We lost 1-0 to a goal scored with 2 seconds to go.
No kidding, that's official from the ref himself.
I shouted myself hoarse, and my kids made me so proud...*sob*...no, I'll be alright in a minute...
The story is a lot more interesting than it first appears. Stick with me on this.
This season I've been co-coaching the might U12s at Redlands with a guy called Mark Davis. Nice fella who has three sons, the youngest very small, the oldest who is in my team and the middle one a bit of a child prodigy. His name is Rhain Davis.
Mark is Rhain's coach, always has been, but we have had a long association over a number of years and our families are very close. I pride myself on having had some input into his development. Rhain plays for the Redlands U10 development team
About a month ago Rhain was asked to a trial at the Manchester United Youth Academy. A week later he was signed officially and he and his father are over there right now.
Whilst Rhain and his dad have been over in Manchester, our team's fortunes have taken a jump. When Mark and I were both in charge, we were the league easybeats. Under my sole command we beat our nearest rivals last week and almost beat the top of the table tonight.
Just thought I'd mention that. I'm great, me.
Whilst I and Rhain's mum were walking back from the pitch, she got a phone call from the Sun newspaper, who wanted to talk to her about the latest soccer wunderkind. "He's only f**kin' nine years old, he loves playing football, and I don't want to talk about it!!!!" she yelled.
Check out Rhain Davis on YouTube. I'm on the video very briefly as the camera pans across (back to the camera, baseball cap). In all the years I've known him, I knew he was a talented lad, but never thought more of it than that. The video does flatter him a little.
