Maidstone United players, Sol Wanjau-Smith, Sam Bone and Conor Kelly, recall stories from their FA Cup last 16 clash against Coventry City.
The trio then focus on Sam Bone’s career, where he gives viewers an insight into how he became a professional footballer.
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Hello and welcome back to the two Brits one yank podcast my name is Sanel Smith to my left s b and to my right caror Kelly now for those of you who watch the first episode you’ll notice that we are no longer in the coaching horses Pub if
You’re watching on YouTube uh we are meant to go there this morning it is the Tuesday after the comentry game and unfortunately we didn’t get back until about 2:30 in the morning so we decided to uh to come to bony’s house we haven’t told his roommate Beth who really wanted
A shout out on the first episode so well this is more than a shout out we’re now on your sofa than and we’re hoping that she doesn’t come back uh from work got about we’ got an hour about an hour so this episode is definitely going to be shorter than the
Last thank God I think we have to first off start by saying all the support on the first episode has been amazing it’s definitely surpassed our expectations I’ve had people coming up to me in the street I think a lot of people have forgotten that me and Conor actually play football because
Everyone’s been coming up to us saying oh we love the podcast love the podcast which actually is very refreshing and we absolutely love it I’m in danger of uh becoming a full-time podcaster so I want everyone to remember I still play football I’ve actually I’ve got to give
A shout out to um Oliver Ash one of our co-owners at M United who has complimented us all on the on the podcast but he did say to me that I need to focus on focus on the day job and get back he also said Conor needs to speak
More as well and brother no no no he said he said you need to let me speak more me no no no oh yeah soul more more soul for those of you who did watch the first one you can tell that I can be a little bit overpowering sometimes I like
To talk I like he can’t sit still he’s got a he’s got to say something or do you know what I mean the issue is as well is that I spoke so much and I’m the one who had to edit the first podcast and by the time we managed to put it out
I say you’re sick of your own voice I actually hated it which is very very strange for me have you watched it since we’ve gone live I only watched it when we did the premiere yeah then I started watching the first hour and then I just
Went and took myself off whil you were watching it and I was like ah I can’t listen how many times have you watched it like I think four and to be honest like I thought I had an all right sounding voice now I know what everyone’s talking about cuz it doesn’t
Sound too good even I was the same I was like Jesus Christ I’ve listened to it a few times on 3.5 time speed on Spotify it’s quite entertaining it’s quite entertaining it’s got boost views a little bit you’re boosting that’s I The View counts a lie I would never have admitted that on
The hey but no one else no one else can see that view count it’s just us so yeah that’s true I’ve also noticed that I know that we obviously mentioned that at ADHD and I like to fidget a lot and I shouldn’t have worn this ring today because everyone has commented that I
Can’t stop playing with it it out he’s going to be lost he’s going to talk even more now oh but no uh this is the day after the commentary unfortunately we have lost oh no actually before I go back Craig Fagan have to give a shout out to
Craig Fagan and the brother shout yeah uh for those of you who listen to the first one when I listened to it back about 75 times I didn’t even notice that we said it that much I didn’t think it was that bad and I still don’t think
It’s I don’t know actually but if you if you speak I’ve watched it a good few times as well so I don’t think it’s that bad if you speak to us real life and you know us we don’t say we just say it in like a matter of fact way like we always
Say say it like ironically like someone said anything you’re like oh brother brother I can’t believe that brother it’s it’s just it’s just what we say it’s just part of our lingo so we’re try to tone it down a little bit I know Genie Genie wasn’t too happy with the
Brother shout out to uh to my mom Genie Kelly um yeah she said the two things she uh she said was my posture wasn’t good she’s uh worried about me getting misaligned after my up and then the second thing was stop saying brother us so much so uh yeah mom you see better
Last year today and we’re going to try to not save brother as much Genie Genie I’ve got to say something as well I know that you’re very precious over your boy hey watch sorry sorry sorry but please stop getting worried because he has been such a prador with his anle he’s been a
Nightmare no he’s been a nightmare since we’ve arrived here we’ve been here what an hour and a half trying to set everything up is he any help of course not I I’m I’m lounging you know I was in there with my uh little fizzy lemonade
Had my leg off chill it was nice yeah was the same I’ve been sat here for about 45 minutes from your own home it’s lovely I’ve been rushing around trying to do things and it’s just I’m just glad that I was sat down and talk yet again
Um I think fair to say me and you have done pretty much nothing Soul sort of said it all up shout out to Tops we got a new what is it producer yeah producer new member George behind there he’s actually hiding behind the light you can’t see him I’m we’re actually using
His he’s taking Ben ma spot today we’re using his iPhone 15 as well so if the the main camera looks good then shout out to George cuz he’s helped us out there haven’t hit the big bucks yet and and afforded a new camera or anything this is just our friend’s phone so
Perhaps we’ll just have to to get him get him here every time we record using him for his but I’ve got to say Genie you’re getting this brother so brother you’re getting this boy so worried about his ankle that he actually made a big demand on the coach yesterday oh God so he
Didn’t actually want to come on the coach because he wanted to he has to keep his ankle up 24/7 and when I say 247 I mean 257 it’s the time and he was like I can’t come to commentary if my ankle’s not up in the air so he called
The club secretary and he said listen tux you’ve got to you’ve got to get me an extra seat so that I can come on the coach and there was only one seat left which meant that my poor landlords Ian and Rose Southgate had to they had to drive themselves because of this
Primadonna yes you know what I didn’t even realize that well sometimes you your actions have consequences brother no why didn’t you tell me that beforehand brother I I to see you I was going to go too much you know what happened yesterday on the way back talk
To me so I thought to me I see con of down there lonely chatting with Reese to be fair so I was like let me go and let me go and see him chat with him anyway as you do on the motorway the bus starts to shake he’s obviously switch lanes or
Something I nearly go into his leg do you know what he says to me I can imagine called me 18 stone and you did as well I’m not even just saying you did and that that cut me deep before your big game even worse he had 25 had 25 slices
Of pizza in in his hand in his mouth that’s why wling down the you disrespecting yourself again disrespected about him last night but I will say I know we’re all joking around I actually had no clue about Ian and Rose till you said that I actually feel
Quite bad so I have to give Ian and Rose an apology there but they’re end up being a fair few spare seats as well because a lot of people drove up and met us going back then obviously went with his misses yeah but even the way
Up was any space for me yeah no space for you it’s had to sit on the floor well no to get some space up front cuz I had to sit up front away from you guys but we’ll go back to that later yeah we didn’t want his breath at the back
That’s why stinking out the place MH but no um commentry obviously unfortunately lost the game 5- nil but I would not say it’s a 5-nil game I I should probably ask you because you’re the only one out of us that played you had to get the
Score line in come on people are going to know theore I was going to say we lost I’m say unfortunately the game came a little bit too too soon for me to be fit came about three months too soon for you to be fit yeah I was trying I was
Trying to get the delayed uh had an appeal to the fa but they denied it it’s quite selfish from from the players actually not letting me get back to full fitness and not letting getting to the final so you could play that’s what I’m saying I I was just saved myself for one
Believe this whole time now I have to come back for National South be back next week do you know who I’m actually blaming who Matthew Thomas Rush shout out to Matthew Thomas rush but we didn’t actually mention this in our previous uh episode but Connor myself yeah and Matt
R we were sat just behind the bench at IP switch now Conor are you wearing the necklace today I’m wearing it so my trusty uh cross that I always wear when uh when it seemed like it was impossible for if s to score towards the end you
Know Luke’s making every save in the book they’re hitting the post after every chance I’ll pull out my necklace we’d all give it a kiss so i’ go like that so would give it a kiss and then rushy would give it a kiss as well but
For some reason you can finish it well rushy decides to sit a little bit away from us I think it might be because we we like to talk quite a lot maybe rushy wanted to be zoned in on the game but there was a few people in front uh in
Between us we weren’t able to kiss the cross early doors and well we know that went it’s actually we have a funny story from if switch so it’s about the 88th minute I would say and they’ve come really close Lucas made another worldly save to go to like the 15 others that he
Had and as I’m leaning over we’re to the left of the tunnel the tunnel’s in the middle and then the IP switch bench is on the right and as I’m leaning over for rushy to kiss my cross I just look into the eyes of like Amari Hutchinson I
Think a few other iwi players were looking at us and I was just like this looks so unprofessional and they they just like so confused just like what is going on why are they kissing this grown man’s neck but no the support last night was was unbelievable seeing all the stones
Fans behind the goal the chatting before the game even after the game was was absolutely mental and I’ve got to give a to the commentary fans because I think that was a very different atmosphere to the to the I switch game obviously a 12:30 kickoff for I switch was a little
Bit quieter bit few more families few more kids but that especially that corner the southand whatever it’s called at commentary the fans were unbelievable apart from the uh the young lad who saw us in the village and walk past our team and he goes you are getting battered
Tonight yeah like that’s buoy to be fair to him like I would not walk past the team and say you’re getting B he went straight down the stairs as he was saying and didn’t look and he was also he was also stood in front of us as we
Were taking the squad picture and didn’t say anything and then decides as he’s about to go down the stairs Little M yeah you’re getting better tonight but I’ve got I’ve got to ask you bony what was it like playing in that game and probably compared to the I switch game
MH like it was just incredible like apart from the game itself the the atmosphere and we were saying it weren we before the game it was different to IP switch and I don’t mean the in a disrespectful way but cry was I’d say probably more modern um like how many
Was there yesterday 26,000 I think yeah it felt like more like the when the first whistle went and I hope I hope to God someone’s got it on record because I remember when the first whistle went and they started singing I don’t know what song they were singing but it was so
Loud and I actually said it to BBC Radio last night after the game you stood there and you’re taken in the atmosphere and then the whistle goes you’re like oh like I got get I got to get myself into game mode now you know but um again you
Could tell that there’s levels to the game you know commentary was so was so good so sharp um and so clinical I think that could have been maybe the slight difference in of well it was the obviously the difference but IP switch um we obviously rolled our luck and
Stuff but I felt like yesterday comry was so clinical we were saying we were saying in the stands that Ellis Sims probably only had about five or like meaningful touches in the first half and he had a hattick like he he was so so so clinical and I must say before the game
When we walked out initially we both said to each other like the stadium looks so high because it like all enclosed yeah we were saying imagine what the burn was like like walking out at that was honest and half times the size of it yeah like honestly that last
Night was just different like I don’t even know I don’t even know how to describe it because there’s so many different ways to to describe how I felt yesterday I wouldn’t sort of I couldn’t justify it does that make sense yeah it was just Madness and I was saying it to
The boys yesterday I don’t think I’ve ever been so happy after a 5 nil loss to have my my nan and Granddad who who come over from Cyprus my my my mom my dad my brother my close friends um it was just so special and obviously my granddad was
There to experience the IP switch game and he was there obviously to to see us win I think my nan then got a little bit jealous and and she wanted to come over um so it was just so so special to I must into Jack actually I’ve seen your
Your your grandparents video on BBC my grand needs media training like really bad I actually want to I want to edit in because it was so funny I think you might have to it was so good it was so cute I I was I was watching it um
Granded you like carry on speaking carry on speaking he looks so cold as well bless him but again yeah and that’s that’s that’s a memory that I’ll remember now for the rest of my life you know getting to spend this cut run with them is is
Just so special and I’m so indebted to the boys and I’m so grateful and I’m just full of gratitude because they’ve given me this moment they’ve given my family this moment it must be special for you boys as well all say is it was special even for me yesterday to have my
Family there cuz like I said in the last part they couldn’t um they couldn’t get to the IP switch so I I had about 35 tickets yesterday like all my friends and family and I didn’t even play last night and it was special like I even got
To see them before uh before the the initial whistle and stuff and for the kickoff and it was just it was just lovely so I can’t even begin to imagine how it was for your family being a boy from Maidstone yeah your Boyhood Club you grew up in this town it must have
Been amazing I saw a few sandone masks as well yeah they were everywhere I actually got sent a video everyone was using them in the pubs and all dancing pretty cool man you could have been there in the SKU thanks thanks no but Stone Sone oh no that’s the one that’s
The one over there I made one can I just say right and we’ll touch on this as we get on in the episode but again when I went and sat with Connie yesterday he was asking about my Irish stint and and how I got on and stuff and uh he said
Did the the St Pats fans like you and I said well actually I’ve got a funny story when I played for Waterford we played them in the first game of the season and um at Pat’s ground it’s quite enclosed so you’re like right besides the fans and I was playing right back
And I told him the story of um I was running up and down the wing and all I can hear probably wouldn’t say running let’s be honest sorry too I’m joking I’m joking Jing we’re fighting after this we’re fighting sorry sorry car on but yeah I’m running down the wing and all I
Can hear from the fans is ah bone I’ll say uh I’ll say you’re about 18 Stone and and that’s me being generous so I I nearly started crying when I heard that obviously but I told Conor yesterday and I had haven’t heard the end of it the thing is now now so
Knows as well him in good fate as well to be fair I don’t even know how much 18 stone is as you can see am I fast forward in this but obviously we’re showing off the shirts yes um do you want to start or Conor Conor yours is a
Pretty cool story actually yours is a very cool story well first off hey you best get me yeah I have to give a a massive shout out to Saul here because obviously I was on crutches so I was out for the warmup but I was sitting on on
The bench and I don’t want to you know go near the pitch like kind of get too involved you know and soul was kind enough instead he wanted to swap shirts with Casey Palmer and instead of setting that up he actually went to my fellow American [ __ ] Wright cry’s uh record
Signing and uh said you see my friend over there on crutches is American he would really like your shirt after the match and he was like yeah no problem so after the match I was uh I was looking for him um I went to the commentry
Dressing room after we had our our team talk and this just shows the levels between the game I I asked their Kitman where he was and they’re like oh he’s around the corner in the uh in the cryotherapy chamber and I was like wow I was like
Wow like well what do we have to use these moldy yeah we use uh green bins that are filled with uh cold water which hey I mean they do the job they do the job all the same J they’re not quite minus 150° or whatever but they hey they
Are effective but I must say that it was quite lucky a bit like with the Wes bur Story how I just bumped into him and Chi got to give another shout out to chi chi was saying to me he was like a I gotta get [ __ ] shirt man I gotta get [ __ ]
Shirt man I was saying look Connor didn’t get a shirt at IP switch he’s American he well actually in the program it said he was he was British and a goalkeeper as well so I I didn’t know how much to know about you at least they
Spell my name right they got the the one end which is they called gav Justin or something in the pram they did it’s crazy I think they spell Lucas’s last name wrong so I’m in good company there the people they’ve made mistakes with they might think you’re you’re above 5’9
Which is hey that’s that’s a plus man listen I’ll take it anyway I’ll take it as soon as I heard that that Chi or as soon as I heard that Connor wanted the shirt and I knew that other people were going to go after it I said I’ve got to
Try and at least help him like if that was me in his situation I would love for him to try and try and speak to a a player that I wanted and fortunately enough he he did end up getting the shirt and I must say I think you should
Hold the shirt up for the camera the shirt is sick it’s uh it’s absolutely massive it doesn’t have a size on it but it must be like an extra large or maybe even bigger but uh yeah it it was so cool and uh we had a really nice
Conversation he’s he’s a lovely guy my uh my Keeper at University when I first got to uh to Duke uh was actually roommates with him at the U7 national team so they lived together for a year or two so yeah we’re chatting about him and then kind of just his career he’s
Had he’s had a really interesting career I I said to him I was like it’s kind of a bit embarrassing but I’ve probably known who you are since you’re about 15 to 16 because he scored a hattrick against Brazil under 17s which you know for American footballers that’s it’s a
Massive deal so yeah you got to move to Germany he’s playing for the New York Cosmos in the USL which is doesn’t or the New York Cosmos don’t even exist anymore and then he got his move to Shala and he never really broke through the first team there had a had a tougher
Stint in Holland and then went I think to Denmark from there and kicked on two unbelievable years in turkey and now he’s doing bits in the championship and hopefully we’ll see him the pr season you must actually tell tell the listeners and tell the viewers the story
About pich and how pich actually got signed got scouted because of [ __ ] Wright so apparently word on the street is after [ __ ] Wright was was doing unbelievable um psic was obviously in the same team as him and apparently what I’ve heard again this might be true so
Ptic if you’re watching uh if you’re watching let me know man apparently Dorman were watching [ __ ] Wright and and fell in love with psic and then yeah the rest is history and he’s gone on to do unbelievable things probably had the best career of any American in history
So far in terms of European accomplishments for sure yeah your your football knowledge is wild man I’m just listening to you you’re talking about stint in Denmark and brother we haven’t got any like sheets of paper or anything about Hai that’s just all off the Dome
So you have to respect it he has too much time on his hands my favorite thing actually about the shirt is that it’s long sleeve oh my so cool I love a long sleeve shirt and they and they don’t make him anymore we all grew up watching
You know Beckham wearing the long sleeve Sergio Ramos like it’s it’s such like a distinctive feature of a kit and they don’t really make him anymore now it’s just skins under a short sleeve so any anytime I collect football shirts and anytime I have the choice of a long
Sleeve I always get it and I thought it was so cool we you notice it after about two or three minutes as soon as I as soon as I saw him come out really before he’d even gone out for kickoff that’s when I’d already uh tried to secure it
For Connor so I was like oh my God you’re going to get a long sleeve shirt it’s not going to fit you but that is that is it definitely won’t fit me I actually I didn’t realize how how tall he is you know he’s I come on anyone’s
Talking better to you bro yeah listen hey I’m I’m 5’9 I went to the doctor last week for my op and they said I’m 5’9 so that means I’ll continue telling woman I’m 5′ 10 hey shout out Finn though shout out your little brother who’s meant to be 6’4 or something yeah
I have a a little brother who’s six years younger than me and for some reason you know same same parents we look alike so there’s no there’s no drama there but yeah he just happens to be 6’4 so yeah I’ve been looking up at my little brother ever since he was
About 12 and yeah it’s uh it’s not it’s not the best but you know he listen we’ll get him one when we go to G Wings 22 we’ll be looking after to him like this we’ll get him one what about what about you Palmer I managed to secure
Kp45 which is well if you listen to the last part it was the person I was definitely looking to try he’s been gone on about it for weeks and weeks and weeks but as soon as we got commentary I said I’ve got to try and get who tried
To get it yesterday so everyone the thing is it early because I’ve decided to do the the nice thing and try and help out my friend Connor I didn’t get to speak to him before the game and that was how I got where’s Burns is so when I watched the first half
And I know I know you play but Casey Palmer was absolutely he was ripping it up he so he was absolutely running the game he was so good and I said I’ve got to talk to him before half time before the second half otherwise I’m not getting that shirt cuz someone’s going
To do it before me Connor was actually sat where we sat in the stand Connor was just before the steps so I said to Connor look you’ve uh I’ve got your shirt and I’ve helped you out you’ve got to help me out now you’ve got to go
You’ve got to G on my way with about a minute to go before half time you can make your way down the steps because I’ve got to try and try and get Casey fortunately you did the selfless thing and you got down the steps yeah held
Everyone else up for me the 2 minutes out of time I was like at 45 I was this could take a few got up was waiting by the bench and then I just beine for him I I actually got told off by someone because I covered my mouth like this
Because obviously we were we were losing 3-0 I didn’t want the gaffer and Craig to see me talking to him and thinking like what was he saying so I was like Casey I mentioned in the last pod that I used to coach his son back in Bristol
When he was at at Bristol City I asked like how is Son’s doing and stuff and just like obviously a brist city fan massive fan could I would I be able to get your shirt and he put his arm around me which which you saw and stuff yeah
Yeah and he was just he was just like yeah of course yeah of course and then after the game because obviously I’m up in the stand kit went straight for him after the game and I could hear him saying oh can I get a shirt can I get a
Shirt and Casey’s like oh no no I have to give it to and I was there and he was like ah have to give it to to sa fortunately he took it off and I stuffed it straight in my Gile pocket and people were asking people are saying a who got
Case Palmer shirt I was like oh I don’t know I don’t know because the Kitman had actually told them apparently that they weren’t allowed to give their shirts away because they only had one shirt different to Ipswich Ipswich had two or three but I think it’s pretty selfless
From the boys and like they knew that it was such a big occasion for everyone they were like nah we’re going to give them away we’re going going to do we’re going to have to give them to the boys which I don’t know if you can see in
Shot but Binky shout out to B out what a guy AB Legend he was actually he was upset that he had to give me an away one oh sorry third choice uh third kit sorry and I was like brother that is going to go lovely lovely on the Pod um Perry but
Perry used to play at jills andry local boy and I wasn’t going to fight I already got Casey Palmer who everyone wanted I was not going to fight he’s a legend we got to get him on B will be watching this as well I was yesterday such a nice guy such a nice
Gu to say go on you go they were so nice like I was I said good game to Casey Palmer and then he was asking me about my foot and and we just got chatting and yeah I was telling him like I’m a big Chelsea supporter like I watched him
Like growing up and it’s so nice to see like you know while he didn’t make it at Chelsea he’s doing so so well and he’s an unbelievable player yeah he is so good and even after in the in the tunnel shout mile Mo managed to start talking
To him and we all all just chatting outside their change room and Casey even went up to him was like oh I know you are you know non- league bagsman and mo was absolutely buzzing Mo was buzzing Mo was like I got to get a photo of you so
I took a photo and I was like oh my god I’ve got Cas Shir here I was like I’ve got to get a photo of you as well had a photo and I was just like ah I was absolutely made up and so we’re on the coach back and we’re really talking
About how crazy it is and mo is like he keeps Whispering cuz he don’t want to say it too loud he’s like should I uh should I have follow me or should I follow him and I’m like yeah bro like he he’s reposted so I’ve skipped aart there
Mo’s posted that story on his photo and Casey Palmer has reposted it and mo is going crazy and he’s reposted it non Le bagsman yeah MO is going crazy and and I don’t know if he was nervous but he keeps Whispering oh like should I follow
Him should I follow do you think I’ll get the follow back and I’m like I would risk it like it’s not it’s not going to hurt you and he followed him and I think the best moment in Mile’s career came on that coach when he got that notification
Casey Palmer started following you so yeah he’s buzzing off that a little bit embarrassing for me actually so I’d already posted the picture on my story oh you’re actually going to out yourself I’m going to out myself cuz what you if you didn’t and hope that he watch follows
You I have nothing to hide on this if you’re watching this if Binky tells you mat tells you he’s absolutely gued by well no this is not going to change anything to do with this shirt I still I’m going to cherish this shirt but messages me cuz we’re in different parts
Of the coach saying oh my God Casey Palmer just followed my file look at his story and I went I went straight to his story reposted I was like no no no no no cuz I didn’t I didn’t tag Casey in my photo so I was like I don’t know what to
Do I’d seen that like quite a few people liked it what you say 15 I Reon about 150 people liked it because obviously I’m a Bristol I’m a Bristol boy I was going through and I was like can I can I repost this I deleted it straight away
As soon as I saw that Casey Palmer had followed me I deleting it straight away I said first thing in the morning boom I’m posting it I posted it this morning kp45 little cold tagged him still still not being seen still not being seen so
Hey bie bie you might have to to help me out just maybe a little repost or a little something just to got his phone on airplane mode and do not disturb while we record and I can guarantee you the first thing he’s going to check once we’ve stopped recording is his Instagram
You never know maybe he just hasn’t been on his phone in like 18 hours who knows this morning it was I’ve been with this boy when he first got his blue te and I’ve never seen someone so happy but that screaming in the car I can’t lie I
Was actually screaming that could top that I think and you’ll be celebrating when you H you probably won’t get one actually I think I’m just going to buy it I think going to buy it at this verified it’s never coming how many times have you tried uh
About no but soul is going to write my application next time he knows the secret formula apparently so if I get it in the next month it’s one of two things Saul’s written it for me or I’ve just said like screw it and I’ve bought it
Myself it’s the it’s the power of social media cuz those blue ticks are like gold dust I’m not I would never buy one all jokes aside thing if you look at Lucas Lucas doesn’t follow Lucas you live with Lucas the keeper and he doesn’t even follow
You I don’t I don’t follow him though Lucas will send photo I send videos and stuff on Instagram to you and he doesn’t even follow you so weird it’s so strange so Lucas was like to me I was like I looked at his inst I said you didn’t
Even have a Blue Tick he didn’t follow me so I was like you don’t have a Blue Tick he was like oh no like you can only pay for it now I said brother brother come here I set up his application brother again was it oh sorry my friend
Let’s do a I think I said at the start let’s do a br account every time brother but listen I’m going to have to go through this it’s going to take about an extra 25 hours on the that’s a good point we’ll do a grand total at the end
Grand tot show but anyway uh so I looked at Lucas’s um his Instagram sorry would didn’t have a Blue Tick I said I’ll sort that out for you did all the application boom first thing in the morning Blue Tick I said that deserves a follow it
Was first that deserves a follow I said yeah he even follows Fowler’s coaching account but not Fowler it doesn’t follow him I invited him over for Christmas obviously he’s from Brazil and all um I didn’t want him to spend it on his own cuz his his girlfriend was still in
Croatia wasn’t she um and obviously I’m buying the boy presents trying to make them feel comfortable and Lucas tells me ah I’ll follow you on Instagram that can be your Christmas present and I was like okay whatever but like it’s only me you because you got him in the Blue Tick and
Like I said Fowler’s football Academy that’s literally shout out fers football Academy actually starting to work for our Mondays come March yeah position specific training we didn’t get we didn’t get asked well already got a Defender that’s you done and then D when did you play last night for the
Most of the game thank you he’s just shown his ver to though than he can do it all he can do it all that’s the first compliment that you’ve given me I’d say the the non League 18 Stone James Miler yeah I’m actually getting r on this podcast maybe this wasn’t a good
Idea setting up this podcast actually in my head I thought we’d take the Mi out of you and now it seems to be me I know I you said anyone can get it anyone can get it you said it was going to be me we’re coming for him next you can try
You can try and I will back back hard it is hard though it is hard you you said you going to come for me today so I just jumped on so band come for you straight at the start we did say we’re coming for you today because you’ve been a
Nightmare at the start yeah fair enough to just laying here away with the fairies but anyway we’re waffling on the shirt I got was Matty Goden obviously if you watch the the previous podcast I spoke about how he played for my dad’s Academy um I grew up obviously idolizing
Him I was I think he put on his insta yesterday I was about 10 years old when I first met him and he was the real success story of my dad’s Academy so uh I obviously looked up to him as did the whole of my dad’s Academy he was someone
That he’s gone on to play in the football league and stuff and obviously that’s every footballers dream so I think it was fate that we drew Coventry I remember when the draw initially happened there obviously was disappointment and stuff but for me it was it was special because I knew that
I’d be able to share the picture of him and it was a it was a lovely moment yesterday we were celebrating with our fans and uh I get a tap on the shoulder and it’s Matt and he was like where’s your dad where’s your dad so we tried to
Point him out in the crowd and we managed to find him and then my dad said that and it’s not often my dad sheds a tear he actually texts me yday saying that um he started to tear up because it was such a lovely moment so um it was
Just so special to to share the picture with him I managed to catch up with him after as well get his top which will 100% be framed I can’t wait to frame that that’s actually that you don’t understand it it means so much to me I
Don’t want to come across as as if I’m fanboying and but it is so special and like I said it was nice to to catch up with him and he actually did say the Conor Conor I introduced you he said that he was going to try and come on the
Podcast so that would be that’ be incredible I mean because he’s gone from he was at scun I believed he made his debut against man united wow and I was actually watching that game uh live on TV I really hope I’m not I’m that actually does ring a bell I can’t lie
How does that ring a bell for you because of the the es Fleet I did some searching yesterday because he put on the Instagram caption that he had a fond place in his heart for you being at St M even after the 2016 playoff final so I
Had to do a little bit of searching right and then I think in his Wikipedia said that he made his Deb yeah yeah cuz I remember uh watching I think it might have been the at the time The Carling cup or the fa it was one of obviously
The cups um so yeah and then he’s obviously he dropped down then to to National League South played for ES Fleet and then he’s just worked his his way up the leagues now he’s obviously in the championship uh banging goals and he’s had an unbelievable career so I
Think just for the viewers Who Who Are Young watching this I think he would be an incredible guest because he’s literally a success story of he’s had to drop down the leagues to then sort of spring boost back up so um mat if you’re watching this it’d be incredible to have
You on the podcast and hopefully we can we can get that sorted in the summer and I think that probably brings us on to our the topic of this podcast it’s going to start like a little bit of a minseries about each one of our careers
And today we’re going to focus on on you bon and for the viewers and the listeners bony’s going to talk a little bit about his experiences we’re hoping him to and we’re going to interject with some questions because like I said we’ve all had very different paths we’ve all had
Very different experiences so especially when we get into like Connor we’re going to not understand or anything really about the US system yeah I don’t think many many of the audience will to be fair but that’s good though cuz then hopefully that brings Americans and they
Can relate to your story you know yeah so um if we we start you off bony we’d like to know like what was your first initial footballing memory I’d say it was when I just come back from Malaysia uh I was 5 years old when I come back from Malaysia and I was
Obviously I was football mad my dad finished his career out there uh so I sort of grew up sort of watching my dad play and stuff you know so that was just in my blood to football football football um but I remember my dad
Telling me that I was going to go to the not the local field um but like to a local football Center and I was going to play football and I rocked up and um I was actually he’d signed me up for a team the team’s called pound Rangers it was a a local
Side King actually played the boy King yeah King was there King was Center back actually my friend Tyron who I’m really close with he was there um but that was my first football in memory and my time at Park Farm it was just incredible you
Know even to this day I still speak with ex- teammates um it’s funny how football works like that but ex- teammates and stuff and at the time my dad used to work on Saturdays that’s when he probably used to coach Matty on a Saturday morning uh so he could never
Take me to the games my mom had uh her epilepsy so she wasn’t able to drive at that time and it was actually tyron’s mom Janita she used to uh she used to take us every Saturday morning she used to she used to get like little um
Celebrations so you see it half time instead of the oranges did you ever used to have the oranges at they Wonder 18 Stone they Wonder Ty’s mom started it off yeah literally um but yeah she used to bring the little selection boxes and stuff and at half time would eat
Chocolates and stuff like that but that was um that was such a special time that was when I sort of started to love football I know I’m saying about obviously being football mad but I suppose when you start playing uh that’s when you really you know get your love
For it you know and uh my time there was was just incredible and yeah fun memories and I think that’s that’s important to say that for a lot of kids out there who aspire to be professional footballers which we’re very fortunate that we’re in that position I can definitely say like like
You bony that when I first started playing football it wasn’t oh I want this to be my career this is what I want to do when I’m older it was you just playing for the fun of it we just loved it we love playing with our friends we
Love enjoying it we love the scho school being over on a Friday thinking tomorrow I’ve got a game I’ve got training tonight and I think I think that’s really important for kids to understand that even though we are in this fortunate position it wasn’t always ah I
Want to be a football do you um do you have any memories of being in Malaysia no not I remember being on the pitch of my dad um there’s some pictures there of I had he played for a team called home United I can’t remember if that was in
Singapore or Malaysia uh but that was my only sort of football memory I remember the apartment um one of my dad’s friends Marcus I remember he used to he was a close friend of my dad so he he used to always chill with my dad you know during
Trainings and stuff he used used to I used to be around here but that’s the only real memory I have and that’s something that I do want to do is is go back to Malaysia and and go and you know see where he started his football career
And stuff you know now we’ve all already been spammed with quite a few messages about your eligibility to play for Malaya is that something that you would like to do potentially in the future or you just concentrating on your career in England or it’s it’s not something that I
Mean I’ve got so many do I call them fans I suppose they are fans that that comment on my uh Instagram posts I get so many DMS saying bro you need to play for Malaysia and the Asian qualifiers and stuff it’s not something that I’ve ever looked into
There was a bit of hype around it but I’ve never I’ve never looked into it about you know possibly getting the passport and representing them um and who knows I mean that could be somethingone that I I look at in the future but obviously with with the way The Season’s gone and stuff
It’s suppose it’s not at the Forefront of my mind you know yeah you could be like uh the Malaysian Ben bariton Diaz right you found through football manager to have and that’s how that’s how it was founded was it yeah that’s how it was founded so if you for the viewers that
That play football manager in fact I have so many text from people who play it um and they say that oh I’m missing you because you’re you’re representing Malaysia during the season and I’m not eligible to play for masstone then during the the season in football manager but that’s how it was founded
From someone who was playing the game recognized that I I was born in Malaysia and then it’s just sort of blew up from there yeah so are you still holding out hope for the uh the England call up is that it’s uh making you delay it
Although or maybe the Irish call up CU brother I lost hope for that England call up quite a while back um he you never know Jamie VY did it well there we go then I’ll keep I I’ll keep striving for it but um yeah I mean I think that’s out the
Picture now so uh I don’t think I have to worry about that yeah southgate’s pretty set with his Midfield I was going to say Belling Defender yeah who knows who knows you know what I mean no not a Defender not a Defender now sorry sorry um I think we should probably go a
Little bit further back to your to your earlier days so you said that you started off at at Park farm with your your friends and obviously your your families and stuff used to take you to the game where did it kind of go from there I’m nearly sure partk Farm sort of
Folded um locally there was a a cycle Kennington which a lot of the boys went to went to play there but I don’t want to sound arrogant in saying this but I think as you get older you sort of recognize that you you know you have
Some sort of ability and stuff and at the time uh there was a team called Trinity uh which is based in which is based in Ramsgate but they were a really good side used to win the the the divisions and stuff and I went there I
Went there for a I think I did about two years well no I did longer but the way it works is when you go go into the Kent League I can’t I can’t remember exactly what age it is you you go into the Kent league but it has to come under a
Different name so I did I obviously played for Trinity and then we turned into Ramsgate and then we played in the the Kent league and I was there for a number of years and and that was you know we used to win the leagues all the
Time so your dad wasn’t your manager at Ramsgate no so what happened was my dad was a separate Academy so I’d obviously play my football for Ramsgate and during the week then my dad would have his Academy and we train once a week and then during the the half terms with cuz
My dad had built up these contacts through his uh through his playing career um during the half terms and all he he had set up tours to go and play against you know Sunderland I remember we played against Hall City Nikki Bambi was actually the uh Craig actually knows
Him really well I noticed that on his socials last week Nikki Bambi was the uh was the manager of I think at the time was like the under 11s and stuff and I remember as a young kid you know you grow up up sort of watching him and I
Was oh my God Nicki Nicki Mam’s the manager and that was really special but my dad was was separate so my my league football was was with ramg my dad then he was convinced to set up a Sunday League side to compete in the the Kent
League so I think a few boys from his Academy signed up for the team so did I so I left Ramsay and uh we’re playing in this league but we were getting beat every week like every week and I think it blessed my Dad I think it was
Stressful for him as well as as as well as trying to run his Academy so um but when we when we folded I went to to Kennington then which again um I knew like loads of the team etc etc and I played there for about two months and
That was when I was about 14 so I used to uh Ira Jackson you know Ira jacksona um so I used to meet him and train with him and his dad and I remember my dad drove past me as I was on my bike going
To the local pitch and he and he said to me he said um CH I comeing to watch you um this Sunday so I was like wow like I’ve got to be on it here and I had a knack from when I was younger I used to
Go missing in the in the big games um I think putting pressure on my I used to don’t say what I think you’re about to say I think with his eyes I could tell he was going to say when you were younger don’t even go I didn’t say
Anything um but yeah obviously so I was super excited about that they come to watch me and actually had a really good game I scored twice and yeah my dad said to me after he said you’re you’re going in Tuesday so I was like this was incredible you
Know chunting at the time with the championship I remember going in for my first session and Ricardo Fuller was there wow everyone yeah yeah he was there and I was obviously star strike and stuff like that he’d played in the Prem for for sto
St I was going to say Stoke yeah um but turned up did well and my first trial match was against Tottenham at tottenham’s brand new training facility as well so that was such a cool experience to go and play there but at the time um who’s the lad from sporting
Who was Marcus Edwards Marcus Edwards absolutely gave me the runaround like I still to this day don’t know how I got signed after that performance like obviously did a good I obviously did some things well and I just think because it was against that caliber of player um it just so happened Charon
Signed me straight away and he’s like a England youth International and yeah but bro he was so good and if you’ve never seen like the Marcus ever videos I think it England under 16s when he was like 14 and he’s got this big afro the green hyper Venoms on He is unbelievable
Unbelievable and I think a lot of people thought there’s even videos online that say like he’s going be the next Messi and stuff he was so but he even ripped up a few seasons back when sport in the when they came back to Tottenham yeah yeah ripped it up I always remember his
Um his interview postm interview if you haven’t seen it go and watch it it’s so funny so Road man man you can tell he’s from he’s from London he’s the ends uh from the ends yeah but yeah so I um I sign there and happy days I got myself a
Contract I don’t know how it worked whether it was till the end of the season or I can’t I can’t exactly remember what i’ signed but yeah sure enough I was a a CH player and um it’s funny because so when I played Sunday
League I was like the big dog um sort of everyone I don’t want this to come across Ro big fish a small yeah exactly everyone sort of looked at [ __ ] and said oh he’s one of the the really good players in the league and going into Charlton then you’re a small fish
Literally you’re a small fish I remember going in there ezri cono was in there and stuff like that ad lookman he wasn’t there at the time oh he wasn’t there yet no he wasn’t he wasn’t there at the time he was actually playing Sunday League League until the very end of under 16s
Could have even been at the start of Scholars but we’ll come on to that cuz that’s a pretty cool story um but yeah I remember going there and I after when I was signed um I didn’t drop my levels but I wasn’t performing as as well as I
I I should have been could have been um I found myself out of the team and stuff and yeah it was uh it was tough because I I was struggling them for confidence and I was quite shy at that age as well didn’t really get in amongst it with the
Boys and stuff and there were there were times I’d actually dread training to be honest didn’t want to go in there I didn’t really enjoy it um I think sorry I think I’ve had a similar situation where when you’re going into a an unknown environment it’s it can be da it
Can be really daunting and when there’s boys that are established in those sort of teams and they’ve already got their their friendship groups and stuff and then at the end of the day you’re coming in there to to take their shirt take their place it can be really really
Intimidating and I think it’s it’s harder at a younger age as well of course you know people I think when you’re young when you’re a teenager people are clicker there’s less movement between clubs you know you have you have boys that’ll sign for Char the8 and play
Until they’re 18 then hopefully make the first remember Victor was there um I think he plays for Bolton now the striker I can’t remember his last night I do know his last name but I don’t want to butcher it on camera so perhaps we’ll talk about it on camera put it he’s gone
On he’s playing League one now um doing really well so but he was there and stuff like that but like going back to that story I did I did struggle for confidence and stuff and I remember there was um a game I can’t remember who it was against but my dad was away
Probably on one of his tours mom at this stage still couldn’t drive and I remember picking up the phone to Ira’s dad and saying do you mind taking me up to Charlton um I’ve got a game there this Saturday dad’s not here can’t take me I got no
One to take me do you mind taking me and because I grew up with Ira um when the game kicked off I wanted to try and prove a point and and show Ira well look look you know I’m doing really well and stuff and I wanted to
Come across as if I was one of the main players and it worked like I was really good really really good in the game and we I think we won I’m had a disallowed goal that game as well offside um but yeah after that game then um got a call
From from Charlton they was like right we want you to come in with the with the under 18s so I’d gone from having my confidence down here to now my confidence being Sky High so I it was just incredible I went into that could have been sorry that could have been
When I saw Ricardo Fuller cuz I went in them for day release and that was quite a big thing then when you was young you used to you used to get called out School all your must have been so excited I got a story as well I got a story so anyway
One of the teachers knock on the door um sorry his Sone in here he needs to he needs to leave for training you obviously you’re walking out 10t tall the the McGregor strut you’re walking out you’re thinking you’re the main man um but yeah went and did the training
Again really nervous as you would be 15 well I could have been 14 at the time cuz I’m August but 14-year-old me going a train with under 18s obviously you’re very nervous um but it went really well and I remember after that session um because it was like late and school was
Like nearly finished my dad was like we’ll just go home I was like no we’re not I was like you’re taking me back to school I want everyone to I want everyone to see me walking in I remember I had a little crush as well on this
Girl who used to go to the school um shout out no shout out no is is it the same girl that you you’ve mentioned to me before yeah and then we ended up having a relationship and okay so um yeah no no name and names
Uh but anyway yes and my dad was like why why do you want me to drop you into school like what’s going on here I didn’t want to tell him I going to go in and sort of speak about it in front of everyone u i was quite shy as well funny
Enough I was quite shy and I went into science class and it was like oh oh Sam how was how was training all the girls are like Sam and giving me hugs me going all red giving them a um but yeah that was that was such a
Cool memory and then that was sort of the the Kickstart of it all um once I played in the 18 trained with the 18 as you can imagine my my confidence then is Sky High like I’m going into the games full of confidence how was the the trans
Because I know you know obviously for most 14year olds it’s a big jump but you were quite developed early on right like you were a no you weren’t bro I was so skinny really we we I think you mean like height wise yeah I was tall but I
Was really skinny ah okay I’ve seen a a video on your Instagram I think playing for like maybe like Kent County or whatever and you go on a crazy run and you smack it in powerful powerful just but that was when I was playing for that’s when I was playing for my dad’s
Academy I left my dad’s Academy to go to Charon and I wasn’t allowed to play for another team of course um that was actually the last tournament I played in for my dad it was the kill Cup in in Manchester and and I was just like full of confidence
Then like obviously I was one of the main players in the team so I’m doing all sorts like stepovers and stuff like completely never been this game as well yeah but as you can as as you do when you’re confident you do everything um training with the 18s I’m going into the
16s games then full of confidence and the under 18s actually had a game and it’s funny how it all works out but they had a game against Mone at the gallaga and because it was obviously local I had my friends come to the stadium to watch
It I B out I played well I played really well and I was actually offered my scholarship I think it was the day after so that’s how I came to be a scholar and stuff it’s funny how it’s all gone almost full circle is it yeah but it’s
It’s weird how I sort of Thrive when I’ve got people coming to watch and U you know my my my ex-man who will come on to he always used to say like go away from the game having people talk about you you know when you’re playing in the
Match have have the people in the crowd going what that s Bone was so good wasn’t he and I think that was my mentality from a young age was when other people were watching I was like I want to show them well I’m the main guy
Here like I said to you about the IRA situation like my confidence was so low but because IRA and his dad came to watch me I was like a point to prove I had a point to prove I wanted to show him I was the main guy um so yeah that’s
How the The Scholar come about and obviously finished the season with the under sixs with Chon and then I did my my scholarship you know and I think it must be said might be skipping a little bit further on forward but we’ll come back to it don’t worry about you did end
Up playing against the Gavin hoit we’re actually skipping on there because that was towards the end of my first year as a scholar so um as you can imagine going to Charon start my scholarship actually moved out of home moved to Elum with um KL leeburn TJ leburn who are actually
Big they’re very big Within in the Charon Community TJ works for the club Carl was an next player of the club their son miles leburn actually plays for Charon now really I remember him when he was was this tour yeah so um yeah first year was was well went it
Went really well um was playing and then towards the end of that season um we played in the semifinal of the national league so if you the way it works is if you finish first and second in the South League of C Category 2 you play so the top team would play the
Runners up of the north League um so you know the teams well the teams up north and I played really well in the semi-final and we won that it was against n and Forest at the valley and because I played really well I was
Called up to the 23s to play in the K Cup Final uh against jinning ham that’s when then Gavin hit appears um the Gavin but that was that was incredible the best guy in football h a Justin’s brother man Justin’s brother ay but I
Was I was 16 at the time and yeah sure enough we play we played Gillingham at Gillingham Stadium priestfield I really hope it’s priestfield isn’t it no is yeah I was going to say uh but at the time seven seven first team players were playing so Leon leg um Hess hessen Tyler
Whatever his name is gav was playing and we won the game we won the game um and that was just incredible so then after that we played in the final and I think you even said to me that didn’t Adam o lman was he on the bench for that
It was one of the two it could have been Addie or ezri that wasn’t invol I’m near sure ezri wasn’t involved Addy could have yeah now look what’s happened now look what happened but uh Addy could have been on the bench um Regan Charles cook and all were
Playing Harry lenon Dylan Phillips and stuff like that um so that was just incredible but then we we went on we went on to win the after that obviously won that went on to win the under 18s cup the national cup and I had a break obviously the the offseason and stuff
And I remember then going into my second year as a scholar um saying to myself right well I played for the 23s now so my aim this season is going to be I’ll I’ll do preseason with the 23s and then I’ll I’ll try and push first team around
October November um and again that just it goes back to being naive and stuff like that and and my attitude then just changed because when I went back for the second year scholar uh I started doing preseason with the their 18s I was like what am I here for like I’ve just played
In the you got a bit big time very big time very arrogant and I wasn’t a nice person to to be around I didn’t listen to anyone I thought I knew best and ultimately we come on to that but that was my downfall um but yeah so anyway I
Got little niggles I wasn’t living right wasn’t training properly and yeah it was it was the my downfall because come the end of the season then the the guy you know I still haven’t found out about what where’s my Pro contract like boys are getting offered Pro contract where’s mine you’re
Assuming that because of done I’m just assuming I’m going to get and CU I’m young I’m naive I’m forgetting about the fact that I’m actually not a good person to to be around you’re not coachable I’m not George Lapsley was our captain of under 18s he plays for jettingham now
Never used to listen to him and he was the skipper never used to listen to him thought I knew best um and just like I said just wasn’t a nice person to to be around within the environment and come the end of the season then um I was effectively released now having said
That the last two games again we we finished first and second so we played in the National League semifinal won that played in the final actually played really well in those two games because I sort of knew that one my contracts running out in a couple of weeks I need
To do something special here uh so I copped on a little bit played really well and Steve Avery actually offered me um a six Monon extension to my scholar so I wouldn’t be on the pro wages like a school boy I’d still be on my scholarship wage and I remember
Thinking I’m done here like what why are you trying to offer me a scholar like I’m going to go on and and play for um a better team and and you know I’m going to do this I’m going to do that and then I’m going to find myself in the football
League um but it’s funny how life works because a few months after that that’s when I was diagnosed with the with the cancer and we’ll touch upon that but that was um I was obviously out of football for a little while and that gave me time to
Reflect on and I said it to the the BBC last week in an interview that gave me to that gave me time to reflect on on who I was as a person and ultimately made me a better person for IT and and those days now being arrogant and
Thinking that I’m the best player ever they they’re gone now so it was a learning it was a learning curve you know and I’m glad it have sorry I’m glad happened because I always feel like I never have regrets never ever ever have regrets and I feel like I needed that to
To to learn as a person and ultimately it’s it’s made me a better footballer for it as well I think it’s it’s weird to imagine you not being a good teammate or someone to be around because I think one thing that you really take pride in
Is I I saw first hand when I came in as a trialist so nice to everyone you know and and you’re one of those players you want to always have have on the pitch with you you know last night’s a perfect example after 15 minutes we’re down you
Get moved positions don’t say a word about it right and you continued and had a really good game in a in a different position right and I think a lot of people could you know maybe not be like over the moon about that and you didn’t
Say a word about it and and earlier in the season you’re playing Center half it’s it’s really nice while obviously there’s been negatives that have have happened to you that have made you learn maybe a different way to it’s it’s crazy how much grow you’ve probably had
Through those years and like I said I’m glad that that I’ve gone through that because ultimately football is a team game it’s not like boxing where you’re on your own UFC you’re on your own yeah you know you’ve got 10 other players around you as well as the boys on the
Bench and the the way I look it is all successful teams it stems and we actually said this in the podcast it was about you being around the environment although you’re injured it stems from having a good squad mhm good people good attitudes you know you look at successful teams you’ve got experience
In there you’ve got young Lads that are trying to break through and they’re at it every day so I think that’s very important is to be a very very good team player and not be one of those players if when something’s going wrong you throw your toys at the pram and you’re
Like oh you have your head down you got to be one of those players that sort of drag your team with you you know of course so that’s it’s so important to be like that I think they saying is One Bad Apple or one rotten apple
The the fruit B isn’t it 100% I mean I haven’t heard that saying before brother but one bad fruit ruin rotten apple it actually happened immediately when I went to reach for my apples they’re all gone now it must have been one and I think I must touch back on the on the
Cancer obviously it’s something that Connor and I haven’t gone through and that many people won’t have gone through and I think it’s also it’s it’s amazing that you have obviously come out of the other side and that you can comment on what you’ve gone through and you can
Speak you can speak so highly that you’re actually almost glad it happened because it kind of changed the way that you mental yeah and the way that you now approach life and the way that you see things through almost like a different lens C can you actually just give us
More of a backstory after charlon and how you found out so yeah it was the night of my auntie’s wedding Auntie Bella we’d all um we’d all decided to to go to Cyprus she wanted it there in my in the backyard of my Nan’s house but it
Was was that evening uh cuz I sleep in my front um I went to bed and it was really uncomfortable really uncomfortable and it was funny because a few years before that Dyan Tom beus I actually again touched upon this in all the interviews that I’ve had to do
During this FA Cup run but he’ passed away from testicular cancer and I always remember subconsciously just thinking well if there was a lump there would I ever be able to you know notice that it’s there like what happens if I have a lump there and I don’t realize and you
Know just get ill and then I die you know it was always in the back of my mind and yeah sure enough i’ I’d gone to bed that that evening really uncomfortable and I said to myself right tomorrow I’ll wake up and if it’s still sore I’ll check and I still remember
That moment as if it was yesterday um woke up really sore took myself up to the bathroom and sure enough there was a a lump there you wouldn’t miss it you wouldn’t miss it so for any viewers that you you know get inspired by this and find the
Lump or or or I thinking or what would happen if it’s there and I and I can’t find it you do find it like it’s there you can’t miss it um obviously the testicle as well swells up as well so that’s a a big sight yeah it’s a big
Sign so uh what had happened then I I returned back to England and by this time then my it it’d become obviously knowledge that there’s there was something there and stuff you know but um I remember my family telling me that I have to go and get sorted but because
I was so and and looking back it was probably silly for me but because I was so adamant and trying to find the club you know like goes back to football football football um I sort of tried to put it behind me and as you do you don’t
There’s millions of people in this world the last thing you think of is you have cancer you know so um obviously the the opportunity arose to go to man united Sunderland Bristol City on trial by boys um but obviously it didn’t work out so it’s funny cuz when I come back from
Bristol City I was watching um and I won’t go into too much detail with this but I was watching a show and it just so happened someone on the show had terminal cancer because they were too scared to go and get it checked out and that sort of went something clicked in
My head so I remember a few days later I was like calling my mom I was like Mom look we have to I want to get this sorted now you know I I still I still feel it you know there’s still swelling there can we arrange to go to the the
Hospital so she sorted it for me and anyway I get there and I speak to the the the doctor and he he’s doing his checks and all and he turns around he says no he says no you’re fine he says there’s there’s nothing there so in the
Back of my head I’m going hang on a minute what is this then are you actually a doctor there is something there but uh I said to him I said look um can you send me off a a c a CT scan or whatever it is and he was like yeah
Okay okay look just to clear your mind I’ll send you for a scan so he sends me off for this scan and sure enough then um it comes back that there’s a tumor there so uh we get the phone call yeah Mr bone you know there there’s a a tumor
Tumor’s been found blah blah blah uh what happens is now you need to go to the hospital and and have a meeting now I’m still quite young at this point I’m like it’s going over the the top of my head you know um so my dad takes me to the
Hospital and we get there and I ball in with a a Lucas head in one hand a yogurt in the other didn’t anticipate to be there for that long thought it was just going to be a two three minute sort of meeting first thing I go in there he
Goes um do you have a parent with you now I was like straight away it clicked then I was like that doesn’t sound too good um and I was actually saying it to you yesterday bro cuz you asked me about it so my dad comes in and the is sort of
Still going over the top of my head and all I hear the the doctor say is um that we found a tumor and we need to remove your right testicle and I promise you now I went white as a ghost I remember asking the lady cuz they have to have
Someone there remember asking I say can you just get me some water and I swear to God I don’t remember anything else I don’t remember anything else in that meeting and it just it just went in one ear went out the other you know as it would you’re a perfectly healthy
17-year-old boy that’s what I mean your your first thing is how do I become a pro football what next step do I and like and like I said you you never think it’s going to be you of course you never think the St exactly you never you never
And In fairness now in my family there’s well there was my nan but there was no one else who who had cancer so I was like what I’ve got cancer um well actually sorry I didn’t know at the time that I had cancer we obviously had to
Remove the right testicle and then they did the checks and uh yeah it turns out that it was uh it was it was cancerous um but I remember I was walking up maystone High Street and I get a call um on my phone from the doctor and he says
Uh Mr bone we we have your we have your results from the analysis and I said to him I said I said do you mind speaking to my mom I said I don’t want to take this call right now um so I went home and my mom takes the call that evening
And I’m upstairs you can imagine me I’m just upstairs literally sat there twinl in my thumbs going oh my God what’s going to happen what’s going to be said and I go down there and she says to me there’s there’s good news but there’s bad news I was like right okay then and
She says the good news is you’ve caught it they’ve caught it really early however the bad news is um you could would have to do a short dosage of chemotherapy or radiotherapy um and I remember during that time it was obviously very worrying I was very confused so many different
Emotions um and I can imagine my family would have been feeling the same but never did I see them worry never did I see them upset um crying you know for for my parents it must have been horrible knowing that their child has a tumor it must have been um it must have
Been horrible but I think their energy sort of I I sort of fed off their energy um so when my mom told me that I remember going upstairs put the headphones in I love music so I put the headphones in I’m listening to Chris Brown some bad Tunes he likes and I
Wasn’t listening to Spanish regoton at that moment as well he tried to introduce us to some and some of you like my there’s a few songs that I like but you just blast them at your house as loud as you cance the the B the Bas the base the Bas
Um I poor neighbors I know yeah but yeah I sure sure enough I listened to Chris Brown I remember coming downstairs and saying let’s do it the movie yeah yeah thought it was a mov let’s do it I know Chris Brown gets you in the mood for that no but honestly
Like I’m really music motivates me like in fact you know it I’ve always got my headph always listen to music it motivates me so much um so yeah honestly for for that I think it was about a week and a half then in between that phone call and the meetings that I was
Scheduled to have I sort of prepared myself to have some sort of um you know whether it was radiotherapy or chemotherapy I had it in my head like I’m doing it and I remember because this is one of the most special memories of of my life I remember going into the
Meeting with the surgeon so I had a meeting with the surgeon on the let’s say for example Wednesday and I had a meeting with the Royal Marsden which is a cancer specific Hospital on the Thursday and like I said I’d prepared for for the news and I got in and the
Surgeon says uh we were obviously talking and he says says Mr bone he says you’ve you’ve caught this so early from my analysis you know you don’t need any treatment and I was like like like still can’t if find words to explain it I was just like what and I
Was just so happy um so happy and he said look he says although I’m the surgeon and stuff and I sort of know my my stuff um the final say will be with the Royal maen because they are a Cancer specific hospital so they might want to
Put you on radiotherapy just to be safe just to be safe um but as you can imagine my auntie Bella again going back my mom didn’t drive at this point Auntie Bella’s taken us and we it was just such a special time we actually had McDonald’s breakfast then to celebrate
Our straight after the meeting don’t say it don’t say it don’t say it don’t say it don’t say it um but that was just it was bro it was just incredible like just so special to hear him say that was was incredible you know and the
Following day then we went to the Royal Mars and it was the same they they turned around and said yeah you don’t need any any treatment you can uh just crack on and have your regular checkups there’s there’s not many people that can like or not many people our age and in
Our situation as football players that can have experienced a similar type of relief you know it might be well you don’t think you’re going to get a club and you get a club or you don’t think you’re going to beat an injury and you beat an injury you were not sure if
You’re going to beat cancer and that must have been just the best day ever oh it was incredible but I remember as well my motivation throughout the whole process was as when you’re young you have aspirations to go and play in the Premier League and be this famous
Footballer that everyone knows and I remember saying to myself I’m going to get to the Premier League and I’m going to be this cancer survivor and I’m going to inspire millions of people and show them that although you’ve been knocked down in life you can always come back
And rise from it obviously the the Premier League thing hasn’t worked out um what’s so beautiful about the FA Cup I’ve met some incredible people throughout this throughout this whole journey um I’ve done a number of um interviews with you know the Sunday Times BBC with Neil um actually did um a
Spanish interview the other day as well talking about it and it’s just incredible and it’s so funny how life works now I’m actually in a position where I’ve been able to shine some some Spotlight on it and you know throughout this whole process now if this can raise
Awareness for it and Inspire young kids young adults to go and get checked then that’s my job done and that’s something that I’ll really be prideful for you know and I think that’s that’s so admirable and I must say that there’s actually a few boys in the change room
That didn’t even know yeah Lamar said it to me and um I think that I’m also really happy that we’ve like created this podcast in a way because I feel like even though we’re very close we’ve never really been able to sit down and talk
I’ve never sat down and spoken to you in about like that and it’s such a uh a serious and such a sensitive subject and as you can probably tell me and Connor we we’ve never been in that situation so it’s hard for us to comment and to add
Things to it but that was quite that was actually a little bit emotional just hearing bony talk about that andth about that our friend and someone we consider a brother has gone through that and even people in the chain room W weren’t even aware of that so I’m
Actually thankful we’ve created this to even be able to help others exactly so after this you know unbelievable relief how how quick was your was your thinking can I get back into football what’s what’s my next Club my next PATH yeah no so uh so when I was told that no um
Treatment was required uh and I’d effectively beaten cancer um I was just partying using that as an excuse to go out and sort of drink every week and I remember biceps we’d my boy we’d go to uh one of the local nightclubs in in masstone gallery uh so for a good solid
Month I was just celebrating with them and drinking and stuff and it wasn’t until my dad sort of sat me down who obviously we’ve touched on it had a huge influence on my career he sat me down I was like right you’ve the cancer stuff’s done now do you want to become a
Footballer and I was obviously my first thought was was yeah so I had to you know stop going out as often I had to start training again around this period I think it was 6 weeks after the operation that’s when I could start like ramping up my training so I started
Training and my dad suggested that I go to Cypress to sort of get away from the distractions of going out every weekend and stuff and I went and trained with my um well on my own but obviously just with my n and Granddad living in their
Place in Cyprus for about a month the month of December we come back just before Christmas um and just before Christmas day I had a meeting with my agent who at the time was Pala Vana he um he suggested that you know he had contacts in Ireland preseason was
Starting there in in January and um because it was around that time he said look he said you’re not matchfit he said in order to go into clubs you have to be reasonably fit to to stand out you know you’re going in there you have to be one
Of the you have to be better than what they’ve got in order to get signed um so anyway I he’s convinced me to go to Ireland and we’d gone there initially for three weeks just to do preseason training but I’ve said it to you off camera before I absolutely loved my time
There um the manager at the time Steven Bradley was kind enough to to let me train with the team team I played three matches there and effectively it was used to to get fit and then come back to England to find the club but I just loved my time in Ireland and luckily
Enough then um towards the end of the trial he said that we want to we want to sign you and straight away I I jumped it it wasn’t much money I think it was about €200 EUR a week and I was like 100% and that was the my you know the
Start of my my time in Island you know and Shamar Rover is a very big Club massive you know very wellknown Club so I mean you potentially would have been happy with that I think you would have been happy with that before even the operation yeah 100% I just wanted to get
Back into football yeah and I remember going there and people used to say it’s such a good platform to Showcase your talents you know if you do well in this league it was my first professional Club in terms of playing in front of a crowd
And stuff they were like if you do well in this league you can get moves and stuff so that was a big incentive of mine was to was to go there and and do well and and you on FIFA and I managed to get on FIFA
Yeah which was uh that’s ticked off the the old bucket list now which is incredible but I just feel so indebted to Steven Bradley because he gave me that opportunity to come back into football um I’ll forever I’ll forever be grateful for the opportunity that he gave me and I had some incredible
Experiences like you said CH Rover is a huge Club even more so now as we speak because they’ve done they’ve won the last four League titles played in the Europa conference League group stages I think it was last season or something so huge Club um is that where you made your
Europa League debut yeah so we played um played against it was it was so cool we played against stanan who were from Iceland so I got to go and you know spend a few days in Iceland and then we got to the next round played against mad boleslav who are from Czech Republic
Sounds like a madeup name I’m not going Li trying to speak earlier and trying to say something they were fluent in C not in English they honestly boys they were incredible one of their midfielders used to play for readin in the Premier League
So he was just a j but that was such a cool experience but I didn’t start the game um I wasn’t really starting my first year at Rovers and then my second year I played more started more and we we finished third the first season so we were again in the Europa League
Qualifiers it wasn’t the conference League at this stage it didn’t exist but we played against AOK who were the Swedish Champions and at the time what undefeated and we we played against them we got beaten our first game at home 1- nil and then we won we didn’t win but we
Well yeah in 90 minutes we won one- nil to take its extra time at their place wow and that was bro that was so cool we played in the the National League Stadium the national team stadium sorry uh and that was just an incredible experience but Seb Larson signed for
Them the week before the week of the second leg and he wasn’t eligible yet to play in the second leg and I was gutted I was I used to watch him at suland he used to copy his technique for his free kicks unel yeah used to copy his Techni
And I was gutted and he was doing the radio commentary for the match U but that was the the last of the last taste I got to Europe then because um finished the season there my third season then I found it really difficult to break into
The side with sign Jack burn who played for City Aaron mcin who was well established in the league and Greg bjo who was well establish in the league and that was sort of the Midfield three so I couldn’t get into the team and and then I had a really bad hamstring injury when
I was when I managed to get into the side uh we played against Bray wanders in the cup and hamstring went as I went to Spring and I was out for about four months with that and that was that was the end then in the summer then Steven
Bradley said um you know you can Watford want to sign you on a a loan or an 18mon deal it’s up to you uh it’s your decision and at the time I was just like yeah like I wasn’t really enjoying it towards the end of my Shaman Rover stint
Because I wasn’t playing and stuff like stuff like that you know so um and is it one of those when it’s phrased like that oh it’s a loan deal or you could go for 18 months is that do you take that as almost a hint of yeah we don’t we don’t
Want you oh 100% yeah I knew that they didn’t want me but because I wasn’t playing I was desperate to as soon as I found out Waterfield were interest I was like get me there cuz that’s all you want to do I just wanted to play time
Out of the game and especially when you’ve when you’ve moved abroad no longer with your family all that sort of stff fact has come into it yeah so I was just like get me to Waterford um but I just loved my time at at like the boys
And I I loved them all right yeah my last year didn’t go to plan as what I wanted it to and I ended up not enjoying it as much but the two years before that were just incredible you know met some incredible people and stuff like that
And I remember going to wford I was a bit sort of indecisive I was like well that I want to do do this I’m leaving the club that I’m really comfortable at and I remember the first day I got home I started crying I was I don’t know I
Don’t know this is the right decision um but it’s like again it’s funny how football works because absolutely loves my time at Waterford I I ended up signing the the loan deal because I didn’t know what would happen uh so I signed the loan deal and then um come
The end of the season yeah they offered me a deal for The Following season and I think it must be said how much you must love Waterford because our good friend chrisy Patterson has now gone out there and I remember agent Sam I remember you been having a conversation with him and
He was asking a like is it right to go out there and knew were all for it you were saying 100% absolutely love it still full-time football obviously they’ve done really well now and they’ve got promoted to the to the Prem or to the the top division like Waterford is
Such a it’s a great Club boys like a serious club and I just fell in love with the place fell in love with the place uh That season then where I signed on a on a contract um the manager Alan Reynolds built an incredible side you know the boys were
Fantastic uh that’s where Mikey Conor we Mike Mikey got to get him on the Pod Mike got to get him on the pod great guy but he was there as well so just I just fell in love with the place and come the end Co and all happen but we’ll skip
That part um come the end of the season um now at the time Watford had a reputation for every season they were literally off flowed their whole Squad so I think the year before that they had actually finished fourth or something got Europe because they wasn’t in the
League for more than two years Europe was taken off them anyway that’s another story to get into but that side that did really well for them that season all left so I sort of knew towards the end of my time at wford that season I thought like all of the team could be
Gone here and I I was panicking I was thinking no cuz I don’t want to leave and stuff and um fairness you know cuz we did well that season we were uh tipped to go down and we actually the last day of the Season we lost to Finn
Harps and if we’d won that we would have got European spots European yeah so that was horrible at the time um but because we’ done well the club turned around to a few of us and said yeah we want to offer you deals but they offered us the
Same money now was like well no because we’ve done well we want to you’ve exceeded expectations yeah exactly we want a little pay or something and um at the time Pats are on to me Steven O’Donnell um he was calling my phone I was injured at the time I done my that’s
When I did my hamstring tear um I had it obviously took it off the bone I had to have surgery and stuff and I remember taking the call from him while I was in hospital about what my situation was for for next season so he was like hounding
My phone and I was getting stressed out about Waterford and in the end then Waterford was just like yeah like we’re not we’re not going to try and keep the boys anymore we’ve offered you the deal if you don’t want to accept it you’re
Free to go so so Steven Odon gave you a call while you’re still recovering from your hamstring I had to call him and say oh Stevie can I call you back I’m just in the hospital just and at the time I thinking should I be telling him this
Because uh if he finds out that I’m actually in hospital he might not want to sign me again yeah well I think they would have found out when you crutched into your medical well there we go literally and if you CR as slow as this
Lad it would have been a long long time a long long time he’s been totally comparti we bear we’re going back to him partial weight bear I do partially got the video and he’s going so slow Casey’s even looking at him like that’s not partial weight bar anyway yes so
Obviously Stevie’s stev’s in contact with me and obviously with then when when Waterford said that I was I was able to well I was I was gone um my only real option was was Pats and coming back to the story The start of the episode when they were shouting abuse at me and
Stuff I was like well they don’t really like me here but Stevie seems to like me so um perhaps I’ll I’ll do it and yeah sure enough then we we got the contract sorted and I remember signing for Pats and in the back of my mind I was like
GED this Waterford thing hasn’t hasn’t worked out I was gued to leave Waterford and the fan The Waterford fans know that I’m not trying to justify why I left and stuff it’s want new deal he wants a new deal it’s my it’s my story human no
It’s it’s just my story and that’s the way it panned out but um again going back to how football Works obviously left Waterford thought my world had tipped upside down again and and I had one of the best years of my career um at Pats you know we we won the Fai Cup
Final finished second in the league had a good a good running in the in the league you know we were I think we took shamut Rovers all the way by the last six or seven games or something um and yeah it was one of the best best years
Of my career now this week I did actually read somewhere that you said that getting to the fifth round of the FA Cup oh yeah tops here yeah of course it tops but I also heard that you did have a little tactical cramp in the FAA Cup Final because you didn’t want to
Take a penalty now this is just a little rumor wow no I remember the the week before that that final uh I think there was like between the last game of the season and the final I think we had like sorry it was a week but before that we
Had the last game of the season and we’d secured second so after trainings um Stevie was was doing p position specific running with us so I was playing I knew I was playing right back so he’d have me running up and down the the line midfielders would be doing
Short sharp stuff like getting to the ball dropping back off and I was going into the game going this is going to work I’ve done all my extra running like he was getting us running before saying that the Aviva is huge we need to be about 60 Minutes in cuz of the
Occasional his first ever time playing in front of you know 38,000 fans I think it was more caffeine than normal more caffine than normal uh that probably didn’t help me but yeah about 60 Minutes in I’m going oh my God I got cramp here
In my CS I got cramp in my Cs and then it got to about the the 93rd minute or something and I just couldn’t go anymore and I was dragged off well not dragged off I was subbed off and it went to penalties I remember thinking thank God
I’m not taking a penalty here and that must have I mean I think it’s something you’ve told us about your family didn’t get over to Ireland often no that was the first time yeah they were able to come for the final that was the yeah
That was the first time I had my all my family um can’t remember my brother was there but my dad was there Mom Auntie um at the time the exm and all her friends were there as well so that I just remember that being really really
Special and like I said that was my first silver wear I’d won in football first time I played in a in front of a crowd that big in front of a in a stadium that big so it was uh it was so special and so come the off seon what happens then got
Released I did so uh what had happened was cramp they said eyes what had happened was Stevie so before the final there was rumors about Stevie going to dund and we had no we had no clue about it you know um but a few days after the
Final it it come out in the press that he was going to dul he had his playing career there he’s he’s a legend at dul um one of like the the big names if you talk about dul Stevie oono comes up in the conversation Club Legend um but he’d
Gone to dul and Pat’s actually offered me um so the guy who was there like sort of Taken charge while they were trying to find a manager offered me a new deal and because it was the same money I turned around I was like well no I want
I want to try and negotiate as you do I want to try and negotiate a little bit more you know you try and be cheeky with it obviously and uh they signed then a manager I think a day later and that was it then didn’t hear anything didn’t hear
Anything I’m it’s F it’s funny it’s funny because in the group chat boys were typing in saying like have you heard from the new manager I won’t name names have you heard from the new manager everyone’s like yeah yeah yeah I remember calling up a few of my pal that
I lived with and I was like boys have you heard from him like yeah yeah know he called me two days ago like I’m just checking my phone saying have I got a Miss call no I didn’t hear anything but luckily um Stevie rated me as a player
And he um he offered me a de he offered me a deal at dul and um yeah so my my time at dul was was really enjoyable um did really well in the league I think before that season before there was a the dul dul are one of the
Biggest teams in Ireland and I remember them playing Arsenal actually yeah exactly so they they’ve always been I think there was a period when I first went there they were always win the league and stuff you know um and they they sort of dropped off that I think they finished
Maybe fifth or sixth in the uh in the season before I signed uh and we went there I think we finished joint second with der sham rers obviously won the league again but really enjoyable um but then at the end of the season um Stevie Stevie sort of pulled me into the office
I remember we went we went on a offseason trip to Berlin I’ve told you boys off camera great trip with the boys um but after that I’d come back and I I was sort of preparing like oh what’s I wonder what they’re going to off offer
Me in terms of my my next money and stuff i’ become really comfortable in Ireland um and I didn’t want to I didn’t want to leave I sort of saw my future well definitely for the next season playing with dul and Stevie we had the meeting he had like individ individual
Meetings with all the players and he was just honest with me and he just said look I’m I’m going to struggle to I think a few maybe a few months before that um I was going around saying that I wanted to play midfield and he uh he
Said to me I can’t promise game time there and I think it’s best if you if you go off and and maybe you know try and get a club where you’re going to play consistently and I remember at the time that was that was really tough to
Take that was quite stressful because um I was with my ex partner and I didn’t want to sort of Bounce from Club to Club in Ireland um so that was quite stressful in terms of what I was going to do next and I had a bit of time to I
Went on holidays I had a bit of time to sort of think about what I wanted to do and I spoke with my agent and I said well maybe let’s try and look at England you know it it was always something that I wanted to do although I was
Comfortable in Ireland it would have been a regret of M if I if I didn’t come back to England and try the leagues so I always had it in the back of my mind I do want to one day playing playing England and um I remember I was on
Holiday and I was in fact I come back from holiday I was just chilling in my ex partner’s house and I get a call from my agent and he says Olden want to look at you so straight away I was like oh you know
All him a huge club and I was like shout micke I was like yeah definitely I was like this is perfect he said they want you to to play in a a trial game I can’t remember I think it was against sford actually and I was like well look I’ve
Just been to just been to Berlin just been to Cypress just been to Paris Amsterdam I was like I can’t just rock up into Alm and play in Midfield and try and try and do well so I was like look if you can try and get me uh in in there
Maybe a week before so I can train try and get Matt Sharp and stuff um that would be helpful he In fairness to him he sorted it so I got there on the Thursday Timmy Abraham was there and I knew Timmy from when I was at Charon he
Was he was brilliant made me feel welcome and stuff and I get there and because it had been snowing the week before where they normally trained it was you couldn’t train there because the pitch had Frozen off and stuff so the first they had a game on the Tuesday so
As you do on the Thursday the Boys At don’t play they do a session while the boy the starters do recovery and um I get in I get in there do a little session perfect feeling quite sharp you know the next day then we have to train
At an astro but because Olden was struggling at the time that whole session was just geared towards shape they were playing t on the Sunday so the manager was just doing shape so I was out of it I was just the feeder I was just passing balls into the midfielders
So they can go and play literally felt like the biggest waste oface face ever but um that that was that I did that session and then the next day um it was it was Saturday and we’ managed to rent out like this it was no bigger it was a
Little bit bigger sorry than a five side pitch you know like goals yeah yeah so um all it was they did a bit of shape and me and two other young Academy Lads had to sit on the side so the sport scientist was like well we’ll do some
Running and at the time I was like well this is actually really good for me I need this I need this for the game on on Tuesday so I was actually quite happy to be doing running and I was doing it the session finished and the next day they
Had T and they won 3-2 so the manager’s given them a couple of days off and the head of recruitment then said to me said uh look Sam because of the weather it looks more than likely the uh the game is going to be cancelled so I was like
Right okay so he says go back to mstone go back to your family next week we’ll try and get you back up again once the the snow’s melted and stuff like that and on the way back um I was on the train and what had happened was you know
How the tanoy comes on he said we will shortly be arriving at mstone East so they you’re reading out all the stations that we’ll stop at and it just clicks I was like hang on a minute mstone are in the same league as oldum they’re actually higher at the moment than oldum
Like let me see if I can get him with Mone it would be great you know my my family go to the games and stuff you know imagine me playing for mstone it’ be incredible so I text him and I’ve got the text on my phone cuz I I see them
Pause I don’t know how you didn’t realize that until the train I swear on my life like I’m not even I’m not even try I swear on my life I’m not even trying toger because because the summer before that I wasn’t playing at dul during the summer time when you boys
Started preseason and I was actually I was saying to my agent then about trying to perhaps go to mstone with their could it work there then do just let me go and I go and play for maage down but um and I’ve actually showed you the
Text it didn’t pan out the way I wanted it to it you know people got in contact with the manager and the manager just said no like we don’t we don’t want to look at him and stuff like that um so I sort of thought that was done so that’s
Probably why subconsciously that’s probably why I didn’t you know straight away say it to my agent well what about Maan so um anyway he works his magic gets on the phone to to haakan and sure enough hacken said yeah you can you can go you can come in and train with us so
I was like as you can imagine my hometown Club I was so happy I remember texting into the group chair so buzzing I was telling them look I’m going to I’m going to be going on trial at Maidstone and you boys actually got beaten so that
Was on the Monday I traveled back you boys played dwking on the Tuesday evening and got yeah Bobby Bobby Joe ConEd two headers after the 90th minute two lost 32 yeah yeah so my God Bobby Joe Taylor who used to play the midstone yeah I come in on
Thursday and there’s a you know there’s a as you do you have your meetings after you know you reflect on the game and stuff and it’s fair to say it wasn’t the sort of the best of atmospheres I remember rocking up going what have I come into here you know few Choice words
Um but at the time I think there was somethingone was going on in the background where there was a takeover and stuff so there wasn’t money to to put me on a deal and stuff you know so um anyway I did I grinded it out like
Because and I at the time I was turning down offers from Ireland good offers as well uh because I just wanted this mstone thing to work and In fairness to haakan he was saying look I actually I want to get you in but there’s no money
At the moment and I was I told him what I was offered in Ireland and he was like we’re not going to be able to match that but I suppose I was just going I just want something to work so I wasn’t leaving you remember I just kept turning
Up turning up the boys were probably saying to themselves what’s he still doing here you know I often say it to Zach actually what like what was I still doing coming and training with maone um but obviously during that time then um it was against York wasn’t it
Where haakan then he he left the club and stuff and I remember that was like the final straw I was like and it’s funny I was like I’m I’m not going back and Tanner is it Tanner Tana uh Tana tner T so I’ve become friends with one
Of the the trialists as well the American guy and I remember him the American guy the two bricks two two Yanks yeah that’s right but I remember him texting me saying yo bro have you have you seen the hackens left and I was just like I can’t do this anymore man
Like I’m just wasting time here and um so that was I think it was Tuesday morning then I was told that this training was on and I remember saying to me I’m not going in I’m not I’m not going in so I didn’t set an alarm and
Oscar God bless Oscar because his little cousin my little cousin Oscar so little yeah In fairness and I’ve said it to fans and stuff but obviously when I moved back to mstone during my time in Island my my parents had split so my mom’s now west Ming dad’s in Ashford and
Uh I had to move into my aune so Oscar was sharing a room with my auntie to allow space for me to stay in the house because it was ideal because she lives in Sutton road literally a 20 minute walk to the stadium um so I was like I’m
Not going in Oscar comes in forgets his blazer for school so at this point I’m awake I was like I might as well go in now just see what’s being said um cuz he’s woken me up I might as well just go in you know who knows what going to
Happen anyway go in gaffer’s first session caught his eye and then I remember him pulling me off Ryan Gordon session Ryan Gordon session yeah and I remember remember the gaffa pulling me off the training and he said he said I like what I’ve seen I like what I’ve
Seen um what I’m going to do is now I’m going to look at your clips and then we’ll uh we’ll decide we’ll decide as a management team what we what we want to do trained at this stage I was like well that’s brilliant I’ve caught George lob’s eye like he’s obviously looked at
My clips and Bill Williams was on the phone then we managed to negotiate a one month deal at the time uh which was fantastic I was like Absolutely I’ll take it and um because I did well then in that month they offered me an extension and
And that was there and I’ve got to say George lobi’s first ever signing yeah in football management was Samuel George Bone yeah who knows who knows uh who’s going to join that group you know there could be some future elite players in that in that group like Conor
Kelly I I wasn’t thinking me but yeah maybe there could be uh I think sometimes gaffa thinks unfortunately he was stuck with me cuz I was on a 2-e deal and he had to sign me for the second year so uh cheers gappa no it’s um it was special man obviously when I
When I signed that month’s deal and although you know last season didn’t go to to plan and stuff um it was quite tough you know we were getting beat most weekends and stuff like that it was uh it was difficult but I suppose playing for your your hometown Club it’s it’s
Special you know and like I said I hope you guys have enjoyed the the the episode um like it was nice for me to obviously share my story in terms of everything that I’ve gone through and yeah I suppose that’s the uh that’s the end of it if you’ve enjoyed it please
What is it again like subscribe share it with your friends um it really helps the channel out we’ve also got um a vlog coming as well I was uh doing my vlogging skills for the for the past couple of days so we’ve got a nice little Vlog from the behind the scenes
Stuff of the the commentary match which is hopefully it comes out all right if it doesn’t blame the uh blame the editor the Irish man Sheldon there we go exactly but no if you’ve enjoyed it please leave a like subscribe share it it obviously helps out the channel
Hugely and you know helps us to continue growing So the greatest
7 Comments
After the Coventry game there was probably only two working legs between the three of you.
Love the cast boys makes me crack up and very insightful into to the life of pro football
Sam bones a ledgend
Sam is an absolute legend, always welcome back in Dundalk! he'll miss his spagball nights tho 😔 when he gets his big fa cup payout he can fly me over to give him his fav trims 😏
Thanks for sharing your story Sam…inspirational!!
The song is we live and die in this town by the Enemy who are from Cov. Last night we played Rotherham and singers corner were singing Maidstone are better than you 😂
Loved listening to this, long may they continue