Gerald and I had always grown up differently, apart from starting on the same day in primary school. I thought that I would help save the earth, whereas Gerald’s dream was to be the captain of the England football team that would bring back the World Cup to where it belonged. For some time after primary school we only heard through other people how each other was doing do I wasn’t too surprised when I found that he has been signed up to the junior team of Millwall which about as low as you could get in London at the time. Meanwhile I was getting on well at school and had had my first appearance on television as the junior face of How We can All Make a Difference. Eventually I heard that Gerald was quite sought after making the England team and that he could well be in Arsenal’s first team the following year which he indeed was. Very soon afterwards we bumped intomeach other in the local high street and Gerald said to me
“@You’re not doing too bad for a loser. How about we take a bet on our ambitions. I bet that I will raise the World Cup in Las egas 2142 and that you will still be a nobody. £100,000 OK?”
~No problem” I said
I followed England team’s progress to the finals with interest for a change and ma de occasional reference on my television programme, much to everyone’s surprise, including my producer who asked me why and ~I pointed out that football was a particularly damaging game with so many footballers owning after the final whistleSure thing.”was the responseEngland made it through the semi finalwith a lucky penalty converted by Gerald in extra time and when it came to the final I found that ~I had a seat right in the grand box overlooking the centre line, right next to the president of FIFA who would hand out trophies and medals.
England he most of the first half without scoring but Brazil got one in.The second half was much closer with England’s equaliser coming just before the end of regular time ,no thanks to Gerald who missed a sitter in the penalty box before it went in off a Brazilian. Extra time again no goals in the first half. The second half extra time went England’s way, finishing with dramatic goal a scored from near the centre line by Gerald.