I SPENT most of my younger years watching my dad play and after he went into coaching I spent most weekends watching Charlton Athletic.

As I got older, I started playing non-league football and again was fortunate to play in good teams that went on to win cups and championships, so lots of games were memorable for me.

But the game that has always in my mind been the most memorable wasn’t a game I even played in - the semi-finals of the 1990 World Cup - Germany vs England.

I was 13 and enjoying a holiday in Majorca with my family. The World Cup was on and my dad and I would go and watch the England games and it was during this two week break that I truly fell in love with football.

I was really nervous watching the game, especially when we went behind before the joy of drawing level. Then Gazza (Paul Gascoigne) got booked, which meant he would miss the final. Gazza was someone I had recently met at my dad’s friend Glenn Roeder’s house for his son’s christening.

At the end of 90 minutes I had my own dramas to deal with trying to persuade my parents to let me stay up and watch the game as extra-time meant it was quite late in Spain.

After the penalty shoot-out defeat I found myself crying and it may have been because I was tired or because it was one of those special father and son moments but all I know is that game has stuck with me.

After that tournament, I always looked up to Sir Bobby Robson as a manager and a person.

My love for watching England has never been the same as those two weeks away in Spain but I am hoping this will change in the years to come and I will be able to share a similar memory with my son one day.

My most memorable game will more than likely be slightly odd in comparison to others but that Germany and England game got me hooked on football and I look back at that holiday and game as a point where football really started to matter to me.