Once you get to my age, birthdays — like kids half your age playing for the first-team — just become another reminder of the relentless passage of time, of life ticking away hour by hour, day by day, year by year. Have you made your mark yet? What is the meaning of life? When did ‘90s music become “classic”? Do you guys know how to post videos to Facebook?
But when you’re just 9 years old, birthdays are the best thing ever, especially if they’re attended by some of your closest friends, namely David “Coolest Uncle” Luiz and Willian the Brillian and all the rest of the Chelsea squad and coaching staff. That would be pretty fantastic, indeed, perhaps even once you get into your more jaded years.
Chelsea’s community outreach — and the Bridge Kids programmes — are some of the less publicized aspects of the club’s non-football activities, but it’s always great to see the players and the fans interacting on such levels, too. Happy Birthday, Amari!