Saturday, October 06, 2007
RIP Fella
I started going home and away on a regular basis back in the early 80's. Football wasn't the sanitized entertainment it is now. 1950's trains took us to grim northern outposts where town centres ground to a standstill to allow the police to escort us from the station to the stadium. We bwould be placed in the worst part of the stadium with the worst view and we were called cockney bastards.
I started making my own way and things were worse. Getting from the station to the ground was at times hair raising experience as locals fancied having a pop at the visting fans. Bricks and bottles welcomed us and sent us on our way after the game.
At times our away support was low. I remember one midweek game at Goodison where 13,000 fans turned up including a couple of hundred Arsenal. I was on the terrace behind the goal, having a worms eye view of the action. Above were the seats and I heard some rushing and noise. A small group of Arsenal mixing it with a small group of Everton. It was a common sight in those days. Maybe frowned upon by the more polite sections of society but for me and many others it was reassuring. There were plenty of lads out there wanting to have a pop at me, it was only right we could dish it out as well.
One familiar face was Denton. His name was spoken of with awe by all fans, not just ours. I never knew him beyond the 'alright mate' as we travelled round the country. In such small numbers you soon got to recognise faces and his was certainly recognisable. Unlike the other supporters Denton always had a nod for me and my mates. We were Arsenal, it gave us a bond.
I remember a game at Grimsby. The cameras panned to the crowd as we celebrated another goal and there was Denton who had arrived late, face pressed against the fence, grinning and going mental. I have many memories from my Arsenal days but they're not all about the players. Football was about us, not celebrities, and Denton was one of us. He was our celebrity if you like.
He was a legend and a part of the fabric that goes into the Arsenal. He was there when many weren't, he was loyal and he was true.
He went on to work with the Pet Shop Boys and was in Moscow with Chris Lowe when he died in a car crash. The 2008 Champions League Final will be in Moscow. Perhaps Denton will have the best seat in the house watching his team win it for the first time.
RIP fella. I hope the club do you proud tomorrow. Your mates will, that's for sure...
# posted by Me @ 7:27 PM 
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Me and my brother, and few others didn't miss a game home, away or Europe from about 1976 through to 1982. On the occasions when there were just a couple of hundred of us, Denton was always there. He never knew our names but we knew him and he knew our faces. He was a nice fella who you knew would never let you down when it went off. R.I.P.
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