This week we lost Andre Wright to Stratford Town FC. Unsurprisingly Andre failed to score during his stint at Latimer Park. He hasn't actually scored for an English club since notching a solitary effort for Kiddy some 5 years ago. He had scored a handful of goals in the League of Ireland for Bohemians and Sligo, where, presumably the standard isn't what it might be. However, this side of the water in just over a hundred games he has amassed the grand total of 7 goals. One fewer than we shipped in 90 minutes at Kings Lynn recently.
And yet, when playing for us he didn't look THAT bad. He had a good touch. He had a physical presence. He won some headers. He put a shift in. Unlike some players to have pulled on the Poppies 150th Anniversary strip he actually tried. I found myself willing the ball into the net for him. Which would have been more likely had he actually tested any of the goalkeepers he came up against.
But, at what point, as a footballer, do you look objectively at your career and ask yourself if you are truly up to it? Statistically speaking, any of us lardy middle-aged lumps could be plopped on a football field and score as many goals as Andre simply by the ball inadvertently striking our arses at corners or clouting off our heads at free kicks. In fact, it takes remarkable ability to play as close to goal for as long as Andre has and not even accidentally score more times.
Andre has finally accepted this might be a level too high for him and has dropped a league in an attempt to notch his first goal since Barak Obama was US President. I, for one, wish him well and hope it works out for him.
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| Andre looks suitably shocked to find that Stratford has a football club. |
Update! Addaboy Andre!
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