Oscar has short curly hair and a black coat, and he is 14 years old. Along the way, he’s created an exhilarating football career odyssey together with his dad, John Aizlewood, a veteran sports writer and journalist. In short, they went to all Stevenage FC home and away matches throughout the 2024/25 season. This experience created a deep friendship between them that they documented in their newly published collaborative book called Before You Go.
From challenges to triumphs, their tales are woven with the spirit of football. It shows the close personal relationship they’ve formed after years and years of winning both together and traveling to different football clubs together. Oscar still savors all those shared hours driving in the car with his dad. They animatedly discussed the best places to eat and shared some much missed memories, including a memorable school night adventure to Stockport which had them all smiling.
As Oscar approaches the last two years of his GCSEs, he reflects on what he’s made possible. He was the catalyst for his father’s adoption of Stevenage FC, charmingly nicknamed the Boro. This shared passion for the club has led them on many adventures, traversing various stadiums together.
At 51, John Aizlewood penned “Before You Go.” He was concerned about getting the truth and lessons of their experiences recorded before life’s other responsibilities entered the picture. He deeply respects their past work together in diverse football environments.
“To have that experience and to bond like that in a deserted Burton stadium is something really special, and it’s something we will remember for the rest of our lives.” – Mr Aizlewood
During their journeys, and at each venue, father and son learned that each field had special characteristics to provide. As John noted, “I think we found something wonderful in every place that we went.” Their story is more than just making it to a few Arsenal games. It’s a beautiful, poetic examination of the often complicated relationship between fathers and sons, filtered through the lens of athletics.
