Time always seems long to the child who is waiting - for Christmas, for next summer, for becoming a grownup: long also when he surrenders his whole soul to time and I am as happy as anyone to be here. It is great to be back at my first love.

Nothing had changed in my routine, except that when I went down the chippy and got me special fried rice, it would be wrapped in a newspaper that had my picture all over it.

An image has stuck for most of my career and it isn't flattering.

I was a boy, suddenly treated like the men and expected to act like them.

The treble parade would have been the most perfect moment of my footballing life, but for the two people standing behind me, clearly already plotting their next move.

It sounds mercenary and it smacks of rats leaving the sinking ship. But get real, when everyone is bailing out, you don't want to be the last man standing.

A goal is a goal no matter which end it goes in. I'm pleased to get off the mark again.