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IAN LADYMAN: Football can often feel like a grind with debates over VAR, refereeing and endless fixture churn... but in the week of Diego Maradona's passing, we are reminded we must never lose the joy of the game

When I was very young in 1975 I was taken to see Burnley play Norwich City. The game ended 4-4, a player called Peter Noble scored all of Burnley’s goals and I couldn’t see terribly much from behind the goal. It is my first memory of attending live sport and, because of that, it has always felt very important.

It sprang to mind this week as I thought about what football means to us. For many of us, it goes beyond the actual scorelines, league positions, medals and trophies. For most it is about family, friendship, shared experiences and life lessons.