WARNING: No good can come of this follow-up narrative unless the reader is made fully aware that in 1966 no one had ever heard of a local football league for kids.
It’s Saturday and only a few weeks to go before the World Cup ’66 begins and I’ve acquired my longed-for football sticker of Antonio Rattin – at a steep price. Straight afterwards, I spend my last tuppence at Bishop’s Corner Shop, but when I open up the pack of pink bubble gum, another picture of Antonio Rattin falls out.
“Sh*t!”
“Ronnie Steele!” hollers Mrs Bishop. “I can’t get my breath. And there’s me telling everyone what a smashing young man you are!”
Rooker’s bent over double, laughing, and I want to punch him right on the nose, but he’s the best mate I’ve ever had, so I let him off. However, I still call him a “dirty, rotten, stinking cheat” for not letting me have the captaincy back.
Next day it’s raining so we’re invited into Margaret Wrend’s cellar to see what kit we’ve gathered. There are ten white t-shirts, four pairs of black shorts and only two pairs of white socks, but we convince ourselves that the colour of our socks doesn’t really matter.
Julie shows us a dozen badge designs for our shirts.
“Ey up,” says Mark. “These look good.”
“Don’t sound so surprised,” says Julie. “Pick your favourite and we’ll have seven made by the end of the week. And tell me what you think to this.” She empties a brown paper bag.
Rooker says, “And why have you brought us a fishing net?”
“Fishing net? It’s a blooming goal net for your goal posts. We went down to Percy Harrison’s grocers and he gave us loads of onion bags which we’ve cut open and fastened together with string.”
“Where’s the other net?” asks Rob.
“It was too much hard work, you’ll have to make do with one.
Rooker changes the subject. “I’ve thought of a seven-a-side pitch with goalposts - the Holgate hockey pitch. But how do we get eight teams for a football festival?”
“It’ll soon be sorted, Rooker,” I tell him. “There are six football mad mates at Longcar Central from different parts of Barnsley. They’ll each bring a team.”
We hear a voice from the top of the cellar steps. It’s Margaret’s older brother, Keith. He used to be an ‘Havelocker’ but he’s too old now. We explain our plans and he says he’ll agree to referee the games.
The following week we invite Kingstone Celtic to play in our inaugural game. There’s much talk of Rob’s Uncle Shaun coming to watch. He’s one of the best boxers in the country and Rob says, “It’ll not be long before the whole world’s heard of Shaun Doyle.”
I take Don McKinley to one side. “Have you any more shocks for us before we start playing?”
“Aye. The twins are related to Dorothy Hyman.”
“What?”
“Only kidding. Couldn’t resist it.”
I draw a line across my throat like the revengeful pirate but it only makes Don smile.
The game is a farce. Our referee doesn’t turn up and we’ve no marked lines for the pitch, so arguments rage. We manage to equalise in extended injury time but Rob McCormick accuses the time keeper, Rooker, of cheating (he’s the only one with a wrist watch).
I get my mad up. “How dare you accuse Rooker of cheating. He’s the fairest, most honest person I know.”
The Barnsley Football Festival has to be brought forward a day because the Kingstone Club trip has been organised for Sunday 10th July. Eight teams of seven players congregate on the banking of the hockey field. Keith Wrend has brought loads of sawdust from Vernon Dunk’s to mark out the lines, and the one net is pegged down using metal hooks that Mark’s family use when camping.
What a day that Saturday was, even though it was drizzling for most of it. Kingstone Celtic turned out to be the winners but I still loved every minute of our tournament.
Three weeks later, on Saturday 30th July, the whole nation celebrates England’s win in the World Cup final. It’s so exhilarating for the nation but not a patch of our Barnsley Under 12’s Football Festival.
What we learned that summer couldn’t be taught in any classroom. And looking back I realise, when groups of ordinary kids are allowed to work creatively, without adult interference, they can move mountains.
