SHIRT & TOM

It wasn’t the natural team for a boy growing up in Hertfordshire but Tom’s mum had grown up in Norwich so Tom became a Norwich City supporter. The family had a long history with the team, Tom’s great aunt never missed a game – on the radio. She was still cutting reports from the sports pages into her 90s. The family even played for Norwich, Geno Yallop, Tom’s grandad’s great uncle, played in their first team in 1902. Less ceremoniously, he was also their first player to be sent off. Tom and his two brothers never played professionally but when they played as kids they always adopted the names of professionals. Nick, Tom’s elder brother, an Arsenal fan, played as their star midfielder Liam Brady. Nick served up the humiliation of insisting Tom also play for Arsenal, as Alan Sunderland, with his silly bubble perm. But Tom knew he was a Norwich man, he’s had this shirt since he was five years old.

21 Oct 2012