Walk Way to Fame

FINALLY! Ah wis here. The day ah huv been waitin oan ma whole life. Ever since ah wis a wain when ah used tae use two hoodies as goal posts and the game only ended when the person that hud the baw had tae go in fur tea.

It was a hard life fur me, ma mammy hated fitbaw n ma dah used tae play until he got ah phonecall fae the army n av no seen him since. So it’s just me n ma maw. Ma maw said that playing fitbaw is just a waste eh time but a still defied her, ma heart wis set oan bein like ma dah. Sometimes a got detentions fur bein bad. But it was mostly fir skippin classes tae play a game or two eh fitbaw because ah thought it wis the only way a felt ah could express ma self and immerse ma self in the game. Cos after aw, ma teachers knew ah couldny get far in life cos eh ma test results they were pretty rubbish like.

An a couldny keep anything in ma heed, ma heart wis set oan fitbaw since day one. And now am here, sitting oan the bench in the changing rooms as part eh the team ah used tae watch oan the telly n dream aboot bein a part of. Sittin there looking at ma gleamin fitbaw boots ah couldny believe it, ma knees were shakin like ah leaf. Ah pit mah Nikies oan n tied the laces tight, tae be honest wi yeh a thought a wis gonna cut the circulation aff, ma fit felt like it wis gonna faw aff. The changing room wis gleaming tae, it was as spotless as when ma maw cleans up after tea!

Ah heard a knock oan the door, ma stomach wis spinnin, ah wis gointy be seek and then he walked in. The big man himsel. Alex Mcleish: ma new coach! He strutted in the changin room wi a swagger aboot him, wi his heed up high carryin a clupboard under his airm. He stood in the middle eh the changin room  n commanded tae us… “Cmon lads let’s bring it hame wi us!” in ,mah eyes he is the best coach avever seen. Especially fur his motivation.

He always picked oor heeds up high if we felt low or were losin in ah game. Ah leaped up, shook ma team mates haunds an we aw pit oor haunds in an screamed “Cmon lads it’s coming home” at the top o oor lungs. Then we aw marched oot wi oor heeds up high.The rivals, England, crept up the tunnel behind us, ah could feel the tension n hate between the two teams, it seemed like there wis gointy be scraps n we hivny even walked oot the tunnel yet. The rival team never even shook oor haunds or even said good luck, which made ma team even more furious n determined tae kick their heeds in.

Ah heard the music thumpin oot eh the stands. Ma heed wis gonty burst, then the commentator mentioned that ma team hud ah new player which was me. That made me even mare anxious than ah already wis! The commentators screeched at the top eh their lungs “Here they are, the Scotsmen!” then aw eh the fans screamed an cheered, then ah got butterflies in ma stomach and ah stormed oot tae the pitch, hoping tae win, screaming “cmon lads” as loud as ah could. We all took our places oan the pitch. Then the biggest game eh ma entire career started.

The commentators screamed “ Two minutes added time until we see the winners of  the Fifa 2018 world cup!” we were drawing 2-2, ah could see ma team mates geein up so ah shoued “Cmon lads, heeds up, keep goin” Suddenly… Harry Kane, the opposing team member came past me wi the baw, he passes it tae another player n goes oot wide, crossing the baw in the box tae Deli Ali, who heiders the baw. Ma heart stops, am gutted. Then ah realise he’s smacked the post, and Craig Gordon pelts the baw away. The relief is overwhelmin. Then a hear the final whistle an the commentators sayin “The winners of the 2018 World Cup will be decided by penalties…

The new kid oan the block Kieran is chosen tae take the penalty… “it’s a lot of pressure oan the wee man”.

Ah step up tae the penalty spot. Pick up the baw n place it oan the penalty spot, then take three steps back n look up tae the sky n take ah deep breath.

The pressure wis mad. Ah could feel the een ae awbdy oan me, so ah took one last look aroond then at the baw, sprinted up to the baw n kicked it wi everythin ah hud in me…

KIERAN MCKINLAY, DunfermlineHigh School