I was 8 yrs old. I was very cold, sat in the Platt Lane End with Ronnie our lodger to watch my first ever live football match. Snow covered the pitch and the ball was orange, I remember that very clearly. Jimmy Greaves scored the first goal…. Apart from the cold my overriding memory is of the hardest shot ever ever seen on the football field. Neil Young hit the bar from outside the area and I thought the bar would never stop shaking. We skated the ice rink better than Spurs and ran out winners: 4-1. I went on to spend a lot of time at the training ground in Cheadle, close to where I lived, helping where I could; I’m sure my help was invaluable to our success of the era. I took penalties against Joe Corrigan, understudy to Ken Mulhearn at the time … Big Joe did the decent thing and dived over the ball for me. I remember the first time Joe Mercer came to the training ground … his presence was obvious, even to a kid of eight. I have been on the bluemoon rollercoaster ride ever since, an experience I would describe as ‘character building’. But as I say to the many ManU fans I know: You’ll never know true happiness until you change to blue. Happy days!