Hanging up his boots

Josh joined the local football team at 4 years old. Wildly kicking the ball in all and any direction in the local park. Later, when he and his young friends played their first match they didn't realise that pitches had edges and just ignored the white lines that for some reason had been painted on the grass (I think they lost that one).

For twelve years I've watched him play in sun, rain and even snow. There have been good matches and bad ones; lucky matches,, matches in sunshine, and matches in rain, a whole season where they lost every match, another where they won their league. Players have come and gone, but a core of friends always remained and football has been played every weekend during the season for the last 12 years.

Today, in advance of their first match as U17s it became clear that they simply didn't have enough players for another season, having limped through the last year with 10 or even 9 players in some matches. So today their football team folded. A sad moment for a lovely bunch of boys and parents alike.

Fond memories of Hinksey Park Football Club and the many lovely adults and children who have made this such a great club.