Luke Chapman - Matt's School Friend

I have to say that I didn't know 'Calcutt' (as we called him then) that well but we were friends throughout school. We didn't meet up out of school or catch up later in life but my overriding memory of Matt is playing football in the playground before school started, break times, lunch times and any time we could. I can see him now running for all he's worth, down the line, towards goal or defending, he'd be all over the place. Conceding a goal he'd come to a stop, swinging his arms and kicking the ground, head down. That ball spinning away between a couple of old jumpers really mattered at the time but scoring a goal was like winning the FA Cup and that's the image I carry with me. Him scoring, turning and running away, his hands in the air, his now sweat ridden unkempt hair blown back from his face, collar open, tie discarded long ago, his half untucked shirt barely clinging on and of course his scuffed up shoes from all the hours of playground 'cup finals' he'd played, a grin as wide as it could be and a heart felt roar of celebration as we all cheered along. It's not a funny or greatly anecdotal memory but I do like to think of him that way. And, I must say after not being in touch for over twenty years, the stories I hear other people tell of him now, of how he was with them are exactly how he was back then. It takes a strong personality to remain unchanged in life, to be yourself in all situations but Mathew did that and I'm very happy to have shared a small part of his all too short journey.