As I hobbled back from in front of the Jimmy Seed looking like John Wayne with piles, I glanced up at the scene of one set of knackered but happy faces, being replaced by another set of happy faces etched with eager anticipation and allowed myself a smug grin in the knowledge that I was part of something very special.
Yes of course on a personal level, I got to grace the sacred turf in a playing role, which is something that I considered to be a distant pipe dream.
Yes I got to wear a proper Charlton kit and the No. 10 shirt at the Valley.
Yes I got to meet Derek 'Killer' Hales, have my photo taken with him, got him to sign my 70's shirt and had a hilarious chat with him in the bar afterwards.
Yes, I had the pride to see my friends and family there to witness it and hopefully share in that pride, even though regrettably it couldn't be all of them and I would have loved to have seen my Dad there.
Yes, I watched my little Sis go mental in the crowd and go equally mental in the bar later after winning the raffle.
Yes, I still have a smile on my face which you couldn't remove with a blow torch.
And yes, I can now say that I have scored the winner at the Valley with what can only be described as a twenty yard scorcher/scuff :-), (BDL - Lob my arse!!!), which I am confident in time will develop into a forty yard screamer!
But above all that, I met many damn fine people who collectively had a fantastic day and raised an incredible amount of cash for a fantastic cause.
To ALL OF YOU, thank you for allowing me to be part of it all, thank you from the bottom of my heart for allowing our family a small space in time to forget matters elsewhere and THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU for helping to provide me with a memory that will stay in this old heart for eternity.
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That's what its all about.
i'll even throw in a pint at the first home match next season.
Sorry Large, your inspired tactical genius is duly noted. Although for a mili-second at the end, I did think, if only you'd subbed me when you said, I might still be able to walk! Then I thought of the goal and things somehow drifted into perspective. :-)