When I first became interested in football at about six or seven years old, I remember reading a small pocketbook about the 1966 World Cup. It featured articles on the great Eusebio, pictures of the unlikely North Korean heroes and a match report on the final. Alongside the ubiquitous shots of Nobby Stiles and Geoff Hurst was a picture of Alan Ball. I remembered him from that moment on for the colour of his hair and for the comment that he was the youngest player on the day but covered the most grass.

Now, I knew that Alan Ball wasn't a new lawnmower - because they required petrol and looked different - but little did I realise then what a fantastic footballer he was. I vaguely remember the 1966 final, with my father and grandfather sitting in front of a black and white world which changed to brown as the ale was poured (at teatime) and the live action turned to a moment of history. Only when Everton's Ball, Howard Kendall and Colin Harvey destroyed Leeds's chances of the League in 1970 did I come to respect Alan Ball and believe what everyone had said about him.

He showed up in the FA Cup Final in 1972 as well, when Leeds beat Arsenal and I remember Paul Reaney saving one of his bullet headers on the line. Thanks for that Alan; a kind of justice was done for Leeds fans everywhere.

And that's it. Our paths haven't really crossed since but I'm sure they will again one day when I will sit in a corner, reading my never-ending football books and he will be out on the field, running: always running.

This article was first posted in Soccer Special at http://soccerspecial.blogspot.com. For all Fen Creative material please go to http://www.fencreative.co.uk

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