I wasn’t exactly spoilt for choice at the weekend, with most clubs starting their programme of pre-season friendlies either on the 14 or 21 July.

I took a train from Paddington to Hanwell and it was a 30-minute walk from there, through a picturesque part of west London that included the famous Windmill Bridge and a section of the Grand Union Canal.

And, after two weeks of wretched weather, it was actually dry and sunny.

It was my first visit to this particular ground and I got there in good time for the 1.00 p.m. kick-off. The enclosed pitch looked in perfect condition – but there were no goalposts. This would’ve worried me if I hadn’t noticed a couple of Windsor players in their red and green strips emerging from the dressing rooms.

The game was taking place on a nondescript pitch about a hundred yards away. I sat on a log in some long grass behind the far goal, standing for a minute’s silence to mark the second anniversary of the London bombings before the season kicked-off at 1.05.

Windsor were quickly on the attack, forcing a series of corners and free-kicks near the box before "CB" shocked them with a goal after 14 minutes.

A Windsor player kept saying "He’s got no left foot! He’s got no left foot!" He did though – it was attached to his left ankle.

The visitors missed a hatful of chances in the second half but did manage to equalise with a penalty for handball. It was a reasonably entertaining start to my 48th campaign.

On Sunday, another warm day, a double-header of women’s games at Whitefield School featured Norfolk v Camden City (0-8) and Milton Rovers v Katabella (0-5). I kept cool by standing next to a car wash.

Taking six "Summer League" games played in June into account, I’m now up 5,341 all told.

Also in June I had the pleasure of meeting Dr Leo Hoye. "Who’s he?", I hear you ask. He’s "World Cup Willie"! For the 1966 World Cup The FA commissioned a commercial artist called Reg Hoye to come up with a mascot for the tournament and "Willie", the cheeky lion in a Union Jack shirt, was based on his young son Leo.

The popular mascot appeared in programmes, cartoons, comics and on TV, and you could buy anything from "Willie" bedspreads to "Willie" dolls. Leo, who now lives in Hong Kong, is planning to publish a little book on the loveable lion created by his dad and came to Soho Square to do some research in our library. The man is part of football history!