And with just 4 minutes gone, the score is already 0-0.
To say that these men paid their shillings to watch twenty-two hirelings kick a ball is merely to say that a violin is wood and catgut, that Hamlet is so much paper and ink.
By the time the children go to bed, I am as drained as any mother who has spent her day working, car pooling, building Lego castles and shopping for the precisely correct soccer cleat.
The focus of our family life was homework and what was for dinner; getting to ballet rehearsal and getting my brother to soccer.
I don't think I'll ever feel as famous or as popular as I felt when I was a 17-year-old soccer player in Modle. Only about 20,000 people live there and 12,000 of them come to every game. Running onto the pitch each week was just the most fantastic feeling. Nothing can beat that.
Astonishing times. Who would have imagined that the Crazy Gang would yield a Hollywood film star (Vinny Jones), a British television ever-present (John Fashanu) and now a televised African dance champion?
Sure, the home-field is an advantage - but so is having a lot of talent.
You were only a goalkeeper.
The club continued to make significant player decisions without involving me. In the end, such a breach of trust and confidence meant that I had no option but to leave.
Something deep in my character allows me to take the hits and get on with trying to win.
Sir John Hall was a multi-millionaire when I came back to Newcastle. With all the players I've bought, I'm trying to make him just an ordinary millionaire.
The English public doesn't really like Shakespeare; it prefers football.
I didn't realise you could travel so far and still be in England.
This will be their 19th consecutive game without a win unless they can get an equaliser.
We know that we are close to making history.
There's apparently soccer leagues that they've set up with young Indian girls.
The Spaniards have been reduced to aiming aimless balls into the box.
Forest have now lost six matches without winning.
You can do as many sprints as you want but there's nothing like playing in a 90-minute soccer game. There's no better way to gain your fitness, in my opinion, than playing in consistent games.
. . . let's talk about soccer scores. There are a few things that people all around the world need to admit to themselves. Trade restraints slow economic growth, the euro is not a reserve currency and scoreless sports ties are boring.