Thanks Spenny
THANKS SPENNY!!!
I am sorry to bring up the subject of my Hong Kong experience but this time its a bit of a good news story for MFC, and is a story that won't really make any major headlines. One of my colleagues from Hong Kong was over in Scotland in June on business, this was in fact the football loving guy I mentioned in the last issue. His major disappointment was that this was the close season and there was no football to see........
I approached the people at Motherwell to see if I could let him see round Fir Park and at least give him a feel for some of the stuff I had bored him to tears with when I was in China. Thankfully I was allowed to show him round on the first Saturday of Pre- Season training. We managed to let him see the ground itself and the two dressing rooms which thrilled him to pieces as we took about 45 minutes to wander round.
His biggest goal was to see John Spencer who had been a hero of his when he played for Lai Sun about 10/11 years ago. We therefore headed up to Dalziel Park to see the players put through their paces in the heat. Norman (my colleague's European name!) was thrilled to see the wee man even if all he was doing was run around two football parks.
At the end of training I gave Spenny a shout and asked if he would get his photo taken with one of his biggest fans from Hong Kong. He was delighted to do so and he welcomed Norman by greeting him in Cantonese (asking him how he was). After the obligatory photos the two of them then started to discuss life in Hong Kong as Spenny tried to catch up with any changes in the time he has been away.
As we walked back to the changing rooms Spencer then told Norman that he had something in the boot of his car for him. He disappeared into the changing room to get the cat key, he returned to remove last seasons top and presented it to Norman. He was absolutely thrilled to get a shirt with #7 and Spencer on the back.
Norman spent the rest of the day with the Barnstaples and constantly said that he was in a dream. He couldn't believe that a top professional footballer would have taken time to speak to him and make him feel as welcome as he did. He also couldn't stop having a look at the top and was seen to be wearing at work the following day. I believe it now has pride of place at his home in Hong Kong.
I felt this little tale was worth sharing with a wider audience as it is the kind of gestures that the players and the club do quietly without any fuss and never get any credit for. All concerned can rest assured that there is now a small part of the Far East that will forever be Claret and Amber.
Thanks again to all concerned!
Graham Barnstaple
Visit the GLF archive. Hundreds of articles.