What happens to the ball Nov. 13, 2006

Saturday’s trip to Gretna (not to get hitched in an underage marriage with a furious father in pursuit but) to watch the football derby versus Queen of The South, the team of Dumfries where Robbie Burns is buried, was illuminated for me and many by the sight of Brooks Mileson returning to the stands, after his medical operations. This is a man with the biggest of hearts. He has a zoo in his back garden of unwanted animals, big and small. He even has some skunks. Brooks draws inspiration from having them about him. From helping them to better health. Or to see out their days in fields of green under big open skies. Yet it is for what he has done for Gretna Football Club, for the wider community, and in a sense for Scottish football (a kindly kick up the backside) that he is best known.

Joining us in the back of the stand after half time, is Mick Wadsworth who use to manage and coach many clubs around England. He worked with the England national team under Bobby Robson, and again with him in better days at Newcastle United. He sees things and thinks things about players and strategy as clearly and simply as you and I draw breath. And he is rarely wrong in his observation.

Profound Mick turned to me and said another thing profound : “There is only one way of judging a player – it’s what happens to the ball after the player releases it”.

Now this is the doctrine of a man from the pits, from the coalpits of Yorkshire (his background) – the spirit of camaraderie. Almost communist. This is probably close to the simple doctrine of the Scottish managers who changed and continue to change the face of football… it’s what you can do for one another… the ball is a gift and all that.

And this philosophy can probably be extended beyond football : to what anyone does in relation to the person, animal or space around him or her.