Four Men on a Bench

My shirts

Why these shirts?

My shirts......I've always had them from as long as I can remember. Starting with my club back in the day.

Why West Ham, simple Clyde Best. Growing up in East London back in those days was difficult as a cheeky black kid, life was either really up or terribly down. Hours of enjoyment in the back garden, football, cricket, running, jumping.......anything, always in the garden. My brother, sister's and I (like many other children of that time) had a tough upbringing, being children of Jamaican and Bajan decent meant that bad behaviour was never tolerated, punishment was swift when necessary (My mother was scarier than Andy Roberts). My mother's motto was always 'Be seen and not heard' and that's how we were. Our parents suffered abhorrent abuse at work, even while shopping. I can still remember the sign on the King Harold - No blacks, Irish or dogs! damn they struggled to put food on the table, but we had Clyde Best.

He was to me at that time, tall, strong, powerful and most importantly black, he gave me something I could associate with and aspire to, much like the West Indies cricket team in years to come.

I always wanted to fit in, but never quite made it. As an impressionable 8 year old, Mickey Barnes (goodness, what a player) and Mark Stimpson (Newcastle, Tottenham and until recently manager of Barnet) started playing football for Riverhawks, a top youth side capable of matching Puma and Senrab. I was curious, I wanted to play for Riverhawks but was never selected to trial. Disappointment was tempered by the fact that I was playing for the school 3rd year team as a 2nd year pupil and I was off and running.

Football and cricket dominated my childhood, aged 11 I was playing for Beaumont, we had our own purpose built clubhouse over at Coronation Gardens. Beaumont were a top side and I managed to make it into the under 12's 1st team. I remember fondly games against New Forest, Enfield Rangers, Discus and Enfield United to this day. Halcyon days! Days when if any shirt caught my eye and I had to have it. For instance, I had to have an Orient shirt because my brother and I used to sneak into Brisbane Road after half time and watch the likes of Ralph Coates, John Chidozie and Peter Kitchen. My West Brom shirt was due to Laurie Cunningham, Cyrille Regis and Brendon (best afro ever) Batson.

In those days, I loved Ron Atkinson, he gave me players I could identify with. Crystal Palace had Vince Hilare, Jim Gannon and Terry Venables, while at Beaumont Vince's sibling Julian played in the same team as Perry Suckling. Vince was often seen at our training ground at the back of Coronation Gardens, and I clearly remember him taking me in his car to trial for Watford, a Palace shirt was a for gone conclusion from then on. The England shirts go without saying, Stan Bowles, Frank Wothington, Tony Curry, Keegan and Brooking.......Heroes of mine, I could go on but the rest is for another day.

I salute you Clyde Best.

Come on lovers of football get your shirts out, take a picture and tell us why you have them.

PEC