How Cantona found the poet in Rambo

Elsewhere in this column, I mention the French poet Arthur Rimbaud (1854-1891).

One of my favourite footballing stories involves Rimbaud and one Eric Cantona, who had come to England first as a Leeds United player in 1992.

In an early media interview, Cantona named Rimbaud as one of his heroes.

This, however, was misinterpreted by Leeds fans… who thought the cultured Frenchman was referring to John Rambo, the Vietnam War vet played by Sly Stallone in four films.

Cantona’s presence on the Elland Road pitch was frequently met by chants of “Rambo! Rambo!”.

Has anyone noticed that there is more graffiti than ever in the Riding Gate subway some 40 yards from the front door of Canterbury police station?

There’s been some weird poem about a monster for seemingly months or even years.

And now there’s graffiti in foreign languages appearing. I’m sure I’ve seen French and Spanish on the walls.

The question, I suppose, is whether anyone is ever going to clean it up.

Can anyone remember that bloke with the dog who used to sit up by the Longmarket and fix people’s glasses so that they wouldn’t fall off their noses?

I’m sure he was there for a lot of the 80s and 90s. He had white hair and a white beard and – if memory serves me right – a large blonde-haired dog.

A few of us were talking about the things that disappeared from Canterbury’s streets that were unique to them.

All of us who grew up here remember the Wimpy burger joint next to Our Price in the High Street – but back then every city centre had these.

If you can think of something wonderful and unique from the city’s past, drop me a line.

Quote of the week, from journalist Patrick West: “Strange how every-day, lowlevel, petty racist incidents weren’t deemed newsworthy before last week.”

Eric Cantona: cultured