The Origins of the Golden Boot Award
"The origins of the British United Golden Boot Award were, until recently, shrouded in the mists of time, of at least an alcoholic haze, but now the truth can be told.
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| Marc Nicol |
Several years ago, after another season as United's top scorer, Mark Nicol, our burly former centre forward, decided that this achievement should be recognised in some way in future seasons.
Having carelessly lost one of his boots in the chest of an opposition goalkeeper in the dying minutes of the final moments of the 1985-1986 season, he devised a cunning means of disposing of the remaining boot without contravening local bye-laws regarding the dumping of toxic materials. Searching through his garage he found an old piece of 2x4, a couple of nails and a can of gold paint, and the Golden Boot Award was born.
Of course, having just got rid of the offending article, he made damn sure not to win it himself the following season, and the questionable privilege of playing host to the award for a year went to the mantlepiece of former child model and nightclub bouncer, Steve Price.
It took three successive seasons before he realised that moving house to escape the unpleasant odour in the living room hadn't worked and, as many people witnessed, he went to incredible lengths to avoid scoring goals in the 1989/90 season.
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| Mikee Hardwicke |
It was indeed unfortunate that the hotel health regulations meant that the Golden Boot itself could not be presented at the 1990 Awards Dinner, to the season's top scorer Dr Keith Veitch.
It is even more distressing for all lovers of football that Mark Nicol, the inaugurator of the original award, will, through injury and departure to Runcorn, be unable to compete for the new improved Golden Boot in future seasons."
Attributed to Michael Hardwicke, October 1990
