
BIRTHPLACE Walthamstow, London E17 (cockney boy)
PREVIOUS CLUBS
Baird & Tatlock company team 1964 to 1966 London business house league. (age 17 to 19). Harold Wood Athletic 1966 to 1981 Essex intermediate league & Essex Olympian league (age 19 to 34).
CHILDHOOD CRUSH–
Around 14 I had a great passion for the Hollywood actress Natalie Wood. Then Sylvia Kristel hit the big screen in Emmanuelle and I’ve never been the same since.
FAVOURITE PROFESSIONAL PLAYER OF ALL TIME
Spurs had the coolest of captains in Danny Blanchflower so he gets my vote but in the modern game Lionel Messi is without doubt the best player ever.
FAVOURITE BROWNS CLUB PLAYER AND WHY
There are the obvious choices, like the awesome striking power of the deadly duo Rod & Jeff, the subtle defensive qualities of Alan, the magical left foot of Ron, (shame about the right) the perfect drummer/midfielder and new boy Andy Worthington. There’s a couple of hard men, Nick and Jim. Ian Street got the goal of the decade a while ago, straight from the boot of Bend It Like Ian.
The most impressive player goes to a player that gives 100% whether its in a training session, playing in a tournament or dancing at the Browns xmas do. An asset to any football team or dance group and master of the discreet slide tackle…Billy Clayton.
MOST DIFFICULT BROWNS CLUB OPPONENT–
Rod Fraser who can rapidly turn either way right or left prior to unleashing hell. Jeff comes close, also bloody difficult to mark.
MOST MEMORABLE MATCH Playing for Essex FA 1974/75 age 27 (won 1-0).
BIGGEST THRILLS
– Joining a bunch of old boys walking around with a football and getting a real warm reception from Ian, Ron and Alan.
– At my age awarded a best newcomer trophy!
– Seeing Led Zeppelin live in Alexander Palace December 1974.
JOHN LENNON OR PAUL MCCARTNEY
No contest here anyone that can write a song like Imagine and also hook up with a woman like Yoko must be a bit different. I saw the Beatles in 1963 in Romford Odeon and once they started singing you never heard another note because of all the constant loud screaming which never stopped for the whole show. The girls next to me told me to shut up but I wouldn’t.
BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT
Not joining Browns walking football 5 years earlier. Hopefully I’ll make up for that in the next 5 years.
BEST COUNTRY VISITED
Unlikely choice Wales.… MY Mum was Welsh. Then of course Portugal where more than thirty years ago I met my lovely wife Merces.
FAVOURITE FOOD For me, the full english breakfast takes some beating.
FAVOURITE PORTUGUESE FOOD
My wife Merces cooks an amazing arroz do marisco which is absolutely delicious so that at the moment probably is my favourite.
FAVOURITE DRINK
An expensive top of the range full bodied French red Bordeaux or a bottle of Super Bock… Close call!
MISCELLANEOUS LIKES–
Getting up early, walking our dog, Monday and Wednesday roll calls, trying to stop Rod & Jeff, the rapid improvement and enthusiasm of the ladies football team, having a beer at the treble bar. And back passes.
MISCELLANEOUS DISLIKES–
Racism, sexism, macho men, macho women, football being rained off when it’s not raining, football being rained off when it is, being nutmegged by Julian. Thinking that England will never achieve the level needed to win a world cup and never have the attitude to do it.
FAVOURITE TV SHOW
Only Fools and Horses Xmas Specials – one year with Delboy & Rodney dressed as Batman and Robin to go to a fancy dress party which had to be changed at the last minute to a funeral.
FAVOURITE FILM
It has to be Heat with De Niro and Pacino closely followed by Emmanuelle films 1 to 15. (BOXSET £79.99 available from Amazon).
FAVOURITE SINGER
Most come in the shape of bands like Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Moody Blues, The Basement etc but maybe have to go back to the early 60s with Bob Dylan.
FAVOURITE ACTOR
Robert de Niro closely followed by Sylvia Kristel who couldn’t act at all, but then that was not the point.
BIGGEST INFLUENCE ON CAREER-
The manager and trainer at Harold Wood Athletic FC who was there for the biggest part of the fifteen years I spent there. An ex army PE instructor, we absolutely hated him during the tough winter training sessions. But that all changed when we starting winning a few trophies.
BIGGEST DRAG IN SOCCER-
– Watching a pro getting a kick on the ankle and going down clutching his face whilst banging the ground with the other hand to call the Air Ambulance and one minute later back on his feet. Ie… CHEATS.
– Never seeing England win a major trophy and the same applying to Spurs although I think they did get runners up in the Halfords Windscreen Wiper Cup
WHAT ONE ITEM WOULD YOU TAKE WITH YOU TO A DESERT ISLAND Deck chair.
WHICH PERSON IN THE WORLD WOULD YOU MOST LIKE TO MEET
My dad who unfortunately departed too quickly and I never got the chance to say a real goodbye. He came to all my early football games and was a keen Spurs supporter going back years. He had an amazing set of Spurs programmes going back to around 1920, which I think my mum sold at some stage. (After he had gone of course!)