Paul Vaessen: The Arsenal Legend That Could Have Been
Paul Vaessen retired from football in 1982 before he was 21. A serious knee injury brutally and abruptly ripping away any dreams Vaessen had of making a career as a pro footballer - undoubtedly the only dream he had. In the book, the physio at Arsenal at the time, Fred Street, said the injury was bad and the cartilage, mediate and cruciate were all done for. Nowadays, those words still strike fear into a fans heart when heard in conjunction with one of our players, but we are aware that the expertise that is at the Club is more than ample to not only maintain a career but to also curtail any absence to its minimum. Back in 1981, when the tackle that primarily started his sorrowful slide took place however, these sorts of ailments were unfortunately vocation-changers.
I could wax lyrical about the rest of the story regarding Vaessens' catastrophic fall from grace, but the book illustrates it better than I could ever hope to. The launch event for the book also gave me some insight and some answers to a few nagging questions I had burning away. Hopefully the Ex-Gunner panel that was present and fronted by the always affable Tom Watt would prove to be the balm that would soothe the irritation caused by my ignorance.
The Suite that was to hold the event was suave and classy, resembling a West End Wine Bar. My friend and I exchanged a few pleasantries with others and hastily took to the rows of seats, in Arsenal Red of course. The panel didn't disappoint. Steve Walford, Brian Talbot, Graham Rix and Paul Davis. I won't apologise when I say that when I met Paul, I had a slight fanboy moment, but he took it in his stride. Even when I forced a camera lens upon him, he just amiably smiled, his eyes screamed in cold terror though. Probably.
We watched the last 15 minutes, the most pertinent, of the Arsenal Vs Juve game, and were then treated to the panel answering questions posed by the unflappable Watts. The usual soundbites were uttered by the players but a sadness that couldn't quite be reached, tainted each response They say that there is not much worse than talent wasted, but for that talent to not only go unflourished but for the rest of his short life to be mired in sadness makes it so much worse. It was great to hear from ex-players about behind the scenes back then, such as when Talbot stated that managers had an obsession with getting out their Best XI, regardless of knocks or niggles, with Talbot himself regularly needing cortisone injections and playing whilst not 100%. He also revealed that, during that 1980 season, due to the influx of matches Arsenal were playing due to Cup runs, training took a back-burner and the squad just focused on the next match.
Paul Davis, the man, the Legend, revealed that he played football with Vaessen at youth level when Vaessen was plying his trade with Blackheath. He used to operate in the middle of the park, but it wasn't until he came under the watchful gaze of Roger Thompson (who was also part of the illustrious panel), youth team coach at the time and mentor to many Arsenal household names, Davis among them, that his aerial talent and hold-up play was utilised correctly.
Davis, in fact the whole panel, was in unanimous agreement that the boy could play and would have had a long career in football if his knee hadn't have been brutalised in a reserve match against Spurs. Graham Rix mentioned that, no matter if you've retired from playing in your late thirties or if you're forced to give up the game you adore by the medical professional hired by your Club at 21, the buzz you get from the camaraderie of a tight-knit squad, the high you get from running out on the pitch in front of thousands, is something you will always attempt to replicate, but never will. Like a tired boxer stepping into the ring way past his 'Best Before Date', it seems the bright lights and adoring fans are an experience that is nigh-on impossible to recreate, leaving the rest of your life seeming to pale in comparison. What a horrible thought but one that offers something of an answer as to why Vaessen's life after football went down the path it did.
It was so insightful listening to these players talk about their past experiences and, more importantly, their memories of Paul. After hearing what they had to say, I felt somehow connected to his tale, much like if you hear his name in conversation, you will feel an impulsion to reveal what a dramatic riches-to-rags story Vaessen had.
After the panel had fielded a few audience questions, we all had an opportunity to get our books signed. I once more pestered Paul Davis like a human mosquito, his repeated attempts to ignore me were in vain. I got his signature, another photo and a personally autographed restraining order. After queuing up to gain endorsements from the rest of the panel, we left the lavish suite.
I noticed a few parallels that eerily cropped up whilst eagerly listening to the valuable anecdotes from the ex-Gunners. Last minute goal sends us through against the much fancied opponents, who had a team that were studded with world-class stars. Rix said no-one gave them a "snowflake in Hells chance" as Juve were unbeaten at home against English opponents. Like I mentioned earlier, we never had much regard for fancied adversaries or huge odds.
I could go into more detail, like how Juve were on massive money to win the game, how on the comeback trail from injury Paul was singled out by an unforgiving crowd, how Vaessen, all 6'2 of him, had the ideal frame and quick feet to succeed, how after his career was chopped mercilessly at 21 he found himself on the wrong end of the law, or how if Sporting Chance, the charity and clinic for struggling footballers and ex-pro's had existed back then would Vaessen have successfully battled his demons, but that isn't for me to surmise nor present to you. Not when the volume penned by Stewart does it better than I could ever hope to.
I implore you to read his story. I urge you to dig a bit deeper. Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp, Ian Wright, Tony Adams and countless other leading lights of The Cannon, all have their story and achievements mentioned and shown to all and sundry. Rightfully so as they contributed so much.
The career of Paul Vaessen could have been mentioned in the same breath. We will never know. For one moment though, a sliver of time that is hazy in hindsight, Paul will live on as a Gunner that lived the dream and made fans delirious with pleasure. We can thank him for that.
Had things been different I could have walked away from the Emirates after hearing a different kind of Paul Vaessen story. I could have easily just left a Legends Tour with Paul after hearing tell tales of that wonderful moment and many others and, perhaps, that is the saddest note in the Ballad Of Paul Vaessen.
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