Friday 29 April 2011

Goodbye Dad

This week i lost my Dad we had a odd father and son thing we fell out he was a child of Belfast in the forties and he had to be a fighter and use his fists to not get found out in his home and on the streets.
Always makes me laugh when people say the working class from Belfast was the catholics well that was not the case.Both sides had a shite time.
He had a rough time of it and he then carried that on a man who could never find the time for a hug a dad who taught you to nick rather than play in the field it was in him not his fault.
He was also a man who could be cruel and if he came to see me play football i would be the worst player on the pitch and the one who laughed the loudest if i messed up.

One thing he did do was take me to football and the Ironic thing of that was i found in football the chance to get away from home life and all that came with that.
As i said before my first game was Glentoran Vs Linfield well that is the first i recall and it was a riot and my sister never went to a game after that.

He also would get his mate to lift me from school  in a red van and take me to Windsor for the Northern Ireland games when we played mid week and at three o clock my head master a great man would look at him and say “oh is it the dentist again?” then shout “see you at the game”  Belfast in the 70’s brutal at times but never not funny.

I would hide my Glens scarf under my green and white northern Ireland one to show i was from the East of the City odd when dad was from sandy row and we lived in rathcoole.
I found also QPR i am not sure what he felt of this as he never gave much away on that think at times he thought i was mad going up and down the country to see the hoops. He would go sometimes on his own and not tell me such was his way.

If he gave me one thing it was football and the love of a game that i could lose myself in and hide in and Elton John once sang “someone saved my life tonight’ while that to me was Stan Bowles George Best and Gary Blackledge.
For that Dad i thank you i wish we could sit and chat it over and that is why i now have tears not the fact i lost a good Dad for i lost someone i don't think i ever seen the good side of  and that hurts.
RIP and in the next life lets talk this out.



1 comment:

  1. Thank you for your insight into your father Paul. Although my father is still alive, we too have a similar relationship.

    My father has watched me play in only two games of football. Once when I was about 15 and the other time was two weeks ago at aged 50 (Work related game). Perhaps time for me to retire now that that has been achieved?

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