A VERY LOCAL HERO

One of the many consequences of AFC Wimbledon`s stunning FA Cup victory over West Ham on Saturday was the effect it has had on the mood within our street.  For many years now, us residents of the sleepy street in our benign Kentish enclave have been following the fortunes of one member of a resident family, Scott Wagstaff, as he has been plying his footballing trade in various locations ranging from Charlton, Northwich Victoria, Leyton Orient, Bristol City, Gillingham and more recently AFC Wimbledon.

And it is at Wimbledon that the media spotlight has finally landed on him following his `exceptional` performance scoring two outstanding goals in Wimbledon`s 4- 2 win.  The sports sections in the  weekend newspapers have been fulsome in their admiration for the David v Goliath contest played out before a live BT television audience and today`s newspapers have continued the theme, as have Sky Sports who are due to visit our street today and interview our local hero.  So it would be remiss of me not to enter into the media frenzy and there are a couple of aspects of this event that demand comment.

The first is that, paradoxically, our street is largely populated by West Ham supporters and they must be sick as parrots at their team`s abject failure against the Dons who sit at the wrong end of the third tier of English football.  On the other hand they, like me, must be over the moon for Scott and his Wimbledon chums at the nationwide attention their exploits have attracted.  

The only thing missing from Waggy`s performance on Saturday was the re-emergence of his trade mark goal celebration `The Brick.`  Now until recently he always used this extraordinary contortion to celebrate scoring for former teams and it involved throwing himself onto the ground on his back whilst waiting for his team mates to join in the euphoria.  However, it seems that since he `did his shoulder` in one of these exertions he has since been banned from such antics.   Just as a reminder of past glories, here are some examples of `The Brick` and how much it was missed on Saturday.......

In former times, he was know locally as Scott ("Buzzin` six-pack pacy flanker") Wagstaff and known also as a box to box midfield dynamo with a good engine and an eye for a pass.  Now he`s just buzzing.  And good for him. He`s done our street proud and we couldn`t be happier for him.