Yet another blast from the (1996) past

OK, so this wasn't quite a reunion, but last night I saw someone in the flesh who I haven't seen in person since 1996 - bizarrely, the same year that I first met Chri and O. This particular guy's name has come up a lot in conversation recently, which made last night even more of a coincidence. At the reunion with Chri and O in June his name came up. It came up again during one of my classes last week. And it was even mentioned by T in his wedding speech. Yes, last night I saw my old heart-throb David Ginola!! He's gained a few kilos and lost his flowing locks and I wouldn't really want a picture of him on my wall, but I did recognise him instantly and felt some kind of affinity to him. Not surprising I guess, given his was the last face I saw before falling asleep and the first I saw the next morning for the six months I lived in Perpignan. I even spoke French to him once at St James Park (and then I sent him a letter and he sent me a signed photograph by return but I was 18 at the time so don't tell anyone that bit!). He was playing at the match we went to last night, although playing is maybe the wrong word. He must have been on the pitch for about 10 minutes, maybe 12, and had about two touches of the ball before he was begging Sir Alex to take him off. (The match was a waste of time - no atmosphere and the Man U team lost 8-2... There was no Rooney and no Cantona as per the posters, but we did get to see Alex Ferguson, Prince Albert of Monaco, Park Ji-Sung, Fabien Bartez, Patrice Evra and Didier Deschamps. And it was for charity.)