Withdrawal symptoms are common this time of year for football fans, we have to get what crumbs of comfort we can. In that respect, yesterday was a good day, in the afternoon I went to the amphithetre above Siam Park for the Red Bull Street Style football competition.

This is an international competition that comes to a head next year in South Africa, just before the World Cup, and yesterday was the last of the 4 Spanish rounds. Four players would be selected to go, all expenses paid, to the grand Spanish final in Valencia on 29 August. The advertising tag for the event is “3 minutes, 2 players, one ball” the players started with individual rounds to eliminate a few and get in down to 6 finalists. Then they went head to head in a series of challenges to see who could do the best moves.

Now I know you are thinking, was I tempted to get up and show my own silky skills, sadlyI had a little twinge in my leg and had brought a sick note from my Mum to excuse me. The youngsters were all very good and did well not to wilt in the scorching heat, I had to leave before the end but will look out on the website for the progress of the competition.

Meeting The General and Neal and Karen (the Bournemouth section) we set off north to Santa Cruz to represent the Armada Sur at a very special function. Our Canarian terrace comrades the Frente Blanquiazul have a locale near La Paz which they use as a social club, and they had invited CD Tenerife club captain and legend, Cristo Marrero, in order to pay tribute to him.

One of the best organised and most respected of the Peñas (fan clubs) the Frente live and breathe football and their “home” is a credit to them, strewn with souvenirs of many seasons of devotion.  Cristo is a local Tenerife boy, from Las Zocas, and what he lacks in talent he more than makes up for in heart, blue and white blood courses through his veins.  That dedication to CDT shows itself not just on the pitch, but in the way he always gets involved in social events run by the fans, and he was more than happy to come along and mingle with us supporters.

Speeches were given and presentations made, and the great man cheerfully posed for pics with us all. The plaque that was unveiled says “To Cristo Marrero, always our captain, who in defence of the colours of CD Tenerife has shown the qualities of the Canarian people, never to be forgotten, thanks for everything.” The Club have not renewed his contract but have said they will offer him a job at the club to make use of his popularity, enthusiasm and inspirational qualities, we look forward to seeing him around for many years.