Friday, November 25, 2005

Today Crawley Town - Tomorrow .... well somewhere else I guess

Thursday's teletext page 323 - the bit that tells you about the poor people's news - heralded the capture of tricky winger Tony Scully by Crawley Town boss John Hollins. Hollins picked up the post recently when Graham Rix hit lucky at Hearts.

Tony Scully's career is one of those bi products of the infamous Bosman ruling. Another bi-product is obviously Michael Ballack touting round his expensive ass for £150,000 a week - but more of that at a later date I'm sure.

Scully has played for an awful lot of clubs in a career that goes back as far as the 2nd December 1993 when he signed as a trainee for Crystal Palace. So next Friday when he celebrates 12 years as a professional footballer he will have happy memories of the banter and camaraderie in no less than 15 different dressing rooms in the league and conference arena.

This is surely no record as there are many players who are not being actively pursued with cheque books who arrive at the end of their increasingly shorter length contracts, looking for their next pay cheque.

I remember being very excited in the late nineties when my team bought Tony, as he was highly starred as a dynamic winger with all the tricks and turns that set fans pulses racing. A personal highlight of his time in my life was a glorious 76th minute goal in the 6-0 demolition of Crystal Palace (ironically his first ex-club). It was a last match of the season survival clash that saved our bacon.

Which raises the point, that with so many ex clubs and so many opportunities to "go back to the old place and stick it up them" why he has only managed 13 goals. And surely it is that crazy irony makes football the beautiful game it is.

Tony Scully will be making 15th club debut tomorrow at home to Gravesend - he hasn't been there, yet - our thoughts will be with him.

thekingorama@googlemail.com

No comments: