Friendship at Highbury

Is there anything better than friendship? 

A not demanding bond, it never asks for anything, especially a music album full of those – often rotten – love songs. There is something so gentle in friendship, the real ones. And that’s the reason why it so heart breaking once two friends has to say goodbye. A wonderful story tells about the friendship between Robin Williams and Christopher Reeve (the only movie Superman we care about) after his terrible injury “I was more dead than alive when I saw something blue and yellow and I heard a Russian stress saying I needed a rectal test. I recognized Robin, I laughed, and I understood everything was gonna be alright”. 

Probably Ian Wright felt a deep pain in 2001 when his lifeline friend David Rocastle died due to cancer, just 33 years old. Different stories. But even two lives to linked, as there was an attraction strength, fighting to bond them. 1th of April on BT Sport a movie documentary has been released to tell about that friendship story, even a sports story. Because different path that describes their careers seems to give up facing the common tale. Shared friends and colleagues, who can rebuild the history. A story started in south London suburbs, in Honor Oak Estate, till the history role, Highbury field. Until Arsenal. 

Different players Rocastle and Wright have been, a great midfielder so insight into the game and a goal killer (387 scores in 581 matches, Wright). But even different stories about luck. Lucky path at the beginning for Rocastle and a bad one for Wright. Then, as a destiny joke, roles turn. Lucky and bad luck, almost a play. In the beginnings, Rocastle has no problems, he entered the Gunners team at 18, while Wright was playing in the minor leagues and working as a carpenter. Until Crystal Palace noticed him.

A year. Just a single year. The one they met at Highbury. In 1992 Rocastle went to Leeds, starting an injuries and teams collection – actually he started the real and dramatic disease – till Malaysia. It has been like a handover between two great legends born in the same place. That little estate in Brockley. A place that every single gunners supporter should pay homage. Everyday.