Why you should never rewatch a classic

There are few better ways to pass an hour or so on a bank holiday weekend than watching a game on ESPN Classic - the channel trapped somewhere between sailing from Helsinki and international tiddlywinks on the Sky EPG.

This weekend it was England vs Scotland at Euro 96 - a game I didn't see live on the day because of work commitments (or more accurately, a Saturday job in Debenhams). So the only fragments of the game still lodged in my highlights-only memory are Seaman's penalty save and, of course, Gazza's magnificent goal.

Therefore, if I had to produce one of those newspaper ratings out ten for every player on the pitch it would, until yesterday, have been Seaman 9, Gascoigne 9 and all the rest getting the regulation 7 for being on the winning side, but not doing anything that's still lodged in my memory some 12 years later.

Having watched the hour-long extended highlights from yesterday, however, I'd have to mark Gazza down to a generous five. He was truly terrible. Sloppy passes, dangling on the ball for far too long, at least three reckless tackles on the edge of the penalty area: the only decent thing he did in the entire game was score that incredible goal.

Until yesterday, Gazza was to my mind one of the stars of Euro 96.. Now, I suspect that one superb goal had played tricks on my memory. ESPN Classic I love you. And hate you a bit, too.