My Hero - My Inspiration : Maz Poynter

Maz Poynter, a 22 year old broadcast journalism student, is living the Welsh way of life in Cardiff. Originally from Faversham in Kent, Maz is a fanatical "Red Devil" who also writes for "a unique podcast, produced by an all girl team, The Offside Rule (We Get It)".

These are her own words ... this is her :-

My Hero, My Inspiration. 

When I was asked to write this, the answer came easy to me. My hero and inspiration? My Dad!

When I was in primary school in Faversham, Kent, I was your typical tomboy. I remember I couldn’t ever work out what day we had Physical Education or games lessons, but when we did. That was a great day, and of course, the best lessons were football.

And who was a better football coach than my Dad to help me get up to speed with the dribbling and the passing?! As an 8 year old, I remember he took me out onto the cricket green outside our house (what I’m sure felt like every night for about three years to him now) to have a kick about so I could achieve the "ULTIMATE GOAL" - to get picked for the Year Five and Six boy's football team. And proud to say, I made that team! Although I may have been left back…in the changing rooms (excuse the pun, just had to use it!) a few times, I played for Davington Primary football team, and boy did I feel special.

Charlton Athletic v Stockport County
27 September 1997

"King Eric"

Now obviously I didn’t realise this at the time, but my parents are convinced I was infatuated with Eric Cantona in his heyday. My father desperately tried to shape me into a Charlton Athletic supporter like him and his father, taking me countless times to The Valley to see them, but I remember when they lost 3-1 to Stockport County on the 27 September 1997, I remember thinking “This isn’t my team!”. So despite his valiant efforts to make me an Addicks fan, I actually morphed almost overnight into another ‘Red’, but this time, one about 250 miles North into a ‘red devil.’ Looking back, it was definitely Cantona that sparked my interest in football. The Frenchman’s truly influential gameplay and vigour was a force to be reckoned with for anyone else playing against him in the Premiership, and it was great to see a team enjoy their football so much.

Needless to say it wasn’t long until I managed to persuade my parents to make the trip to Manchester. For anyone to go to Old Trafford for the first time is a big deal, but for a 4 foot tall, nine year old girl faced with the prospect of coming to face to face with ‘The Theatre of Dreams’, it really was a fantastic birthday present that will stay with me. And since then, I’ve supported United. Not because they have been solid for pretty much my entire lifetime (although obviously everyone likes a winner!) No, it’s because of the characters Sir Alex Ferguson has put on his stage. Of course there’s Beckham, and Scholes, and Neville…but who can forget the unstoppable strike force that was Dwight Yorke and Andy Cole? And naturally, we have to pay homage to the player who is in my opinion, United’s absolute greatest, Ole Gunnar Solskjær. His performance in the 1999 Champions League final was just incredible, and is something that makes me smile whenever I think about it.

Ole!

Throughout my teens I always watched the footy on the television with my Dad. We’d sit down with a cuppa, and almost vegetate until the weekend’s matches were over - bliss! At school I was 99% certain I would end up becoming a solid left-back for England’s women’s team, and fly into the box to head a goal in from a sweeping corner. 

The Offside Rule (We Get It!)
Links Below

As for that dream, well that remains to be seen, but now I’m nearing the end of a Masters degree in journalism and I am loving writing about football for a blog called ‘The Offside Rule (We Get It!)’. The podcast is written by an all-girl team producing podcasts about the football world and posted on a weekly basis.

I believe that with my Dad’s work ethic, Cantona’s flair and Solskjær’s creativity, I may not be literally running down the pitch, but am getting picked for the team- and I hope, playing well! 

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Links

The Offside Rule : Podcast

The Offside Rule : #twitterfeed

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