Champagne Football | Ep 7: NPL NSW – Lloyd Owusu | Playing With Michael Essien| The NPL Glory Days

There we go right welcome to Champion football episode number three is supported by BN Sports today it’s me Chaz and yet another top guest joining us it’s a man who’s played at more clubs than Calvin Harris with over 20 years of professional football 587 appearances and 220 Wikipedia goals he’s a brenford

Hall of Famer and a Ghana International it’s Lloyd OneTouch AO mate welcome thank you thank you for having me guys thank youment thank you very much how are you yeah not too bad back in the swing of things back in school now so yeah looking forward to the this is the

First semester yeah busy yeah always busy always busy in a private school by way and so good place to start M obviously with the time of year is just now preseason for all the the npl sides I think the season’s what 10 days away if that’s just over a week just over a

Week away um do you miss that side of football yeah you always do I mean once you have football in your blood and you’ve especially been coming from professional background you miss it from when I retired but I’ve always luckily for myself I’ve kept involved in the game whether it’s been semi-professional

And even now just socially playing over 45 so uh yeah you never lose that love you just you just always love it so you play 45s so yeah hervi Zagreb oh 45s yeah so resigned again so we’ll see cre you can tell me happy for L that’s my second family

Man my second family H have you been there uh so this is we I play end of last season had a few games last season and then obviously we’ll start again hope make sure I get myself fit get my body conditioned cuz as you know the

Older you get it’s not as easy but uh hopefully we’ll have a good old season get some more goals under my belt again as well so brilliant mate and obviously preseason you’ve done a few what’s the worst the worst evere you know what the worst ever pres probably back in my my

Original days prior to all the sort of the way football evolved in in with the way with non with Sport Science yeah Sport Science and then obviously preseason with a football early do probably my first early day days of being a professional probably brenford back in probably 9 98 they literally

Just just go for it just run just run many yeah don’t ask just keep running keep running Fields just run just run no football just run just for like the first two three weeks just pure running but obviously now football’s evolved and you know I mean with all the

Sport Science it’s totally different now yeah of course have you any any like shocking pre-seasons throughout your time as like you thought that was a gaffer who always gave you a shocker uh I’d probably have to say to be fair Martin Allen though Mad Dog yeah Mad Dog Martin Allen yeah he’s

Typical that’s why it’s called Mad Dog it’s all to be fair his pres were always tough but they were always they were good though still they were tough but they were good yeah you know what I mean there was a lot of still a bit of ball

Work with it but the running stuff that he did Implement was still had fun element to it so you didn’t really psychologically think you just running for the sake of it so uh yeah had some good ones of him though so he was a good

Guy there there’s still a lot to be said I think for that sort of preseason I mean obviously I work in that space and I I love all the ball stuff but sometimes we went through the same obviously a little bit older but a little bit younger but same ’90s 2s

Those preseason were minging I mean you picked up all sorts of nles and rested but see if you got through it you did feel magic didn’t you and as a team like getting each through it and all the rest of it so I think an element of that

There’s something to be said for it but it’s hard to blend in especially I think semi when you’ve only got two maybe three sessions of week you’re working all day you kind of be asking up ping up to training like there’s no balls you’re

Like oh my God all day the only I want is a ball yeah yeah so full time understand that I don’t think as you said it’s it was good for off the pitch stuff like it brought everybody together because you struggled together like it wasn’t as you see people doing different

Things with the football it was we are running for x amount a time and you know like goalkeepers like myself we struggle but people drag you through and I just helped it bring everyone together definitely then we start at the beginning with you yeah um slow setting yeah as a as a young

18-year-old uh I was uh young boy at my hometown as well so uh got to play for them so how that all happened I was playing in I just got I’ve been released from Crystal Palace what you play how long Crystal Palace for uh so I was

There for one year before the before the YT so I didn’t get the YT so I was one year school boy and then I didn’t get W I didn’t get the under 16 scholarship then and I just came to my local team SL toown signed for them as a 16 17 year

Old and playing in their youth team and then from there I started in the reserves and then luckily for myself I made my debut uh as an 18yearold in a conference uh Brian MC D who was a manager at the time pulled me aside said Lloyd I’m going to involve you in the

First team you’re going to you’re going to take the place of Mark West who was a non- league non-league Legend back in the day he got to play up front with Gary Abbott and uh ever since that day I guess I never looked back I scored four

Goals in my debut we won 6-0 against Telford and uh yeah ever since then we never looked back really and then obviously the snowball effect of of clubs hearing about this young 18y old just scored four goals in a conference uh started doing that and play started playing regular scoring goals and then

Yeah next thing couple years later brenford signed me up the slow tech so you Bor and slow for slow you must have got a few free babies and the boozers there yeah a few a few there a few there just in the old local with with spoons

And stuff but I mean I was when I was young I wasn’t really drinking but uh yeah was it was a great experience for me playing being a 178 year old boy coming through playing men’s football in the conference and that you guys know the conference it’s not an easy it’s not

An easy league and people seem to I mean the fifth tier it’s a it’s a tough division you know it’s it’s especially that back in them days as well was even tougher than probably what it is now but luckily for my ear that era we had a lot of youngsters who were coming

Through that year era for for example we had Jason Roberts who ended up going to wolves we had M myself went to brenford Kevin Betsy end up going Fulham he was he was at woken uh Lee Hughes was at kidster he end up going to West Brom

Barry Hells was at uh stevenage and he ended up going to Bristol Rovers and there’s a few like youngsters coming through that era and we yeah we all end up luckily had good careers yeah quality man that’s good there a lot of there’s a lot to be said you can your career like

Nowadays probably because of social media you look at what a professional football player is people think of Man City Bayern Munich the rest of it but the proper journeyman who made a full career out of it and being around the clubs put the work in and all that sort

That’s like to me is like what profession like making football if you can stand game for 20 years or 18 years that is some going man injuries Gaffers moving around yeah so I’m going man obviously it was West London brought up yep y was it like hard to kind of

Keep yourself focusall it’s a great question CH because from where I was obviously south west of London SL it’s a very workingman’s town you know what I mean close to London close to everything to the heo airport but a lot of my boys who were growing up some naughty boys

You know what I mean bless them some obviously passed and some are in prison even to this day uh some of come out now but I was sort of I wasn’t would say I was really in that CLP of of boys yeah they were my crew we used to do little

Little naughty things when you young young but then because they all knew I I was good at something they would always make sure that I would sort yeah they yeah they were doing the naughty naughty thing they like you me you’re so good at your foot just keep doing your football

When and I always look back and I remember funnyest week only just the other day one of my boys he just literally come out he he’s been in for like 15 years or so and he goes he goes oh yeah L when I was inside man I see

You on the TV back in the days I’m telling my PE in the in the I’m telling my peeps in the yard that yes my boy has to go school with him blah blah he goes I’m proud he go he goes yeah keep doing your thing so when even to see things like

That so yeah for me luckily I went in that direction uh obviously each to their own but I’m less than happy with the way I I was brought up especially with Mom and Dad very from garan background uh very very strict to a certain degree and just make sure

Academics to the best I can but always having that belief that that you could potentially become a professional football and luckily for myself it ended up being it how how is that um obvious the African pance was it were they super strict yeah yeah I want to say like

Super strict like really really like I’ve seen some now but Mom and Dad has always make sure that your academics education yeah you know what I mean make sure you just make sure you you behave at school respect people which is always a case with a Garian culture but just

Make sure you just do your work you know what I mean do your homework and and do what you got to do uh so yeah I did the best I could I mean don’t give I wasn’t the greatest at school but I did what I

Could to to get me to get me across the line you know yeah and then obviously 1998 so you moved to brenford yeah and that was a F that was a funny story man so I actually so B so I was at slow town and we did so well that the last season

I was oh I still had two years left of my contract I just signed a new two-year contract but we did so well the year before we ended up fourth of the league uh semi-final of the fa trophy but what happened was The Following season that the league the conference League said if

You want to stay in the league each Stadium had to have a certain amount of seats but our chairman at the time God bless him May rest in peace he said that he he he deemed that AR was okay so he said he’s not going to he’s not going to

Put spend extra money on seats so the the the league at the time said okay if you don’t want to put extra seats we’re going to demote you oh right so we were like hold on hold on we we’ve all especially there’s a few four three four

Of us youngsters who were looking to become try and become professional play higher and we like oh it’s not going to be fair we’ why if our doesn’t want to put seats and then we get demoted into the lower lead it’s not fair on us so

Any he didn’t do it so the league demoted us like and they didn’t even put demote in one division it was like two or three divisions below so Bri the manager at the time he he just about to leave to go to I think he went to woken

And then he said look boys all you youngsters myself Danny Bol Derek Simpson Paul Smith we’re all like 18 NY old boys he said look I’m going to try and get you guys trials at professional clubs or some other better conference clubs so he’s called me up and said Lord

I’ve got you a trial at w so I was like Wow W like that they were like they just gone up into League one the league one of current league one like now division 2 and it’s like you going to go up there for a month they want to see you for a

Month go and train blah blah blah so I like oh wow anyway drove up to W stayed in some digs and I remember got there my first ever session man my man was so nervous imagine being a kid at 18 20 year old who’s just played non- League

Football trains only two nights a week but these guys have been playing and I used to see these guys on TV I remember Michael rickets Michael R yeah rickets was there coming through a big youngster Clive Platt and then some good old older senior POS so I was there first couple

Of first session baggy touches all nervous nervous so I got into the groove two weeks in anyway two weeks into I get a phone call from Brian McMan he says I ly I just Soldier I said what you mean sold he said I’m just sold you brenford

I mean no way he goes look go and say to a Gren thank you for the opportunity was brenford at this point brenford were they had just been relegated from league league league one so now in leag division four yeah so there been but then one no the big thing was cuz one

Nose was taken over he had left Crystal Palace and the big thing was about miss one nose taking over brenford trying to take him back up the leagues so Brian said I’ve Soldier to brenford and then uh he goes go to say thank you to Ray gr

I went into training I said to Ray look I guess the Gaff has called you he say yeah he goes look we wanted to see you for another couple of weeks but if you’ve got an opportunity I would never stop him getting taken it went back down

Drove down M6 met up with Brian at my mom’s house and then we to go and meet Bri Ron no and Ray Le at he airport cuz they were flying out to L manga so I at this time had an agent called lry oi so

I called up lry I said lry look you’ve heard it he goes I’m going to meet you at the airport we go make sure we look at the deal make sure it’s all good kosher blah blah blah so I met up lry one knows look this is a contract

Three-year contract XYZ here it is to sign I’m like wow for me imagine a young kid 19 I’m playing slown on 50 Quid a week and then this guy’s offering me 350 a week three three threeyear deal ,000 pound a goal I’m like this is this is

Dreams come true lry looks at the contract the agent he says no I so what do you mean no he says we’re not signing it said what do you mean not sign it he said this is a the RIS offer said one know and one know

What do you mean this is my my my client deserves better than this said said M I give a dam I don’t give you 50 a week it’s a professional opportunity no you’re not signing so I called up my mentor Danny B who was a who was a

Player at St to he was a mentor senior player i c up Dan I said Dan listen lamry is about to f up this deal if I don’t get it sign one know flying up to Mam and they they don’t care about me he

Goes let me speak to Lam so he spoke to lamry lam come back goes okay if you want to sign signning so I signed a deal and I got rid of this agent in the end I got rid of him so yeah signed the deal

They went off to L manga and then I had to go to brenford to go do a medical meet up with a secretary going do the medical and then sign the official papers and then yeah they came back and then uh hit the ground running and yeah

The rest of history as they say with brenford FC all fam yeah all of Famer so for me like I said from the first day I signed there I just felt a love of that place just I think I think what was magic about them was the fans right okay

You know being at Griffin Park back in them days so close to the players and to the pitch and there’s a real connection and I think with brenford fans Alik they love someone who who works hard and works and put hard on this seve and that

Was me to a te I wasn’t technically the greatest player but I think my work ethic was what brenford loved as a fan they just see me every week and week out no matter if the team was playing bad I would just graft and graft and obviously goals always speak for themselves you

Know and obviously I scored a lot of goals there so uh yeah I mean when when that when that came about I think it was 2015 I got inducted I think I couldn’t even believe it when they made yeah they they found out I was coming back to

England they said look you been one of the you’re one of the first few players to be inducted into the Hall of Fame we got the game against Southampton live on Sky you want to come down to the game and we’ll present you on the pitch and

Then I was like wow yeah so couldn’t believe it invited a few of my old teammates down as well cuz like I always say it’s all about my teammates as well other ones who used to supply me the ammunition to to score goals and uh yeah

Got got inducted and in front of the fans and then also there was a wall of fame as well I was one of the only 10 players who got the wall of fame as well so yeah it was just Goosebump stuff it was just Ro of over stuff dreams come

True and I just love that place with every bit of my heart you know what how’s the Hall of Fame what I from you know what a great question I I I don’t even know I mean I would personally personally well when I look back at over the years I think it’s it’s

Based on the fans opinion as well fans maybe like a poll to a certain degree and I guess they just look at Players what have they really contributed to the club as much as that maybe their jity of how long they’ve been at a club for obviously from my perspective obviously

Goals is always a big I mean I think I’m I’m still the in postar history I’m the third third highest goal in postar history and I’m in the top 10 of all time so things like that I’m theeven seventh of all time so I think I think

Just you just look at that collectively would be say yeah that’s that’s someone who deserves to be in a hall of Fame as a whole what happens in terms of is in a is it like in a book is it like a yeah they got like before they had at old

Part they had this actual wall right okay going from the change rooms from the reception from the top begin of the ground all the way to the re to the change rooms they had 10 pictures of 10 players Wall of Fame they they’ve actually taken them pict and they’ve

Actually auctioned they actually and some guy a friend of mine actually he won the auction of my one he think he’s got he’s got it in his house somewhere but then obviously I think they got the plaques they got the plaques and obviously got the the new player Museum

There as well okay uh and also I’m I think I’m the second I’m the second alltime black appearance player there 200 something who’s number one uh what’s his name I forgot his name Dem yeah I forgot his name he’s 250 League appearances I think it was I think I was

Like 10210 or something for League appearances so uh yeah and then obviously all time I think I’m an alltime leading black goal scorer uh so yeah so things like that collectively have put me in that Hall of Fame but U yeah and obviously it gives you sort of

Perks you know I mean if I call up to get some tickets for some some friends and family yeah they just yeah they do anything got B tip of ion or something yeah bless him so he scor Ivan’s done very well I mean he’ll be he’ll be a

Hall of Fame guaranteed anyway you know once he leaves the club he’ll be he’s done he’s done tremendous coming from Peter bre and everything he’s amazing yeah he’s brilliant he’s a beast he’s a beast unfortunately he’s missed eight months he’s come back two goals in three games he’s done right you doesn’t even

Look like he’s messed no yeah he’s worked his socks off in the background and uh yeah he’ll do away into England squ whether he’ll get into his next current one when whenever I don’t know o is on fire you know and I think he probably probably even ahead of him

Now at the moment because of because of games and more appearances of salanki and even you know what I mean so yeah Kane as well so not maybe not this one but whatever happens after but he’ll he’ll end up probably leaving in the summer you know oh yeah I hope

That’s for the s for I’d like to see him like a big yeah he’ll go to a biger like a Tottenham Aon or something like that yeah so yeah man could have done him Manu and Arsenal talking so we’ll see but yeah collectively as a club it’s a

Beautiful Club to be associated with who do you support brenford Liverpool actually my main club I’ve always as a kid but brenford is always my one of my first team I look at on a Sunday morning on B yeah I always look at the Dem and brenford Liverpool see the results

Always when a way cup yeah cool Brant M moving on TW 2002 played in the playoff final yeah playoff final against Stoke Jo Wembley yeah no Wembley was still getting done so it was Millennium Stadium then so yeah got really because we had such a great season going into it

Uh we were top of the league flying then then we St we folded a little bit but prior to playing Stoke we played him three weeks prior smashed him at home 3-1 smashed actually I’m talking B at him and I think just the occasion of of being at Millennium Stadium with Stoke

Had I mean they had they had they bought 40,000 fans much bigger Club than BR at time who was like stoke’s main players at that so Deon Burton yeah Dion Dion Burton uh way Clark car back and yeah Chris malumu oh so they some they had

Some good players at the time uh so they had 40,000 40 45 plus we had I think brenford only had like 15,000 you know what I mean but just the old occasion was just yeah and to be fair but unfortunately few of us we had quite few

Injuries I had actually done my miniscus you did yeah but yeah Steve couple just said look it’s last game I said yeah g i’ got to do it so he said look and we knew this the team was going to be sort of decimated after that with regards if

We had stayed up if we’ all got mode potentially we may have probably signed on again but all of us were at the stage where our careers were 2425 at the time want to get to that next level some went to the Prem I went Championship uh we

All we all knew we can do do what we can do but unfortunately the result didn’t go our way and then uh we ended up losing yeah two- n lost that game and then yeah I went I end up going Sheffield Wednesday few went to might QPR Watford Stoke I think couple even

Players with uh Paul Evans went Forest so everyone sort of yeah went their own ways in the end but it was a it was unfortunate cuz we had such a great great time together as as a team it was it was a great first four years it was

Brilliant but just wasn’t meant to be at the end BR experience but play massive massive mive so big in that’s obviously there’s not a lot of things can replicate the playoffs and I think the championship playoffs leag one playoffs I went to it was Swindon versus Mell my

Mate was playing for Swindon it was completely full atere was Unreal mat was get that was a league one playoff but what theion like sold out 880,000 at the new embley believable man it’s good it is good good it is good next M Che Wednesday deut goaling 60 seconds that’s

A One Touch One Touch that’s where it’s come from it’s just mad it’s funny story there’s a story behind that so when again CU I had just had the operation after the playoff final so cheffer wedy I spoke to quite spoke to probably eight to 10 clubs prior to signing I had did

Quite a lot of interest but I thought you know what let me get out of London I’ve been here five four years now living in London and now let me get out and go somewhere different end up selling for cheffrey wednesy they knew all the clubs I was injured so

They that was fair enough they knew I’d be back by up a certain time uh but when I signed for wesy I had a dream I had a dream and I said to I had a dream I said I had a dream I was going to score my

First touch in a derby I don’t know what why I had a dream just I just had the dream and in the chain room I said to the boys in the gym I was in the gym I was speaking to Paul mlan at the time and a couple other players alen Quinn I

Said look I had a stream last night that I’m going to make my debut in a few weeks time against wesy against United so and they got shut up a no went well that’s how I feel so I do my rehab rehab and obviously just just worked inside Co

Inside that my rehab fell in in place when the playoff when the game against shefield United was going to happen uh gaffa pulled me in ter off said Lo how you feel I said look yeah said he goes you looked okay you’re looking no train you had a whole week’s training I’m

Going to at least put you on the bench as least absorb the occasion of the the local Derby because that’s what when you sign for cheffrey wed you know that’s what they it’s just it’s massive Derby so I said okay so yeah I was on the

Bench I on the bench game nil nil nil halftime nil nil second half going in going in Gaff goes warm up warm up up see all the fans and then yeah he said comeing stri down n still nil nil still nil nil stripped off 72 minute I just

Run on I gave uh I remember I gave yaty yaty was marking me I just come on and give him a little elbow early door so knew so knew he was going to be in for a game he here here so so ball get starts getting pinged around the back pass pass pass

And then Lee Brom I remember play plays a big diagonal to shefi coochi shefi plays it down to Leon Knight Leon Knight thinks a ball to the far stick to Ashley West with leaps like of like leaps I don’t know how he got so much height he

Heads it on to Craig to Craig Armstrong and Craig Armstrong HS it again and then it comes to then it comes off the crossbar comes off the crossbar and then I’m just there ball bang bounces bang header and the cop end as well the cop end packed 40,000 at hillsbor and I’ve

Just run off and you see if it’s on YouTube you see my celebration I say to the boys what did I effing tell you what did I effing tell you and they were just like but and I swear ever since that day I never bought a drink in Sheffield ever

Again unbelievable mate it was just is that a best life oh the feeling was it was because like I said I had the dream and it just everything Sur Real moment word RS it just could you just couldn’t couldn’t as you say you couldn’t dream

It and and it happened and uh like I said I remember I went back to the hotel I got back to the hotel there was bottles of champagne in my hotel and flowers Hotel just left me it was crazy it was crazy and then the following week

Weekend went out my God like you just get Mo it’s just mob you just like it felt like a real Superstar it was those were the days man but home yourself that night yeah uh sorry you went home by yourself that night yeah yeah I had my

Girlfriend I’m my girlfriend so yeah she was she was good she was good girl but yeah it was just mad man but those special times special times me that was on that was in was in 60 seconds it’s called 6 second I so back yeah as soon as I come on that is

Mental imagine the feeling yeah best feeling ever best feeling great any Derby yeah yeah but obviously British D on M hug massive massive yeah so it was crazy it was crazy and then uh so for how long you at Che for no unfortunately Che I signed a really good deal there I

Signed a three-year deal over a million dollar a million pound deal over a course of a threeyear span but we we was they just got rid against from the Prem that year yeah so sorry was that who was it was that wasn’t the score like

Calal yeah no so they they had just left and then there some of the boys that stayed on like like Tron solvet was a Captain Kevin presman still there uh shefi coochi uh Gerald saon Eric uh Ean auku yeah so like some of the big players were still there a decent squ great

Squad so but we just we just we just just end up getting relegated again oh W so yeah so teror got sacked halfway in that first season when I signed Chris Turner comes in we get relegated into League one and he comes in obviously he

Has his own he has I respect that every man has his own flavor of players he wants and he wasn’t really involving me uh so this was into my second yeah into my half not even the beginning of the second year so I tried to get or I did

End up getting a low move luckily we man we we were in League one but I end up getting a low move to Ren in the championship so I end up going mov to Red in on alone with cops cuz cops had had me at brenford before so he knew a

Lot about me uh and then and that was a funny story behind that one as well because we played so he was at Brighton so the Gaff was at Brighton we played I was at League one so we were playing the che W against Brighton so Gafford pulls

Me and goes oh how come you’re not playing I’m like freaking know Gaff this is just not having me blah blah he goes oh would you come here on loan and I was like to Bri happy days I say of course local not far from Mom and Dad I know a

Lot of the boys there there’s a lot of boys I knew CU I just keep it quiet because I’ll get back to you over the weekend so me being a big mouth coming on Monday go yeah I might be going alone to Friday alone anyway coming like train

And come in at lunchtime and then one of the boys goes oh boys you heard the news and they said what they said oh Steve cob was just signed for reding and then my head I’m like that’s not me going to the champion so I’m like oh man that’s me done so he

Go they they go I don’t think you’re going I don’t think going on loan now are you Lloyd they winding me up anyway probably about a month later yes this was about this about October yeah late October November about a month later December I get a phone call n Steve C on

Here I said who’s this go I said he goes uh I want you to come alone to ring I went shut up Gaff I said this Ain you Gaff is it go it is he goes Brian going to call you in a minute blah blah blah so Brian calls me Brian goes yeah

We’ve spoken to the club want you to comeone I couldn’t believe it man when I so imagine I was in League one I was thinking buzzing right back on the door at Mom and Dad’s home back you know I mean signed for reding so I came back

Signed signed a month loan then that turned into a thre month and then I signed permanent then I signed a two and a half year deal with it with reading and then yeah so that was good so it was good but cheffy W and the gaffa was look

Chris I respect every manager but Chris Turner he was just just wasn’t my cup of tea yeah so it was all good what about R so that was a decent deal but you went to Y so yeah I thought you actually went to Brighton as well yeah yeah yeah yeah

So after beding I’ve been when everyone asks me do you have a regretting your career I never regret my my career what I’ve had what I’ve done you know I mean fantastic career however when I look back at in hindsight always say hindsight is a great thing the year I

Still had two I still had a year left at my contracts at reading yeah so the year I had left still was a year that they ended up getting the record points and went to the prim I had couple the season before it’s a lo I can’t guarantee you and I’m the

Kind of guy not about the money it’s all about I need to play regularly but when I look back in it the players who stayed to a certain degree who they even hardly played he looked after them all yeah I mean yeah so that’s the only sort of we

Bet you just that little bit yeah you know what I mean where if I D would he have looked after me I re he person because the relationship I would have had with him I think he would have G me gave me a year and a Prem because

We’ve been part of that journey together of course but it is what it was signed up signing back at brenford um they went brenford and then obviously like you said end up going YoVille Sheffield YoVille chelton and then they end up going to Brighton uh and went Brighton

Was fantastic because I went there with Brighton they were eight points a drift and I only went there for last three months of the season so they were they were done and dusted but I need to just get get some games under my belt uh cuz chelham couldn’t afford me so they had

To get me off the wage bill so I end up going Brighton how old we at that point 30 yeah yeah yeah full yeah I was by the then I was 32 yeah went I Brighton I was 31 32 3132 so I ended up going Brighton but then like we were struggling they

Were like eight points a drift relegation battle Mak already I think any teams below us even had had like two games like ahead of us as well so uh I went Brighton but went there killed it 12 games last 12 game scored seven goals stayed up kept him up and then they just

Yeah they loved it and then the gaffa to be fair who was my gaffa y overal Russell slay which I was a bit disappointing Ste yeah he was at there and then he was end up going cry he end up getting some big moves but I was a

Bit gutted really because look no players entitled to what no players entitled to anything however I just wanted a I thought for my age at the time security wanted a two-year deal he uh he said to me I can only give you one year I said look G give me two years on

Less money I’ll take two years on less money he goes no I can only give you a year and I’m like it just doesn’t for me I just I just need that security so I spoke to a few clubs and then obviously there’s a few clubs offering me two

Years but then Adel coming for in Australia at first I was tens Australian football n n but then they said look we’ll fly you out here come and have a look blah blah flew me out there had a look and then they offered me a contract and I thought you know what good

Contracts quite fruitful nice place to live I’ve been in England for 12 15 years let’s give it a crack so I end up yeah signing for Adelaide and then uh yeah and that’s how I’ve ended up sort of being in this great country now as we

Speak you know how did you find um when you first got to Adelaide ter of setup of the training yeah it’s a great great question because obviously as my perspective it was their top level football so I’m sort of I’m sort of sort of sort of seeing it asem parts of the

English the English English Premiership or English Championship as in regards to the levels and boy the way they they act the drive the cars blah blah blah but when I got to ad it was a the top top of the tree I’m like oh when I got there it

Was beautiful I mean they threw out the red carpet me the Press was before I didn’t even sign the Press was there [ __ ] I was on the news etc etc but then when I end up signing like I was there however it it didn’t really it

Wasn’t like the the high life that I thought it was going to be in terms of the same sort of levels like lifestyle and everything lifestyle guys of be Hab but this just the you I mean the cars but then again on the flip side it was

Just chilled boys just boys even the some of these boys at the time were playing for Australia there was Robert corre was in sakuro yugin galovic goalkeeper Scott jamsson uh Travis do they they were playing for sakaro at the time you know when they were getting their callouts but it was

Just chilled relaxed it was just different but then yeah ad was a lovely Place uh again didn’t go to plan for me there because when I got I got struck down with swine Fu pneumonia so when the swine Fu pandemic happened I was one of the first footballers to get it and it

Sort of just caught me in the back burn I just couldn’t I just could not get my I mean I knew quar before everyone knew quarantine recently you know I did quarantine years ago I just couldn’t get my just couldn’t get my second win so it

Never really progressed for me so I made my debut scored on my debut but that was just from Pure adren we drew two2 with uh Queensland Fury and then I just wasn’t on the back bend and within not even within a month of me being there

The trb said they don’t want me no more oh yeah into a two-year deal yeah CU he because they didn’t think I was the player that they thought they signed of course you of course I wasn’t the player you thought I’m just I’ve been sick for Trav across the road yeah I’m not

Getting used to this new style of football cuz they obviously when I first come in when I came in originally to have a look I joined them with a training session we did a 442 session killed it abely smashed it but then when I came in it was all that 433 but it

Wasn’t even I wouldn’t even say it was 433 it was 451 when we play up build up build up Center forward gets a ball free man around him everyone taking ages to come and support just didn’t suit me and then the gaffa at the time AO vidmar he

Pulled me in the office one day said now we don’t want you no more I said I said okay I said I okay I’ll respect that pay me up then he said well can’t really I’m not going nowhere then so I just playing I actually end up playing

In a youth team for quite some time um just to get keep up Fitness and everything but again that was one of my my best ever experiences in my career and Reas yeah reason why I say that because the youth that they had at the time was a very good youth team there

Was a guy called Joe Mullen a great coach he ended up even coaching the ad United Team later on down the TR was great coach but just I just felt like giving back to the youngsters it was so nice it was refreshing to see I was be able to help bring these youngsters

Through and that they appreciated it as well and it was one of the best times in my career although it was only a youth team I was playing for week in and week out and then uh ended up going to China so I had an opportunity to go to China

On trial so I went to guangju uh I went there but I just when I got there I just like No And I said just get me I said agent I was there supposed to be there for like two weeks I was there for like a week I said agent

Get I can’t I can’t live like this at the time was like [ __ ] on the floor I so I just like get me out so end up coming back end up coming back to Adela although I knew I wasn’t really in the in the gaff’s mindset and he ended up

Getting a sack uh and then the following season I had a major major knee operation anyway so I didn’t even play the whole season so end up getting paid up part of my contract towards the end and then yeah end up leaving ad but within that time I acquired the

Permanent residency to it if I wanted to come back and U yeah I’m so how did you get you got reg through signing from mide yeah so OB had my four four five7 the original one to sign but then within that there was a found a loophole there

Was a loop not a loophole to a certain degree Visa called a distinguished Talent that was all for for sports stars and models and actors Etc ET one of the players Cristiano he got it so I was thinking no disrespect he he can hardly speak English chis so if he can get it

Sure that’s all we just applied for it as a family just thought to see if we get it got it straight away after six weeks so gave me a five-year window five wanted to come back and then yeah just took that and I knew cuz I was coming to

The end of my career anyway uh went back to England played a few more games here then went to Cypress for a little bit and then come back and I thought n you know what don’t need to be chasing a game now 35 let’s uh decided to move to

Australia yeah how is Cyprus Cyprus another nightmare another nightmare signed a nice good oneye deal there about 6 weeks in weren’t getting paid yeah so I said to the agent get me out of it before the transfer window so I can get out did you get paid up uh yeah

Gave me a little bit PA P paid me up a little bit and then I just got out there and just just left cuz I I knew could it could be a terrible year it could be a crazy year you know so I said now let me

Get out of here let me do what I got to do for myself and my family end up signing for came back sign for Barnet in the sign for barn in League two at the time uh so I was there for a bit and then the gaffer wasn’t really playing me

A bit Sanchez then went on L to hayzen yedin come back and then I just thought you know what do I really do I really need do I really need this at my age now were you doing anything else other than football just football just football

Still yeah just footb I said do I need this now so I said you know what we decided we made a we made a decision to move to Australia so I said you know what I’m going to go back to slow town give back full circle give back to

Slowtown before I end up going to uh back to Australia so yeah SL toown signed me at a heartbeat so I played six or seven games for them before before I left give back to them and then yeah got on the plane in March Time 2012 and um

Yeah and then moved to no moved back to adad moved back to ad yep moved back to ad because I had all my contacts there uh so I just got involved with the coaching and signed some semi- professional with white sitting in the npl there fantastic times uh and then

Did well leading goals One play of the year in the npl there won Golden Boot all at the age of I think I must have been 36 time 36 37 whatever and then yeah Sayan back Serbian yeah yeah that’s my second that’s my second second family

As well serving in Catia now I so it’s a bit rival now but uh yeah I ended up signing for them and then but Adela was a bit too slow for me in regards of being a London boy I need that hustle and bustle I thought you know what I got

Made some contacts in Sydney let me just give it a go so I made made a few phone calls to Mark Robinson at the time who’s he was an older Co manager and he said hey look I’ve got a little project here do you want to come over I said look let

Me I’ll come over and he goes I can try and get you my coach with Mr to soccer so I thought give it a gamble I was actually more nervous moving from s adelay to Sydney than England to Australia in the first place yeah just because I didn’t I didn’t know Sydney I

Didn’t know KN I had some from prior I new people from prior football squad so coming to ad to Sydney I didn’t know no one whatsoever really so yeah but yeah settled in well and then I looked back and hak first Club Haka first Club was great gav come late gav came late

Because he immigrated as well late we not down the track but that team we had a what uh H was it was an npl1 team it was literally it was an npl1 team but it was a bunch of boys who just the team camarad was unbelievable again although

It wasn’t professional football one of my top five parts of my career in regards of what we won the double I won Golden Boot again I won play the league as well and just the whole team camarad was just unreal the team spirit was second t on he’s had a great season and

Then uh yeah left them in unfortunately then I end up then I no then I end up retiring yeah I end up retiring but then Tony Basher Tony Basher called me and said you’re long time retired Lloyd he goes look I’ve got a little another project

Here with ralm coming so I like oh man that’s turn I’m done he goes now just come so again when end up signing come out real retirement end up signing there just love that like said like I said at the beginning of the piece just love

That love you just it’s hard to get just love it I just loved it signed for them played for them scored goals for them and then yeah end up going then from there then to Stan more but then then that was a real cuss but then I got

Injured 2006 17 rup my hit Flex hit Flex I said n that’s that’s Go Co in regards of real like that same professional level just done so ever since then yeah just just been coaching and obviously getting involved in the schools and I’m I’m here as we speak now what about

National caps foral caps that’s impressive yeah thank you so uh may my first I I was playing for I was playing for reading at the time so I got a phone call from the the secretary she goes Lo G just called us they want you to come

And play for them I was like I never ever thought I’d play for my motherland you know what I mean so uh myself and guy called Patrick adim man we got called up he was at he was at Wimbledon at the time and we had G had a game

Against FC Mets they just had a club game but the French team yeah the French team yeah just had they just had the gner boys was all join up together to have a friendly game and no word of as everyone knows England to France how quick can you get there quick as

Anything took me and Patrick three days why because the GF because at them back in them days it was cheaper it was cheaper to fly from so we we got to stanstead Stan said to Holland Holland some El oh a joke it was a joke because

It was cheaper it was cheaper so me could it was embarrassing end up getting there anyway I remember got there finally got met up the squad and this was a time when there was a young Michael essan Sim Matari Steven and I and to be fair no just I didn’t really

Follow my them I didn’t really know them players but I heard heard of them I didn’t really CU I never thought I’d play for GH but I knew we heard of these young players knew Ste more because he was at Juventus at the time I think might beeny then but I think all

Juventus s Matari Larry Kingston sari was BR mate yeah and so anyway I I was a me we got there I me see all these guys we had this training set before the game we had this training session and no world we did this keep ball session

Right wos and I stocked in the middle of the session just clapped couldn’t get the ball they were they were that technically G I just I L stopped him went it they were they were they were phenomenal and then yeah and never since then I’ve had good relationships with

Them guys I still talk to them to this day uh so S I still speak to Michael and s and and what did they know yeah Michael’s coaching Michael’s coaching FC Nord glad or something Denmark lar lar Kingson he’s been part of the GH national team with the youngsters and

He’s doing he’s got U uh what’s the name of the academy in Ghana uh right right yeah right right star or Star right academy uh Derek Bon as well uh Larry uh stepen is doing a lot he does a lot of promotion working I mean he does

A lot of commercials and stuff suly no one knows where Sully is Su just Su just he was always a different character he was his own he he was on his own his own mind uh but they all doing their bits but um yeah it was just phenomenal lucky

I got a couple more CS but then prior 2006 when I was on fire probably probably my best part of my football in career when I was on fire for brenford top of the league for brenford flying scoring goals supplying goals and then uh got the call up just before the World

Cup G’s first ever World Cup where the game against MC St Gart and unfortunate for me ruptured my grin in Germany and then that was my sort of World Cup dream over cuz I knew I was going to be in a squad I mean the coach told me I was

Playing so well I would have been in I would have been in the 2006 Squad but yeah fortunately I R you my going but look the gner fa were brilliant they sent me out I went to Germany watch a couple of games but it was just got

Watching in the stand and I remember even the fans I remember sitting there with my agent Les at the time the fans sayuu if you a day if you on the pitch we’ll be doing better than you’ll be doing better I was like oh man just got

But that’s hindsight it’s life you know uh but yeah it I got four caps so that’s incredible yeah man it was good that’s phenomenal so you obviously clapped him in that session but did you feel other class would you obviously you gave a bit of a different style to your

Game but did you feel you easily held your own and that team I easily held my own because I was I gave probably something different I was I I put that more robust player with them not with just like just super TIY guys when I say they

Were just next level when that’s and that’s the devil when you see the next level top players yeah so these kids kids nowadays don’t until you see these top top players so say you play against npl last year for in to gleno tricky like like different class I well I’m looking at

Him thinking he’s class right I’m like okay let’s imagine I go to watch wolves versus Bournemouth and I watch a guyle of the park oh he’s gear and then you go okay imagine watching Tottenham versus Newcastle okay cool then you go imagine Man City Bayern Munich and you start up

Imagine Messi I can’t imagine it’s crazy it’s crazy when you see it through your own eyes it’s mad St I used to watch a big Celtic fan I went playing it was shenko and I think it was seedor and they were standing Bine to Bine and they

Were just fizzing balls in the warm up and we hitting it so easily right this flat foot boom and it was fly the same height the whole way the Pitch hit the chest not even they W even chest it I just hit the chest and just fell

Straight to the floor and it was just like me passing it the easiest thing in world for that is ridiculous levels man so what about um I’m interested to know your thoughts on obviously going from you’ve had a bit of a Mad career in terms of you played at really high level

And you went to Adelaide went to Cyprus so you went to npl hak how did you find like the standard of npl and the players versus like all those all teams and like even slow and stuff like that yeah so so when I went for hak we’re actually the state

We were state League at the time so npl obviously was there but we were state and then I didn’t go to npl until I played for ROM uh but from my perspective I mean look no disrespect to Australian football as a whole very different style of play uh I found it

Slower but technically yeah you get some good players in there don’t get me wrong but overall there’s no not not a drop on on on the European football you know what I mean but the npl world yeah that’s a that’s a story I guess we’re going to talk we’re going to touch on

Now is look there’s players there but they there’s not like say it’s not a drop on what what it is like in would you competitor people asking England Scotland yeah so we say I mean what we look what we looking npl1 or let’s go npl1 I okay I mean npl1 I I would

Say I would say like you’re looking at like maybe that conference South well obviously now it’s it’s it’s National League one or national league was it National League South and North probably maybe one below that I would say for the npl top level npl this world Sy

United kind of teams would do okay in maybe in the National League oneish to a certain degree yeah yeah it’s a funny one there some there’s some boys who I always asked like what’s the standard like compared I don’t know like I was like cuz I grew up some of my mates were

Brant at football and I didn’t get close to making it and they were so at football get sniff at making it so you just think think of all the bo a lot of boys who would have made it even get close to UK I think probably played NPR

One here yeah definitely so it’s hard to I mean it’s defin cuz there’s so many sports here but in the UK just everyone’s just football mad they as well when you change your sport halfway through like you get to Summer here there’s no goal post in the Parks

There’s nothing you know what I mean and it’s difficult whereas in the UK If it’s snowing you’ll still find somewhere to Choice that’s it you know so yeah Char has wrote down here opportunities for young players here in npl to like what US just going towards the ladder like obviously in the UK

There’s a football is massive and there’s clear Pathways in terms of clubs having Europe right next to you um here is difficult for kids like it’s difficult and it’s it’s kids obviously in the the npl system and that’s the top level they can play in at this at their

Ages and what the difference do you think between the top level here and the the opportunities almost afforded to the kids based compared to what it’s like overseas the first problem here is they have to pay MH so seeing you’re growing up obviously before Palace you see you

Played boys club in that how did you it was yours three I think if worst caseen thing worst case scenario probably mom and dad had to pay maybe 50 for registration a 10 a we like a lucky had six fixures you you had to give your dad

Take it to the football game get six P or something like that his mates you win half the money I mean that’s I mean like I said we to pay £50 maximum that covered my kit and registration to pay for the year we’re here like my my son’s

Playing npl now for Matha blls I’ve had to pay $3,200 for him to play I just think that’s a joke you got kids who out out west especially who who are so T who can’t afford it so you’re missing out on real talent so how do these kids

Progress they can’t because they can’t afford it yeah so it’s a killer so there’s no real pathway for these for these kids to go in this country or in this or in any of the states I think so it’s just mad it’s mad it’s ay one it man to CLA yesterday

H on Tuesday we had the podcast like what is it what is a solution like to that cuz obviously so see Char 3,200 every the clubs probably somewhere around that fee correct what is like where does that first question I don’t know exactly where does the money go

Obviously it goes to certain things KS and Etc referees pitches staff whatever but if that fee wasn’t there how are things paid for it’s got to come from the top though it’s got It’s got to come from the top governing bodies the footballing bodies yeah someone I think

It was a start last year that more money went to after obviously the milda’s done so well in the world cup and they done the government budget or something like that and more money went to I don’t know some random sport versus football it’s like the women’s game’s growing so much

Here and all the rest of it yeah I think it was cycling or something they probably py they gave it yeah it’s m serious no one even honestly I think swear I saw the news like that I was cck or say yeah probably something like that no one plays it crazy

Crazy it’s crazy yeah ah well probably good Peggy backing on that because obviously a the B League start next year that embarrassing again my my original thought I thought about this be leag I honestly thought my name spe thought yeah and then I found the other day it’s

Not even there’s no promotion or relegation anyway so what you doing it for that’s the same so what you doing it for for what purpose how many people have come and watch how many people are going to go and watch how many people honestly going to go and watch RPO

Against sydne United on a Saturday in a b League what probably Italians and watch you be lucky what you g get get thousands you it’s just it’s just a joke it’s promotion allegation I think that’s every conversation we have people say the same thing like say they’ve got an

Opinion good or bad but then they go but the promotion allegation like that’s there’s no consequences consequences so doesn’t matter if you end up bottom every week every year in the a league it’s just it’s just Mickey Mouse football he’s just dumb just get find the money from the top governing bodies

From the government whatever and get a proper B leag a second league a league two however you want to call it and get relegation and promotions get another 12 teams fund invest and do it like it is in Europe very simple I would be good to see I’d

Love to see the promotion relegation I know CU again going back to your question that gives that is one of the pathways CU without that you’ve got what 10 or how many however many Al clubs 12 Al clubs and then that’s that’s it well you think the UK you’ve got oh you think

Say reading bright Etc they’ve got under 12 13s 14s 15s 16s 18s and it’s proper setups scho and all that as well look at sizes as well like New South Wales are huge New South Wales is like half of the UK see and think of how many are in that

Half of the UK MH and there’s three in New South WS C Coast Mariners in terms of professional Central Coast Sydney FC fouret but I think like the categorization in the UK especially like a category one Academy say black bum category one if you’re under 12 13 you’re getting you’re getting nutrition

Snc you’re getting train proper training you’re getting like everything so even if you did have to pay money I’m not sure how it works over there but you’re getting well your money’s worth yeah oh of course like a lot of stuff is and you’re physiotherapy you’re getting all

The things add up on top of what you might pay here you might not get a club and it’s that pathway you’re getting looked after and you know yourself your son went to say your son Thea B under 13s and he went to a reading under 13s

In three or four years time the difference because of the environment the players around them the standards a lot is just out funding it I suppose if the m is not there you don’t have the staff you don’t have the grounds you don’t have the and then the private

School the private schools uh the sports schools like some sort having some sort of connection with these clubs as well would be helpful I think because a lot of and we spoke with this in the first episode rich like how if you go to andava and then after Endeavor you’re

Going to train me don’t know Marone like there’s not there’s no communication between mcone coach and and de like what’s he done what’s what have done today and then just that the only person that really suffers there as a player y y It’s Tricky man It’s Tricky again what

The solution I don’t have money is obviously a big big answer mate but I it’s all it’s all down money because if you look at the the bigger picture in terms of the top in the a league A lot of players would want to come to a to play football a to play

Football place to live the environment that you’re in but obviously the can’t attract the players probably due to finances and it’s like I don’t know what the salary cap is that’s still a thing right yeah still but it’s one of them that if they were able to bring a high

Quality player and make the the product at the top better see obviously you’re not going to get a Messi or a Suarez but if you were to get good good European football players you’re hoping that in Time game and people then invest in the game because people want to watch it I

Think just now nobody really wants to watch it so no well if you’re sitting here right now and see right now Sydney FC are playing Melbourne you don’t even hear about it yeah I even yeah had the games on I know it’s it’s crazy man you look at MLS obviously MLS the big

Difference of there is they just pump money money it’s American Sports you can compete with that obviously Beckham went that was a sort of starter for America like when a was never competing with that yeah it’s true and and I mean can Paris in they M Sports meican football

Basketball they massive yes but I don’t know man I don’t know if I don’t think it’s coming any time soon unfortunately I just need make the it um okay M so looking at off the pitch you made your at cranber yep what’s your what’s your role like yeah good so my I’m the

General duty Master uh so that role involves the making looking after the the appearances and attitudes of the boys and behaviors so I work alongside the direct to students and the house masters very closely just I’m sort of that like that middleman between the boys and the teacher so you could say

Like big big big brother big Uncle you know yeah soent job it’s a great role it’s a great role yeah so I just look after all the detentions all the investigations with the house masters and the the director of students uh and like I said just being that middleman in

In between them and then just just patrolling the school making sure the boys are doing the right thing making sure their appearance in that their their uh attire was good ties up socks up shirts tucked in you know uh making sure just being a presence around the school really and then obviously with

The football side I was doing the last 5 years I’ve been doing the first 11 football but now I’m going to probably be more like a specialist Striker coach oh yeah okay and sort of a face of football in regards to maybe trying and see if I can go and find some

Scholarship boys or boys who are up to scratch for potential scholarships if we if we can get them so yeah just be a bit of a presence around that but my main cusp is the the general duties Masters which I’m yeah I’m loving I’m loving it to be fair that’s a quality imagine

Dring interview for that just looking for a guy that’s sound good he’s brand new man man s the boys up yeah that’s to be fair that’s how I sort of got the gig CU I came as a casual coach and the Headmaster great guy Mr Samson he said

To Mr me the head of the senior School said oh who’s that gentleman I see walking around the school that all the boys seem to be gravitating and he just said a Mr Ru ex football blah he goes oh he goes I just love the way he I just

Love his interaction with the boys because I think we can we can sort of create something for him and he just yeah he thought he just thought yeah just see that Gap B that gap between the teachers and the boys and uh yeah that’s just I haven’t look back been it’ be

Seven years in March yeah freaking crazy it’s gone quick that’s great man sports management consult yeah I do I do a bit of the consultancy middleman because obviously because of all my contacts back home in England and my my agent from still to this day I still talk to lesie February

He looks after Sports Empire in England he looks after a couple of like younger top players Kon Vickers so we look look after him yeah he’s done very well just signed a new 5year deal there so he’s at your agent yeah yes he’s with les Les known him

Since Les is known cam since he was Tottenham as a kid so I just do a bit of consultancy work from from for Les and then I I do a bit of leasing with brenford if I find any if I know any young talents coming through potentially

Even from here if they if they have the pass but and they’re good enough I I I facilitate sort of opportunities for trials so I do a bit of that and I’ve done i’ also do some acting the modeling as well over the years I’ve been doing yeah that this a sweet

Way yeah so I’ve done a done quite a bit of that over the over the last well over the last 10 years years so just a little bit yeah I’ve done TV commercials uh couple of films in the past even films yeah done with Geral Butler Geral Butler

Gods of Egypt uh that was all filmed here in Sydney uh quite a few TV commercials uh opsm uh and even my kids my kids were my ti my little man was uh the Wily’s kid he’s done a lot of them yeah they’ve

Done a bit so yeah so I just do just try and keep me fingers in in all pies you know just to keep ticking over and evolving so yeah what about the the gods of EGT film in mie no no I I was just

One of his main Gods but I was just one of his main main guards in it so uh did you him yeah yeah yeah he was cool guy he was cool he was yeah nice he’s nice guy man but that yeah that was that was just long though it was just so long

Filming man and the outfits that we wore for you know take six it took 4 hours to put on the suits oh yeah man you were there like 5: in the morning weren’t leaving there sometimes till 9: it was just long so we did that for for about a

Month but he got two draining and then uh yes I like said done a bit a few TV commercials uh and then yeah whatever from just just just to keep taking over yeah class sports management so that’s just agency basically yeah agency consultancy I just like the middleman

Like is there any play npl took matter in the past oh man yeah few that LE Lea’s with and sent overseas in the past like even like Jackson Cy with Tony bash is my good friend i’ I used to do so I do a lot of the one-on-one sessions I

Used to do sort of sort of prep him up he went even one Chad is even playing for Jack mlen was a boy who came here I Mentor Jack even to this day now uh what other other younger players over the past there been a few just yeah young

Young ones have just sent over but like I said the first for me they’ve got they’ve got to be decent enough and they’ve got to have the passport it’s all good I all good I parents calling me I like he’s get my kid in I say well

Unless you ain’t got the passport just no there’s no there’s no discussion so until that that sort of happens and then yeah then then I look to entertain it if it’s worthwhile if it’s if I feel that the kid is is is worthy and then yeah

And then take it from there you know fany doing coaching you teams now yeah look I’ve beens I’ve done that again I was coaching when I when I was still playing even at stanmore prob when I got the engine I took the 20s oh yeah I took

The 20s at stanmore r on me I was a TD and then I was taking the 20s and helping with then I was assisting at first but from like I said no disrespect it’s just just firstly there there’s nothing really in it in regards of financial gain yeah peanuts it’s a lot

Of time and it’s a lot of correct it’s a lot of time for what I’m already here fulltime 38 hours a week to do things with my kids at the weekend as well so I just said to myself I’ve had so many offers even in the professional game I

Had Nick M wanted me to even come Mariners with him when he was there but for myself it’s a matter of stability in life I’m at the age I’m 47 now I want stability in my life I don’t want to be just maybe oh so if you go into that

Professional environment you know it’s all about results you don’t get results G gone and then what I doing I’m chasing the next now so I’m happy here consistent I know what I’m getting each week stability that’s what I’m looking for in life so I’m I’m good without I

Don’t we need to be doing a coach and LU I get a bit of coaching here if I want you know I mean with all the boys here and jump into sessions if I want so yeah I’m I’m good I’m good I think own football was the most important thing

Like as you said you’re still doing be one-onone just been around the game that’s a big you stop it completely when you start to forough I think npl jobs are tough man like coaches we talk about um coaches ear on but it’s a lot of work man npl 32

One whatever it is what we squads recruitment like the Gaffers it’s not you’ve got you recruitment you do this you AB every single time yeah tough full jobs and they got a fulltime job as well and K else man yeah so that’s why for me

It’s not it’s not worth you say they not exactly getting paid so money is just not there it’s not there it’s not there so yeah very difficult you just answer that question we’re going to ask any chance any chance of getting back in at NB but doesn’t look like

It h CH go to the next B may got couple of questions talk to me oh you got just first question who’s the toughest direct opponent you’ve played against so Campbell and Sil and dist then he was a weapon man we played Portsmouth remember played BOS it preseason friendly as at y played

Portsmouth but to be fair I played against s when I and even prior to that when I was at brenford were they similar types of Defenders or different and one game they both in the same team they played together when we played y played Portsmouth pth yeah I’m just know when

Two guys are just so clever I’m talking doing stuff off the ball to me yeah they were doing stuff off the ball to me just just the elbow in the the the toe stomping the just just just nasty horrible horrible but yeah yeah yeah like that but they

Were just so they were just so they were they were solid they were solid they were and he was good on the ball good on the balls good and then also had back in the day like some real Meat Heads like Chris Morgan Shel United was big meet

And like Chris LTI I remember Christi at Preston uh so had some players like that who in the lower league like Championship League ones back in them days but them two went off top of the top of the tree like yeah them two obviously is that the best you played

With played with do you know what no I was the best I played with because I saw him day in the day was a player called not many was Gavin man be used to be Watford Watford captain and then went to QPR you have the pineapple heading but

He was Technic because just I’m just cuz I always say everyone Say Never Say Yes know matar blah blah it’s only because I saw Gavin day in and day out week in and week out just technically just it don’t get Second To None different but like

Weekend up for me week and we up for someone I saw every day and how just his attitude towards the game was was Gavin man yeah any good changing room stories man we could be here forever freaking know we could be here forever changeing stories freaking know

And mad characters as yeah we’ve had mad like funny ones like players like Glenn little Glen Glen Wing Glen top player top no couldn’t run couldn’t run but his delivery Second To None one of the best own CO’s team and he got promoted yeah yeah he went to he

Came to Red in then he went ports he was a great like little like car I’m talk about characters he’s like players like him then I had head cases like when I was at when I was at cheffrey Wy had head Cas like Ashley Westwood who just a

Nutter uh just just nut just pure nuts just not but on the PCH both both yeah just a Nutter uh and then we had this we had this one boy back in the days when I was at brenford called Dave MC Dave McGee he hardly really play but he was

Just again another one who just a h whole guy off the pitch and on the pitch uh who else what CLS sh when I was when I was at Brighton Brian was cool Brian’s te Charlie Oakway Charlie o was from Brit but then he was at he was at CH he

Was at uh Brighton as well uh where else where else have I got some hectic characters yeah brenford yeah brenford over the years brenford was with with my BR it was more we were just like a pure family Brothers there was no one there was no big timers everyone was really

Together no if the The Crazy Ones were was the goalkeepers the goalkeepers were the on yeah had Andy Woodman a guy called o s skola he was a finished guy he was he was a Nutter but yeah over that I’ve never had no major just just fun good

Guys I’ve never had no real luckily for myself no real [ __ ] across the board the odd one here and there but other that there’ve been some in my career I’ve been blessed to have cool guys around me man in the chain room Man Mark

Buram he’s a b was he was he was a character Mark man I mean there I’ve had a few stories with any M stories no me I could this is easy one which one do you want I’ll give you a couple so one play not and Forest away we’re playing not

And Forest away and uh the gaffa was just mad so anyway play not in the for us away we’re warming up in front of our fans and we see the gaffer walking around he never used to walk around he’s just stay the change room he’s walking around to the fans he’s walking around

The boards he gets to the fans at the city ground he goes up and sits in the stand we doing keep up we all doing rondos we’re looking up GA goes boys come here so we’ve all run over to the board hings and what’s up gaffa he goes

Come up here GA we’re warming up he goes just come up here so we will come up all the players imagine 15 players walking up these steps now and all the the pitch it’s about 20 to about 20 to 3 back games back to go 20 minutes and all the

Fans are coming to the stadium so we’ve gone up he goes what are we to do I we to sit in front of sit in between all the all your our home fans all the way fans sit in the stands which was supposed to be warm up go sit in the

Stands and start pretending you’re watching yourself start abusing yourselves so we’re all sitting there we’re all sitting there going we sitting like like and and all the forest fans are looking at us the players for players looking what the bre boys doing and he done it oh we did it

We did it so he got off he goes now finish go let’s go goes we end up going in the change room won the game 3-1 mind you for were flying at the top of the table oh W won game 31 that’s one story Second Story why you hang on he can’t

Just leave it there why didn’t he have cuz he’s just mad he’s just literally mad another game car away and away games back in you always wear tracksuits at games you so gaffa goes to he pul me and Marcus girl senior boys goes boy he goes

All L tell the boys to bring their suits as well so we thought oh okay no bring our suits for a weight game we might have to wear suits but we like we always wear to a away game anyway on Saturday morning went for a pre-match walk he

Called me and gay goes goes lloy gay over here please goes uh all the boys bought their suits I said yes G goes I said why he goes tell the boys to wear their tracksuit bottoms shirt and tie and then shoes and Blazer I wait what gaffa he

Goes you heard shoes tracksuit bottoms shirt and tie Blazer GA we going look like it just do it so we’ve gone to tell all the boys boys GA got we shoes TR I swear now we all come down the steps everyone’s in tracksuit Bott shirt

Shoes mate and I got into the bus got off the bus at Carlile and he walk through the tunnel and the and the carile boys looked at us L thought what freaking idiots it’s just a Persona he does he just a Persona and we all walked off again won the game

Just this little psyche little psyches and another one last one I’ll give you the last one was away game again and prior to G used to go I got to give you two I give two we a away game uh can’t remember where we were playing anyway but prior to away

Game we travel in the morning of the Friday and we’ go train at a field or somewhere but we couldn’t there was no Fields there was no fields for us to train because it the weather was not wasn’t the best so couldn’t find our

Fields so we on a coach and John the D Legend John top lad so anyway imagine you know Inland we got ju carage raising you got ver got V about verges and ju carage continues so G goes John pull over on the Joel car goes pull over so John pulls over boys

Off on the way to the hotel off you get off you get off you get car’s going across the J gr good follow me so looking everyone’s making sure cross the road going to this [ __ ] Verge I that story we’re going the [ __ ] Verge we’re going the verge of this [ __ ] in

The middle of a jeel c start doing warmups start doing warm-ups in cars got past and we’re just doing high knes and stuff it’s just it’s just crazy so everyone’s finging happen we were but we but we took it oh is this actually happened this actually happened we doing high

Knees bump flips and side to sides on this on his Verge on this Dr carriage and he goes yeah that’s it let’s go back get on the coach right that same day get to the hotel like I said because of the weather was we couldn’t we couldn’t go

And train nowhere properly and just out of chance here where we having dinner so we all the plac have dinner the Gaffers used to have it in another room and the physios what not you know where we happened to have dinner right there was

This AR Cove in this it was like a goal was like a goal yeah so it just looked like a goal so a gaffa comes in now he goes boys stand up go start stting 11: stand up so we’re all eating our food so I’m like freaking what’s going on G what

Are you doing now go stand up cuz we’re practice set pieces we’re what you mean we’re not we’re in what you mean practice set pieces we’re going to walk through some set pieces so GFF where we going to walk set pie we’re having our dinner he goes doing it here where so

Like I said this archive so he goes Nelson get in Gold so Nelson he goes what do you mean go he goes go up where AR goes go to goal so goes pry you take some down take the Corners yeah no ball obviously listen to this getting there

Now no ball right so go pra you take the corner gayy Lloyd soji Turner you the four attackers Isaiah rank was a goalie DJ Campbell e to spin round blah blah blah go what goes we’re going to walk through him because so how we going to

Walk through him he goes here we are bread roll chop the bread roll to pratts he goes pratts get that bread roll that’s the ball Chuck it in Pratt goes he gets a bread and flicks it in and everyone was just in stitches just little crazy things like that man he was

Just he was a legend he was that but what he bought just brought that team camaraderie and just just Persona about he just mad I’d love to go like what are we getting this week man yeah M and then the worst one was for me one day because

He was a kind of guy he we had a we had a love love hate relationship me and gaffa so there must have been a week or a couple weeks I wasn’t I was playing well but probably wasn’t scoring probably wasn’t making a couple of Channel runs so one one Tuesday one

Tuesday morning got a session he goes uh he goes uh oh sorry sir he goes uh he said uh we’re uh doing a uh we’re going to do a session and GA boys goes what do you mean going to do a session goes just L’s doing a session what do you mean

Just ly the boy said what do you mean L’s just doing a session cuz all the boys down there so all the boys on 18 yard box of the other half cuz ly on the halfway line what you want me to do what I’m going to do the goalkeeper from have

A goal going to pass me the goal ball to us I’m going to put the ball in the channel going to chase it no word of a lie I must have done 30 40 of these Channel ball runs the boys just boys just chilling enjoying himself laughing

Goes yeah there you go run again come back come back but I must admit when I look in hindsight just that 15 20 minutes of work it put man I was flying made me fit just just yeah just get get the ball run channel so he made me spin

Channel come back and again let’s go again but just little things like that he made but yeah but he he was he was good for my career I did really like him like like say we all love hate relationship but we respected each other massively yeah that’s quity man those

Characters in football are brilliant man those characters um oh you got one CH the real reason you move to show sorry the real reason you moved to Australia not the football yeah I mean it was I mean a lifestyle it was it was a lifestyle you know uh obviously sign originally when I

First come out here and like I said I remember I was living in London Southeast London uh rather High and I looked out the window and I said to my kids mom at the time I said look I can’t let AJ live like this all these young

Young ghetto boys smoking weed in a in a park I said nah I said you know what let’s let’s set up shop and let’s let’s go I had enough money for a couple of years cuz they always say you need like they always say you need 12 to 18 months

Worth of money without working just to try and build relationships I thought I had enough for Des to to to do that and then uh yeah just done that and then packed up shop and and then and then look back mate and I’m loving every minute since I’ve been here man yeah

Night out oh yeah you do love a good night out me from time to time I do it’s always nice to have a nice out SPS what you go to be fa I’m I’m Easter suburbs boy at heart I’ve always been brought and brought up in EAS Subs when I moved

Here double Bay few my mates own a few bars I know not the she that’s too young for me so back in the day used to be a place called Casablanca Mississippi pelicano Mississippi no mississippi no more but now the guys who US own Cas Blanca they got a club called bedwin and

Then there’s a new one there’s a got Mato which is more the restaurant bar now where the old Mississippi is and Tanaka just open a couple of weeks AG Go Japanese play So yeah so yeah just just float around there in a couple of bars with the boys whenever from time to time

So I see more more pictures of you on Instagram than anyone else H more Instagram pictures of you than anyone else what is that what you say your story M constantly I just pop up she man someone said to me throwback Thursday he always put I go

Up is he’s like man R out go she about to start there load loads I Haven put up to be fair I ien done a prop a gold throwback th for a long time to be fair so I might have to do or today today you

Got me I might have to find one find one in the archives um just to finish off we’ve got a few quick far questions to ask you um we kind of gone through obviously the npl route of asking questions about current D npl but this is more about

Your npl kind of story so I’m expecting you to get everything right basically okay we ask to get I don’t know talk about npl but we work in npl so we just go you know what maybe we know more than we think so last people we get players on most of the

Time last like what they know about npl maybe we’re not as daed as we think so we’ll ask you and see if you’re as daed as you look we got um how many appearances did you make and how many goals did you score while was playing in the New South Wales

10 in npl so but so you got be careful then so did you got make sure did you count AO because a we were state Le you did okay so appearances so appearance for a c each team or we go totala I would say I me a COA store Ral

May I would say something 5 oh not not bad of course yeah many go uh I would say 60 give so too much credit we had too much for yourself is it hold on hold on okay no sorry so I’m thinking 25 unless just starts wrong unless just wrong yes I’m Wikipedia’s

Uh no i’ would go I’d go 45 oh 45 yeah we got 69 and 43 okay something yeah a good yeah what round this your cup did you get to with a COR and who put you out see I always get confused this Australian one because we got we did

Really well as a for a team as AA so was it do they classify was it the last 16 or the what we get was it the last 16 or we didn’t get to wasn’t the quarters it was the 16 or the one before that so I don’t know how whatever they

Classified it as whatever it was was one rounds they was quite a good round so I don’t know what last two last2 and then it was a team lost in the reain in the end to that team from I know honest don’t remember that name of

The team they were from I think they were from Gold Coast or Brisbane or somewhere they were from Gold Coast or but honestly can’t remember the name of the team though yeah Queens on team right Queen yeah I can’t remember the name of the team though P okay just yeah

I remember they I just wouldn’t remember the name of the team yeah and around the 32 so it was 32 yeah yeah not bad yeah who the stand War Hawks what are they now called now they called I believe Stam Hawks pan Beach Hawks in a West they call in a West I

Know they CH I think they changed I don’t tell ansers yeah in a West I think they called in a West now or in a West in a West walks in wests I think they yeah when was R founded and what were they originally called should have known

This because if Uncle was if Uncle Pete is he’s been there they’re about 40 years old now far offl yeah about 40 45 years of ID don’t me so what that work out to be so that’s there night they about 97 I think they’re about I think they found I think they run

About 70 they were about 70 were they 7 around 1976 or 78 what would they call before though uh just I mean I wouldn’t what they call the Lions what it uh that’s a nickname but you know I didn’t know what they were call before you were close New Year

1979 yeah was 45 years St Joseph’s St Joseph’s okay never never you know that no no we get told that many times man when when did they tell you that like meetings happens at the club like so say there’s a a presentation after yeah yeah yeah okay last question

At home games at Ron Memorial Reserve at where where Ron D Memorial well man I can’t even guess that I’m even I’ve never I definitely have never played there put don’t knowest one di give me a clue which n so they’re not they’re not Lions another animal that’s your

So was a good clue that was a good clue there’s not many there’s only two I can think of what lions into Lions no it’s another animal not L it’s something else I npl3 I would even I actually elant because he because of where T Place ah okay I mean he’s BS

But I mean they play itan they play C United but I would even n we even have a Scooby oh that we Camden Tigers Camden Tigers okay yeah would even he did did well yeah yeah you got right round the 32 you got the goals the the appearances

And goals you are pretty close man yeah SE mate yeah man last question all just anyone anyone You’ recommend is getting on try obviously get us going yeah okay uh good characters good laugh yeah I mean good characters I in npl space in N someone who’s in there

Now play n plays n a coach in the npl yeah uh I would say who’s a good you know what as a he’s been around the chats for a long time Terry palanas I Mar marone’s best mates yeah Terry panis TV TD head of football I think at

Marone top Latz has he yeah he’s been around he’s yeah he’s very very well respected in the game in the was nice guy yeah very well respected in in the npl world yeah and know I thinking as well I think Jaba would be brilliant on here ja’s mental ja would be brilliant

Man thank you pleasure