I love threads like this
To be honest, I really fancied myself as a player when I was 13, then I played right back for my school against probably the best ever Boro school team (73-78) the marvellous Hustler. A few posters over the years on here will know where I'm coming from with that. I think five of that side signed prof forms with various clubs. The best in that team didn't- I guess that's how it goes.....
Phil Linacre tore me a new backside that day. I was fast he was faster, I could tackle, he skipped over it. I tried to hack him down, he was yards away. It was a real lesson in ambition vs reality.
To be fair to myself, I played for my Uni first team, and got some money in a boot for guesting for a couple of sides north of Boro. I played till I was 40 (just) and played against one of the best Thai league sides when I lived there. Again, like against Hustler, they were on a different planet.
Since then I've coached 8-18's and absolutely loved it. My eldest plays semi pro, and he is better than I was- that's where it is.
Respect to the rest of you who raised the bar higher than I did. But I tell you what, I really enjoyed the ride