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The referee rang the buzzer
and it was time for the players to
line up in the tunnel which was
our cue for a hasty exit out of
the dressing room. Whilst I took
up a position pitchside ready to
photograph the match, Tom found
somewhere quiet to sit and write
up his notes. It wasn’t Tom’s role
to watch the game and produce
a match report, The Times chief
football writer Henry Winter was
in the stadium to do that.
The feature was to be published
in the following day’s edition of
‘The Game’ the Times’ football
pull-out so we were both working
to a tight deadline and would
have to file our copy and pictures
soon after the final whistle.
The half-time whistle blew and
although Shrewsbury had played
well against their Premier League
opponents they found themselves
a goal down and facing an FA Cup
exit live on the BBC.
Tom and I dashed back from
our vantage points to listen to
Ricketts delivering his thoughts
on a first-half performance that
he felt deserved better, Town had
created plenty of good chances
but couldn’t find the leveller.
There wasn’t any ranting or
raving, any blame proportioned
for mistakes made or coffee cups
thrown, everyone remained calm
and focussed and the game-plan
remained much the same.
Just like before I was trying to
be as inconspicuous as possible
the last thing I wanted was to
be noticeable to the players
when Ricketts or his assistant
Graham Barrow were delivering
their words of wisdom. I didn’t
want anyone to be able to
say afterwards that they were
distracted by what I was doing
there.
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