Football: Nelson relates a cautionary tale

Sunday 24 August 1997 23:02 BST
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Every Saturday night sports paper, be it a Pink or a Green 'Un, carries the thoughts of one player or another, hired to disclose the latest on the groin-strain front, describe how "excellent" so-and-so did to score three goals in the last match and explain how vitally important it is to take every match as it comes.

The Birmingham Sports Argus carries six such offerings, one for each of the Premiership and Nationwide clubs in its circulation area.

Frankly, few are worth reading beyond the headline. There is one exception, however.

Already, "Inside Villa Park", by Portuguese full-back Fernando Nelson, which made its debut this season, is less of a football column than a family saga.

So far, readers have learned how Fernando and his brother have been trying to build a block of 15 apartments in Oporto, where he grew up, and how the project suffered a setback when the brother, who also makes his living playing football, was transferred to Madeira.

They have been regaled also with the sad story of Fernando's all-white Pyrenean sheepdog, Snowy, who had to be put down because he was epileptic and how Snowy's replacement, Sting, turned out to be "a bit mad" and has had to move to his parents' house in Oporto.

Now Fernando has a St Bernard, called Aston, which he insists would be more than a match for Brian Little's Alsatian.

"I have to say that he [Brian] has a very big dog indeed," he writes. "But the gaffer had better watch it if Aston comes across him [the dog, one presumes] because he will eat him for breakfast."

All this and regular updates on the progress of Ivan Nelson Carvalho da Silva Vieira Alves, Fernando and Maria's new-born son. The next installment is eagerly awaited.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in