10 Years On - Eric the Red is back

Ten years ago, Eric the Red's Welsh football became the first ever website to focus on the Welsh National Team. It achieved neo-legendary status amongst early foot-geeks with its hard-hitting comment, spinning footballs and animated gifs.

But I was a fake. As more people started to follow Wales, I found it hard to maintain credibility. I've only been away twice with Wales, while some people made it their raison d'etre. I passed on the baton to Dragon Soccer and settled into oblivion, and concentrated on my job as Bobby Gould's PR man.

I moved to the mountains and settled down. Football became a distant memory as I stood on the terraces at Farrar Road. But even that was too good for me. I felt the need to be punished for my betrayal, and I started watching games in the Welsh Alliance. Then it was the Silver Star Gwynedd League which tempted me, and next season, my downward spiral into the guts of Welsh Football will continue as I prowl the sheep-jawed fields of the Caernarfon and District League.

But it's time for Eric the Red to rise, like Vortigern's Red Dragon and slay the English. For too long, we've been drip-fed propoganda about Beckham and Rooney and the ubiquitous English Premiership. There is a place for Welsh comment, and for Welsh football writing that the Western Mail and Daily Post can't fill.

I'm only sorry that we can't do this in Welsh, but you can blame the English for that as well.