"Left footed "

"Things changed at senior school. We had teams and managers and referee's. I always knew my role in the game . I was a defender stocky and well built, using my size and weight to block the more skillful whippet like wingers. I had a job to do and they knew it . Come on my patch at your peril. I hated going past the half way line , and would always pass despite frantic calls for me to keep going. I kept getting picked. I got no coaching and no praise , but I was always picked . It all ended when I got into a conflict. He was the same build as me and about as skillful, certainly not good enough to skip past my late tackles, but he wanted to score goals and I was in his way. He retaliated to one of my over zealous shoulder charges.There was a big fuss!!. He went onto be head boy , I wasn't picked again . Never mind , there were plenty more interests to pursue at 14 . My football career was over."

Richard Mason