Sol Campbell - Is It Time For Spurs Fans To Let Go?

The Pride of North London

It's May 2017, and Tottenham Hotspur have played their final game at White Hart Lane, a stadium that they have called home since 1899. 118 years of legendary footballers like Jimmy Greaves, Bill Nicholson, Ricky Villa, Glenn Hoddle, Teddy Sheringham, Jürgen Klinsmann, David Ginola, Gareth Bale and Harry Kane fast approaching that list, if not already firmly cemented in it. Tottenham have waited 22 years for this season, their best ever in the Premier League since its inception in 1992 because for the first time since 1995 we have finished above our greatest rivals; Arsenal.

When I started supporting Spurs at the age of 8 years old, I was unaware of the scale of our rivalry with Arsenal. Supporting what was a mediocre team (being generous) in the late 90's I always thought the biggest game of the year was against the dominant force at the time; Manchester United. In 1998 I had got bored of Manchester United constantly winning and was pleased that Arsenal had won the title, because it was someone other than United. Had I been aware of the size of the North London rivalry I may have looked at it differently.

Spurs win the 1999 League Cup at the old Wembley Stadium
with Sol Campbell as Captain

Tottenham had a habit of being unable to hold on to their best players, I was particularly upset when my favourite players such as Jürgen Klinsmann left, and even more so when my all-time favourite player Teddy Sheringham left for Manchester United. I was delighted for him when United won the treble in 1999. I've always liked Manchester United even though I just mentioned I enjoyed a different team winning the title. But they didn't win every trophy that season... The 1999 League Cup was won by Tottenham Hotspur, and the cup was lifted by club Captain Sol Campbell.

At the turn of the century Sol Campbell was seen as a Tottenham legend, a rock in defence and undeniably one of England's, if not the World's, best central defenders. We simply had to keep him. We'd lost Teddy, we'd lost Klinsmann, we'd lost Ginola. All the speculation was that Campbell was going to leave, despite giving TV interviews saying "I'm staying", see below:

I can't find the clip, but I vaguely recall an interview where he said: "Nah, I'm Tottenham through-and-through."

July 2001, I put on Ceefax (for those unaware, it was a digital news page that we could access on BBC channels in the UK), and on the Sports headlines it simply said: "SOL CAMPBELL SIGNS FOR ARSENAL."

Sorry, WHAT?!

Originally from Woolwich, South London,
Arsenal moved to Spurs territory in 1913
and thus began a fierce rivalry

By this stage I had become aware of the rivalry between Spurs and Arsenal, and it was at this point my dislike of Arsenal formed properly. How can someone be "Tottenham through-and-through" and then join Arsenal and, as it turned out, on a Free transfer? Campbell had let his contract expire meaning Arsenal (or whoever he would join) would not have to pay Tottenham a compensatory transfer fee, and Campbell could have fetched upwards of £10 million at the time. Joining any other club on a Free transfer would have been disappointing enough. We'd have probably wished him well and given him pantomime stick like Spurs fans did for Teddy when he returned in a Manchester United kit (not me, I still idolised him). Any other big club we could forgive and forget, but Arsenal?! The fans were quite understandably furious. Myself included at age 15.

The first time Sol Campbell returned to White Hart Lane as an Arsenal player, I remember watching the news of it and being shocked by the hostility but strangely agreeing with it. The Arsenal team bus was being peppered with glass bottles and bricks and the Spurs fans looked terrible because of it, I totally disagreed with that. But I agreed with the sentiment of making Arsenal afraid to be at Tottenham, give them a hostile environment and make them know they wouldn't be in for an easy game.

Inside the stadium, the crowd booed, jeered, whistled and let 4,000 balloons go with the word "JUDAS" emblazened across them. Now, that I did agree with. A protest without violence. At the end of the day it's professional football and legally Sol Campbell did nothing wrong, some would argue morally he didn't either. He saw out his contract at Spurs without speaking to any other clubs, was fully involved with Spurs right up until he became a free agent but by doing so he would, somewhat ironically, stiff Tottenham royally.



My point of view at the time was he deserved some stick for saying one thing and doing the complete opposite. Sol didn't help himself by emerging out of the White Hart Lane tunnel and immediately clapping and waving at the Arsenal fans, almost goading the Spurs fans, although I'm sure the intentions were merely to force his own focus onto his new fan base. I have since learnt that at one stage Sol Campbell looked to the stands in that game and saw his own brother Tony in amongst the Spurs fans, and he was supporting Tottenham. Sol has expressed dismay at this, however it makes sense. Fans pick a club and stick with them. Players are professionals, it's a job to them so they can move to whatever club is best for them. You can't deny that Arsenal were the better team at the time, but while I am sure Tony Campbell wanted to see his brother succeed, he wouldn't want to see Arsenal succeed at Tottenham's expense.

Sol Campbell's reasons for leaving Tottenham were fair enough, he wanted to fight for major trophies and Spurs at the time would not have given him that chance. Arsenal could, and that is a painful thought for Spurs fans. We could have forgiven a move to Manchester United, Liverpool, maybe even Chelsea. We could have even supported a move abroad, to Inter Milan, Real Madrid, Barcelona or somewhere in Europe. But not Arsenal. Strip the rivalry away and the move makes sense, but football fans aren't that objective.

In 2004, Arsenal were invincible and Campbell was part of the side that went unbeaten as Arsenal won the Premier League. They won the title with a 2-2 draw... against Tottenham at White Hart Lane. Arsenal clinched the title on Tottenham territory. As much as I hated Campbell in an Arsenal shirt, he did something that day which I respected him for... he was interviewed on TV and said he left the pitch at the Final Whistle and didn't join in the Arsenal celebrations because he didn't want to

Sol Campbell lifting the Premier League
trophy as an Arsenal player

provoke anybody and disrespect the Spurs fans by celebrating in front of them. I thought that was very decent of him, because winning a title is a rare thing and although this was his second Premier League win with Arsenal, all you want to do when you win is celebrate with your team-mates.

The best Spurs ever got out of their games against Arsenal while Campbell was there in his first stint were draws. No wins. Sol Campbell got vitriolic abuse, a lot of it completely unnecessary and a lot of it disgusting, including homophobic and racial chanting. For the record, Sol Campbell is not a homosexual and if he was... so what? This type of chanting is horrific and too personal. Some would argue the chants of "Campbell, you're a c**t! Campbell, Campbell, you're a c**t!" or "Sol, Sol Campbell! Ooh-ahh! I wanna knowwww why you're such a c**t!" (See below) are too far as well, however those don't bother me too much, and whilst it is strong language I don't think it was wrong to use. It's a word that a lot of British people are offended by, and perhaps I'm taking the Australian way of looking at things but to me it's just a stronger way of calling someone a dickhead, a twat, a wanker... all used in everyday conversation and on football terraces. But the word "cunt"? People lose their minds over it.

Come to Australia, where people call their mates "cunts" and their enemies "mate". Ask people why they are offended by it and the majority will only be able to come up with "because it's a disgusting word!"... In this case I think it's justifiable, it's an expression of what level of ire these people had with regards to Campbell's character for appearing to crap all over Tottenham to go to Arsenal. I'll reiterate that professionally, Sol did nothing wrong. But the Spurs fans felt betrayed, felt like they'd been deceived. Trust me, there are some individuals who I feel personally betrayed by and I would quite happily call them cunts too.

What fuelled the fire is that Spurs have not had anything near the amount of success as Arsenal, we are envious, jealous even, of the level of success Sol achieved with our rivals. It should have been us! We won the League Cup again in 2008, beating Arsenal 5-1 in the Semi-Final, but Campbell had left by then. He returned to Arsenal and faced Spurs in April 2010, and finally Spurs won a Premier League North London derby 2-1 courtesy of goals by Danny Rose on his debut (see below, one of my favourite goals ever) and Gareth Bale. This was the beginning of an era where Tottenham would gradually get closer and closer to Arsenal.

Perhaps it's the passage of time, perhaps it's the fact that Spurs have beaten Arsenal on more than a few occasions in recent years... but Sol Campbell's transfer doesn't carry too much weight for me now. Spurs have finally finished ahead of Arsenal in the Premier League for the first time in 22 years, and deserve to. Spurs are now the team more likely to push for a Premier League title in the coming seasons. But it's only one season, Spurs were only superior over the last 12 months. There is a strong argument still that Arsenal are the bigger club. Personally, I disagree but then that's what bias done for me. Yet, still to this day Sol Campbell is seen as a hate figure by Tottenham Hotspur fans. I think that the time has come to let bygones be bygones. You can forgive Sol Campbell, even if you can't forget. The man is human.

Sol Campbell in Spurs colours, where he spent most
of his playing career

Much was made of Tottenham's farewell to the wonderful stadium that is White Hart Lane, and the club legends invited to be there, the Kings of White Hart Lane. Sol Campbell was not invited. I haven't heard what the official reason for this is. Part of me agreed, did he deserve to be invited after dropping Spurs for their most hated rivals? Part of me thought he should be there. He made more appearances for Tottenham than for any other club, scored more goals for Tottenham than for any other club, lifted a trophy as Captain of Tottenham Hotspur. He will go down in history as a trophy winning Captain for Tottenham. Would there be a better occasion for him to celebrate Tottenham's heritage and reconnect with Spurs fans? To give a new generation of Spurs fans who only know him as "Judas" to see that he actually contributed to the club's historic successes?

One of the Kings of the Lane who was there, Pat Jennings, is a club legend at Tottenham. He is also a club legend at Arsenal. Yes, the circumstances were different with his transfer but people don't taint the contribution he made at Tottenham Hotspur because of his time at Arsenal, they remember it and are grateful for it. It's 16 years since Sol last put on a Spurs shirt. He found success at Arsenal, and while Arsenal were ahead of us for two decades it is a very different Tottenham Hotspur now. We are in the ascendancy, Spurs are coming of age. Arsenal could win the FA Cup final next week, and if they do that's another trophy they have over us. But we are not jealous of them any more. We do not envy Arsenal any more. Sol Campbell's association with them should mean nothing now, but his history with Spurs should.

I recently read that Sol Campbell was here in Sydney a couple of months ago ahead of Arsenal's visit to Australia in July. If he comes back, I would actually welcome the chance to sit down with him over a beer, talk to him about his time at Tottenham, the switch to Arsenal and what exactly both clubs mean to him. Despite his time at Arsenal it is clear that members of his family have a love of

Sol Campbell in Arsenal colours

Tottenham Hotspur. I find it staggering still to this day how fans forget that players are also human, and have to think for themselves at times. Sol Campbell deciding to move to Arsenal may well have been what he thought was best for his family at the time. His family responsibility is a huge priority over fans opinions, and while the fans reaction may be partly understandable, it is clear the abuse went way too far. If you really think that level of abuse is deserved then you need to take a long hard look at yourself and ask what kind of person you are for condoning that level of abusing someone for a change of employer. Sol Campbell is not a criminal, he is not a murderer, rapist or thief. He was a footballer, a bloody good one at that, and we should be thankful he graced the turf of White Hart Lane.

I have no idea how many Spurs fans would agree with this article, I suspect the percentage would be low. I personally feel Sol Campbell owed Spurs fans an apology over the way he left the club, and indeed he did apologise HERE. OK, he technically did nothing wrong and he honoured his contract, but the fact that Spurs got no compensation for his move to the rivals is what rankles. Having said that, I feel the Spurs fans as a whole owe Sol Campbell an even bigger apology for the vitriolic abuse
he has received from our fans since the move. I mean the homophobic, racial and disgusting abuse. The pantomime abuse can be understood and I don't mean that, but Spurs fans went too far. With that in mind neither side is in the right and as such it is high-time to move on. Tottenham don't need Sol Campbell in the same way they did 16 years ago, but football as a whole has never needed that level of hooliganism or vitriol.

I don't think he ever would read this, or even accept the invitation... but I would like to shake Sol Campbell by the hand and thank him for his role in growing my love of Tottenham Hotspur as a child, for showing huge courage to do what was best for him at the time and to have a beer with him and show him that this Spurs fan at least has moved on. White Hart Lane has gone, and with it so has some history of which Sol Campbell was a part of. The future of the club looks bright, and Spurs fans are now beginning to look forward and lose that sense of jealousy and injustice. The man has apologised for the hurt he caused Spurs fans, and that contrition is more than enough to forgive a man that ultimately put up with a lot more abuse than he ever deserved.

Sol Campbell statistics:

Tottenham Hotspur: 255 appearances (10 goals), 1 League Cup

Arsenal: 146 appearances (8 goals), 2 Premier Leagues, 3 FA Cups, 1 Community Shield

Shark Attacks And The Media - An Open Letter to Fred Pawle

The tragedy of a human death brings a pain to those closest to the individual that cannot be expressed. Even more so when the death is of a young human with all of the potential joys of life ahead of them, stolen before it had even begun to develop. When the death is unexpected it makes it even more painful. Everyone can imagine, if not understand, how horrible a situation that could be. And yet in every situation there will be someone who tries to exploit it. I read an article today by Fred Pawle of The Australian, and I come away from the read feeling a little angry at what has been written, and I am going to address parts of the article here in the hope that Fred Pawle will read it, take it on board and perhaps see an alternative point of view.

This week, a 17 year old girl was killed by a Great White Shark while surfing off Esperance in Western Australia. An unspeakable tragedy, my heart goes out to her family and friends who are suffering from her loss, and nothing we can do or say will ease that. No-one would wish that heartache on any family. Fred Pawle has used this tragedy to write a highly biased, unbalanced article that in the first sentence hints as to what direction he is heading; Tabloid-style exploiting of a horrible situation. The opening paragraphs read:

"Our insane shark-conservation policies have cost another life, this time a 17-year-old girl who was attacked in front of her parents and siblings.

I would like to say that this incident will be the turning point in this debate, that our politicians will finally realise we need to reduce the increasing number of aggressive, lethal sharks in our waters, but this is unlikely."

I take issue with the notion that we "need" to get rid of sharks in "our" waters. What this boils down to is lack of understanding from the people who write these articles. Or even worse, total understanding that they are writing click-bait. Why is it "insane" to conserve a species that is vital to it's eco-system? I am glad to see the WA Government has (for now at least) said they won't deploy drum lines, because they don't work. Not only that but it is a complete stab in the dark and doesn't guarantee that the shark caught is the individual shark that attacked.

Next up from Fred Pawle, a direct attack on a common-sense approach:

"The forces against such action are deeply entrenched in all our major organisations. For example, Surf Life Saving Western Australia, where yesterday’s attack occurred, recommends six responses to sharks: research, education, surveillance, communication, preventive action (“shark barriers”, which can be built only in placid waters) and emergency response. It does not recommend the reduction of sharks, despite many fishermen in the state saying the size and abundance of large sharks, especially great whites, off WA are alarmingly high."

Most surfers are completely aware that the sea is the shark's home. I find it deplorable that people still support culling of sharks rather than support educating people of the dangers and how to avoid interacting with them. It's the same with Crocodiles in the NT and Queensland. There needs to be more of a push for educating people about sharks, snakes, crocodiles, spiders and the likes because most of the people spouting about culling any of the above animals don't have a damn clue about them.

Fred, your agenda is revealed thus:

"Researchers and academics whose careers depend upon continued funding into the behaviour and fragility of these “apex predators” long ago convinced politicians and large sections of the community that to reduce the number of sharks in our waters would be an ecological disaster."

Mr Pawle, tell me this; Are you serious? Are you actually f***ing serious? Are you suggesting that Marine Biologists around the globe are all party to a conspiracy that they have to say these animals are vital in order to retain funding?! That is preposterous. Funding is usually issued as a result of sustained successful study. If these researchers and academics weren't giving any information of substance then funding would have been cut and any understanding we currently have of these animals would be vastly reduced. 

Pawle: "So a teenage kid, doing what Aussie teenagers have done for more than a century, has died instead. She won’t be the last."

But sharks, doing what sharks have done for more than a million years, are secondary to our pursuit of recreation in their territory?

Pawle:"The Senate’s environment committee, chaired by Green Tasmanian Peter Whish-Wilson, will coincidentally hold public hearings into shark mitigation strategies in Perth on Thursday. If, when the hearings begin, the committee expresses sympathy for the latest victim’s family, it will be an act of breathtaking hypocrisy."

Yet if they don't express sympathy you would attack them as being heartless monsters, also an act of (tabloid-style) breathtaking hypocrisy. They would be absolutely right to express sympathy, and any suggestion that the sympathy wouldn't be heartfelt is shocking. It's basic human nature. Culling sharks will solve nothing.  Of course it is reasonable to take actions to mitigate the risk of shark attack however drum lines and culling aren't the answer. Yet you criticise the very people whose research could lead to a manageable solution and dismiss them as doing nothing more than perpetuating their funding?!

The problem is the arrogance of the human species that we feel we are entitled to be anywhere we want to be regardless of what else is there, and at our convenience. I absolutely agree that residents of WA should feel safe while surfing, and I am not for a second suggesting that any shark attack victim is arrogant, but in order to meet your desired level of safety you will need to cull the whole population of White Sharks, Tiger Sharks, Bull Sharks etc. Lets not forget that state lines mean absolutely nothing in the animal kingdom. If you were to kill sharks in WA it wouldn't stop them coming from South Africa or South Australia or New Zealand or Guadalupe arriving in WA at some point. And then what? An animal goes extinct because "people want to surf?!" If that's not arrogance, what is it?

"As reported in The Australian this month, the committee has already reached a conclusion that its job is to help revive the number of sharks in our waters, downplay the dangers they pose, dismiss methods that have proven successful in Queensland and Sydney, and educate the public about these “wonderful” and “extraordinary” animals.

Its priority is the safety of sharks first, people second."

I think putting value on a human life above a shark's life, while not necessarily wrong, is what contributes to the mentality that sharks lives don't matter, or any other animal for that matter. At the end of the day humans are land creatures, we cannot live in the water. What right do we have to kill them in their own home just so we can play there?! I think we may have to agree to disagree because to me that is huge arrogance. We go there at our own risk, we don't have a "God given" right to play there and assume we will be safe. We don't have a right to annihilate any species to facilitate our desire to ride a wave.

Education leads to respect. Education can eradicate a fear or at least make it manageable. I was petrified of snakes as a child. When I came to Australia, I decided to educate myself about them and I have since completed two venomous snake handling courses, am awaiting the catch and release course, work at a Reptile Park (where my colleagues collect venom from snakes and spiders in order to create anti-venom and save lives) and try to educate the public about these beautiful creatures and their behaviour. Once you understand their natural behaviours you can adjust your behaviour accordingly so we can co-exist.Yes, it is us that has to adjust our behaviour. As the vastly more "intelligent" species we can adapt. Sharks are not domestic pets, you can't train them to not follow their instincts.

"Of the six people invited to the Perth hearings, two are conservationist academics (UWA professors Shaun Collin and Rebecca Meeuwig); one is selling an unreliable personal electronic deterrent (Shark Shield); one advocates the immediate abandonment of drumlins and nets in Queensland, the presence of which has coincided with an almost complete absence of fatal attacks for 50 years (Sea Shepherd); and another is SLSWA, whose timid six-point plan is outlined [in the article]"

There is not a problem with these invitations. And you are very clever in your wording... "almost complete absence of fatal attacks..." However, you are wrong. In December 2014 there was a fatal shark attack at Rudder Reef in QLD and according to sharkattackdata.com there have been five fatal attacks in Queensland since the year 2000. Do these five lives lost not register for you because they contradict your point that with drumlines and nets shark attacks are nullified? Even with these measures in place, five people lost their lives. Even with these measures in place there were 46 shark attacks in Queensland between 2000 and 2016.

The fact remains that humans are animals. We ARE part of the food chain but it is our vastly superior intellect that (most of the time) keeps us from being eaten. We are not food for sharks but unfortunately for humans a shark doesn't have hands to check what something is, it has rows and rows of razor sharp teeth that can be devastating if a human gets on the end of, potentially life ending. One nick of a major artery and you're dead in minutes but not because of a predation, but an investigatory bite. It's very rare a human is eaten by a shark.

"The committee’s hearing in Sydney last month repeatedly heard witnesses say that surfers and other ocean users must accept the risk of entering the water. Even surfers are spouting this line these days.

'Real surfers understand that sharks are extraordinary beasts and that we are in their environment' Surfrider Foundation representative Brendan Donohoe, from Sydney’s North Narrabeen beach, told the committee during its Sydney hearings last month."

Surfers are "spouting" these lines because they make sense. The moment sharks start coming up the beaches into territories they don't belong and begin attacking humans then I'll support a shark cull. It is absolutely ridiculous that to this day people still think animals have the capacity for human thought and reasoning. I wrote about this in my early blog entries in 2013, Animals Don't Think Like People, People. 

"Mr Donohoe also told the committee that “there are a lot of morons around”, by which he meant there were many people who blamed governments for the shark crisis currently affecting Australia. “The idea that it is someone else’s fault is astounding to me. Everyone knows the risk, and the risk is not statistically lessened by anything we do.” "

Mr Donohue and I agree on something. There ARE a lot of morons around, but that isn't restricted to any particular debate. The definition of "moron" is "a stupid person." The definition of "stupid" is "having or showing a great lack of intelligence or common sense." Tell me, Mr Pawle, where a lack of intelligence comes from? Isn't it from a lack of education about a certain topic? How can extended research into sharks be a bad thing? How can it be a bad thing to increase our knowledge as much as possible in order to understand and reduce a potential threat?

"Researchers, including Bruce himself, last year conceded that such predictions are impossible. A report for the WA Department of Fisheries, co-authored by Bruce after conducting one of the biggest shark tagging and tracking projects in history, found that great white behaviour is “highly variable” and “not consistent”."

Well that's an easy one. They're wild animals, they aren't on rails or programmed to set routes. They'll follow their prey, which is predominantly fish or seals. Similarly, the fish and seals aren't restricted to any particular piece of ocean and occasionally our paths will cross as people enter the water. More research may be required into the numbers of fish in particular areas, why they are there, and what effect they have on the local population of sharks.

Mr Pawle, your article is irresponsible. Your article takes advantage of an inherent fear of being eaten that most humans possess, you play and prey on that with sensationalised headlines that are not backed up by the facts. It's an opinion piece, of which you are of course entitled to one. You are writing for the national broadsheet, The Australian and as such people rely on you and the media as a whole to provide accurate, fair articles. People's opinions are formed by what information they see in the media and you are in a position of responsibility. If people are to share the opinion of individuals like yourself and Vic Hislop, to go back to a medieval attitude of belligerence towards any animal that causes any danger, and to value it over the proven scientific research given to us by "researchers and academics" then the future is very bleak.

Mr Pawle I would very much welcome your response. I would very much like you to back up your opinion with evidence. I would welcome your input into what I have said, and if I am wrong about anything please let me know, I firmly believe in being as fully informed as possible. I would like to know what exactly has brought you to the opinion you now have, and I would like to know what you propose should be done to reduce and avoid shark attacks in future, and why.

Yours in anticipation,

C Carter.

With deepest condolences to the family and friends of Laeticia Brouwer. RIP.

(Edited 26/04/2017 to correct grammar and a typo.)

Massive Changes And Milestones

Although I haven't posted a blog in a while, I have four drafts written which I haven't quite finished and one of those probably won't get published (Far too controversial, wouldn't want to get counter-sued!). The intention has been there, however it has been a tumultuous few months again with the atmospheric highs of new life events and the dramatic lows of family bereavements. Plural.

In a nutshell, my Grandfather passed away last October followed two weeks later by my wife's Grandfather. Over the Christmas period we had a mortgage application approved, viewed some homes and placed an offer on a brand new apartment which was accepted. Then while preparing everything for the move my Grandmother passed away in mid January, leading to an emotional game of cricket and exceptional support from my friends and family alike. Then the move... inevitable trips to IKEA for furniture. There really is nothing to make you feel more Australian than driving your European car to buy Swedish furniture for your Japanese TV while drinking your Mexican beer and eating your Italian pizza. Multi-culturism? Pfft...

We've covered some mileage over the last few months too, between Christmas and New Year we took the almost traditional trip to Victoria to visit my Great Auntie Kath in Echuca. At times like this it becomes apparent how different Jess and I are, in that Jess has always lived in a city and is used to having everything nearby. Echuca is very much a country town and while it has all the amenities it is a very different pace of life. Honestly I love getting out into the country, whether it's Echuca, Bathurst or wherever. It sounds corny but when you are out in the country it's easier to connect with what's around you, to find peace within yourself and relax without time pressures. Or is it just that being in the country is such an irregular occurrence for us that it highlights the fact we are away from the normal pressures of our day-to-day lives? It's all about perception.

The heatwave that hit Australia in February was astounding, in the middle of which we took a trip to Wagga Wagga (for people reading in England, it's pronouced "Wogga Wogga") for Jess's Uncle's retirement party. Ian Ferguson has been the Golf Professional at Wagga Wagga for 40 years, which is truly a remarkable achievement. The newspapers wrote a great article, which I would urge you to have a read of here: http://www.dailyadvertiser.com.au/story/4386322/end-of-an-era-as-ferg-prepares-to-finish-at-wagga-country-club-photos/

Yet again the trip to Wagga was another escape to the country, my Father-In-Law and I decided to take advantage and get a round of golf in while Ferg was still involved with the place. The problem was the fact it was 46°C in the shade. Golf? We put up a cricket score. But it is a beautiful course and it was an absolute pleasure to be able to play there, it is in such wonderful condition you'd think you were playing at Wentworth. I'd love to have a go in more reasonable temperatures!

The weather has relented in the last few weeks, unfortunately to the stage where rain has interrupted our cricket season and ended it prematurely. None of our teams reached Finals this season which is a disaster, and slightly takes the shine of what would normally be a huge personal achievement; I finished the season on 390 runs from 6 games (out of 13) and finished as leading run scorer in 2nd Grade Shires. This might seem like a FIGJAM moment but I have never been leading run scorer of anything before... I'm proud of it. I've scored 6 centuries, 3 in England and 3 in Australia. The ones in England were in 2005, 2009 and 2012. Not exactly regular. The 3 in Australia all came within 12 months... January 2016, October 2016 and January 2017. It's not considered good form to blow up one's personal achievements, but like I say... I'm bloody proud of myself for it especially given what I've had to deal with job searching, home buying and losing both grandparents. You can see from my previous published entry how much my Grandfather meant/means to me, and my Grandmother was the most beautiful, kind-hearted woman that to be able to walk onto a field 2 hours after learning of her death and score that hundred with that determination and dedicate it to her? It's a level of mental strength I never knew I had. The report is HERE.

As I previously alluded to, Jess and I have bought our first home and we could not be happier with it. It's taken nearly four years of saving and hard work but we have finally got there. Of course the hard work has not finished, but we are finally in a place where we are a relaxed kind of happy. I finally have a job which I am in my element at Kingsgrove Sports, constantly around the game of cricket in a role with responsibility but not constantly under pressure and fully confident in my knowledge and ability to fulfill the role. I can't harbor too many regrets about previous efforts as ultimately they have led me here and I have made many great friends as a result. Obviously there were things that didn't go as expected but I am happy and secure in the knowledge that ultimately I have come out on top, and escaped a dire situation.

Our first home is taking shape nicely and we almost have everything as we want it. We've already settled into a daily routine and once we have a few final things in place we will be set. And then I'll hopefully have the time to do things like go flying using the money you have kindly donated to my Flying fundraiser. Maybe I'll even have time write a little more regularly in this blog about a variety of topics and observations. As mentioned, I have a few lined up; "People Take Offence", "Speed Kills Is A Lie", or "What REALLY Happened At..." ...You be co-operative, now... don't get me in trouble! The point is that I haven't updated this blog as often as I did when I left the UK and I find myself two weeks away from being eligible for Australian Citizenship and an Australian passport, which means I have been here for 4 years. And I haven't even mentioned the exciting new Formula 1 season that is just around the corner... 870km away in Melbourne. Pretty close by Australian standards.

Grandads Will Never Be Forgotten

Frederick W Carter

1929-2016

The loss of a family member is a pain that I have been fortunate in my 30 years to have not had to deal with very often, but on 30th October 2016 I learnt of the death of my Grandad; Fred. The loss of the person whose approval means more to you than anyone else on the planet is a pain that is immeasurable, and added to that pain is knowing that I would not be able to attend his funeral and say my goodbyes while also being there for my family.

On Sunday 30th October I was, as usual on a Sunday, at the Australian Reptile Park. We knew in the week or two before that Grandad's condition had worsened significantly but when the call came it still shook me. We were packing for the afternoon show, I had a Burmese Python in one hand and a giant bag to put it in at the ready and I felt my phone vibrate. Deep down I knew it wasn't right, and when I saw that it was my Dad calling from the UK I got a lump in my throat, knowing it was about 3am over there. I asked the two other volunteers who were with me to take the snake because I knew what this call would be. Of course Dad sounded tired, who wouldn't? Then came the words. "I'm afraid it's happened. He's gone."

In my Grandad's arms as Emily plays

I can't pretend to know exactly what I said but I kept it together as best I could. Dad couldn't give me too much detail but he wanted me to know from him with a call rather than a text, it's just the right thing to do. I cannot imagine how crap Dad must have felt having to pass that news on so I didn't want to be too emotional for his sake. I still remember when he broke the news that my Grandad Briggs had passed away back in 1994 when I was just 8 years old, the words were almost identical; "I'm afraid he's gone." At 8 years old I still remember trying not to cry because sat next to me my sister was and I didn't want to make it worse. What must Dad have felt having to break that news to his young children back then? What must he have felt having to break the news now when it is his own father who has now gone? What an absolute champion, he handled it brilliantly when I'm sure he was hurting deeper than he'd admit with plenty of other things on his plate too.

As soon as I was off the phone I called my wife and broke the news. I let a little tear go and then made my excuses to get back to work, there was a show to happen. I let my colleagues know what had happened and they told me I could go home if I wanted but to be perfectly honest I didn't want to. I knew that the sooner I went home the sooner I would crack.  The afternoon's work at the Reptile

Grandad in the Captain's seat of
Concorde G-BOAC at Manchester

Park focussed my mind and kept me active and I cannot thank Stacey, Jesse, Kane, et al enough for their support that afternoon. We toasted Grandad at the pub afterwards and then I made my way home and as I got out of my car Jess was waiting in the drive and that's when the emotions hit me.

Inside the house, my in-laws came and gave me a hug and the tears flowed. I found some pictures of him and that made it even more real. My Grandad, my hero, was no longer with us. I found a picture of Grandad, Dad and myself on the steps of Concorde at Manchester and decided to upload it to Facebook without hinting that he had gone in case other members of the family had not heard yet. There was another picture of Grandad coming out of Concorde, beaming at the top of the steps with both thumbs up in the air. The happiness on his face, the fact I had provided him with that moment made me very proud and I broke down again. "Look how happy he was!"

March 2016 with Nanna, and for
the last time with Grandad

The next day or two I seriously contemplated how I could get over to the UK for the funeral. Free from the shackles of an idiot boss who said he would not have allowed me the time to do so, I felt a sense of duty that I should be there despite my new job starting on the day of his funeral. The more apparent it became that I wouldn't be there the more painful it was. I accepted it wouldn't be possible but still wrote a eulogy for him, which I recorded and will post below because that is my tribute to the man. I felt that was my goodbye. It cut me very deep to know I couldn't be there for his send-off and part of me is still guilty that I wasn't there, but so glad that I had the opportunity to take leave earlier in 2016 to go and visit. I have the pictures of what turned out to be our final goodbye. They will remain private.

Grandad and I shared a very special bond, we are (*were... Took a proof read to correct that) very alike in many ways and extremely different in others. For example, Grandad would absolutely hate the bad language that I use on a frequent basis, but would enjoy watching cricket, watching planes, and taking photographs as much as I do. He was present when I took 6-39 against Sidmouth, my best ever bowling figures. The last innings I played before he died was my best ever, 137 v Lane Cove. I love the fact they call me Freddie at cricket because as much as it's a reference to Flintoff it's of course his name too, so that makes me proud. He was the one responsible for my interest in aviation. Yes, my father was in the RAF and I had been around planes since I was very small, but as much as Dad tried to encourage an interest in planes it was Grandad who really got me going. He taught me how to identify different types of aircraft, and I can't put my finger on what it was Grandad did that got me going rather than Dad because I used to love going to RAF Brize Norton with Dad as a kid!

Grandad always talked about this day, and remembered my
bowling figures of 6-39. My best bowling performance.

The great thing about Grandad was that he never pushed any of his grandchildren into doing something they didn't want to do. Don't get me wrong, he'd offer his opinion! But he always said that if that's what we really wanted to do then to go for it with everything you've got but be prepared in case it doesn't come off. I remember being a bit upset at age 20 that he'd told me my chances of playing professional cricket had pretty much gone because I "hadn't been spotted yet", but he was absolutely right and let's face it, as much as I loved the game, I didn't have the mental application and drive I would have needed to make it big. He loved that I had got into the flying game, I knew he was disappointed I hadn't finished it all off. I am too. I knew he wasn't keen on me leaving for Australia but he also supported it because he knew that's what I wanted, and he loved the fact that I had found Jess and was happy. His family's success made him happy, I knew how proud he was of all of us. He told me every time I saw him, "Cousin X is doing this and is doing well, Cousin Y is doing that and is doing well which is smashing!". I saw him swell with pride.

He made sure we knew how proud he was of us. I hated knowing that he was upset. I hated knowing that he and Nanna couldn't come over to Australia for our wedding because I knew deep down he wanted nothing more than to be here for it but knew he couldn't make it. We FaceTimed him a couple of days after and he was so upset he couldn't make it and that in turn brought tears to the eyes of everyone in the room here that was talking to him and Nanna.

Grandad in front of his beloved Concorde at Manchester

I'm not really too sure what the point of this blog post is, other than to try to convey the sense of loss I am feeling. I understand that I didn't see Nanna or Grandad anywhere near as regularly as other family members due to the distances between our homes but I still believe I had a very special relationship with him. I'm not saying it was better or worse than anyone elses, just different. I feel very lucky to have shared so many special experiences with a man I consider my hero, and a man I aspire to emulate. I will always miss him.

In a cruel twist of fate, my wife and her family also suffered a huge loss just a fortnight later, when Jess's paternal Grandfather also passed away. There are parallels because her Grandparents don't live nearby either, across in Tasmania in the beautiful city of Hobart. I have not yet visited. All I could do in that situation was offer my complete support because it's still very fresh in my memory exactly how that feels. The whole Wallace clan headed to Tasmania for the funeral this week, but I did not join them. Part of me feels I should have been there as support for Jess, even though she was happy for me to stay here in Sydney. What is important is the continuance of the memory of two very well loved individuals and their legacies, and they will both be sorely missed by their families.

Rest In Peace, Frederick W Carter, and Aidan Wallace.

My eulogy to my Grandad. We love you and we will always miss you. xx

Anniversary? Already?

Anniversaries are curious things, aren't they? Birthdays and Wedding Anniversaries are the obvious ones we highlight, yet now we are continually reminded by social media that on this day 5 years ago you were angry about a sporting event, or on this day last year you had a pasta salad at an upmarket bar in the city (Guess which one of those was mine). But what is the fascination with anniversaries? What do they actually mean?

It is a source of constant amusement from Jess and her family that I can remember dates, phone numbers, addresses, postcodes and things like that from as long ago as I can remember. I can remember people's birthdays that I went to Primary School with, whether I like that person or not! I can remember phone numbers from places I lived 20 years ago, for friends I haven't seen in over a decade, and I have no idea why. April is a month heavy with all sorts of birthdays and anniversaries, with my Mum's birthday, my Nanna's birthday, my wedding anniversary, my own birthday, my cousin's birthday, several good mates birthdays, and especially poignant this year: Our 1st Wedding Anniversary and my 30th Birthday.

Little me

The thing about being on this planet is that it is constantly changing. At no two points in all of time will the planet be in exactly the same state, and as such 21st April 1972, for instance, will bear no resemblance to today; 21st April 2016. Similarly, my birthday next Wednesday will bear no resemblance to the corresponding date 30 years ago when I came kicking and screaming into this world on a ward in an RAF Hospital in Germany. But we celebrate the fact that I have been in existence while riding on a planet as it does 30 laps of the nearest star. I'm not saying we shouldn't, I just find it curious. The day I was born saw the world in a state of mild panic, a few hours prior to my birth the Chernobyl disaster played out. Hopefully nothing so devastating happens this year. No, I am not Satan's child...

I've spoken in length in previous blogs and Facebook posts about how good our Wedding day really was, and how thankful we are to everyone who came and everyone who made it such a special day for us. I could say things like "I can't believe it's been a year already!" and "We got through a year of marriage!" but the fact is I CAN believe it, and why wouldn't we have got through a year? Time moves on, we've reached a year which is great but... there are many many more laps of the Sun that I would like to partake in with Jess as my wife! Is it an achievement to make it a year? Is it an achievement to do a small fraction of what we promised to do on that day in 2015? I suppose in some ways it absolutely is, even so I would expect to make it many more yet. My parents have been married 33½ years, my grandparents nearly 64 years. That rather puts our 1 year into perspective...! They had to start somewhere though, and I'm sure their first anniversary was an occasion.

Jess at Wolfies

While not our actual Anniversary we went into Circular Quay on the Saturday. I'll be honest, I was not in good shape at all having come off the back of 4 days off with a Virus and a torn disc in my lower back. I had an appointment with my new Chiro before catching a train with Jess across the Harbour Bridge into the city, and we had a beautiful lunch at Wolfies. You can't ask for more than a beautiful lunch next to the Harbour Bridge with a view across to the Opera House with a beautiful wife opposite you. But this virus knocked me about, so much so I could only just get through half a pizza. Those that know me know that is unlike me!

2015

We couldn't pass up the opportunity to go back to the Sydney Harbour Marriott, where we had our reception and recreate a moment from last year, sitting together on the bench at the bottom of the staircase. We were treated to a drink on the house by the very kind barman, and we reminisced about different things about the day. THAT'S what anniversaries are all about, that's what they mean. The memories they provide. Good ones, bad ones, funny ones... They're all there and that's what makes them so special. Why wouldn't we celebrate that?

2016

The actual anniversary fell on Monday, which meant I was at work. Quite honestly, I wasn't really much better on Monday than I was on Saturday or Sunday. I barely made it two hours at the Reptile Park before I gave up and came home, and no-one needs to be told how much I love being there so to drag myself away from that...? More powerful statement than the Doctor's note I reckon! Next Wednesday I will also be at work for the day. 1986 in Germany, 2016 in Erskine Park! Might wait until Friday to celebrate that one!

Today is my Nanna's birthday. I've just spoken to her on FaceTime, and modern technology allows us to share an occasion such as this visually which is fantastic. I suppose THAT'S what anniversaries are all about, that's what they mean. Being able to share moments with loved ones, being able to bring people together to celebrate something. All of the moments and the memories they provide, good ones, bad ones, funny ones... They're all there and that's what makes them so special. Roll on the next one.

Coming "Home"

I have mixed feelings about the coming fortnight. This time tomorrow, Jess and I will be on Emirates 413, climbing out of Sydney on our way back to England. This will be the first time we have ever made this trip together, and the first time I have travelled with anyone between the UK and Australia. I've flown from London to Sydney via Hong Kong and Singapore, and London to Melbourne via Singapore but this time we are flying from Sydney into Manchester (via Dubai), an airport that aside from Exeter (where I worked for 5 years cumulatively) and maybe now Sydney I have spent more time at than any other. Yet this is the first time I will fly into Manchester, and on an Emirates A380. This should be exciting to an Avgeek like me, but in truth there is apprehension because of what this trip is actually for.

My Grandparents and my Dad at
Bovey Tracey CC in 2008

I won't go into detail, but my Grandparents aren't well. It's an undeniable fact of life that it is not everlasting, and I told my Grandparents 3 years ago when I left the UK that I would see them again. I'm only about 48 hours away at the time of writing from keeping that promise. There is a lot to look forward to when it comes to seeing them and a lot to be excited about coming back to the UK with my wife for the first time, for my paternal Grandparents to see Jess again but this time as a Carter.

England in February is not particularly glorious. The single figure temperatures, the frosty mornings, the rain and the minimal hours of daylight don't portray the country in the beauty we all know it possesses. I'd always envisaged not having to ever deal with another English winter's day, and given the mercury has been upwards of 30C for the last week or so here in Sydney it doesn't matter how much we try to prepare for it the cold will still come as a shock. Yet I still can't wait to get there... Not so much the location, but the people. It's a big old world we live in that at times seems tiny. It's times like these where you come to realise just how far away you are from your family and friends, and the joy you will get from seeing them again if only for the briefest of moments.

Chris, me, Liam at Heathrow

Leaving Bovey in 2013

It's safe to say that personally I haven't looked back since leaving Bovey Tracey on 17th March 2013. The progress I've made since then in building my life in Australia with Jess has surprised me, and on that date with the snow-capped hills of the Westcountry and Southern England passing us by, if we had sat down in the lounge at Heathrow and listed the things I/we have done in the last 3 years there isn't a snowflake's hope in Hell I would have believed it. I remember that day so well, leaving Devon and posing for a family photograph in front of my home of 17 years. Friends coming over to the house for breakfast and bidding me farewell. Chris Towell and Liam Berry, two of my best friends from school, making the journey to Heathrow to see me off. It truly moves me to know I have friends like that, and friends like Matt Pascoe, who have made the effort to come over to visit on multiple occasions (most notably our wedding) and is coming again later this year.

I am English. I am a "Pom" as our convict cousins so eloquently put it. But I am now a Permanent Resident of Australia. All of my sporting loyalties lie with England, yet I still call Australia "Home". This will be the first time I have come "home" to England as a visitor, not a resident. I can't begin to understand how strange that will feel. Or will it feel weird at all?! Will my already dodgy half-Devonian/half-Australian accent change to try and avoid comment? Somehow I don't think I'll be able to contain the "G'day mate, how ya goin'?!", although I equally don't think I'd get away with walking into the Dolphin Hotel in Bovey next Friday with "Ello, bey! 'Ow be knackin'?!" Not only that, but I'll be in England with a WIFE!!!!! Christ, I'll be 30 in two months time! I'll be intrigued to see how different the reality of Weaverham, Bovey Tracey and the people who live there is from the snapshot memory I have from three years ago. God knows I have changed, I can't wait to see how people have changed, yet I'm apprehensive about it too.

Grandad and I on the flight deck
of Concorde G-BOAC at
Manchester Airport in 2009

It's a strange sensation to be excited and apprehensive at the same time. It's going to be a very very busy time starting now. So it's off to bed now, wake up and get to the Reptile Park in the morning (I can't help myself, even on the day we fly across the world!), see my friends and animals, head home halfway through the day and then finish packing and off to SYD, DXB and MAN. Emirates, you might sponsor Arsenal but I'm trusting you will make the journey enjoyable. And however long the flight might be, it doesn't matter a jot when it comes to the rewards you get at the other end, with two beautiful countries, two beautiful families, and the chance to see the ones who mean the most to you.

Not long now, England... We're coming for you.

So How Is Married Life?

Somewhat inevitably after 3 months of marriage I have lost count of the number of times I've been asked "How Is Married Life?" There are plenty of jokes and anecdotes floating around about how everything gets worse after your wedding day, particularly from my ever-positive colleagues! However I am yet to fully comprehend that point of view because quite honestly I think things have got much much better since April.

Family time at Copacabana

Now before you cry out that it's only been 3 months I am fully aware of that! But it has been 3 months without the stresses of planning every tiny detail for a massive day, planning for visits, entertaining people or worrying about cricket selections and matches. There is now less arguing, less stress and we have both relaxed into our lives as Mr and Mrs Carter. We both thoroughly enjoyed having my family and friends over from England and we wish they were here permanently though we realise the reasons why this is not the case, and day-to-day life has since settled down. It truly was the best day of our lives but I think we are both glad that it is finally done.

The majority of the credit for planning the wedding has to go to Jess, she knew what she wanted and for the most part, she got it. It wasn't simply a case of me sitting back and letting her do everything and there were a few disagreements along the way. Through it all we never lost sight of what exactly the day meant to us and why we were doing this, and no-one can tell me that our day wasn't a complete success. Perhaps we are still riding the wave of euphoria off the back of the wedding? Perhaps all the difficulties in planning made the day seem so perfect in the end? I did write a blog a week after the wedding but forgot to post it. You can read it here or just scroll down!

For all the bad stories and the jokes there must be an underlying reason why so many people do this, why marriage is still so "popular". It's not a competition, it is a very individual thing. Not everyone is meant to get married, not everyone should. This may sound sanctimonious of me but I think I was right to propose to Jess a year after meeting her.  I think I was right to marry her. I was convinced from almost the very start that she was the one and I was more than confident that she shared the same life values I did. Quite clearly, if either one of us didn't think that was the case we wouldn't be married.

I guess it is also inevitable that the other line of questions has followed closely, namely "So when are you planning to have kids?" Answer: We want to get our own house first. Once again I have lost count of that question, but I'm sure we'll hear it more and more until we do have a child. And then it'll be "(When) will you have another?" This is human nature, and thus normal. It's what we have to look forward to. To answer the original question, How Is Married Life? It's perfectly normal, and that is why it is so great.

Family: It means the world