Sad to hear about Sir Alan Parker’s death. He used to regularly come into the pub I worked at in London because his office was near there. I noticed him watching football on his iPad once (huge Arsenal fan) and we got to chatting about it. He took to coming in to complain about

Arsene Wenger, the board, the team, etc and to chat a bit of football generally with me. He quickly became ‘my’ customer because he loved the chat and because I knew exactly what he wanted every time (large Pinot Grigio and our most ‘English’ meal on the menu - fish pie etc)

At this point I had no idea who he was, and one day my boss said ‘I saw that guy in the paper, I think he’s quite famous’. So I looked at his card next time he paid and yep, Sir Alan Parker. One day in 2013 he came in with his publicist and interviewer and told me he was

“winning quite a big award” that day, but that I might not get it because I didn’t know who he was (paraphrasing). I told him I knew exactly who he was but I just liked talking football with him, and he absolutely loved that.

He was being awarded the BAFTA Fellowship that day, the highest honour the British Academy of Film and Television Arts hands out. But to me he was just a guy who loved Arsenal and fish pie and liked that I would listen to him talk football.

I came home in September that year (pushed forward cause I thought Geelong would play Hawthorn in the grand final), and before I left he came in to have a last drink and say goodbye to me. I miss him. RIP Sir Alan.