Another part of my childhood gone . . .

Well, that's an absolutely gut punch on a Christmas morning.

For a few years in the late 1970s, John Robertson was one of the best footballers in the world. An absolute legend.

In the words of the late Brian Clough: "What is the point of giving you the ball when there is a genius on the other wing?" (Question to Martin O'Neill about John Robertson, 1979.)

Against Malmo, 1979 European Cup Final.

And it should also be stated for the record that he was front and centre on the greatest football song of all time. ('World in Motion' and 'Three Lions' can get fucked.)

No jokes about the Emirates, please . . .

Fucking hell, they're using actual living kids as goalposts. The luxury. Posh bastards.

That, That and That: It's an 80s thing . . .

Aston Villa's Nigel Spink.

Don't mind me, I'm just clearing out the desktop for 2018. A cracking picture which, for some reason, gives me a warm glow. Of course I remember his appearance in that final. At the time, Aston Villa were my 'English team' . . .  possibly still are, as I'm not sure I ever replaced them. (PS - don't watch the highlights of the final on YouTube. It will shatter old pre-pubescent dreams. Munich 'mullered' Villa that night, and Withe's goal was a bit of a smash and grab.

Before I get accused of glory hunting . . . in my defence: 1) I was 10 or 11. A funny age at the best of times. 2) I've always been a sucker for teams in claret and blue. Trabzonspor, here I come. 3) Not so much naked glory hunting per se, as falling in love with that Tony Morley goal of the season against Everton. 

And, yes, I will get round to reading that Ron Saunders biography in 2018. Not in a million years would I have pegged Miserable Ron as centre forward in his playing days. That nugget alone is intriguing enough.