He also talked about Joe Hart with great fondness. I wondered if he resented in any way not living in an era when he could be earning huge wealth. ‘Not in the slightest’, was his reply. ‘I was alright for my time’, he said modestly,’ and I would not change it for the world’. In his later years Bert has had something far more precious than money and great wealth, his wonderful family who continued in their celebrations until the train stopped in Cosford. I wonder what Bert thought of last Wednesday night’s game and how many of the players that night will be remembered, not to mention honoured and surrounded by their family when they are 90?
Ryan Jervis ALL MATCHDAY MUSIC IS SUPPLIED BY HMV
SHREWSBURY. FOR ALL THE LATEST CHART OFFERS GET ON DOWN TO THE LOCAL STORE TODAY.
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