Monsieur Salut writes: the review section of the UAE newspaper I write for, The National, has a feature they call The Long Read. I’ve done it a couple of times – from the Jungle in Calais and on Muslim writers threatened by fanatics for having a progressive instead of medieval outlook. It came to mind when I was posting Andrew Caulton’s ‘Who are you?’ interview. A passionate West Bromwich Albion fan exiled in the USA, Andrew goes on a bit, but then so do my questions. And I found his replies engrossing.
As a postscript, I reminded him he had promised a photo showing his brother and Paolo Di Canio at the infamous WBA v SAFC game that was to be PDC’s last in charge. He searched high and low for that picture now and it has now been been added to this follow-up …
For now, over to Andrew for some additional thoughts.
* While I try to dig out the Di Canio photo – I’m hugely into photography which makes it slightly tougher to locate – here’s one of my family, after climbing a local mountain, singing the Baggies anthem ‘when and only when we are playing well’. If you hear this on Saturday, it may be the funeral hymn for Moyes…the hymn is The Lord’s my Shepherd. It’s genuinely a very integral part of WBA but I have no idea where the tradition came from.
When we sang it on the mountain, and sang it vociferously, some people came over to ask if we were part of a local bible group.
* This photo of me was a case of “Supporting Rondon” at an Argentina v Venezuela game. It looks a bit odd in isolation so the inside story may help: I had Argentinian fans going crazy, wanting “selfies”, as they were so proud of the Venez connection. Rondon’s pressures in life are very different to anything we ever encounter. He did an interview last season and he NEVER shows photos of his wife or kids, never gives his kids’ names. Reason: kidnapping. Venezuela has so many issues….and Rondon is a shining light……
* Last thing, and I’m surprised I didn’t think of this Sunderland connection before. Vic Halom is from the same place as me. We’re both Burton lads (well Vic is from Linton, a tiny village, that is close enough to Burton to make no difference). I’m.pretty sure we were both born in the same hospital. Lovely, unassuming bloke.
* Score prediction: 1-1
Andrew – when I was a Primary school teacher in Leicestershire, (and an occasional member of a quiz team based at The Holly Bush in Linton) there was a teaching assistant in Hilton school who wanted to become fully qualified. She came to our school and I mentored her.
The fact she was engaged to Vic Halom’s son didn’t affect my judgement but when she completed her course she was given a job at our school. She is now Vic’s daughter in law.
At the time Vic was scouting in Eastern Europe – Romania I think.
Tremendous…..the line from Linton to New Hampshire to Sunderland is complete…..Looks like Vic is now based in Bulgaria, and stood in the election as a Lib Dem in ’92…What an eclectic life…hugely respect that….