Who is the Big Man?

Sir Alex Ferguson

Thank you Sir Alex Ferguson.  But a simple thank you is not enough for a man who I don’t know, yet has had such an impact on my life.  

Thank you for being the most successful manager in footballing history.  For making Manchester United the biggest club in the world. 

Thank you for producing great team after great team, and daring a kid like me to dream the impossible dream. 

Thank you for the last minute goals and never refusing to die.  For encapsulating the spirit of the Busby Babes…you’ve made us proud to carry on flying that red flag high.

Thank you for embodying what the heart and soul of this club. For the attacking football, developing the community and promoting the youngsters. “You’ll never win anything with kids”.  Well, you did. 

Thank you for ’99 and for making me cry absolute tears of my joy in the living room with my brother.  That still remains one of the greatest nights of my life.

Thank you for Moscow in ’08.  Stumbling across Waterloo Bridge at midnight singing with my best friend, going from the depths of despair to unparalleled joy…after ‘99 I never thought I would feel like that again.

Thank you for that first league title in ’93, 7 years old and you had me at Brucie.

Thank you for bringing me King Eric. The one player I forever want to mimic. 

Thank you for your little touchline jig. Knees bent, fists raised, celebrating with a mad jumping Brian Kidd.

Thank you for sending Kevin Keegan over the edge.  We all ‘loved’ it.  For defeating manager after manager, every threat, every contender, every pretender. And Rafa…that is a FACT.

Thank you for Squeaky Bum Time.  And Fergie Time…they were the best of times.

Thank you for being you, you mad stubborn old Govan.  From defending Eric for his flying kick, to sending a flying boot to Becks’ head with a swift kick. For adhering to principle and standing your ground, to the best sound bites and fierce one line quips.

Thank you for putting Manchester United first.  For getting rid of stars getting too big or an over inflated ego, even though it hurt to see Ruud and Yip Jaap Stam go. And for the ones that stayed and got carried away, the hairdryer would come out to play.

Thank you for knocking Liverpool right off their fucking perch.

Thank you for leaving behind a legacy. One of talent, that are Champions and still hungry.

Thank you for being a father figure to many, and building the club like a family.  I shook your hand after you opened Hulme Bridge.  You were the closest thing to a God that lived.

Thank you for the one last trick you had up your sleeve of bringing us RVP.  The noisy neighbours were shushed and we brought home number 20.

Thank you for making sure that Manchester is Red.  In your own words…there’s no doubt about that. 

Hated across England.  Loved in Manchester. 

You taught me about the importance of hard work, leadership and chewing gum.  That being fiercely competitive and incredibly stubborn is not wrong. That winning is paramount, but dignity in defeat is just as important. You remind me so much of my own father. 

You’ll be the Director and Ambassador for the great football club you built.  But not seeing you in the dug-out after being in charge longer than I have been alive on this Earth…that will be strange. Whoever the next manager, or the one after that.  It will always be Ferguson’s Red and White Army to me. 

I am beyond happy that you got to leave on your own terms.  You got to bow out as a Champion. With a statue in your honour and stand in your name.  Manchester United Football Club will never, ever be the same.

 

Football…bloody hell.

 

It may seem sad to many of you, but I feel like I have lost a part of my family today.  So I don’t particularly care what reaction this gets, because only a few people I know will truly understand.

Wish I’d written the lyrics to this opening verse

You’ve got the words to change a nation but you’re biting your tongue.
You’ve spent a life time stuck in silence
afraid you’ll say something wrong.
If no one ever hears it how we gonna learn your song?
So come, on come on. Come on, come on.
You’ve got a heart as loud as lions so why let your voice be tamed?
Baby we’re a little different there’s no need to be ashamed,
You’ve got the light to fight the shadows so stop hiding it away.

Can’t get it out my head today!

I wanna huh, I wanna huh, I wanna huh, I wanna huh, I wanna really really really wanna zigazig ahh!

London 2012: The End?

As the curtain closes tonight, I must say- I was an Olympic cynic beforehand. But the past few weeks has been simply incredible. In my 7 years in London, I’ve never witnessed an atmosphere like this: vibrant, joyous and dare I say it, united.

The athletes have been immense. I honestly didn’t envisage myself going through the wringer emotionally- I’ve laughed, I’ve cried, I’ve cheered.   Last night I was screaming ‘GO MO, GO MO, GO MO!’ like a maniac for those last 200m. I’ve even celebrated a GB gold in dressage. Dressage for goodness sake!

But the overwhelming emotion for me has been one of pride. London adopted me 7 years ago. Took me in, embraced me, showed me a world I had never seen before and changed my life beyond anything I thought was possible 7 years ago.

Today I am so proud that London is showcasing its spirit, its beauty, its heritage and hospitality, and all the things that make it wonderful, to the whole world. Yeah the tube breaks down. Yeah it’s almost a £1 for can of coke. But to feel the way I did when Mo Farrah won that double gold; to hear the roar of the crowd when Jess Ennis crossed the line in the 800m to win gold; to see just how much it meant to Greg Rutherford, when the man from Milton Keynes became Olympic champion; Andy Murray’s Wimbledon win- well that really does make it all completely and utterly worth it. Not to mention the tears of Sir Chris Hoy and Glover and Stanning and the joyous jubilation of Jade Jones after she kicked and punched her way to Olympic taekwondo gold!

The GB athletes really have done us proud this Olympics.  They have united the nation with stellar performances.  But what has impressed me the most is the apparent change in competitive attitude.  We Brits tend to adopt the ‘it’s the taking part that counts’ attitude.  What was been wonderful to see is the disappointment, and sometimes distress, when we have won silver.  Pendleton’s tears sparked a flurry of my own. Zac Purchase and Mark Hunter absolutely gutted with silver could barely summon words they were that disappointed.  That’s the sort of spirit I want to see- a winning one.  The image of Sir Steve Redgrave, abandoning his commentary duties, to get on the boat to console the pair, and then carry the exhausted Hunter off will be one the abiding images of London 2012.  Sir Steve is truly a legend.  

It’s not just been Team GB that made this Games though. Moments like:

David Rudisha breaking the world record in the 800m.

Felix Sanchez wining gold and crying on the podium- tears for his grandmother who had died before his heats at the Olympics in Athens- a heat which resulted in him not qualifying for the final, and most likely losing out on a gold.  What a moment for him.  And he shared it with us.

Usain Bolt.  What a man.  I don’t think I have ever seen someone so wonderfully entertaining.  Definitely one the the most gifted athletes in the world. Surely one of the most likebale.

And don’t even get me started on the ridiculously marvelously superb opening ceremony (how long ago does that feel?).  You had me at ‘Good evening Mr Bond’. 

Even the Spice Girls are on stage for the closing ceremony- could this get any better!?

We will all have our own view on the Olympics.  Maybe I am too emotional (not the first time someone will have said that).  Maybe I am making it out to be bigger than it is.  But for me, it has been momentous.  Team GB has been incredible.  And by Team GB I mean the athletes and the support they received.  Because I don’t think they would have done as well without the wonderful support of the nation.  And we wouldn’t have loved the Olympic experience without their dedication and performances. The post asks if this really is the end.  I truly believe it isn’t.  Because I have been proud and inspired, and have memories which I will take to my grave.

So…Team GB- a big thank you from me. I was wrong.  London…you were right.