Random Stories About Footballers

[Witton Warrior]

Lion's Club nights in Stourbridge included Sir Ron, John Deehan (twice?), Jake Findlay and I think Frank Carrodus in his last season?

[Vancouver]

20 years ago (almost to the day - see the Villa memories thread) I was working for an insurance company in Manchester when I took a phone call from Paul McGrath, who was still living in the area and needed to get an insurance quote on his Merc. I was so nervous/ excited that I could barely hold the phone without shaking or talk without my voice getting all high pitched and girly. It was fairly well documented at the time that McGrath had a one or 2 driving convictions ( a fair few disqualifications for driving whilst “refreshed”) and it took me ages to get him a decent price on his insurance. But I worked my cock off and managed to do it. When I phoned him back he was really happy with the price and I jokingly said to him that it will cost him a couple of tickets for the first leg of the Tranmere semi. This was a couple of weeks before we were due to play them and tickets were shifting like hot cakes. He sort of laughed it off and no more was said. Anyway, the next day I received a call from his then girlfriend who asked if I was serious about Tranmere tickets and I apologised profusely for being so cheeky the day before. She told me to go to the ticket office at Prenton Park on the day of the game and there would be 2 tickets waiting for me. Imagine how important I felt when I went to the front of the queue at the ticket office and told the fella behind the counter that I was there to collect 2 tickets that Paul McGrath had left for me. Me and Alex Alex Cropley ended up watching the game with all the players’ wives. Which was a bit awkward because it was a terrible game and we spent most of it slating the Villa players.

I’ve spoken to him a few times since then  - he got me a ticket for the 96 league cup final and he also invited me to the players' lounge once, after a game against Chelsea. We met all the players ( Savo, Bosnich, Gary Charles et al and Nigel Kennedy).

Christ, that's amazing. I love the man even more now.

[LeeB]

20 years ago (almost to the day - see the Villa memories thread) I was working for an insurance company in Manchester when I took a phone call from Paul McGrath, who was still living in the area and needed to get an insurance quote on his Merc. I was so nervous/ excited that I could barely hold the phone without shaking or talk without my voice getting all high pitched and girly. It was fairly well documented at the time that McGrath had a one or 2 driving convictions ( a fair few disqualifications for driving whilst “refreshed”) and it took me ages to get him a decent price on his insurance. But I worked my cock off and managed to do it. When I phoned him back he was really happy with the price and I jokingly said to him that it will cost him a couple of tickets for the first leg of the Tranmere semi. This was a couple of weeks before we were due to play them and tickets were shifting like hot cakes. He sort of laughed it off and no more was said. Anyway, the next day I received a call from his then girlfriend who asked if I was serious about Tranmere tickets and I apologised profusely for being so cheeky the day before. She told me to go to the ticket office at Prenton Park on the day of the game and there would be 2 tickets waiting for me. Imagine how important I felt when I went to the front of the queue at the ticket office and told the fella behind the counter that I was there to collect 2 tickets that Paul McGrath had left for me. Me and Alex Alex Cropley ended up watching the game with all the players’ wives. Which was a bit awkward because it was a terrible game and we spent most of it slating the Villa players.

I’ve spoken to him a few times since then  - he got me a ticket for the 96 league cup final and he also invited me to the players' lounge once, after a game against Chelsea. We met all the players ( Savo, Bosnich, Gary Charles et al and Nigel Kennedy).

It's now a toss up between this and helping Brian Little at Ikea.

I think I'd have just burst into tears on both occasions. I'm a bit soft like that.

[bodkins14]

Just found out that one of my female colleagues had a thing with lil lee while she was younger, twice apparently. I did ask her to tell me that said person was hung like a mouse but it was dismissed along with her claiming that even Dwight Yorker confirmed that Big Lee as he shall now be known was indeed hung like a stallion. This somewhat disappointed me as I hoped I could continue to detest the elf like tango skinned one.
But she did later comment that whilst doing the deed in the toilets at the end of season awards ceremony Big Lee tarnished his image by being no more than a 3 minute wonder and claimed the young lady was ruining his reputation by making him finish so quickly, so for that I can smile and continue to mock the orange skinned elf .