The Amazing Life of Morris Keston - Win the book
Sunday, May 2, 2010 at 4:07PM Happy Birthday DML. Three years today. Look, I'm not much good at big speeches, and I know I haven't always been an easy guy to get on with. And I know that, given the choice, I probably wouldn't have chosen you as friends. But, I just want to say... that over the years... I have come to regard you... as... people... I met.
So, er, to celebrate this momentous occasion and the countless court injunctions and community service served stalking Daniel Levy, it's competition time. Nope, sadly I won't be giving away Chirpy's head (it's exhibit 4 I'm afraid) but I've got something better. Superfan: The Amazing Life of Morris Keston.
Get on this. Cracking read for several reasons. If you don't know who this esteemed Spurs fan is (he's only missed two games in 70 years - beat that) then you've probably never read The Glory Game (shame on you). He's got a chapter to himself in that classic, and now we have the pleasure of reading his stories and anecdotes in this essential publication.
Morris, bless him, befriended Spurs players by following them around, sitting next to them on the bus (the irony being that later on the players chased him around and wanted to befriend him). I've tried that myself, although, obviously Spurs players no longer use buses, and it's a bit difficult to explain to a modern day footballer what you're doing laying across the back seat of their car or welcoming them into their own home whilst sat on their sofa.
There's nothing quaint and innocent about modern day football I'm afraid. What this book illustrates best is a chapter in time when things were a little more accessible. Not that Morris and company didn't know how to party. 60's being the 60's. And to think he even flirted with the position of chairman at WHL.
And if the glory days and the World Cup is not enough for you, add Muhammad Ali and Sinatra to the mix. Yes, Morris Keston. Businessman. Fund-raiser. Spurs fan. Massive personality. Story-teller. Just like our beloved club, never a dull moment.
Damn it, imagine how good his blog would have been had the internet been around back then? But don't fret, this is the next best thing.
So, I'm thinking rather than a caption competition we try 'best footballing anecdote'. Doesn't have to be something related to you having met someone famous within the game, but I'm sure all of you have a story to tell yourselves having gone to the Lane and beyond in your lifetimes.
So post your entry in the comments section. I'll let it run for a week, then announce the winner and get the book sent out. Good luck.
COYS.
Superfan is published by Vision Sports Publishing on the 3rd May 2010, RRP £12.99.
Morris Keston on Twitter.
Reader Comments (14)
add him on facebook aswell! jus search his name, guys a ledge
Gary Lineker, at a function at Spurs, telling security to move 'that person' further away from him. That person being me with an autograph book. Bit of a moody twat is our Gary. Was a number of years back when he was at the club.
Everyone has a BAE story to tell. Same story. It seems to be nigh impossible (last season anyways) to get him to sign an autograph. He seemed to duck, dive and weave his way with support from Spurs officials, to get to his car and avoid having to speak with supporters. He truly doesn't want a part of anything football related other than kicking the ball in training and on the pitch.
There's a photo of Spurs doing the huddle and BAE not bothering to knell down into it, as though he's thinking 'do we have to do this shit'?
first spurs game i was taken to, enroute we picked up chaz and dave on the way to the lane. I had no idea who these two were at the time, and looking back was quite an introduction to my first game. sat on the west upper, and when we scored chaz or dave, cant remember which at the age of 6 pushed their drink and pie over the edge when we scored soon after half time on to the people below, then went about blaming me for the whole incident. great introduction to white hart lane by two tottingham heros, (if slightly unfair blaming the incident on a 6year old white hart lane virgin)
i cant remember the team we played, but remember sheringham scoring and it being a evening game, if not midweek kick off, if any stato's out there can help with the team would be great!
Found out recently that my Dad was the 'mascot' on the shelf. Every team tried to take the shelf but no one succeeded (although he said Man Utd came closest once) He would walk with our firm to the games with all the opposition scarves tied to his arm (those we'd done over so to speak) as badges of honour and used to stick the nut in when he could when it all kicked off in or outside the pubs...he was 11 at the time ...2 half pints and he'd want to fight the world and then tell the old bill when he got his collar felt 'can't touch me, I'm a minor!'. He said it was all fisticuffs in good heart and remembered a copper on a bike driving past and backhanding him over a wall just because he felt like it.
My own anecdote is a tad different, I used to go every game with my mate and his Dad, I cnt even remember the game it was but he ended up having a chinwag with a mate after the game. This'chinwag' lasted about an hour and a half at which point my mate and I were bored stiff just sat there.No one (not even stewards/security) were left in the ground so we decided to walk down a bit, then up the steps to the gate....unlocked it, and then ran on to the pitch and I scored the best goal I'd ever scored in my life (in my head) We had no ball, but boy did we play well.. I'll never forget that.
Had to give my 5-1 Arsenal tickets away for a work awards do and spent most of my night listening on the radio. Missed my call to collect an award as I was in the bar hammering back Jack and coke in both joy and pain for not bing there. The guys that went in my place then came round the next day and tried to sell me a program for £10 and tell me over and over about how good it was.
Tossers
The afternoon i begged my dad to allow me to go to the Spurs Arsenal championship decider at WHL. He let me go and i never forgave him!!
More to follow!!
I used to work at the old training ground in mill hill, I was 16. One day I was told (by Chris Houghton I think) that there was a phone call for me and that I could take it in the managers office, as I walked in there was Terry Venables, Doug Livermore, Ray Clemence and the rest of the management team all chatting away. Obviously I felt out of place and extremley apologetic for not only getting a call at work, but also having to bother the management in the process. Anyway, I picked up the phone ( on Terry's desk!) and this guy on the line started to tell me how he'd see me about, and how he'd like to meet up. I was mortified! I was in a room with footballing greats and some bloke I'd never met was trying to chat me up!! Being quite a shy bloke back then, and seeing who was in the room, I was trying my best to get this guy off the phone without giving away the gist of the conversation to everyone else. Then I happened to glance over at Terry and I saw something, a cheeky glint if you will, in his eyes. Then it clicked. It was one of those voice activated phone jokes! The fuckers were winding me up!! Terry knew i'd susssed it and he pissed himself, big time, so did everyone else. By this time I was bright red, but smiling. I politely told them all they were bastards and they could now fuck right off, which only made them laugh more.
that was a great day!
COYS
Lol @lilywhite
Great story Lillywhite..............my old man has worked for Spurs for 23 years and based on that has a few good stories from over the years........one springs to mind there was testimonial game probably 6/7 years ago at the lane cant remember who it was for now but I was working in one of the corporate lounges at the time during my student days and Gazza was playing........usual testimonial sort of night and he was brought off as a sub 5 mins into second half to a rapturous applause from the crowd..........he has gone straight down the tunnel into the dressing room where my old man was there tidying up from half time........Gazza asks for my old man to run him an ice bath....which he does.......he then strips bollock naked and pulls out some cigars and spirits from his bag, chatting away to my dad, whilst he is stressing trying to get gazza to stop smoking......next he jumps in the bath and starts singing.........he then asks my dad to get him a couple of beers.........i was working in the lounge..........my mobile goes off and its my dad asking to bring some beers down to home dressing room.........i duly oblige not knowing whats awaiting, ive gone down there and walked in the dressing room to find gazza standing up in a bath naked singing whilst my oldman has got his arms almost around him trying to get the cigar out of his mouth.....!! Absolutle legend!!
The other one is more of a confesssion.........on my way to the spurs 6 reading 4 game (berbatov smashing in four) and the regular guy who does chirpy rings up to say he cant make it.........i get a phone call asking if I fancy doing it........fuck it why not etc.......i can only really remember being whacked in the suit by Robbo every time he walked pass, stacking over the sky cameras behind the goal when the crowd thought it was done on purpose.....and being on the pitch with Ledley etc just before kick off for the official photo of the game.........and what a game it was!!
33 yrs ago granddad calls me into lounge and insists I must watch how wonderful Tootenham plays football. I was 13. I asked which team is Tottenham. He says the team in black and white. Im confused - tv's were black and white then. Granddad never allowed too many questions, so I just went for the team jersey that looked more black and white than the other. Sharing Granddad's enthusiam I watched, but couldn't understand why he got so excited coz the other team played so much better! But then 'Tottenham' scored and I jumped up and hopped around in excitement. Suddenly my ear was ringing and I found myself on my knees from the smack Granddad took out of his angry closet. 'That's not Tottenham you stupid donkey! Get out!' So my first game as a Tottenham fan I was actually following Everton....
Kay - South Africa
http://www.dearmrlevy.com/dml/2010/5/7/superfan-comp-winner.html