Nobby and Doddie

Meet my new friend, six month old border terrier Doddie. He's a fine wee fellow, don't you think? 

And guess what? We have something in common (in addition to being adorable terriers, of course). 

Doddie and I are both proud to be named after men who, in their different ways, were successful both on the sporting field and as human beings. 

Admittedly, only older folk with long memories will recall my namesake, footballer Nobby Stiles, famous as a member of England's 1966 World Cup winning team and known for his 'terrier-like' take no prisoners approach to the game. Near-sighted, short in stature, with premature hair loss and false teeth, Nobby Stiles was a reminder that sporting heroes can come in all shapes and sizes. Off the field he was by all accounts a modest and likeable man, loved by his family and friends. He died of dementia in 2020. 

Doddie Weir was a much honoured international rugby player who appeared for Scotland throughout the 1990s. He was diagnosed with motor neurone disease in 2016 and in the following six years up to his death in 2022, aged 52, he had raised many millions of pounds for MND research. His colourful personality and his bravery in the face of his condition gained him a new generation of fans all over the world and raised the profile of this cruel disease. 

Gail says that my new friend and I have much to live up to.

Cultural heritage: a whole new ball game!

At the end of our Sunday walk around the Castle Fraser estate in Aberdeenshire, Gail wanted me to 'pose nicely' with our friends M and J in front of the historic castle.

If you are thinking that I wasn't entirely cooperating here because I was admiring the fine architecture of this elaborate 'Z plan' structure which dates back to the 16th century and perhaps earlier, you would be mistaken. 

More interesting by far was the prospect of demonstrating my footballing skills and thus living up to my famous (OK, famous in England, among people aged over sixty) namesake Nobby Stiles.

Nobby styles it out...

Gail and I are discovering that humans can be divided into two distinct groups, not by gender, race or class, but by their reaction to learning my name.

In the first group, those younger than Gail, often female, and people with absolutely no interest in the game of football (soccer) predominate. They tend to put on a polite but quizzical look, hesitate, then ask: "Nobby? Er, where did you get that from?"

We get a different reaction from those Gail's age and older, especially if they are male, English, and long time football fans. They smile broadly as my name jogs a distant memory, and they say: "Ah yes, Nobby,  like Nobby Stiles, of course!"

I leave it to you to read up more about Nobby Stiles the footballer, a famously distinctive member of England's 1966 World Cup winning team who sadly died of dementia in 2020, and to guess whether or not I was named with him in mind...