Frankie’s friends knew he was a football geek, but none of them realised quite how big a geek he was. Frankie drank, ate and breathed football. When he wasn’t playing it he was watching it. When he wasn’t watching it he was collecting anything to do with it.
He had all sorts of football memorabilia: a seat from Arsenal’s old ground, Highbury; a shirt worn by Gary Lineker at Barcelona; a pair of Dele Alli’s boots… But there was one thing he really wanted: a signed programme from the 1966 World Cup.
Frankie’s grandad had always told him what it was like to be around in 1966 when England won the World Cup. Frankie had watched the final again and again. He had pored over the slow-motion replays of England’s ‘goal’ and was certain it had crossed the line. He had watched Nobby Stiles dancing with the trophy in his hand countless times.
He had seen lots of programmes from the final, but many of them were fakes. He dreamed of finding a genuine programme signed by the team, so he and his grandad trawled memorabilia fairs, specialist shops and online stores looking for that special programme.
And then, one day, just when Frankie was about to give up, he saw it. On the wall of the shop was a framed programme signed by Geoff Hurst, Gordon Banks and all the others next to a letter of authentication from the FA. Frankie felt his heart leap! But then it immediately sank when he saw the price. He would never be able to afford that.
He called his grandad over. “Look, there it is! Just what I want… But look at the price!”
“Oh dear,” said his grandad. “Still, if it’s what you want you could sell some of your other stuff to raise the money.”
Frankie had a word with the shopkeeper, who agreed to hold the programme for a week, then he and his grandad went home to hit the auction sites.
A few days later Frankie had raised the cash. It had taken every piece of memorabilia he owned to do it, but he didn’t care. Frankie went back to the shop, paid the shopkeeper and walked out with his most treasured possession.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
- What do you think of Frankie’s actions?
- What do you think he did next?
- Is there anything you want so much you would sell everything to get? What is it? Or don’t you think anything is worth that much? Why not?
- What about faith? Is there anything about your faith (if you have one) that is worth giving everything for?
This story is based on Matthew 13:45-46. Read the passage with the group and compare it with this one. Discuss what Jesus might have been saying through his story, encouraging the young people to think about the parable in a new way.
