Well, that’s it until the summer when the transfer Merry go round starts again, all the rumours, speculation, false hopes and inactivity take hold of our lives and we become zombies, glued to the internet searching for any morsel of transfer activity we can get hold of.
I have a true story that has always stuck in my mind and the relevance of it to football today is so apparent. It involves a huge transfer back in June 1983. The legendary Terry Neill was coming to the end of his managerial reign at Highbury, but he had time to capture the golden boy of Scottish football, Celtic’s goal machine and pin-up, Charlie Nicholas.
He had the whole of North London talking, could this Superstar turn Arsenal’s fortunes around. He was viewed as the most exciting new talent in British football, after all.
Well despite his fee of £750,000 and scoring both goals in our League cup final win over Liverpool in1987, he didn’t set Highbury a light in his 4 years at the club. This is where my story begins.
I lived in Forest Green at the time and this tiny Cotswold town had a great football team, Forest Green Rovers who were riding high in the old Southern League, which equated to about the sixth tier of English football.
I loved both Arsenal and Forest Green, so when I realised we would be playing Arsenal Reserves in the regional floodlit League cup, at Forest Green I nearly died!!
I didn’t expect to see any great Arsenal stars that night but didn’t take into consideration Charlie Nicholas’ poor showings for the first team of late. I couldn’t believe it when I saw his name on the team sheet at the back of the matchday programme and this is where to relevance to today’s game kicks in, excuse the pun.
It was a cold wet night and Charlie Boy wasn’t up for it, the result escapes me but I assume the Gunners won. What happened in the clubhouse bar after the game is what this story is all about.
The players of both teams and supporters always gathered in the Social club for a post-match pint and a gossip, this was a widespread phenomenon in nonleague football back then.
I sat in the corner with a few mates praying Charlie Boy would come in, and boy did he, strolling to the bar like a well-groomed peacock, his hair a cross between Chris Waddle and Glen Hoddles’ famous barnets. As soon as the Forest Green faithful spotted him, the banter started. But it was one below the belt comment and Charlies’ reply that has always stayed with me.
”Four grand a week and your playing for the Reserves in a place like this. How your standards have slipped, Charlie, what a fool.” said a middle-aged regular propping up the bar, followed by sighs and whispers all around. ”Sorry Sir?” Charlie replied, the whole bar was silent at this point… ”and what do you do for a living?”, ”I work at a local factory” replied the FGR fan.
”Earn much?” Charlie continued. ” I get by, just” came the reply. ”Well I get four grand a week just for turning up to places like this a few hours a week, so who’s the fool?” came back Charlie.
You can’t possibly give an answer to that put-down, but the similarities to the modern game are huge. It’s not about being proud to wear the shirt of a great football club, it’s about the money. There are plenty of exceptions to that rule, don’t get me wrong. Not all Premiership footballers are money orientated, but unfortunately, a few are. Ring any bells yet? A certain player that’s just left us, not just for pastures new, but mainly to double his wages……… I guess we’re all fools then Charlie!!
The story I’ve written is fact, not fiction and always pops into my head when a player leaves us…. food for thought!
