I'd Like to be Somebody Else

Chapter 72

Oasis had two massive nights at Maine Road on the 27th and 28th, their beloved football club's stadium. This had to be the best venue they'd ever done, to Noel, Liam and Guigsy anyway.

Peggy was babysitting Jimmyi for the whole thing so for the first time in nearly a year I was back to being the band's girl. I wasn't planning on drinking or anything but I was free at last.

They got to the stadium as early as they could, nothing had been set up yet, at all so they couldn't do the sound check, even if they wanted to. They just wanted to be at their beloved ground, well Bonehead didn't, he probably wished the gig was at Old Trafford.

...

I found a brand new football (it must have been left out from the last match) and decided we had no choice but to play.

"You're going to get us kicked out." Noel complained as I lead them to the pitch, for some reason he'd decided to be the sensible one.

"Look, is this or is this not what you dreamed of, as kids?" I tried to rile them up.

They all looked at each other deciding whether it was worth the risk, except Liam, he knew exactly what he wanted to do.

"Still do!" He forced the ball out of my grip and ran onto the grass.

"If you get us banned from here I fucking quit." Noel held his hands up in surrender as he lead us onto the pitch. "How we doing this cos I'm not running the full pitch?"

No one took his words seriously in the slightest, he wasn't going to quit for this and if he did, he'd be back before anyone noticed.

"Penalties. Man City vs your Derby Day nightmare." I suggested.

"What? United, Liverpool and Charlton Athletic?" Guigsy scoffed.

"You'll be playing them next season." I retorted.

Alan's team were in the division below, where City was heading. "Won't cos we're getting promoted."

"Shut up Cockney Cunt!" Liam responded. "Who's in goal first?"

"I am and stop being... racist or you'll get sent off." I told him off.

"Can't be goalie and ref." he commented as he went to place the ball on the penalty spot and I got in goal. "Cockney ain't a race either."

I suddenly felt really small, even making myself as big as possible as goalies do, there was at least two foot all around I had no chance of defending.

He booted the ball left and somehow I just managed to get my hand in the way. I tried to grab it but it projectiled off.

"Did you have to kick it, that hard?" I complained as I wafted my hand about in pain.

"Did you have to stick your hand in its way?" he responded as Guigsy caught the ball and took his place.

"I'll go easy on you... when you're ready." he said as he set the ball on the spot.

"Go for it." I waved my arms in the air. "Kick it wide, go on... Smoked much yet today?" I tried to put him off.

He kicked left too, his ball kept low and I had to dive to stop it. I quickly got up and threw the ball to Noel to avoid the usual fussing that I might be hurt. "You might want to take your sunglasses off for this."

"I could do it with me eyes closed." he boasted as he hung his glasses on his shirt and went to the penalty spot.

He took to the task with a professional seriousness that he did with his career. He kept changing his stance, trying to force me to go the wrong way.