It seems to me that three factors determine the attainment of success; talent, hard work and luck. Of those, the latter is probably the most important for no matter how skilful or hard working you are, if lady luck isn’t on your side then you’re going nowhere.

The trouble with luck, unlike talent and hard work, is that nobody has an exclusive right to her favours, she cannot be controlled and, unlike the other two, is fickle and capricious. She can easily take away that which she once gave so freely.

It must be difficult and quite humbling, after spending years at the top of the tree, to suddenly find that your success and good fortune have disappeared and you are now sharing a branch with lesser mortals.

That, I’m afraid is life, it happens and you have to get on with it, work hard, use your talent and hope that lady luck once more smiles your way.

A thought that the fans of the country’s largest football club would do well to digest as the rest of us bid them a sincere welcome to the real world!