[Stairs]

We used to play on the road with either jumpers for goalposts or across it using the gateposts. The boys were bossy but my best mate was a tomboy and used to beat them up. My mum used to be the harridan that came out to shout at everybody when the ball hit her windows. Happy days.

I did the same. Played in the road. But the 'big' house in our street had a large grass verge in front of its walls and so our goal was the wall, jumpers in place for posts and our softy of a keeper could dive as much as he wanted on grass while we played on the Tarmac and took shots at him.

One Sunday lunch one of us hit a low shot at goal and clipped the grass verge and the ball sailed up and over the wall. Followed by the sound of breaking glass. We scarpered. Pointless really but we did. When we timidly returned (8-10 age range) we found one of my friends father calming the family as the ball crashed through the dining room window and onto their Sunday dinner table with all of the family attending.

Ooooops.