Can you tell me about your time at Loughborough, highlights and lowlights...
I’ve been part of the 4th team for the past 2 years now. Highlights include being part of the only Lufbra team this year to win BUSA League, progressing to quarterfinals of BUSA nationals (demolishing teams along the way), being named Managers Player of the Year and starting the Dolly 4 England Campaign, which become a global phenomenon (well not quite). Lowlight is without question getting knocked out of BUSA this year in the quarterfinals in my last year at Loughborough, in the harshest of circumstances and not getting on to play. With every refereeing decision going the other way, getting ridiculed by a ginger Luke Chadwick look a like from the opposition and conceding a late extra time goal, and not even playing in the game I found hard to swallow and probably explained why I snapped the corner flag in two. But it was a great season and Neil and Mattar and all the boys were superb all year round and it just simply wasn’t meant to be unfortunately. Getting nut megged on camera was quite embarrassing as well!!
Can you shed any light on your footy career outside of Loughborough?
Yeh. During my childhood years I played and captained both 1st XI school and club teams. Highlights include winning Surrey County Cup and League Doubles for Oxshott Royals, receiving football club colours on three occasions and being scouted by Wimbledon Football Club when I was 12. I also coached one of Oxshott’s youth teams for three years and in my 2nd year at uni, I was manager of Faraday Hall’s IMS Football team who, in this year, won the Football IMS Trophy.
What is the highest achievement in your career so far?
Apart from winning the Soccer AM Annual Dance Off 2005, I’d have to say representing the Soccer AM badgers on one occasion and playing alongside the likes of ex professional footballers Mikey Thomas, Phil Neal, Matt Le Tissier and many others. That was quite special.
And which is your most memorable game for Loughborough?
There’s been a few to be honest, but they all come from this year and the magical season us boys from the 4s experienced. Beating Lincoln 6-0 at their place was satisfying and scoring in a 2-0 win against Loughborough 3rds I enjoyed as well. But I’d have to say the most memorable game was probably the game against Nottingham 3rds this year. It was a must win game for us in pursuit of the league title. We ended up winning emphatically 6-2, and I set up 2 as well as scoring the best goal I’ve probably ever scored for Loughborough from quite a distance so that game sticks in my memory more than most.
Who is your best friend in LSAFC (not including Nick Drew)?
Well I live with 5 other Footy lads at the mo, my fellow team mate Schmidt, as well as Gards from the 1sts, Russell Pale and Sean Sweeney from the 6s and ex Loughborough 1st team and current East Midlands most prolific hot shot Buzza so I'd have to say those boys first and foremost. I’ve also been great mates with Dolly (4 England) from day one and think he’s one of the nicest guys I’ve ever met. I really do get on with pretty much all of the footy lads and there’s no one I really dislike, but I'd class the likes of Karim, Barks, Webby, Jack, Omar and fellow Faradonian’s Kets, Bradley and Sam as close mates as well.
Have you any funny tales that you can tell us?
Wow, where shall I start?? There’s been so many tales throughout my years at Loughborough; mostly involving me making an idiot out of myself. I have to admit seeing Schmidt get bitch slapped on holiday in Magaluf by a security guard, fall over in the hotel room and injure his shoulder, go swimming for 50 cent coins in the pool hotel so he could afford to eat each day, drop a pair of Primark boxer shorts over the hotel balcony and then run down to lost property to see if they had been handed in? And write 'I love Faye' (his girlfriend) in the sand on the beach all in the space of 2 days made me laugh quite a few times. Other memorable moments include getting hit by a blown up parrot in Fusion, seeing Buzza get in a headlock by a bouncer in Wild. Karim nearly get run over by a bus whilst playing football and Sweeney getting arrested one night for his chav like behaviour.
Which team do you support?
The one and only Tottenham Hotspur (like the majority of people at Loughborough)
Who is your childhood hero and why?
Paul Gascoigne, quite simply the reason I support the club. One of the most technically gifted and creative players this country has ever produced. It’s a shame the champagne lifestyle of birds, booze and banter got the better of him, but I can relate to that (lol). Other idols include Jurgen Klinsmann, David Ginola, Gary Linekar and my current hero Aaron Lennon.
What three items would you take to a desert island and why?
A microphone, a DJ and Doddy so I could re-create that magical moment of the Football Ball. DJ, Spin That S*^T!!!!
Are there any youngsters we should look out for coming through the ranks?
Apart from Dolly on the international scene, there are definitely a few others at Loughborough worth a strong mention. From our team this year I think the likes of Anto Palmer, Tom Phillips and Omar Takriti have all been superb and have the potential to play as high as the 1s or 2s next year. From a spectators point of view I’ve been very impressed with Bradley Pritchard and reckon he will prove to be a key figure in the 1st team for the next 2 years to come. My younger brother, who’s also called Smithy, is also coming to Loughborough next year and he’s bound to knock in a few goals for which ever team he ends up playing for.
Who has the most bant in the whole club?
No contest, I’d have to agree with everyone else really and say Barks. Some people think I’m a bit of an eccentric, erratic and crazy individual, but this guy’s on a whole new level. He’s an absolute beaut and going on a night out with him guarantees another story to tell my kids in years to come.
When people say in football ‘play in the hole’, can you tell me where that is?
Playing in the hole is an expressive football term used by those within the game to describe the individual who sits infront of the midfield and behind the front 2 strikers in more of a free role as a Playmaker if you will. The best example on a world level of such a player is Riquelme. At Loughborough it’s got to be little Adam Williams for his immensely quick feet.
What’s your preference between these street cred benchmarks:
Lost or Prison Break? Prison break just
Pat Butcher or Pauline Fowler? Pat
Prada shoes or my granddad sandles? Prada
Peter Crouch or Michael Owen? Neither, DOLLY all the way!!
Russ Noble or Andy Noble? For bant: Andy. For football: Russ.
Pint or girlie bottle? I’d love to say pint but my ponsy reputation means ill probably have to go for girly bottle, lol
Eddie Izzard or Jimmy Carr? Jimmy Carr, although Peter Kay exceeds them all