Ted Beckham was happy, naturally, when he found out that he was about to become a grandfather. However, the first thing he said to his son, David, was: “Oh, blimey. You couldn't have picked a worst time, could ya?”
The timing was indeed unfortunate. It was 1998 and David was one of the most hated men in England, having been sent off against Argentina in the World Cup match that saw the Three Lions eliminated. His mistake led to a tabloid-fuelled hatchet job—one printed a dartboard with his face on the bulls-eye—and months of abuse from football fans and even threats. He received bullets in the mail and was hanged in effigy.
This story is from the October 22, 2023 edition of THE WEEK India.
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This story is from the October 22, 2023 edition of THE WEEK India.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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