Inside Track: Our Arsenal team played more attractive football than the current league-leaders

Perhaps I should have an English League allegiance with Arsenal, instead of Accrington Stanley.

(Just to remind regular or sometime readers of this page, up north it’s Ballinamallard and in Scotland, Inverness Caledonian Thistle, all of whose results I look out for. Unlike others about the place who sometimes take themselves off to see Man United and, believe it or not, Crystal Palace, I’ve no intention of travelling to Fisher Park or the Caledonian and Wham Stadiums for home games.)

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The reason I should be following Arsenal is, I once played for them. Well, not exactly ‘them’, but a schoolboys’ league side of the same name. I was on about this before, talking about the time we won the Cup.

I couldn’t remember at the time who we beat in the final, but have since been told who it was by our captain from all those years ago, Gerry Coleman, from Mulholland Avenue.

It was Spurs, recalled Gerry, when I recently met him in the bookies, both us hoping there’d be some value in the dockets we were carrying. I wasn’t surprised that he knew, because Gerry captained the team and scored one of the goals in a 2-0 win.

What I could remember was, the presentation of the medals took place in the AOH hall. There was no objection from my seniors in 21 McDermott’s Terrace to me going there, which was a surprise because when I think back, it was around that time that I first began addressing election envelopes for Frank Aiken in Connrath na Gaelige, further down the road from the Hibs’ Hall.

Back to the soccer. I could easily have played for Spurs instead of Arsenal. Further up McDermott’s was where Spurs had their headquarters.

It was where Ray Larkin lived, and, I’m delighted to say, still lives. I had reason to call to his house a little over a year ago, and found the nonagenarian in great form.

Ray was Mr Spurs. He picked and schooled the team, and, helped by his sisters Nancy, Bridgie and Mary, made sure all of his squads lined out spic and span.

Every so often, we’d see a line of white jerseys hanging out to be dried behind No 12. I once saw a photo of the Spurs team, which Dermot Ahern in the front row.

And now for the other Arsenal and Spurs. They’re the ones playing in the English League’s Premiership, and, really, there couldn’t be a greater contrast in their current fortunes. The Gunners top the table, and could score an unprecedented quad this season, cleaning up at home and claiming Europe’s biggest competition.

However, they’re not playing the most attractive football in the world, according to the experts. Which is in contrast to our team. We were said to be the most wonderful kick-and-run boys’ team ever to grace Joe’s Park.

Meanwhile, Arsenal’s North London rivals are languishing, in serious danger of being relegated. At the time of writing, their new manager, Igor Tudor, is still in place.

If he does get the boot, it could be time to rewrite a particular record – the one dealing with the shortest Premiership managerial reigns.