"I am not a number, I'm a free man," bellowed the Prisoner. Greedy sod, he should have been grateful, because Coventry City striker Paul Williams is remembered in the tomes of football folly by just a solitary letter. Yes, one blessed letter.

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THE ENTHUSIASM OF YOUTH...
FRIDAY 4th APRIL 2008
Call me an old cynical bastard - many do - but there's nothing to rival football in its ability to scrub away the optimism in everyday life. The beautiful game can be a sick old git at times as it playfully wrenches expectations, emotions and bank balances.


It makes you remember how things used to be when you listen to the youthful excitement of players like Theo Walcott. The Arsenal youngster, who must be all of 14, either hasn't been in football long enough to know what a dirty beast it really is (despite a stint with England), or was scoffing a few too many Werthers Originals shortly before his post-match interview on Wednesday.

Speaking of the Gunners' Champions League trip to Anfield next week, Wallo beamed:

"I think we will go there, play brilliantly, and get a goal," before ending the Roy of the Rovers-esque statement with a dominant, "definitely."

Visibly pumped by the lure of a semi-final spot and the promise of a bumper bag of lolly-pops with Mr Wenger, had previously beamed:

"We'll play unbelievable football and I'm sure we'll pop one up."

'Popping one up' doesn't suggest 'unbelievable' football to me.


'Popping one up' is a 77th-minute deflected header and surviving a succession of decent penalty shouts at the other end.

But 'unbelievable' it will be, either in that Theo foresaw a comic-book 2nd-leg turnaround, or that he really did expect to grab a hat-trick with the Gunners romping home 5-0 on the night.

Kids, huh?

 

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