Money for old rope ....

How do I get on one of these studies ?

Lifetime ambition #1, check.

I managed to fulfill a life-long ambition on Saturday.

I was stood on the concourse under the Lower Trent End watching the end of the Man City / Man Utd game when my eldest son returned from watching the players warm-up. He said that a man wearing a Forest coat wanted to talk to me. So I went with him to the edge of the pitch and there was the bloke who does the stadium announcements. He was looking for "Lads & Dads" to take part in the crossbar challenge at half time and would we be interested.

Bit of a no-brainer.

Come half time, we walked round to the tunnel and then on to the pitch. Three go's at hitting the crossbar from the penalty spot. My lad stepped up first, but with a full size ball from 12 yards it was never going to be easy. My first go was just over the bar, but luckily I didn't fall over in my new boots which was my biggest concern. My boy's second go was a lot better, but mine sailed up and clipped the bar on the way past. Superb. Cue crowd cheering, a clenched-fist celebration in front of the Trent End and my lad jumping up to hug me, all in front of 17,000 people.

Apparently, we win a signed shirt.

But that's not the ambition, oh no. Round three, and the other dads & lads step up to try and I'm not expecting another go, however, when it gets to me I'm allowed a third kick. Ball on the spot, in front of a packed Trent End, already won the prize. Am I going to try and hit the crossbar again, or am I just going to drill the ball straight down the middle into the back of the net. No question about it, the Psycho-esque darted penalty technique and the Trent End goal-net expands to take my bullet penalty. Fantastic.

I'm not a religious person by any means, but I looked up into the sky and thought "If you want to take me now, that'll be fine".

It isn't what happens to you that makes you who you are

It's how you deal with it that counts.

Embarrassing

As expected, the Justin Timberlake clone gained the coveted Christmas number one spot. Unexpectedly, I bought the single, as a present I hasten to add. I bought this and a recent Westlife single, but embarrassingly had to ask an assistant to fetch one from the store room. She wasn't in any hurry, so for 15 minutes, I was the Westlife fan at the counter! D'oh!