300 cheers for our glenn

Dear Dan,

Some time ago a friend of mine and I had this idea that we would start a blog about our football team. We thought it would be great to use this idea that we would write to each other in a hopefully insightful and occasionally humorous way. It seemed to start of ok and I even got a couple of messages from my friend when I was remiss in posting to the blog. But for a while now I haven't heard from my friend ... I am still waiting for his tribute to simmo in honour of his 250th game.

Anyway, I don't quite know what to do about my friend? What do you think?

And this week is quite the week. 300 games for our Glenn Archer. Such an amazing footballer - the media has been full of the typical cliches and tributes one would normally associate with glenn, but there is something special and intangible about our glenn that is only really appreciable to the north melbourne supporter. more than just being the "heart and soul" of the club he represents something human that we can identify with more than just being a footballer. the way that he took care of stevo and dragged the club into the finals when they could have fallen apart. the image of arch and stevo being chaired of the ground in round one 2002 is one of the most moving of football memories.

i think that it was martin flanagan who once wrote that glenn archer was rare in a footballer in that the more you knew of him the more you wanted to know.

the 90s was a time to savour and arch seems to symbolise the pagan era of uncompromising football where victory never seemed impossible and the opposition was already at a disadvantage before the game had even begun.

an undersized archer regularly beating matthew richardson, being thrown forward, punching goalposts, cursing weak willed opponents and just never ever giving in.

and now the cement truck in footy shorts is almost at the end, but before then there is the opportunity to give him the recognition, appreciation and thanks he deserves.

See you on sunday,

Justin