...it’s easy, at least for me, to prefer the comfort of sitting down in a warm library over going out into the cold to run about in a field or on a ground.
This week, Cherwell reached out to a titan of St John's, and indeed, Oxford sport: Ian Madden. Madden has been a groundsman at the St John's ground for 17 years, and a groundsman for 40.
"The senior men were up next in the three o’clock kick-off and yet again they brought the drama. United travelled to Shrewsbury and took a deserved lead through Matty Taylor after eleven minutes. They failed to make the most of their other chances though and Ryan Bowman got the crowd going again with an equaliser on the hour mark. Cameron Brannagan had other ideas though and converted from the spot with eight minutes left to play to seal all three points."
"The friendly animosity of the rivalry between Oxford and Cambridge is an energetic distraction to the soul-burning and hand-hurting activities of academic life."
"Always keen to debrief teams on their performance following matches, and enjoying friendships with longer-serving players and the groundsmen of Oxford, he is not someone whose humility or warmth players need reminding of."
In the lead up to the Cuppers final between Balliol and Jesus tonight, Cherwell met the captains of both teams, to find out what the second-oldest competition in world football meant to them, and what they have been doing to prepare for it.