Have Boots Will Travel by Paul Large

Author:Paul Large
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Pitch Publishing
Published: 2014-06-15T00:00:00+00:00

11

Fulham

I HATED Allan Clarke! I can’t exactly remember when it started, but the 1969 FA Cup Final saw my feelings reach their zenith. Watching from our lovely house in Chessington, as Clarke warmed up on the hallowed turf in an impossibly beautiful, technicolour blue shirt, with the fox’s head proudly emblazoned on the badge, I realised that he was wearing Frank’s shirt and that he should be out there getting ready to meet the minor Royal deputising for the Queen. Clarke’s demeanour didn’t help. Lank-haired, sulky and obviously under-fed, I couldn’t understand how he could be better than my Dad!

I did know that as a result of Clarke moving to Leicester, I had had to leave Kingsley Park Primary where I had settled in well and loved my cap and blazer, and Hazeldine Road (although I’m sure our next-door neighbours Betty and Alan were pleased to see the back of me and our kid!) and my friends.

Frank had also left the top flight, never to return, and had just spent an unhappy year in and out of a struggling Fulham side that suffered relegation. My consolation was that Clarke had failed to keep Leicester up and was not going to lift the Cup. Spiteful for a six-year-old!

Twelve months later, the same lank-haired, cuff-clutching, skinny individual was lined up again at Wembley, this time in the white of Leeds United and while not my hero, he was cheered, along with the rest of the lads, as we attempted to win our first FA Cup. Frank, meanwhile, was back at Northampton in the Fourth Division.

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