Published: 1 November, 2012

IT has been an amazing year of sport, simply amazing. Yet when the grandchildren ask me in years to come, what were the real memories of 2012, I’ll say: “Thierry, Jack and Theo, sit down here a moment. Let me tell you the truth about that golden sporting year.” They will gather around the fireside, toasting marshmallows and cuddling their souvenir Gunnersauruses.

“Listen boys, in the picturebooks you will see the gold medal winners of the Olympics, Bradley Wiggins in the Tour De France and Andy Murray at the US Open. And that was all very fine, but kids there was something better than that, a sporting drama you could not have even dared to believe. They were like fairytales.” Theo will ask for another marshmallow.

I’ll continue: “What people around here really remember from that year were two things. In January, Thierry Henry came back and played for Arsenal again. That’s what really made people around here smile in 2012. The Olympics were gone in a flash, but kids, Thierry came back. Thierry. He actually came back. He came on and scored the winner against Leeds.”

Little Thierry will smile at the mention of his namesake. Theo will pipe up: “But what was the other thing, you said there were two amazing sporting things of 2012.” It will be impossible not to beam.

“That’s true, kiddios. Late in October, the Arsenal team did something so remarkable nobody could really believe it. They were 4-0 down. FOUR NIL. Later, they were 4-2 down with just seconds to go. They came back. They were pegged back by Reading and they came back again. They won 7-5. And the next night Spurs lost. That’s what people around here really remember about 2012. That.”
RICHARD OSLEY

I SEE Dave Giroud and Francis Coquelin tried the John Terry shirt test at the Madejski on Tuesday and the French super stars really did get their tops tossed back at them.

We think it’s because there were still 30 minutes left to play, not because the luckless fans who caught them suddenly realised whose names were on the back.

Still, Dave and Fran, or Morecambe and Wise as they’re now known, were lucky to find any Arsenal fans to throw their shirts to at full time. Quite a few loyal Gooners had been spotted running out at the interval asking what time the next bus to Woolwich was due and could they have their Arsenal back.

Sorry to disappoint, but RVP, Clichy, Fabregas and that bloke with the tattoos on his right arm (pick a player, any player) ain’t coming back. They’ve joined clubs that might win something.

Can’t blame them for moaning though when today’s players figure that drawing with one of the bottom sides in the league in a competition they supposedly don’t care for warrants a shirt share. It’s a pity Arsene didn’t pack the team with kids – they might have had the nous to realise there was extra time to go before they played Santa with the shirts. Over in Southampton on Sunday it was like fight night in Santa’s grotto after Brad Friedel threw his kit to the travelling fans after our marvellous victory.

Why wouldn’t it be though? Tottenham have got players with shirts worth arguing over.
CATHERINE ETOE