Guest Blogger Has Been Converted - Daddy Blog

I have two sons: one a die-hard fan of Arsenal and another a staunch supporter of arch rival ManUre. So, who do or should I support? Tough choice, huh. Or is it? NAAAH... It’s a no-brainer, a piece of cake, a walk in the park.

You see, my eldest son, SgGooner, was 'made' in Tokyo when I was stationed there (I could even recall the details of how...), both of us are born in the month of the Capricorn and only 3 days apart. In many ways, we are similar in terms of character, style, behaviour, attitude, likes and dislikes, particularly for the love of our pet dogs, first Bimbo and now Bam-Bam, so much so that dogs are naturally endeared to dog-lovers like us.

Why, we even looked alike when he was a teenager and a head shorter then. We actually won this 'top 10 father-&-son look alike contest' sponsored by Isetan.

For years, while I followed closely the English football pool or EPL as it is known today, I didn’t have any particular favourite but chose whoever was then the hottest team. But with SgGooner's constant and passionate canvassing for Arsenal in the last 5 years or so, team Arsenal came in strong in my reckoning and today you can bet I cheer excitedly for every goal they score and groan each time they are scored against.

SgGooner even bought a colourful Arsenal sticker for road tax disc to display on my windscreen. How can I not end up as an ardent Arsenal fan?

One of his proudest moments was when he won two tickets and accommodation to London & Madrid in a contest sponsored by Tiger Beer 2 years ago. He and Mrs. Blog had such a great time there and he came into the limelight of Newpaper with his glorious write-up on the Highbury just before its closure and the unforgettable victorious Champions League game against Real Madrid.

Then came his craziest moment the following year when he spent his hard-earned money on another trip to Paris and 1,000 euros or S$2,000 equivalent on black market ticket (and he called it 'cheap') just to witness Arsenal lose to Barcelona at the Champions League Final. That's my son and your Vice-President for you, but then you can’t fault him for his enthusiasm and passion for Arsenal at all cost.

His best achievement is pioneering a group of fellow Arsenal fans at Elizabeth Hotel and eventually obtained the status of Arsenal Singapore Club with increasing members to include the daddy-o's, the young ones, the groovy chicks, the Ah Bengs and the ang-mohs in a crowded lounge leaving only standing-room and bad/drunken breath to soak in the atmosphere.

Me, I'd rather stay home on my cozy sofa and enjoy the Arsenal beating the hell out of their opponents on my 42" plasma TV. Of course, my lone cheering is far more subdue compared to the racket at the Liz that often brings the house down and invites neighbour’s complaints.

The day when Arsenal met ManUre two or three matches ago on a Saturday night I was holidaying in Malacca. To my dismay, a local told me there wasn't much of football craze there so I was withdrawn to a stoney evening.

After a sumptuous Peranakan dinner at Mahkota, we adjourned to Jonker Street where the road was closed to motor cars on Saturday nights. The quartermile-long street came alive with foodstalls, antiques, staged show for Chinese talentime and bevy of Ah Lians, line dancings, bars and coffee shops, and a string of brightly-lit pasar malam.

Half way through walking, lo and behold, we saw a small coffee shop screening the Arsenal-ManUre match on TV. I immediately ordered a cup of tea costing a mere RM1 and noted the score then was 1-1. There were only a few tables occupied by many Hokkien-speaking Ah-Peh and I had to endure their "expert" commentary throughout. Still, I wouldn't miss it for the world.

10 minutes to go when a draw appeared imminent, that blasted Ronaldo had to score a lucky one, 1-2. One man jumped up and shouted "HO SAY LIAO!" amid a chorus of Hokkien expletives: "Cnnbccb!…..Tiam lah!…..Si peh suay!.....", and me included. Apparently a heavy betting is on Arsenal on home ground for a win.

But hallelujah, when you thought everything was lost, up came the gallant Gallas with his sucker punch at injury time and scored. 2-2. More screams in Hokkien "HENG AH…..! SENG AH…..! SENG CHENG GUA KHOR AH……!" (Oh, so lucky, we saved thousand over dollars!)

I stood up and shouted "GOOOOAAAAALLLLLLLLL.....!" a-la Latin-American style. Indeed, a last-minute draw is as good as a win, and against an arch rival at that. It means Arsenal stays on top of the league, and more importantly their unbeaten league record stays intact.

The mood was so elated that when I re-joined my friends in the next corner for a drink, the live band playing 60s and 70s music at the open-air bar sounded especially good. There were even the in-crowd people dancing the night away.

To cut the story short, see how influential SgGooner has on the people around him? I can safely say that I am now a through and through converted Arsenal fan. Let's see if he can influence his cute niece Baby Clarah to this extent.

Now, if only my son can devote as much energy and passion and enthusiasm in his career which is my main concern. If so, he would have done very well indeed in time to come. And last but not least, he can find time and ways to start his own family too. That is my greatest wish!

Come on Gunners! And similarly…….Come on, Son!