Scarthy's Secret Shame
It was a Red Letter Day for one of our very own who stated “I feel that now is the right time to Come Out”. But would our true blue brother feel better for the experience? Would there be a chorus of condemnation and calls of banishment from our midst? Or would it be a case of forgiveness, support and understanding? What?
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“We can all relate to periods in our lives where we have done something totally out of character – an act that we now wish we had never, ever participated in the damn first place. This then is my secret shame”.
(The Boy Scarth: onevalefan forum; 1119 hours 21st February, 2004)
Scarthy’s Secret Shame
Good morning everyone
And thank you for your time
In logging in to read
This breaking news of mine,
Then at the end I’ll answer
Any questions you may ask
To help you understand
This shameful secret of my past,
But before I give you details
I think it’s fair to say
We all make our mistakes
As we journey down life’s way.
For the best part of three years
This true blue Valiant man
Has kept a deep, dark secret
From all at onevalefan,
And in begging your indulgence
I hope that you’ll agree
It’s better now than never
For my conscience to be free
From restless sleep and nightmares
That causes me such pain
With a promise, cross my heart’,
Not to do the same again.
The first time that my character
Truly wobbled out of whack,
That could have pushed me over
With no way of coming back,
Was September ‘Eighty Six
On the ‘Dark side of the mound’,
When the Potters were still playing
At the old Victoria Ground,
To watch the Millwall Lions
Roar rampant from their ‘Den
To face bold Micky Mills
And his gallant band of men.
I’d found myself a guest
Of an old schoolmate of mine
And he didn’t even barrack
For Stoke City at the time,
But he had two match day tickets,
Given by his dad,
So to miss a game for free
Appeared to me quite mad,
The game was won by Stoke
With goals from Graham Shaw,
Yes, I think he scored both goals,
I think that’s what I saw.
The next time that my character
Truly wobbled out of whack,
That could have pushed me over
With no way of coming back,
Was a cold and bitter day
In February ‘Eighty Seven
And the fifth round of the ‘Cup
In the Potters’ Seventh Heaven,
Again there were free tickets
To journey to ‘Neck End’,
It was that or stay at home
And drive my folks around the bend.
The evil red and whites
Were home to Coventry
But a goal by Micky Gynn
Gave the Sky Blues victory,
But as the day’s end neared
I hung my head in shame,
And made myself a promise
Not to go down there again,
My secret’s now before you
My story’s now been told,
Except, that is, importantly,
I was only twelve years old.
Barry Edge
Western Australia
April 8, 2004
🙂
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ps from Scarth:
“Coventry went on to win the FA Cup 3-2 against Tottenham at Wembley with former Port Vale striker, Keith Houchen, dramatically heading the winner after making a late burst into the penalty area, only to trip over his bootlaces and be sent flying through the air just as Dave Bennett sent in an inch perfect cross”.
(The Boy Scarth: onevalefan forum; 1119 hours 21st February, 2004)