JD Sports 5 a side final. 2010.
128 stores compete over 1 month.
I've never worked for JD Sports.
Playing the usual Thursday night footie with the lads at SD a couple of years ago. Finished match and was heading back to car when I heard some guy having a mental breakdown on the phone because he didn't have enough players. Came off phone and got chatting to him. Turned out he was the store manager of JD in Sale and his team were due to play the semis and final of some shit cup but half their team was ill.
5 minutes later I'm kitted up to the nines in full kit and my birth name has now changed to Mike.
Get on pitch and realise these fuckers are super fit and pretty handy with a football. I was neither.
Anyway I end up as an unused sub in the Semi and the first half of the final. Guy goes down, doesn't get up. Brought on for second half with them 2-1 down.
First couple of mins I realise I'm absolutely out of my depth until the ball drops to me about halfway. Controlled, went forward past 1, past 2, megged keeper 2-2. Game on. We then got absolutely battered from all angles for the next 5 minutes and I can honestly say I've never ran so much in my life until the Dickov moment.
Ball broke to me,about 30 seconds left ran the length of Soccerdomes number 5 pitch and put he ball hard under the keeper. We win 3-2 and apparently JD Sale have just won the ''prestigious'' inter branch 5 a side.
Absolutely fucking ace, got my stuff said my goodbyes and headed for the door. Got shouted back for trophy presentation. Won a nice shiny medal and 100 quid in store vouchers, not to mention 2 of the bestest mates ever. Including the only Blue I've met bigger than me.
Magical night knew I had to share when saw this topic :-)