I FIRST HEARD about the ‘O2 Fives’ competition from the Arsenal mailing list. The email said that members of the public could answer a question about Arsenal’s Ian Wright or Thierry Henry to have a chance of playing five-a-side football at the club’s state-of-the-art Emirates Stadium.
In addition, entrants had to submit their own special ‘keepie-up’ videos and then let the public vote for their favourite one. The designers of the top 16 videos had the opportunity of entering a team in the competition.
I submitted ‘Get In There’, a very mediocre video of me kicking a ball into a barn which ‘managed’ to get in the top 16 (you could vote for yourself as many times as you liked. I sent out a couple of emails and made a Facebook group asking people to vote). I was amazed after finding out that my video got enough votes.
On the day of the tournament itself, each team got a free kit bag on arrival with their own unique shirt, shorts, socks and towel.
The competition consisted of four groups of four teams, who were required to play each other once. The top team from each group reached the semi-finals.
We were new to the five-a-side game and were thrown in at the deep end, playing the eventual finalists Freelanders in the first match. Unfortunately, we lost 2-0.
However we showed great bouncebackability to fight back from 2-0 down to claim a 3-2 victory against FCUK with an own goal, one from John Foxall and a great finish from Steve Fenn. This victory helped us to avoid bottom spot in the league table.
In the final game, we faced Top Gun FC, with both teams vying for second place.
They initially emerged as the stronger side and took an early lead but we pegged them back with another strike from Fenn. But Top Gun soon broke the deadlock and established a 2-1 lead.
Yet in the closing stages, I grabbed a late equaliser and secured a point for Euros, leaving us in third position on goal difference. There was also a penalty competition with our player of the day, Fenn, being the designated kicker. Unfortunately he was unable to convert his spot-kick.
It was a great day all round, especially with there being three Gooners in the team. And we were lucky enough to meet such Arsenal legends as Martin Keown, Nigel Winterburn, Bob Wilson and Frank McClintock. Page Three model Leilani Dowding was also there for eye candy.
Our squad consisted of eight players: Dan Tennant-Ralphs (captain), Dean Simmonds, John Hazlewood, Steve Fenn, Harry Medland, John Foxall, Iain Mumby and Ray Fearon, the token celebrity from Coronation Street, RSC, Harry Potter and Strictly Come Dancing fame.
It was an amazing day for all concerned. We all got the chance to play on a great pitch (incomparable to Pontcanna) and admire such an impressive stadium.
It was also great seeing our name on the Arsenal big screen; the IMG football whipping boys managed to shine on one of the world football’s greatest stages.
There is also a DVD of the event being made. Other highlights included free food and drink, changing in the away dressing room, hearing our team name on the tannoy, walking out of the tunnel, seeing the director’s suite/box, free massages (not utilized by all), various freebies, our warm-up which was led by Nigel Winterburn himself, getting in FHM (out July 1st), proper referees and the O2 Angels (very helpful indeed).
Dan’s video can be viewed on:
