We take another look at Jesse Lingard’s rise through the ranks at United and his myriad loan spells. It tells us a compelling story about his perseverance.
When he arrived in Berlin for the 1936 Summer Olympics, he was a black man in what was to be Hitler’s turf, at least for the next decade or so. By the time Jesse Owens was done with his Olympic events, he had torn apart race tracks and a dictator’s xenophobic claims in equal measure.
Jesse trained all his life, just so he could excel for the brief moment he got in the sun. “A lifetime of training for just 10 seconds,” he used to say. Oh, that man had a way with words. Before all the glory, he was perhaps just another black man in the early 20th century out to prove a point, racing more than just opponents on the track. But once the spotlight shone bright, his words not only held meaning, but weight too.
As good ol’ Jesse put it, “One chance is all you need.” Like a tiger crouched and ready for its prey. Or perhaps a footballer waiting for his moment of glory.