by Eddie Allen
Meanwhile, away from football, Sue was determined to move to a bigger house and had her mind set on moving to Grove Park. She’d seen a house that she reckoned would suit us all down to the ground. The gaff needed shitloads of work done to it, and I mean shitloads! Being polo-mint and out of work, I decided to flog my van and buy a cheap white Ford Sierra so I could earn a living as a mini-cab driver. I did shifts from six in the morning till six or seven in the evening; coming home completely knackered from hours of hassle and bloody traffic jams. Eight months I stood that, eight bloody months…then finally I got yet another break.
Friday night it was, and I’d just picked up my final customer of the day. On my way to his destination he asked me how long I’d been cabbing. After briefly explaining my situation, he informed me he was looking for a multi-trade with carpenter experience. He handed me his business card he asked me to ring him on Monday morning at 8 o’clock, guaranteeing me a start for his construction company based in Blackheath.
Anyway, it wasn’t long before I gave up mini-cabbing, sold the car and bought another van to go back on the tools. Thank God! For the next year all I did was first-fix on several extensions in and around Greenwich and Blackheath. First-fix is a term used for installing roof trusses, joists, studwork and floorboard. The dosh was good and the guys I worked with were cool. Meanwhile, the team started training at Christ the King College, using their gym during the week. Daniel was working for an estate agent in Forest Hill. I think after working with me in the building game, Dan found it hard to adjust to sitting on his arse all day. Eventually, he would leave and end up a very good painter and decorator, working with Steve who, in turn proved mustard at hanging wallpaper. I recall one club presentation night in Badgers. Bloody hell, what a night! Not that I can remember anything that went on. I’ll cut this short; basically I got pissed and stoned by eight o’clock and made myself look a complete prat. How it happened was simply like this: I stood on the door with four of my players from six till eight. All we did was drink brandy and smoke wacky baccy. Well, I recall dancing with a right horny bird that Dan invited from his office. She was all over me like a rash, whispering in my ears what she would like to do to me, blah blah blah. Being stoned, I was oblivious of anyone else. As we danced, I put my hands on both her hips and started rubbing up and down. Her flimsy dress started rising up and revealed her stockings and suspenders. Red rag to a bull, or what? Well, apparently we both ended up on the pool table, only to be saved from sheer disaster by Antonio, who dragged us apart laughing, trying to defuse the situation. All this was in front of Sue and the boys and my in-laws! Bloody hell, I cringe now when I recall that night. As you can imagine, I got slaughtered for weeks after. Sue reckoned that the girl’s arse resembled a badly-packed parachute and was extremely ugly and that if I was sober, I wouldn’t have gone anywhere near her, not even with a barge pole! So she forgave me and laughed, well I think she forgave me. I’m not so sure now, though.
One of the most harrowing and horrific incidents, I’ve had to deal with, happened one night while the team were training in the gym. Gary Ware had recently joined the club and brought along a young fella called Simon to train with the lads. What happened that night would undoubtedly have a profound effect on my beliefs, and on the rest of my life. Unbeknown to me Simon, while he was training, had a large amount of chewing gum in his mouth. Simon was running about, getting involved in everything and his enthusiasm and fitness brought a smile to my face. Suddenly, out the blue he dropped to the floor wriggling about gasping for air. I ran across the gym and put Simon in the recovery position, watching in horror as the colour drained from his face. My heart was thumping, my mind in turmoil. I checked his pulse and his breathing and it was then that I realised Simon had stopped breathing and had passed out. I flipped him over on his back and started to administer mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. I screamed out for Antonio and demanded that he massaged his chest in between my attempt to get Simon breathing.
While this was going on, a few of the lads ran and phoned for an ambulance. I carried on giving Simon mouth-to-mouth resuscitation for twenty odd minutes. I knew in my heart the poor soul had died, but I refused to give in. The taste of bile filled my mouth, making me feel nauseated, but still I would not stop. In my mind I asked God to spare him, but he never listened. At the time I didn’t understand why but today I do. It was Simon’s destiny; even though the body dies, we should not forget where we come from. To live is only for the pleasure of the soul. To die marks an end, and a new beginning. The universe has total control over all that dwell on Earth, everything that is born will die. Even though we don’t get to choose how or when we will depart this mortal life, we can only choose how we are going to live, now. From the smallest to the largest, God will decide when our time has come. This cycle will never ever change, it’s universal law this, I know now, but then I wasn’t sure. Simon was pronounced dead on arrival and my heart and thoughts go out to his family sincerely. After Simon’s death at the tender age of sixteen, my attitude towards everything and everyone changed dramatically, causing myself untold problems. What I needed was a kick up the arse. Thankfully, I got one a few years later, but unfortunately the kick I got was more devastating than I could ever imagine it to be.
Several months later, we moved to Grove Park. The house itself was big enough for our growing family; however, the amount of work required was phenomenal. I would work all day and then work until midnight on the house. There were no doors, no kitchen, walls knocked down, no decent toilet facilities and endless plastering. The garden was a barren wasteland with not a plant nor blade of grass to be seen; even the wildlife avoided the garden. Bloody hell, what a task I had on my hands. Every room was a total disgrace and a bloody nightmare. It took me years to bring the house somewhere near respectable; the only reason I even contemplated doing the gaff up was solely for my family. Edward was now growing into a fantastic boy; my little Pike, I used to call him, after Pike in Dad’s Army. Everything I did and everywhere I went, my lovely little Pike was by my side. Edward would run onto the pitch alongside me, carrying the magic bucket and sponge during all the club’s matches.
During this period, Sue’s father died suddenly. It came as quite a shock and Sue obviously took it badly. I wasn’t sure if I should add this sad time into my book, but I had to, because something really bizarre and wonderful happened, in my opinion, anyhow.
After visiting Bill in the Chapel of Rest, Sue and I returned home, feeling extremely sad. That night I had a dream or a visit, probably more like a visit, from Bill telling me he was fine. He moaned that there were no fags and coffee where he was, but nonetheless he was OK. Why he chose me, I haven’t a clue. We weren’t even that close. I must admit that Bill was an extremely nice guy and a complete family man. When things were financially tight, he would say to me, “long as you got fags and coffee and a bit of grub you’ll survive”. Very humble man and even though I never showed it, I really did rate him as a human being. Anyway, Sue decided on one more visit to the Chapel of Rest before the funeral. I asked her to buy two roses before she went to the Chapel: one from us and one from her mum.
“Put both the roses inside his coffin, so he’ll now it’s from us,” I urged her.
The day of the funeral was a very sad occasion; all Sue’s family and friends had tears flowing down their cheeks. The flowers and sprays were beautiful, filling the air with many different fragrances. On arriving at the crematorium, I became aware of two guys who were standing like statues opposite the concrete stairs, the both of them motionless and expressionless. I noticed they both had their hands cupped together and, to my utmost shock and disbelief, they held a red rose each. As we emerged from the car, my eyes scanned the pair of them from head-to-toe. I stood at least ten feet from where they stood. I knew who they were and I also knew that I mustn’t ask who they were or even speak to them. Inside, my heart told me why they were here and nobody, and I mean nobody, should question their right to be at Bill’s funeral.
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Now I will describe what my eyes saw; the two guys were dressed in long, fawn-coloured trench coats. One guy was black, the other white and both had piercing blue eyes. Their skin was perfect and not a blemish or even a spot occupied their faces. Their hair was cropped and there was no sign whatsoever that either of them had ever shaved. Their skin told me that they had never been exposed to the elements on Earth. I looked at both their hands as they held the roses; their finger nails immaculate. The most amazing thing that struck me was their coats, not a crease or wrinkle could be seen. My initial thought was they must have just appeared from thin air. There’s no way that the pair of them travelled by train, car or bus to the cemetery. If they did, my eyes would have found the evidence.
During the service, I glanced around, looking for the pair of them but they were nowhere to be seen. As we walked out of the crematorium, I noticed they had gone. All the cars then left and our car was the last to leave. We drove down to the gates and pulled away down the street. Suddenly I caught a glimpse of both of them standing in the same position under the archway. This time the roses had gone. I blinked and looked again, noticing they were gone! At least four of us saw them, but nobody else did. They were without doubt ‘angels’, sent to see Bill off.
A year after Bill’s death, I started to take Daniel and Stephen to work with me and over the next couple of years they ended up quality decorators. My marriage was now seriously on the rocks; the grief returned with constant arguing and bickering. My days as a family man were numbered. However, before that fate would deal me several killer blows which would ultimately take away everything I had ever loved and cared about (except Pike). My arrogant and bigheaded attitude would finally seal my fate. I vividly recall one spring morning repairing a newsagent’s roof. In the middle of applying a cement fillet around the chimneystack, it started raining so I climbed down the ladder and entered the shop to get shelter from the downpour. Well, what happened next defies belief. Standing talking to the newsagent was this guy wearing a turban with some sort of jewel pinned to his forehead. He turned round and gazed at me, raising his arms in my direction. What followed was totally bizarre; he looked shocked to see me, like he knew me.
“Hello, how are you getting on?” he asked.
“Fine thanks, could do without the bloody rain,” I said, wondering why his arms were raised.
“This is Gupta, Eddie. He’s visiting London from Bombay,” the newsagent informed me, smiling.
“Really? Bet in ain’t raining there,” I said jokingly.
“You’re probably right in that assumption, Eddie,” he reckoned with a grin. “I’m getting some serious vibes off you. Would you mind if I did you a reading?” he asked in a solemn voice.
“What you chatting about, pal? What sort of reading?” I asked, trying not to laugh at him.
“Don’t worry, Eddie,” the newsagent told me. “He’s a medium and extremely well known in Bombay, doing readings for stars and politicians.” I glanced over my shoulder, looking out the newsagent’s window. It was now pissing down and getting heavier.
“OK, I’m up for it. What do ya want me to do?” I asked, feeling pensive.
“Can we use your stockroom?” Gupta asked the newsagent. “I need total silence to concentrate.”
The newsagent pointed to a door at the rear of the shop. “Help yourself,” he said. Within moments, I was standing in total darkness with Gupta, his hands feeling my scalp as if reading it like a book. My initial thoughts were that this guy was completely off his trolley and if he touched me ‘wrongly’ I would chin him. However, he never in fact, his hands felt soothing as he felt all around my head.
“You’ve had a hard life and a lot of heartache, Eddie. Your childhood, especially your childhood, was terrifying, to say the least,” Gupta relayed to me. He then started telling me everything that had happened during my life; my father’s violence towards me, my nan, getting married at sixteen, my three sons and even my football team.
How the hell does he know all this? I’ve never seen this guy before. It’s impossible.
“Your future will be harrowing for a while. There’s still more bridges to pass which ultimately will bring you more heartache and sadness,” he said.
Great! More shit to come my way, haven’t I had enough?
“Over the next decade, you will be pushed to the limit. Your future doesn’t include the things and people that surround you now; they will all be taken from you,” he said confidently. “Your path has already been written and no matter how or if you could change it, it’s going to happen. Someone very close to you will fall very ill soon. I suggest when you go home, light a candle and say a prayer to the cosmos.”
My mind started panicking. Did he mean Daniel, Stephen, Sue or Edward? Oh shit.
“At the moment you run a sports team. Your success will become your failure; something you’ve always dreamed of will fall into your lap unexpectedly. This is written and it will be the downfall of everything that you now know and cherish, because there is someone who wishes to destroy you. He can take on many guises and will not rest until his mission is complete.”
Well what could I say? Gupta’s remarks sent a chill down my spine. At the time I couldn’t comprehend the meaning of meeting this guy. If it hadn’t rained I wouldn’t have, that’s for sure.
Gupta carried on, “Do not be angry or frustrated at what happens, Eddie. You will survive and become even stronger than you are now. You will reap the rewards later. Your time on earth is a long one and you will live into your eighties. You will also become very rich and end up a household name. That path is years from now.” He released his hands from my head.
I walked out into the shop totally shell-shocked at what had just been said, my mind in complete disarray. I couldn’t help thinking that I’d just been given the kiss of death. What worried me was his revelation regarding my enemy. Was he referring to Tyzak, or what? And the illness of someone close to me? If it was Tyzak, then is he still trying to destroy me, even to this day? Maybe what Rose told me as a teenager all those years ago was spot on, and I shuddered with that thought.
Over the next two years, I grafted like mad, trying to get the house in ship-shape condition, constantly short of cash. The arguing between Sue and me reached fever pitch and in my heart I knew the marriage was doomed, that it was just a matter of time before the straw broke the camel’s back! Eltham United were now becoming a formidable force, winning the Premier Division and the cups with utmost ease, going through the season unbeaten. Daniel was now playing out-of-his-skin with new strike partner, Oliver Sucko. Mark Nelson, our goalkeeper, along with Stephen, Gary Ware, Pat Palmer and Spencer Foster were undoubtedly the best back four the league had seen for many a year. Cameron Shire, Steve Hunt, Thomas Deloys, Jay Speller, Tony Bradshaw, Danny Wilson, Lloyd Colliard and the Barnes brothers, Roger and Andrew, were, without doubt Eltham United’s strongest squad, playing together for four consecutive seasons. In 1993, the club changed grounds and started the 93/94 season playing at the Butterfly Sports Ground in Eltham.
My arrogant and cocky attitude at this time regarding my football club spilled over into my private life and brought me many enemies, including Sue. The main driving force behind my actions was my dream of having my own ground and taking Eltham United into non-league football, which the team was more than ready for. Four weeks from the end of the season, I recall working in Tulse Hill for a company based in Dulwich. I’d just finished installing a bathroom suite in a block of flats and fitting new doors on the water-tank room at the top of the block; the whole tank room was covered in pigeon shit, including the existing old doors. While I fitted the doors, I cut my hand twice and bled everywhere. I never gave it much thought and wrapped my hanky around the cut. When I finished, I returned to my van, where I proceeded to do the paperwork for the office. I sat there, day-dreaming and smiling to myself. My cuts that had stopped bleeding, so I stuck a couple of plasters over. I was looking forward to the Mary Wiltshire final at t
he Valley, Charlton Athletic’s ground; Eltham United had four league games left and were ten points clear at the top of the Premier Division. Sorted, can’t get caught, I thought, laughing.
All of a sudden, I started to feel light-headed and queasy. My initial thought was that I was coming down with something, like a head cold or flu. My chest started to feel extremely tight, like someone was standing on it. A sharp, searing pain in my chest and through my shoulder blades followed this sensation. I must have blacked out, because the next thing I remember was looking at the clock in the dashboard and realising I’d been out for over an hour! I felt like shit; my chest was heavy and painful and my head was thumping. Believe it or not I drove home; when I got there I phoned the doctor and waited for him to turn up. The pain was unbelievable; I must have taken at least six Anadin in one hour, but the tablets didn’t even touch it.
I sat waiting in the front room on my own; everyone was at work and Edward was still at school. The doctor eventually arrived and gave me the once over, advising me that I should go to the hospital now! He scribbled something on a piece of paper, stuffed it into an envelope and handed it to me, telling me to give it in, upon my arrival. After he left, I phoned Sue at work but couldn’t get through so I left a note on the kitchen table and drove to Lewisham Hospital A&E, where I was immediately put on a trolley and left in the corridor. Hours I laid there in total agony; one of the nurses stuck a sublingual glyceryl trinitrate tablet under my tongue, sending me to Venus and the far reaches of the universe. My God, what an experience. Another nurse wired me up to a cardiac machine; taking readings from my heart. It was now 8 p.m. and I’d been on the trolley since about 1 p.m.
