It's a testing time in Dubai, says Canaries' Gordon

Norwich City legend Dale Gordon has said living in Dubai has been a "testing time" after the city came under fire from Iranian drone and missile attacks.

The former midfielder, who played for the Canaries between 1984 and 1991 before moving to Glasgow Rangers and West Ham, relocated to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) 14 years ago.

Gordon, who grew up in Caister-on-Sea, near Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, said he was attending an annual golf event with ex-England and Scotland footballers at a hotel next to Jebel Ali Port when it was targeted.

"Over the weekend it was quite a scary environment," said the 59-year-old.

"We have an England-Scotland legends reunion with golf and a charity dinner, and it was at the Jebel Ali Hotel and Resort... we were casually having some beverages next to the beach and all of a sudden the loud bangs started to happen.

"I could see the port in the distance and it was full of smoke.

"My girlfriend called me and said 'I think you better get home', so as we did that another explosion went into the port, a missile went into the port.

"The fumes and the fire was there to be seen.

"Luckily, we got home safely - it's been a bit of a testing time for everybody," he said.

Gordon told BBC Radio Norfolk's Chris Goreham he witnessed families with children running back into the hotel to take shelter and his concern had also been for his own son, Remy.

Together the family run football academies in the region, but Gordon said these had now been paused as children were being educated at home due to the government advice to stay inside.

Dubai has been hit by missiles and drones during an offensive launched by Iran across the region in response to the ongoing attack against it by the US and Israel.

The city's main airport has also been damaged, leading to thousands of flights being grounded.

Gordon said it meant his one-time Premier League colleagues - including Gareth Barry, Seth Johnson and Charles Miller - were unable to leave Dubai at the moment.

However, Gordon said he was very much settled in the Persian Gulf city with his partner and they had no plans to leave despite an offer from a friend to return to the UK to stay with them near Norwich.

"We'll be strong - this is home," said Gordon, who made his football league debut aged 17 against Liverpool in August 1984.

"I've got my properties here: I've got a place in the marina, a place on the outskirts right next to the Trump golf course.

"There's all the support and love there from everybody, but the most important thing is my son is here as well and I'm here to support him and make sure he feels reassured because as well as we go about our business, you're forever looking up in the sky," he said.

The Chenery family were meant to return home to Diss, Norfolk, on Wednesday from a seven-day Middle Eastern cruise, but have been told it could be another four weeks before they can fly home from Dubai.

Alfie Chenery, 22, is on holiday with his brother Max, 26, and parents Paul, 58, and Tanya, 53, but their cruise was cancelled on Saturday and they were stranded in Dubai on board the boat.

"Last night was quite active with missiles," said Alfie.

"We were sitting on the back of the cruise ship in a restaurant and we saw three or four missiles fly over."

He added despite it being a "worrying" situation, the family felt they were in good hands and were reassured by the captain's repeated updates.

Alfie also said the family's employers had been understanding about their plight and they were "lucky" to be docked in Dubai where it had been easy to replenish the ship's stock of food and drink.

"The cruise line are trying to sort repatriation flights out, but with airspace restrictions, it's so uncertain at the moment," Alfie said.

"We're booked on a flight that is due to come back on 30 March.

"The captain's been in constant dialogue with us on the ship and they've made it clear the ship won't leave the port for at least the next two weeks," Alfie added.

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