MIKE Padgett and I went to the same school – Longcar Central – and in the three years I knew him I can’t remember ever speaking to him. He’s a little older than me, you see, but I very much admired his footballing prowess.
Our sports teacher, Barry Hines, never praised a gifted player to his face, but behind his back he’d wax lyrical. And Mike was such an outstanding footballer, Mr Hines mentioned him often – along with footballers, Trevor Phillips, Geoff English and Keith Owen.
If I’d known Mike lived only a stone’s throw from my grandma’s on Athersley North, I’d have soon sought him out and made him a friend.
Before Longcar Central closed, in 1968, I remembered Mike being the ‘talk of the school’ when he contracted scarlet fever. One wash-day I mentioned this to my mam. “Scarlet fever!” she shouted, over the din of the twin-tub. “You do know that’s very serious, don’t you? Oh, that poor bairn.” (If you were under 18 years old, you were still a bairn to my mam.)
A year later, Mike had recovered enough to pass an audition at the Queen’s Hotel, and was offered a speaking part in the film, Kes. You can see him in the football scene on Youtube, arguing the toss with Mr Sugden (played by Brian Glover).
MR SUGDEN: Manchester United strip this... I’m Charlton today, lad. All overt’ field. Too cold to play striker.
PADGETT: Of course Charlton’s not as quick ont’ turn as Law.
MR SUGDEN: You trying to tell me about football?
PADGETT: No, Sir.
MR SUGDEN: Anyway, Denis Law’s in the wash this week.
Fast-forward 50-odd years and I discovered that Mike had become the author of two books at roughly the same time as I published mine.
We exchanged copies and I didn’t quite know what to expect. At the time, I’d only just finished reading the Orwell classic, ‘1984’, and I was concerned that I’d be comparing Mike’s writing to that of the ‘master’. But, I needn’t have worried. Mike’s style is more redolent of the great Ernest Hemingway – beautifully economical, with the clever use of similes. For example, when a football team of stiff-jointed veterans turned out in a brand new kit, Mike wrote, “... the team looked as though it had just been washed, dried and ironed.” In another chapter he explains about an uncomfortable reunion with an old friend, saying, “It was time to leave before another thin layer of friendship peeled away”.
I love his work.
Mike and I arranged to meet in Barnsley for a coffee and we got on like long-lost brothers. He had a highly successful career, was easy to talk to, had no edge, and before I knew it, it was time for us to return to our cars to avoid parking fines.
In the autumn of last year, I watched him do a presentation to an audience at the Lightbox Library – very professional, very funny.
Last week, he, the very talented Chrissie Yates, and myself, were speaking at a Barnsley Book Festival event – with Ian McMillan as host. We shared our writing experiences with a packed audience of both published and, as yet, unpublished authors.
When I asked for a show of hands of those who had writing ambitions, 90 percent of the audience raised an arm. Wow.
Some had already contacted me to say something like: “Sorry I can’t be present at the Roundhouse but if you would send me your notes, I’d thoroughly appreciate it.”
Therefore, after getting the agreement of my fellow writers, I’m able to share all our notes about ‘How to be an author’. If anyone else is interested, send me a private message on Facebook Messenger and I’ll be happy to forward this treasure chest of information.
Mike Padgett’s published books are: ‘As Far As We Can’ and ‘Scrap’.
Chrissie Yates is the author of a trilogy: ‘When Evil Walks Amongst Us’, ‘When The Devil Is Owed’ and ‘When The Devil Is Paid’.
On Monday, at the Parkway Cinema, there’s the premiere of a brilliant documentary film about Dave Cherry. It’s called, ‘Barnsley – The Town I Love’ and is directed and produced by a private film unit. It includes Ian McMillan and was filmed at various Barnsley locations. Amongst other things, it contains music, singing and in-depth interviews.
It starts at 7pm and admission is free.
