Football Its A Minging Life! by Rick Holden

Author:Rick Holden [Holden, Rick]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781859838877
Publisher: Derby Books Publishing Company Ltd
Published: 2010-11-01T00:00:00+00:00

Liberation! Our first home goal in the top flight against Chelsea for 67 years, which I scored, in a 3–0 win.

We shocked Liverpool by taking the lead at Anfield on the opening day of the season but then blew several chances and lost 2–1. We only had a couple of days to wait until our first points of the season, though, when we hammered Chelsea 3–0 at home. It was made more pleasurable because Dennis Wise was playing. I thundered in a half-volley which Dave ‘Lurch’ Beasant never saw, and we were liberated. The season was a great learning experience for us and for me in particular in that I had to get used to being dropped occasionally, sometimes deserved, sometimes not. I learned that I could terrorise the First Division defences, and despite being dropped I easily achieved top assists man in all League football for season 1991–92. In other words more goals were created by me than any other player that year. Did it get me any recognition apart from the info appearing in Match Magazine and Shoot? Did it buggery! My name had been bandied about for England, and appearing for England B was a distinct possibility, but I was completely overlooked by the establishment, and when Chris Waddle and John Barnes got injured and couldn’t go to Sweden for the Euro ’92 Championships, who did they select? Andy Sinton. A right-sided player brought in to supply crosses from the left wing. I’ve nothing against Andy, but he’s never been to the by-line and pulled a cross back for the centre-forward in his life. He always cut in-field and played to feet. Consequently, he never got a cross in during the tournament, in which England were sent packing very early on. The whole tour had been a debacle from start to finish.

That is my one regret in life – that I never got chance to play for England. When I look at some of the players who have I could cry. I did not have great pace – neither did Beckham – but I could do my job, and some of the players I see now make me despair. When I see some of the players appearing for the other Home Nations because their grandfather was born there, that makes me sick as well. I could trace back my Irish ancestry but couldn’t be arsed, because if I could not play for England then tough. I didn’t want to play for anyone else. Some of my colleagues went on to win lots of caps for their countries, and good luck to them, but how many could call themselves international class? It’s also a shame for the really good lads for countries like Wales and Northern Ireland as they are marooned in qualifiers and friendlies and never get the opportunity to ply their stuff on the world stage.

That first season in the top flight had been good for Oldham and, although we finished 17th in the League, we were comfortable and had played well.

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