Old Trafford & More Knee News - 29th May 2013

Old Trafford & PPS

As the regular readers will know, or if you saw my last blog post, me & 14 friends played on Old Trafford, the home of Manchester United on Monday, as part of a competition prize that I won last week.  As a football fan, albeit a Liverpool one, I cannot describe how amazing the experience was playing on the pitch at Old Trafford.  As much as I detest Manchester United, you cannot hide away from the fact that the facilities and size of the stadium are unbelievable.  I have been to Old Trafford on various occasions before, although that was to watch football and not play but until you are down on the pitch, you cannot appreciate the high standard of stadium that Manchester United really have.

Tom, Me & Ryan taking it all in after the games

I found myself, on several occasions, just standing and looking up and around into the stands in awe at the size of the place.  Imagining what it would be like to play there in front of 75,000 people, what a feeling that must be, especially if you are the home side, with the majority of those cheering you on, although I caught myself imagining what it would have been like to be in the Liverpool side that went there and won 4-1 in March 2009, especially as we were drawn out in the away dressing room for our matches too!

Cal's XI lining up with manager Bryan Robson & the Premier League trophy

The matches themselves weren't at all successful for my team's, Cal's XI, point of view but from the start our intentions were to enjoy the experience, we had no agenda to go and try to win all our matches.  Of course, it would have been nice to do that but in the end, I wanted to give a few of the lads a chance to play on the pitch of the team they've supported all their lives, even if it did include a few of the "Dad's" getting a run out.  Obviously I was still disappointed not to win a game and score a goal myself, although saying that I had an opportunity to do so and successfully lobbed it over the bar into the empty Stretford end (something i'll never live down I don't think!).

Post match interview

We got the opportunity to wander around at our own will, within reason of course, but we ventured into the home dressing room, had a touch of the Premier League trophy and many other things i'll never forget, as well as being managed by Bryan Robson for both our games, which is something not everyone can say they've done, if any at all (besides former West Brom, Middlesbrough, Thailand players haha).

Lining up with the lads before the game

I have to at some point thank FourFourTwo magazine & Chevrolet, as without them the opportunity wouldn't have been possible.  I am looking forward to seeing my interviews from the day with FourFourTwo, although I'm not too sure how many wonderfully broad, Lancashire accent will come across on film and also how good/poor my interview skills are.  Either way it should be humorous!  Some may be wondering what you get for a fourth placed finish, I myself was too.  People joked that wooden spoons weren't available and nobody could nip out and obtain one due to it being a bank holiday (the day itself was very light hearted with plenty of jokes thrown around), but I gratefully received a bottle of champagne on behalf of the lads, to commemorate our efforts throughout the day.

4th placed prize, got it signed by Robson & Cole too (No I won't be drinking it haha)

Me & Dad before the games

If anybody would like more pictures and/or information about the day, feel free to contact me on any of the following;

Twitter: @CalFerguson

Instagram: CalFerguson

Facebook: Calvin Jake Ferguson

To conclude this post, I had recently booked in a physio appointment due to an occurrence of pain in and around my knee cap (on my previously operated leg).  I had some suspicions that something was wrong as pain usually indicates this in some way, shape or form but this was a little more serious than I suspected.

The pain I was suffering from was Patellofemoral pain syndrome.  This basically means that there is pain or discomfort orientating from the surface of the patella (the back of the kneecap) and is most frequently diagnosed through sport injury and medicine (also known sometimes as "runners knee").  The pain results from abnormal forces, which can vary, but in my case the increased pull of the lateral quadriceps can potentially damage and thin out my cartilage.  So, all in all, I need to strengthen my right quadriceps in order to relieve the tension placed on my patella and therefore, hopefully, reduce the pain I am suffering, otherwise, in the long term, I will cause myself injury even further.

Ps, message for David Moyes in the home dressing room "Liverpool, Hello Dave Moyes, 5 times"