LIFE UNDER THE STAIRS
By Local Resident, Jane Stevenson
should bestow a title on him. Even if we haven’t won, he has done more for the reputation of players and the sport in general then many before him. Sir Gareth Southgate has quite a nice ring to it. DARTFORD - You can check out any time you like But you can never leave (courtesy of The Eagles)
MISSED THE PENALTY – SAVED the person responsible for this THE GAME t ra n s fo r m at i o n i s M r G a reth Southgate. All I knew about this I don’t follow football and don’t gentleman is that he is forever understand the term The Beautiful associated with missing a vital Game. The sport has received penalty in 1996. much bad press over the years. I remember reading of poor Reading about this gentleman, behaviour, nightclub excesses he should be highly feted. By his and failure at most international strength of leadership, discipline, tournaments. The players were knowledge of the game and care treated as major celebrities, for his players, this man has made magazines wrote articles about football respectable again. WAGS at War and there was a general disconnection with grass I have heard repeatedly about the roots football. character building he has instilled in a young team of players, some Years back, I remember a student of whom weren’t even born when telling me his ambition was ‘to be he missed that penalty. I googled famous, like Beckham’. I found his name and found testimonials, his lack of foresight sad. He saw quotes, memories and so much the headlines and the stories but more about this extraordinary man. failed to appreciate that a player’s career doesn’t last long, injuries are I’ll never be a follower of the game, commonplace and very, very few but if we could apply Mr Southgate’s make it to the top of the money tree. work ethic to other jobs, I’m sure life would improve all round. When the I hear all this is changing, and next honourfest occurs, perhaps we
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I came back from a short holiday last week, and immediately fell into the ‘what if’ school of thought. The ‘what if I left Dartford’, ‘what if I chose to live miles away from family and friends.’ It’s not new thinking for me; I do it each time I go away. If I followed my dreams, I’d have houses in the Channel Islands, Spain, Devon, and Norfolk and that’s just for starters. I belong to a couple of the active and friendly social media sites specifically for Dartford. I enjoy the daily comments, banter, and occasional strong opinions. Some of the contributors have taken that step and moved not only out of the area, but often out of the country. So why do they stay in touch with Dartford? Would I ever have the motivation to up sticks, leave family and friends? Rather than overthinking the whole question, I asked two of them for their stories. Both were more than happy to spill the beans on moving away from Dartford, but not quite cutting all ties. The lovely Diane lives in the Isle of Wight. She has a huge talent for arts and crafts. Many know of the beautiful painted rocks she produces, often themed, and all delightful. Initially coming from Stone she bought a business on the island many years ago and moved across. She went to the Brent School and then later the
