Fingers Crossed.

[Roger Kettle]

Setting off to Glasgow this afternoon to watch my son play in the Scottish Schools cup final at Hampden tonight. (I say "play" but he's been on the bench recently---I'm praying he, at least, gets a chance).
Will, hopefully, post some good news tomorrow.

[Tarquin Thunderthighs lll]

I'd say break a leg, Roger, but it doesn't sound approriate.

Fingers crossed for your lad and his team - give him a Hampden Roar from us!

[The Peepmaster]

I hope you have a great day, Roger, and that your son gets to play.

It's not uncommon for parents to unintentionally embarass their kids at events such as this, so try not to streak naked on the pitch during the second-half.

[Tarquin Thunderthighs lll]

At least not until after your son gets on the field of play.

[Diane CBPFC]

If I were coaching, I would make sure that everyone on the team had at least a short time on the field at such an important event. I hope your son has a blast!

My eldest son is going to try for his learners driver's licence again today (third time a charm?)

There will be fingers crossed on both sides of the Atlantic today 

[The Peepmaster]

I agree with you 100%, Diane. Any fair-minded coach would give everyone a run-out.

Good luck to your little boy on his driving test. Tell him to steer clear of mooses. Or moosey clear of steers.

(See what I did there?) 

[Roger Kettle]

Sad to report that the lads lost 4-3. As the cliche goes, they came up against a better team on the night---Knightswood Secondary from Glasgow. My son, Robbie, played for 15 minutes and, needless to say, was brilliant. Seriously, he did well, as did the others, but it just wasn't meant to be. However, he will always have the incredible memory of playing at Hampden Park, our National stadium. He has sat in the same dressing room as countless International stars of the past and has kicked a ball on the same bit of ground as people like Law, Best and Maradona.
As for me, well...I watched my son play at Hampden.

[Colin]

Maradona actually scored his first senior goal for Argentina at Hampden on 02 Jun 1979 when Scotland lost 1 - 3

[Tarquin Thunderthighs lll]

I was there, Colin - I recall some incredible dribbling skills combining astonishing footwork with the tactic of apparently looking skywards as he ran with the ball. As we all know, when someone does this, everyone else looks up to see what's causing the fuss...and Scotland's defenders were no different. Candy from babies...except that it was the baby doing the damage. Astonishing!

I feel quite surprised just how deflated I was at reading the result, Roger - I was wishing I had your mobile number (assuming you've got one) so that I could pester you for updates during the game yesterday, and I've had a frustrating morning in town today getting prepared for tomorrow's Shrewsbury Cartoon Festival whilst desperate to get home and check the score. Sounds like an exciting game though, and never a disgrace to lose by the odd goal in seven. I'm well chuffed Robbie got his chance, even more so for you than him, and it's good to hear you've taken the disappointment so philosophically.

I bet you kicked every ball too!

[Roger Kettle]

Thanks, Tarks. Of course, the lads were deeply disappointed but, in a day or two, I hope they begin to appreciate their achievement. The memory will stay with them forever. God, I still bore my son about reaching the quarter-final in 1969! I guess that will have to end now. In retrospect, it's probably best he didn't play the whole game. During the 15 minutes he was on the pitch, I was desperately willing his every touch to succeed. Had he played the full 90 minutes, I'd probably have been carried off with sympathetic paternal cramp.
Have a great time in Shrewsbury.

[The Peepmaster]

Sounds like it was a great occasion, Roger! You are obviously very proud of your son. Let's hope he ends up earning vast sums of cash by playing for one of the UK's top teams, or even Dundee United, come to that.

[Diane CBPFC]

That was a respectable score Roger and a thrilling experience for both your son and you. It must feel wonderful to run on those perfectly even professional fields ? did you all go together in a few school busses like a happy sing-along group outing?

My son did pass his driver?s ? it was third time lucky for him ? one of my favourite movies is My Cousin Vinnie and I was dreading it being a case of ?sixth time was the charm for me?.

Would a person get paid if they played for Dundee United?

[Roger Kettle]

Congratulations to your son on passing his driving test, Diane! The fight for the car begins....

[Malc]

I was also willing Robbie's team on to do well from the other side of the world, but as Roger says, the real achievement is getting to play at Hampden. The result (in the long run, after the initial disappointment is over) was not important. "I played at Hampden" is a great conversation killer and chick puller. Well, not chick puller, but certainly in a blokey environment, the name "Hampden" makes ears prick up.

I speak as someone who has played at Wembley.


(leaves significant gap)


Yes, Wembley.

It was during the Free Nelson Mandela concert, and some guys were knocking a ball around at the very back of the crowd, in a sizeable area where there were no people.  I was drawn to this activity as I have been all my life, and joined in. We ended up having a five minute game, jumpers for goalposts, isn't it...

On a serious note, my own son played at the weekend in a final in Bristol His team AFC Bohemia won.
McGookin fils is the goalkeeper at the front with the huge open mouth and what appears to be a clown's nose.

[Tarquin Thunderthighs lll]

I've played at Dens Park (Dundee F.C.) and Muirton Park (former home of St Johnstone), lost both times but a huge thrill nonetheless.

I've only been to Hampden once since they rebuilt the stadium, but I did get to stand in the middle of the pitch and let my mind drift to daydreams of scoring against the Auld Enemy and soaking up the adulation of the crowd made up of thousands of teenage girls. Yes, it was a Robbie Williams concert, and I was only there as emergency chauffeur for my eldest daughter and her pals (reward for which was being allowed to buy the spare ticket she had after their original taxi driver had to back out).

But I was still in awe of the place. And it was a bloody good concert, made all the better for having ABC ("Shoot that poison arrow through my Hea-a-a-art") as a warm-up act before Toploader and then the main man. Concerts like that are wasted on the young I tell you - I was the only one jigging from the start.

And I hate to have to admit it, but that day was a damned sight more entertaining than many of the matches I'd witnessed in my younger days from the Hampden terraces.

Still, I'd trade it all to be able to what the other Robbie (Kettle) got to do - even for 5 minutes worth. Did you get any of it on video, Roger? If so, get the lad to put it on YouTube so we can all share.

Oh, and congratulations to young McGookin...you must be very proud of your son.