Name to evoke a thousand memories

THEY call it hitting a worldy now. In my day, we just used to shout “Lorimer”.

A thumping shot. In the garden, the street, at school. Just admire that... and hope not to hear glass breaking.

Even kids who were not Leeds fans shouted “Lorimer... 90mph Lorimer”.

Yet, the name also means the goal that wasn’t. The European Cup final in Paris in 1975 should have been the crowning glory for a magnificent team.

In the 62nd minute, Lorimer lashed home the opener, the referee pointed to halfway and all was well with the world. Then it wasn’t. After Bayern

Munich captain Franz Beckenbauer harangued the referee and linesman, the goal was disallowed. Billy Bremner was ruled to be offside. He wasn’t. Plain cheating, Lorimer called it.

Leeds fell apart, Bayern scored two goals on the break, the fans rioted... and the club took years to recover.

In my little street in Leeds, a nearly nine-year-old me was realising this life business was tougher than I thought. I was in bed by the time the second goal went in. Up the street, Martin, even younger than me, had already been despatched to his room for swearing.

Don’t think Martin, the nicest lad you could wish to meet, has sworn since.

Across the street, Mrs Flynn had prepared a chocolate cake and the plan was to start on it when Leeds scored.

Lorimer hit the net, Mrs Flynn headed for the kitchen... by the time she got back, no need for cake. The Clarkes, the Purdys, the Harkers, the Barneses... desolation in my little street.

I wish I could have told Peter Lorimer that. And I had a chance a few years ago when I found myself standing next to him in a Leeds pub.

I wanted to tell him about Martin and Mrs Flynn and me and our street. And how much it all meant. A memory of growing up and the people I knew.

But instead we talked for a few moments about the merits of Taylor’s Bitter as opposed to Taylor’s Landlord.

I don’t know why but maybe because he just seemed like a nice, ordinary, bloke who wanted to chat about beer.

Albeit a bloke who, if there had been any justice at all, had once scored the winning goal in a European Cup final.