The (Watford/Reading) Mick Cuthbertson
Sunday 14 April, 2002
Where have all the heroes gone?
Three days since the news broke that Stuart McCall would not be retained for a further season's service at Bradford City.
Three long days of numbness, disbelief, shock, sadness and a sense of loss - nay, bereavement - as I try to come to terms with the impending departure of the last of my teenage heroes. It's been a long time since I wrote for BfB, but this sad occasion seems correct for me to put fingers to keys once again.
Since I started watching City, Stuart has been there, if not in presence, then in spirit. Back in the '80s, a young, skinny, maybe a bit short, but a flame-haired master of the midfield with such a passion for the club and the game. To be still full of that passion, 22 years after he signed terms with City, is amazing. He wants to carry on, and I think he still can do a job. To a point I can understand Nicky Law's decision - but surely a blend of youth *and* experience is what we need at VP? I'd rather see Stuart being kept on in the backroom than letting him go completely. Stuart McCall is Bradford City - we know he had to take an "intermission" while he played for Everton and Rangers, but Acts i & ii at VP will never be forgotten.
I remember...
- Seeing a broken man after the loss against 'Boro in the nearly season
- Being a token Everton fan when Stuart scored those 2 goals after coming on as sub in the FA Cup Final.
- Being in a packed pool room of the "Hare & Hounds" in Heaton, watching Scotland play Sweden in Italia 90, and being part of the wild celebrations when Stuart scored. What a strange experience that was, being in that room full of lads all of us chanting "Stuart, Stuart, Stuart" at a TV screen showing a Scotland game from a thousand miles away!
- Going to have my copy of "The Real McCall" signed by the man himself. I remember having planned a great speech about how I'd loved watching him play since I was a teenager, about being how proud I was that he'd come back, about trying to show my appreciation, and finally managing to stutter the words "Thanks for coming back Stuart" before running off, not as a 27 year old man, but as a giddy 14 year old kid again, clutching the book tightly.
- The chill running down my spine and the tears welling in my eyes as he took to the pitch for his first game back from Rangers - after telling us that he had come back because of some "unfinished business" - we all knew what he meant.
- A lads trip to Motherwell in the early '99, being cautious going into bars wearing our City shirts, but finding an extremely friendly welcome and being bought drinks by Rangers fans, because we could talk about the common denominator - Stuart.
- The look of despair after he headed over the bar in the last home game of the '98/'99 season against Oxford, when 3 points would've seen us promoted.
Most of all, I remember Stuart coming over to us at Molineux in May '99, and through tears of joy, seeing him being as ecstatic as we were on the best day of our lives - "unfinished business" indeed :-)
There have been many players that have been heroes to me over the years (for many reasons, and I won't go into them here), Stuart has played with many of them. To name but a few: Bobby Campbell, Greg Abbott, John Hendrie, Mark Ellis, Sean McCarthy, Dean Richards, Chris Waddle, Darren Moore, Lee Mills, Peter Beagrie, even Benito "When the ball hits the net, if it's not Dean Windass, it's..."Carbone - all gone now. Will we ever see the like again? I hope so!
Maybe the club can make some permanent gesture to remember this particular loyal servant? It's been suggested that the number 4 shirt should be retired - that's got my backing.
I'm getting to be a part-timer these days - I couldn't make it to the West Brom game, but my heart was at Valley Parade even though I don't think I'd have been able to stand it if I was there in person. Hopefully I'll be able to travel the 250 miles from Reading to shed my tears at the testimonial game.
A fond farewell Stuart - thanks for the memories, but the club I love will not be the same without you.
Keep the faith.
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