Shoot magazine to close

When I was a young lad (leave it) one of the highlights of my week was popping down to the CNA for a copy of Shoot magazine, the weekly football publication from England. That, along with my copy of Tiger and Roy of the Rovers were things that I ensured were never to be missed. Today, sadly, I read that after 40 years Shoot is finally closing down.

While I suppose this was inevitable, with everything from live coverage of games available on television and any information you can dream of on the internet, it’s still brings a lump to the throat and a tear to the eye. Mind you, the missus walking in on me trying to get in touch with my feminine side (lovely lass) didn’t help either…but I digress.

In those days, the 1970s, 80s and 90s football coverage was nowhere near what it is today. Firstly in the 70s and 80s South Africans picked up information in the newspapers, Shoot (later joined by Match) and by visiting the cinemas in Hillbrow which covered weekly highlights.

Saturday was spent listening to the radio and the wonderful Paddy Feaney on the World Service of the BBC.

During the first half they would update scores and then have commentary on the second half of their featured game. As a Derby County fanatic we weren’t often the featured match but your stomach was in your mouth when the commentator said, “We’re hearing there’s been a goal at the Baseball Ground over to Rob Hawthorne” and for a split second you weren’t sure if it was for or against.

Then they crossed and you could hear Hawthorne against a wall of noise…”…thank you John and it’s gone to Derby. Hector running onto a wonderful little through ball from Durban and smashing it past Stepney in the United goals. There’s no coming back from this, it’s Derby County 4 Manchester United 0″.

And of course the beauty of it all was you didn’t have to watch the Manure manager arguing with the linesman and their players surrounding the ref. As I say, this was quite a while ago and before rules like “a ref shall award a minimum of one penalty to Manure and send off an opposing player in every match” were introduced.

Great days!

In those days we played football for club or in the park seven days a week. This, together with rugby three days a week in the winter. We were fit like nobody’s business, unlike my three louts that lie here every day watching television or playing games on Playstation. I’ve tried having them neutered but the government won’t go near it.

And we actually read books and comics.

Great stories about characters like Johnny Cougar, a wrestler who never fixed a fight like the stuff you see nowadays; Billy’s Boots about a lad who plays in the boots of a legend and as long as he’s got them on he’s got the same skill. When he misplaces them he’s got the skill of the North Borneon Hunting Gnat. And who can forget Hot Shot Hamish the Scot with the bullet shot?

Not like the stuff you see now — Debbie does Dallas, Debbie does everyone and for a good time call WillC plastered on every toilet wall.

And yer tell the kids today an’ they can’t hear you over those fecking headsets!