A Matter Of Life And Death

By Luke Edwards on Oct 5, 08 10:09 AM

There are times in sport when even hard-nosed, cynical journalists like myself are moved by what they see and Grant Leadbitter's goal against Arsenal was one of those moments.

I would be the first to agree that sometimes we all take football - and sport in general - a little too seriously when you consider the bigger issues affecting our lives.

Lose your job, can't pay your mortgage, your family is about to be evicted and your home auctioned by the bank - or your football team loses 2-0 at home!

And then there is the tragic loss of life, something Leadbitter has had to contend with this year following the death of his father.

Leadbitter does not say much. In fact, in journalistic terms, he is not the sort of player you'd frantically look out for after a game because he looks as though he enjoys trying to express his thoughts to the media about as much as he would a trip to the dentist to have his teeth taken about by a swaying man in a mask smelling of whiskey.

But the young midfielder didn't have to say anything for us to realise how much his goal against Arsenal meant to him.

The manner in which his goal celebration ended with him falling to his knees in tears in front of his family in the stands said everything we needed to know and more.

It was a vivid and raw insight into the pain and regret of the mourning process and a reminder that football, whatever Bill Shankly might have said, really isn't more important than a matter of life or death.

Leadbitter has found it difficult to come to terms with the loss of his dad - as we all would - and that perhaps explains why he has not had as much of an impact on the first team this season as we might expect.

But perhaps, having scored such an important goal and dedicated it to the man who once stood alongside him at Roker Park, the England Under-21 international can start to close a difficult chapter in his life.

The pain will never disappear, but a goal of such quality against such a quality side was at least fitting tribute to his memory.