Thought For The Day – Friday 9th June 2023
Moments and Memories
*Please stay safe and well in the heat this weekend.
Well done to Year 8 students on their examinations this week
At the end of West Ham United’s Europa Conference League Final on Wednesday, which was broadcast officially for free on “You Tube” and on the radio, their manager, David Moyes, 60 years of age, went over to his father, David Moyes Senior, who is 87, and gave him his winners’ medal. In his special moment, as he won his first major trophy, he remembered his dad and his family. Father’s Day is next Sunday.
David Moyes Senior was a former shipyard patternmaker, engineering lecturer and Assistant Principle at Anniesland College. He also managed the team in Scotland, Drumchapel Amateurs, where his son began his career. There were standards on this team. Players were expected to wear a shirt and tie to games and swearing was banned. Anyone who broke the rules was dropped, even if they were the best player. No one was bigger than the team.
In his press conference after Wednesday’s game, David Moyes Junior remembered the former co-owner of West Ham and his daughter, who both recently passed away. In the pandemic, Moyes delivered shopping the elderly, without fuss or publicity. David Moyes has had challenges in his football career, but he kept on keeping on, remaining true to his values. Like the scorer of the winning goal in the 89th minute, Jarrod Bowen, who, after unsuccessful trials with Aston Villa and Cardiff City, signed with non-league Hereford United. before being spotted by West Ham playing for Hull City.
West Ham’s season itself was not just a lesson in resilience and loyalty, but also opportunity. It would have been so easy to just focus on the league, especially given challenges, but there were other opportunities to make memories. If you never try, you will never know.
Supporters in their thousands wonderfully welcomed back the team in East London last night, celebrating a first major trophy since 1980. There were tears of joy. Everyone got it right. At the match, a few individuals did not make the right decisions and disrespected their roots. They did not, and will never, take away from the good massive majority.
Positive actions create positive memories to last a lifetime. Whether it be in sport or whatever we are interested in, these shared stories inspire and sustain us in challenging times. Positive moments and memories are so important.
At TBSHS, we think of very long-serving and very influential former member of staff Mr. Ian Wickens, and his brilliant son David, both passionate West Ham fans who passed away in the last few years, who we pray were looking on.
Manchester City and Inter Milan play on Saturday evening. UNICEF Soccer Aid is on Sunday (we raised money for UNICEF with our last non-uniform day). It is 41 days to the Women’s Football World Cup.
Have a good and safe weekend.
