UNITED 0-1 DOWN TO THE GUNNERS! (42 mins gone)

I have dragged myself away from the game (above-see title) to complete this Sunday edition! It does involve Manchester United and of course, David Beckham, to be accurate. Having established his place in the United team, David was a household name by this date in 1996, when he scored a long range goal against Wimbledon, who in those days were a definite obstacle to get past in the league. The historic rise of the Wombles into the top echelon, is worth research. Actually its United 0 Arsenal 1 (18.05 real time)

Beckham picked the ball up (no, not handling it!) in his own half and like all good players, lifted his head up to see what was in front of him. (actually, a great player like out David would have looked up before receiving the ball!!). David saw Womble goalie, Neil Sullivan, off his line....well that's OK isn't it. Beckham was miles away and so was the ball. Our David, drew his right foot back and struck the ball towards Sullivan's goal, the keeper by now, was around the edge of his penalty area, like all good keepers, keeping in touch with his back four! The ball flew down the pitch (any wind? well maybe a breeze?). The ball flew over Sullivan's grasping hands as he back peddled from outside the 18 yard line. Result, great goal for United; embarassment for Neil and eventually, Beckham was awarded the PFA Young Player of the Year, that season. Fair enough!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=raLRd9Z6SrQ

SIR ALEX FERGUSON said: 'How can you forget that 60-yard goal? He tried it about 10 minutes before he scored and I said to my assistant Brian Kidd, 'If he tries that again, he's off.' 'At the time, David was getting carried away a bit and you are always trying to keep his feet on the ground. 'When the goal goes in, Kiddo turns to me and says, 'We'll have to take him off!'' GARY NEVILLE: 'The goal he scored against Wimbledon, he practiced that in training every single day. Every single day he'd be striking balls from the halfway line towards the goal.'   DAVID BECKHAM: 'My favourite goal has to be the one against Wimbledon, you know, everybody talks about it, and everybody talks about the history of it. 'But, to score something like that, I say it in the movie and I say it in my book, but I say how important it was for me personally in my career, but I was more happy about the fact that Eric Cantona came up to me afterwards and said, 'Good goal'. That was better than scoring the goal for me.' NEIL SULLIVAN: 'It was right at the end of the game, we were 2-0 down and he just got the ball on the halfway line and hit it over my head really. As it was on its way, you are thinking: This is going to be close. And it just dropped under the bar and hit the back of the net. Then I just looked at all the Man Utd fans behind the goal who were just laughing! But it was a great goal.