THIS ISLAND LIFE
MOST journalists (especially those of a sporting persuasion) issue opinions as a matter of course.
Normally they are quickly forgotten as the deathless prose is awarded its place of honour at the bottom of the budgie cage.
Sometimes, however, the words return to haunt them. Mine certainly did when I made a prediction about a local sporting phenomenon called Tony Grimwade — but more about my embarrassment in a moment.
His name cropped up the other day when I was chatting with an old school friend, Baden Windeler, following the death of his father.
He brought with him some local newspaper cuttings his mother had kept from more than 50 years ago and one in particular caught my eye.
It was from an edition of the old Football Mail in 1958 and the unknown author proved to be a far more perceptive fellow than I.
In the section devoted to Ryde Sports FC, he had written: "The latest recruit is 17-year-old Tony Grimwade, who stepped straight from Island League side St Helens into Ryde’s senior side.
"Five players had been tried at centre-forward before Grim-wade was given the position.
"He is not a particularly dashing leader but he is an opportunist who is always in the right spot at the right time.
"This important asset enabled him to score both of Ryde’s goals last Saturday and brought his tally to six in a comparatively short period."
For those who have never heard of the gentleman, he is the most prolific goal-scorer to have graced Island football since the war.
He regularly contributed more than 100 goals a season, during a career which also included spells at Newport, Seaview and Brading Town.
As mentioned earlier, he is also the source of my greatest professional embarrassment.
When he moved from Seaview to Brading in the Sixties, I confidently forecast in the old IW Times he would not score many for his new club 'because he did not have the Allen family to lay them on a plate for him’.
I turned up in confident mood at Oakfield the following Saturday, where the locals were entertaining Brading, to watch my prediction proved right.
But Brading were 6-0 up at half-time — and Grimwade had scored all six of them.
His team-mate, Trevor Kings, was in a particularly unforgiving mood. "Put that in your ******* paper," he bellowed across the pitch at half-time, as Grimwade quietly sauntered off towards the sanctuary of the changing-room.
He continued to bang in hundreds of goals for the rest of his career. It was an extraordinary talent which, to this day, remains a source of wonder to those who played alongside him.
Ask people such as Oscar Stretch, Nobby Nash or John Sothcott and they will shake their head in genuine bemusement as they tell of the times he produced a goal out of nothing.
"I’m telling you mate," they will say, "the ball would be bobbing around in a ruck of players. Suddenly Gribble would appear out of nowhere, stick out one of his long legs and the next thing you knew the ball would be trickling into the back of the net.
"He did it match after match, season after season. It was bloody incredible."
I was eventually able to salve my sense of guilt many years later, while guest speaker at Seaview FC’s dinner. Gribble was in the audience, so I recalled my rash prediction and offered a public apology. He smiled graciously.
As for Mr Kings, it may have taken more than 40 years but he can now calm down. I’ve finally put it in the ******* paper.
Rich-finder general shaking the coffers for ice dance stars
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| John Hilsum. |
GOOD news for the Wight Jewels — the rich-finder general is on their case.
John Hilsum’s prowess at ferreting out grant money from all manner of unpromising sources is legendary. Now he has turned his attention to the Island’s championship-winning synchronised ice-dancing team.
These young ladies, who have won the national title on four consecutive occasions, were chosen to represent Britain in the world championships in Sweden. But it’s an expensive business and they have been unable to attract much by way of cash sponsorship.
However, Ventnor Rotary Club (of which John is a former president) has generously committed £1,500 to the cause and, even more promisingly, he is turning his forensic eye on the search for untapped resources.
This contribution to the Wight Jewels’ cause should not be underestimated.
He possesses a remarkable level of patience and doggedness in these matters. Forms designed to intimidate most normal people are churned through and drained of every possible advantage.
Quangos? Inscrutable funding bodies? Bring’em on!
The IW Cricket Board’s academy at Ventnor and the marvellous Newclose County Cricket Ground are testament to John’s diligence and determination.
Public money, especially that intended to help sport at grass-roots’ level, is in short supply at the moment.
The perfect storm created by a desperately sick economy and an Olympic Games on the horizon has meant that what was, at best, a modest flow, has been restricted to a barely-discernible trickle.
But the Wight Jewels can rest assured that if there is a single penny to be lifted from the public purse to help their cause, John Hilsum is the man to help them find it.