TRUE STORY COMING UP GUYS.
FRED DONNELLY, WHO USED TO BE HEAD OF THE LADIES SET-UP UNTIL LAST SEASON, USE TO BE MY P.E. TEACHER!!
FROM WHAT I CAN REMEMBER, HE WAS FROM SOMEWHERE UP NORTH BUT CAME TO OUR SCHOOL IN EAST LONDON SOMETIME IN THE 1970'S. HE WAS A FANTASTIC TEACHER AND A GREAT BLOKE WHO ALWAYS HAD A LAUGH WITH THE LADS.
HE EVEN ALLOWED HIS FAVOURITES - OF WHICH I'M PROUD TO SAY I WAS ONE BECAUSE HE LOVED MY ENTHUSIASM, IF NOT MY ABILITY

- TO CALL HIM BY HIS FIRST NAME ONCE WE REACHED THE FOURTH AND FIFTH YEAR.
MR. DONNELLY EVEN ALLOWED US TO TAKE A WHOLE DAY OFF SO THAT WE COULD GO TO WIMBLEDON TO WATCH THE TENNIS AND, WHEN IT WAS RAINED OFF, ARRANGED IT SO WE COULD GO ANOTHER DAY INSTEAD.
I WISH I COULD HAVE TOLD HIM PERSONALLY, BUT FRED DONNELLY WAS A HERO TO ME AND I'M SURE MANY THOUSANDS OF OTHER SCHOOL BOYS WHO CROSSED HIS PATH WHILE HE WAS A TEACHER.
WRITING THIS HAS BROUGHT BACK SO MANY MEMORIES THAT I'M ALMOST IN TEARS THINKING BACK!!
OH WHAT HAPPY DAYS THEY WERE.