Stating the known truth

Sunday January 30th 1972 was the day after my 20th birthday. I had travelled down to my home in Southport from university in Edinburgh to take my mother to a concert featuring Irish film star, Richard Harris. We had a vague link to him, and some mutual friends, through the Co Clare seaside resort, Kilkee,

Going to the World

I went to the World Cup in 1966. I was 14 and it was no big deal, at least, not in today’s terms. A friend and I sent away for tickets for three games at Everton’s Goodison Park. They arrived in the post and we were all set. Getting there was easy too. A short

Degrees of separation

Sometimes life seems to play tricks on us, and sometimes you can’t help wondering what may have happened if things had just been ever so slightly different. Reading an interview with an ex-footballer, produced as part of the preparations for the World Cup, I had cause to rewind nearly forty years to the early seventies. Third

My best teacher

Giving a presentation on Friday, I had reason to reflect on my inspirations in teaching, and, after 35 years, there are many. In my own schooldays, a number of teachers left a lasting effect: Cliff Phillips gave me a lifelong interest in Geography, Ernie Spencer probably made me an English teacher and, in primary school,