A bunch of lads from the RAOB lodge, had arranged a charity football match in aid of a couple of Children’s Charities, all proper like.

We hired a patch of the Forest Recreation ground to use as a pitch, hired the changing rooms, printed the advertisements, got lots of interest and prospective spectators to get some money out of, and the morning of the match, it was well sunny.

Oh, did I not mention… it was a ‘Fancy Dress Football Match!

I was due to be a linesman on the day. We soon realised that not enough players had turned up on the day, and I was elected to play… in my bath towel wrapped like a nappy, with a giant safety pin, heavens knows where my mate had got that from. I think he might have made it out of wire coat hangers?

Many supporters were awaiting our turning out from the dressing room, the local paper even had a photographer there… and the rain came down!

We made a quick decision to play only twenty minutes each way.

During the match, I didn’t actually get to touch the football at all, (none of the lads deemed it advisable to pass me the ball, I even tackled my own team-mates in an effort to get the ball, but being as my footballing skills were notoriously pathetic, I failed) as the rain made the towel heavier and heavier, I was soon glad I had my underpants on underneath, as the inevitable happened and the towel sagged and drooped, then fell to the ground – unfortunately taking my undies down with it!

Thank heavens the photographer has gone earlier to avoid the rain.

The few wet supporters who had stayed in the rain got a laugh at least.

Still we made about £80 on the day for the NSPCC.