Southampton Shrimper
Team Eggheads
As has already been suggested in another thread, our final game of the season will be an opportunity for Southampton Football Club to show their respects to Alan Ball. Their plans have been revealed, the following article having appeared in today's Southern Daily Echo:
SAINTS FANS TO APPLAUD BALLY
Saints will ask fans to celebrate Alan Ball's life by joining in a minute's round of applause before their home game with Southend on Sunday, May 6.
Mike Osman, who was a close friend of Ball's and is also Saints' matchday announcer, said: "Bally would prefer that to a minute's silence - he wouldn't have wanted people standing dwelling on things and being depressed. He would want everyone to do what he did - which is to enjoy life. He lived his life to the fullest. I don't mean he burnt the candle at both ends, but he was always so enthusiastic about whatever he did. Also, when you have a minute's silence you can end up with whistles and boos aimed at people who arrive later who might be talking and don't realise what's going on."
Osman added: "We will also be showing a film about Alan on our big screens 15 minutes before kick-off. We'll probably get Lawrie McMenemy to film an introduction, and that will be a nice tribute. It would be lovely to see the club get in the play-offs in Alan's memory at the Southend game. After all, no one was more passionate about football than he was. He is irreplaceable. There will never be another Alan Ball. He was the bridge over the Solent that brought the red and blue together."
SAINTS FANS TO APPLAUD BALLY
Saints will ask fans to celebrate Alan Ball's life by joining in a minute's round of applause before their home game with Southend on Sunday, May 6.
Mike Osman, who was a close friend of Ball's and is also Saints' matchday announcer, said: "Bally would prefer that to a minute's silence - he wouldn't have wanted people standing dwelling on things and being depressed. He would want everyone to do what he did - which is to enjoy life. He lived his life to the fullest. I don't mean he burnt the candle at both ends, but he was always so enthusiastic about whatever he did. Also, when you have a minute's silence you can end up with whistles and boos aimed at people who arrive later who might be talking and don't realise what's going on."
Osman added: "We will also be showing a film about Alan on our big screens 15 minutes before kick-off. We'll probably get Lawrie McMenemy to film an introduction, and that will be a nice tribute. It would be lovely to see the club get in the play-offs in Alan's memory at the Southend game. After all, no one was more passionate about football than he was. He is irreplaceable. There will never be another Alan Ball. He was the bridge over the Solent that brought the red and blue together."
