Ever since I was eight years old I have loved football. I have supported Westham all my life probably because it was one of the first teams I heard about.
When I was eight years old I went to a fair in Brentwood and at the entrance a man gave me a football leaflet about a football club.The man was quite small and didn’t have much hair. Well anyway I gave my mum the leaflet and she read it. She asked me if I would like to join a football cluband I said “Yeh” with a lot of enthusiasm.
My mum started asking me some questions about football. One of them was “ do you know how to play football”? I replied “yes, I play it nearly every day at school”.
“Is there anything else you do at school that I don’t know about”? mumbled my mum. I pretended not to hear because I could not be bothered to answer.
I remember that I actually went to Brentwood to buy something, some football boots. This was because Lakeside was not built then and that’s where I always seem to go when I need something.
It seemed like years to me since we had got that leaflet until I would finally go to the football practice.
On the journey to the sports hall which in fact was the boys gym at St Martins, I was beginning to feel a bit nervous.
When I got there I went in the gym and they put me into a group. The group I was in had to shoot in the goal against a small goal keeper who would have to run from one post to the other. Our coach used to tell us to follow through which meant when we kicked the ball we had to bring our leg up as far as possible. You would not be able to do that anymore because it is dangerous play.
All the boys lined up to take a shot, there was about twenty of us. We all took a shot and the ball always rolled slowly into the back of the net.
We never used to play competitive matches, I was put in defence and have played there ever since. I played in the centre and I was right footed. I played for a club called Great Danes. We never won anything until I was twelve years old, we won the League and came second in the League cup final.
By Ashley Jolly some time in 1997.
Ashley Jolly; 19 Jan 82 to 28 May 98
A Day In the Life Of Ashley Jolly
I was woken by the sound of my dad using the shaver. I slowly turned my head to see the clock, it was only half past six. I managed to get back to sleep but I ended up sleeping in. This time I was woken when my brother turned our bedroom light on. I looked up at the clock again, it was now half past seven. I was running late for school.
I jumped out of bed and ran to the bathroom to beat my brother or otherwise I would end up being later. I quickly got washed and brushed my teeth, they were aching this morning because I had been to the orthodontist the night before.
I then had to do the impossible, I had to find my school clothes in my bedroom. I found them screwed up in a corner. My mum had to iron a shirt.
I ran down stairs put some toast in the toaster whilst I had a drink of orange. I packed my bag and checked that I had the right books.
I heard the toast pop up so I took it out, I didn’t have enough time to put anything on it.
I ran out the door with the toast in my mouth. I started walking up the road when I saw one of my neighbours, I tried to walk faster so that they wouldn’t see me, but then I heard my name being called. I said “Hi” and they replied, “have a nice day at school”.
I thought yeh right a good day at school, that will be the day.
Today as I was running late I decided to go a quicker way to normal. This meant sacrificing walking with my friends which I didn’t particularly like doing because when I am with my friends we are always talking about what we had done the night before. The walk of a morning to school wakes me up but as soon as I get to the first lesson the tiredness seems to set in. I quite enjoy school because it is the one chance I get to see all my friends together. Without my friends school would be a living nightmare.
I also walk home with my friends but this time we are walking extremely slowly because school has tired us out, I eventually arrive home at about 4pm. I normally make a snack because I don’t really eat a lot at school.
I then go up to my room to do my homework. I prefer to get it out of the way rather than rushing it at the last minute. I also know that when it is done I have some time to myself, I normally sit in my room listening to music or otherwise I play on my computer.
By Ashley Jolly some time in 1997.
Ashley Jolly; 19 Jan 82 to 28 May 98
