Life’s A Pitch TV Episode 25 – Simon Milton

This week our special guest is Simon Milton, who joins Mark Murphy, Terry Butcher, Russell Osman and Phil Ham for the 25th episode of LAP TV.

We would like to thank our Main Sponsor DPS Tech, our Associated Sponsors, All About Hearing, Ginger Pickle, Fore Wood Floors, Hudson Group, Venue 16, John Keeble Cars (Bramford), and our Production Sponsors who are Come Hither Design, Jon Parker of Venue 16 and Richard Garrett of Sound 4 Pro Audio.

[Applause] [Applause] w Yeah oh my goodness our biggest capacity crowd ever boys our biggest capacity crowd ever welcome welcome capacity crowd oh they’re so well behaved as well that’s the biggest crowd we’ve ever had here I think it is yes welcome and I think I think potentially the noisiest to keep

Warm as well some of some of some have snuck in without paying yeah all of you pay no no nobody oh my goodness over the wall let’s do the official intro shall we hello welcome to this week’s live to pitch TV I’m Mark Murphy uh and I’ll

Introduce you to the team in a moment or two whether you’re watching on YouTube or listening on podcast you are most welcome and a big shout out to our sponsors that make this happen for us every week our main sponsor is DPS Tech our associate sponsors are all about

Hearing marketing company Ginger pickle forward floors come here the design the Hudson group sound 4 Pro Audio venue 16 Fred olssen Logistics SS John keable cars in bramford the dove in ipswitch and the sponsor is now also or sofa rather is also sponsored by DPS Tech as

Well we will have a little sign for them here at some point in theut big sign because it a big sofa it is a very big sofa yes so they sponsor the sofa uh there is still room for sponsorship opportunities there are still a few things here that aren’t bolted down so

We are always looking for more opportunities is the ball the ultimate B statue the Statue the glass yeah yeah everything yeah yeah Phil’s hat Phil’s hat yeah his hair cut yeah yeah what do you think I have a big let me introduce to the teams Terry butcher Russell Osman bill from tww

Td.co our technicals is Richard John and Mark and Leslie is our floor manager and you are indeed our capacity crowd tonight we have a special guest would you please give it up for the one and only Simon Milton s of our [Applause] own [Applause] of thank you thank you you get that sung

At you when you go to the shops well listen it’s it’s been a long time since anybody sung about me Mark so I’ll take that I’ll take that intro well you’re looking very tanned have you been away somewhere warm I have been away somewhere warm which means it’s it’s

Cold here at the moment um yeah just had a 10day break um been cruising actually which uh yeah I really enjoyed actually really enjoyed first time first time for a long while and I it’s the first time I’ve done the sort of Caribbean islands and no it’s the first time the first

Time you enjoyed it no no I always enjoyed but you know me I always enjoyed myself but no loved it absolutely loved getting away this time of year as well yeah it’s always nice isn’t it um now you’ve got your trainers on uh because we do have our

Keep it up challenge board I know you watched the show uh you were looking at the leader board earlier and uh scoe is still at the top your old mcka 79 I know that’s and he got bored and gave up well listen there’s only one name I’m looking at beating and that’s Phil

Ham at that if I can’t beat Phil ham right that’s it didn’t is over and and and mark not you the other Mark has been texting me all afternoon don’t forget your trainers don’t forget your trainers so yeah we’re looking forward to doing that a little bit later on um you’re

Really busy at the moment aren’t you doing all sorts of things yes it’s nice to be uh it’s nice to be back involved at the club um you know and the way the club has gone recently in the last couple of years has just been amazing so I’m really enjoying being involved back

At the club on a match day um and then my full-time job as you know is running a charity so I’m just booking I’m back to Garner on the 1st of March so I’ll go out for about 14 days and come back just before the X players dinner which we

Have every single year which is a great night for those who can get a ticket for it which is well and it’s becoming more and more popular inducting people into the Hall of Fame you know there’s who are you inducting this year well we can’t tell you that obviously can we

Good try though it know Mark it’s not you okay yeah and it’s not Phil yeah it should definitely be a journalist section my my biggest claim to fame was I got a vote for player of the year once did you I did yeah somebody thought I was uh the other Murphy Daryl

And I actually got a vote for player of the year I got one vote Murphy so well I think um darl’s coming to a game soon I’ve just been speaking to him in the last couple of weeks just before I went away wants to come back wants to bring

One of his boys over so and that’s been really nice getting people to come back you know over who’ve not been for a while Shane supple’s coming you know to a game in a couple of weeks time and getting people like that to being able to come going around the lounges with

Them going to see supporters you know they’ve they’ve obviously had a good time here at the football club so it’s really nice to welcome these people that might get a game might he huh M get a game we need need somebody of his St bring your boots yeah bring your boots

There right I’m not sure how old he is now what would he be early 40s stat Phil will tell us in a second or two he’s just frantically Googling that on his laptop there actually he’s 40 yeah so he’s 41 in on the 15th of March this

Year I KN much but they’re pleased to come back now cuz there’s plenty toh to see and entertain them hasn’t been like that for a while has it no absolutely and and you’re going around you know the gues will know I can remember walking around some of the lounges and and

They’re probably 30 40% full and now they’re 100% full and people are you know more than welcome to come up and meet the guys and ask questions and you know going around to all the different lounges is just something different that we do and then before the game we got

Players going into the fan Zone and then we’ve got a halftime interview that players are involved in and then you’ve got the the guys who are going to do the co- commentary and then you got the people on Town TV so any one particular day there could be sort of you know up

To 10 players who are you know doing something for the football club on a match day which they’re again they’re really enjoying yeah well it’s great to see it really is uh we’ got lots to talk to you about uh during the course of the

Show this week but it is time to take a look at the season so far sponsored by the dove in Ipswitch And we were looking ahead to the Sunderland match Phil last time we were all here with Marcus Stewart who saw the Marcus Stewart show yeah he was fantastic wasn’t he I sent him a picture of my fridge magnets and they’re not a patch on his

I’ll tell you not a patch on his you are very sad though aren’t you I know I know I know I know fridge magnets uh yes let’s talk about Sunderland instead shall we yeah yes pleas don’t you collect them no all right okay if anybody would like to send it in for

Terry butcher then I can always pass there a magazine you should start a magazine up what fridge magnet fridge magnet collecting yeah you could be the DAR Ambrose was on telly the other day with his Lego wasn’t he yeah I’ve seen that that’s a bit sad as it was

Embarrassing that wasn’t it Lego collect anything then Butch apart from England caps yellow cards no yellow cards yeah you you’re having a go at me tonight I tell you so far I’ll see you in the car park yeah Sunderland match uh what a game wasn’t it fantastic

What a game uh take us through the match Phil well yes it’s another sort of you know come from behind win we’ve made a habit of it this season haven’t we it was only from one down this time but um yeah I think uh at the end of the day I

Think we thoroughly deserve to to to win I think maybe one or two bits of a bit of nervousness around the gr when Jack Clark scor put them ahead because he’d had a couple of chances earlier on um but then Kaden Jackson scored his goal

And I think we grew into it I think because obviously we had this sort of unfamiliar Central Midfield didn’t we that hadn’t played together before uh with Lewis Travis and um and in particular because obviously he’s only just signed um but I think they kind of grew into it and gradually

By the end of the first half you thought well we’re quite in control here and the second half really looked like only one winner um apart from when they missed the the one of the worst misses Port roads ever seen um but really I think you know we we deserve more than perhaps

Another goal in the second half but then uh the smallest man on the pitch pops up nods home what a terrific header talked about that he was our very first guest on life to pitch TV at the beginning of the season and he talked about being in

The box and people ignoring him because he is so small they just don’t they don’t think he’s going to do anything but he it was a bullet header wasn’t it yeah well he’s a bit like Phil he’s very very small so as as incidentally Kieran McKenna made reference to this in his

Postmatch press conference because someone said oh you know F 5 foot six how did he kind of win and Kier so I think he’s he’s 5 foot seven he I’m sure Phil will stand up for the little guys here we trying to ignore Phil as will

Right yeah but yeah but he yes as you say he kind of everyone moves around him and he just sort of stands still doesn’t he and just waits for his moment and then makes we don’t I mean normally you would pick up a big man and all the big

Men do but he’s just there and the movement they have the understanding that they have and the delivery that they have is is spot on so they’ve they’ve we’ve T scored so many goals from that sort of routine and if it’s not if it’s not uh Conor chaplain it’s

It’s Wes burns on the other side on the right hand side so you know they you know if it ain’t broke don’t fix it so you just carry on doing it if teams are going to be so naive you know it’s great pieces are very good aren’t they they

Work on it you can tell if the deliver is right and the movement of the players and the timing of the runs right and then it’s just down to the finish and we’ve got players that can finish you know and uh Conor is a classic for that

And unusual to uh to see a headed goal these days we talk about this the other week there aren’t so many these days but I me he took it so well didn’t he I I’m I I missed the game I was um sorry about I was in Caribbean but you know

Somebody um but I I’ve obviously seen the goals really pleased for Kaden Jackson you know because he’s had to take on this mantle and you know sometimes he’s he gets a little bit stick which I think is undeserved because he he gives everything every time isn’t he absolutely gives

Everything so really pleased to see his finish 100% what effort 100% good 100% average you can’t F his work right so so you know no no you can’t the manager the manager gives him the shirt and all he can do is go out there and do his best I

Was pleased that he got the goal but yeah Japanese goal is a great goal isn’t it I mean but the pace is on the ball and you know he he he hits the target doesn’t he with his shots and his headers and and and he’s a very very important Striker finishing there’s very

Few players that we’ve had I mean we had marus Stewart last week terrific finisher but you can’t remember too many better since marus Stewart than than Conor Chaplan can you really strike on the ball’s terrific with both feet you know and he’s very very very quick so a

Little half chance for somebody else is like a full chance for him very good but I think you know looking at the games that we’ve played the sundland game seemed a bit like that we were the better team it’s not like we’ve dominated for 90 minutes it’s always

Been a tough game the championship is Relentless the minute you think you’ve cracked it you know there there there’s some decent teams out there but we’ve come away worthy winners yeah the other thing I thought about that game was if you go back to the first game of the

Season against Sunderland they they dominated possession in that game we looked very dangerous in that game and had and and and obviously won two1 but they they were in control of that game for long spells weren’t they well that wasn’t really the same was it last week

I think that shows how much we’ve grown over the course of the season I think every game we play now feeli when we’re playing teams for the second time round this season they all know more about us they know more about us through all of the games we’ve played not just the

Games we played against them early on in the season so there’s a compilation now of all our goals all our set pieces all the good things that we do all the bad things that we do and people sip through that from top to bottom and they don’t

Miss a trick these days all the analysts are there you know they go through everything like a fine tooth comb and it’ll get tough this season that’s a that’s a big job now that’s totally different in the old days it’ll be the manager and the coaches watching the

Videos wasn’t it about the other teams whereas now the analyst can pick up Eddie cross from the right from the left any set piece and they do all that work and then produce it for the manager who just sits through the bits that he wants

To see yeah I mean I spoke to Brian Hamilton the other week well he spoke to me I didn’t can’t get a word edgeways but he spoke to me and well I did ask him how many well no he said to me do you know how many analysts there are at

The at the football club if swi you I was like 15 20 he say 54 54 analysts but you mean Brian initially it was 24 then went up to 54 you know how long Brian can talk that was 54 but I’m just I mean they had a picture

They had a picture uh of the of the of the staff they had the players and the kit and everything else that and then the staff it nearly and when you actually just taken from the stand when you actually look at it it’s nearly as

Wide as the width of the other stand 18 18 yard box and the one thing I’m going to say as well if you look at the dugouts cuz we’re right above the dugouts they have these they have the laptops every every team has at least two laptops there and whenever something

Happens in play the manager and the coaches head coach whatever is will come and have a look at the replay they replay it and all that sort of thing I thought you know many years ago it wasn’t allowed was it so now it is allowed but it is I think

That’s a contentious point because when they go and look at the at the monitors then fourth official then can possibly become a major Target because if the referee’s got us the decision wrong would he for you butch if you were managing today same question I would I

Would have lost a laptop somewhere I tell you flying laptops yeah might disappeared up something I but I mean it’s it is a new new part of the of the game and it’s something that tan have taken on to their advantage as well and used it very well I mean the setup is

Premier league setup Now isn’t it well you see it I think that’s what they’ve tried to do and I think when Kieran McKenna came in it wasn’t it I think was a great opportunity for him because it was his first big job and then they’ve given him absolutely everything he’s

Want and bearing in mind he spent time at Tottenham man united he knows what he wants he he’s seen everything that they do and and you know in division one we did a level of what they do we’ve gone to the championship and now doing another level and you know they’ve got

This you know the old golf buggy the old golf buggy where when you were there dick used to drive the old golf buggy didn’t he with the bag of balls and put the balls around the training ground they’ve got a golf buggy with a a television screen bigger than that on it

Now so the the the the screen is used in training now so when they’re going onto their set pieces you walk off you get a drink you watch this an analyst shows you that then you go back and do it so technology has made I could just I could

Just I could just imagine Paul mner in that buggy I’ll tell you now police police cars would be chasing there did you see the Bristol City game midweek no I didn’t Manning yeah he was in the he was in charge of the under 16s when I

Was doing the under 18s so Liams a very good coach if he gets the same backing of Bristol City that K mckennis had at ipswitch not only from the club as far as the finances concerned but the support as well because they’re a bit fickle the Bristol City crowd there uh

If he gets the support and the financial backing from the club they will go somewhere quick under him yeah very very doing very well they played with a lot of aggression the other night as well and and Hog’s with him as well is he Chris hog another player that was here I

Know that George goes up there sort of when he can to watch because he’s it’s his son-in-law and and that’s what they’re looking at you know leam Manning came to the football club as as is probably a 13 14y old yeah you know and and worked his way through to the

Academy probably signed a 2-year scholarship from 16 to 18 but never quite made it and and and has gone straight into that coaching role under probably Brian clue at the time started coaching with the academies and has worked his way through um and and he’s now like you say carving out a career

For himself and and you know Bright Young manager but he needs the the support that you’re talking about that K Ken is basically what is for he’s got yeah and they’ve said you know whilst everything’s going in the right direction you keep asking it’s also who

You look at his back room staff that’s his staff yeah do you know what I mean that so so they give you the finance that the club are spending to bring in the players that they’re getting but also to bring in the facilities the training grounds upgraded the pitches

Upgraded the stadiums upgraded then all the technology and all the analyst stuff but also I want that goalkeeping coach and I want that coach I want that I just love going early to the ground and watching the sprinklers it’s great it’s a great show by the way I advise people

To go and watch it we never had we never had like the bagio in Las Vegas isn’t it you just need some lights and some music up they go yeah it’s amazing they all move around as well and all that sort of thing it’s brilliant they’re quite entertaining because

They we stand on the center line and we know exactly where they’re going to go you have a sweep steak as to who’s going to get wet first like that’ be good uh who are we playing next everybody leester City Le city city on Monday Monday night what do we think boys um

I’m going to that game um that’s a tough game I mean I I I would sit here right now and say go there don’t get beat Come Away with a with a point away from home which obviously stops them going a couple of points ahead and and putting

In again I mean how many times you on telly this year it’s unbelievable and and good performances on telly as well cuz there was a a few years where we didn’t do well I know we you know we didn’t want the T games remember BBC One Butch don’t you yeah moving on Mark

Moving on but um yeah there a good side and you know at this moment in time you can’t argue they’re the best side in the league they’ve had a great start the managers come in and you know kept them going um and and the fact that we are

Nestled in between the three teams that came down with the biggest budgets in the league is Testament to what the club is doing yeah it’s extraordinary really and yeah they’ve actually got one or two injury worries ahead of the game Hall who key man for them that’s a great name

It and um yeah I mean he’s picked up a knock in there last game although you wonder whether managers do say this when they got beat by Coventry they got beat 31 by Coventry yeah uh and didn’t look all that in that game so they’re you know they’re not they’re not kind of

Unbeatable I think that’s uh fair to say we did well against them didn’t we second half second half was very good second half I thought we were better as side weren’t we so yeah they’ve got sort of players away at the Africa Cup of Nations and at the Asia cup um and they

Got and DD is sidelined until April so you know there’s there’s one or two little kind of uh it happens this time of year doesn’t it you lose players whoever you are we’ve lost one or two players they’ve lost one or two players big Club they you know massive massive

Massive Club you Ross obviously a former player of this yeah I still watch them uh speak to a couple of the ex players Steve Walsh good friend of mine big strong cent off he was talking to red cards he was he would fit nicely on this sofa

You won’t get past him fre no I tell you what he’s a he was a good lad he’s he’s a fun boy but tough as Nails Co well I don’t think there’s anything to fear you haven’t seen the second half and seeing them at centry I don’t think there’s

Anything to fear and I think T will go there and and play the way they can play and I’m I’m confident I I think we won’t get beaten so I’m very confident that we take that right now would yeah when the chasing pack were you know creeping up

On us but that win against Sunderland just pushed us back didn’t it not like last year chap said they weren’t worried at all they were still drawing games not losing them and I think it’s exactly the same this year it seems like they’ve taken a

Bit of a breather like ‘s gone on the cruise you know they gone on the cruise there’s also there’s also something that you get from winning and and bring and being successful there’s a togetherness isn’t there do you know what I mean there you can see that Squad

There’s a there’s a and that comes from the manager he’s created this and the coaching staff you know they’ve created this togetherness they got people coming in the team people coming out of the team he finds a way the hardest thing is as a manager is to keep the players who

Are not playing motivated and he does that really well he obviously includes them all in training I think they’ve been away as well for a little trip you know and then he looks after absolutely everyone one of the crews were you were

They no no no no no I I Tred to get away from everyone yeah um but can a sponsorship opportunity here actually tonight haven’t we with all this talk of a Cru we we got Fred I’ve seen you got Fred olon yeah we could have had you sponsored by whatever Cru

You it wasn’t Fred olon you were on no no no celebrity obviously but you mentioned the African Cup of Nation on the floor there yeah you um GH play tonight they do yeah GH play tonight and they lost their first game they’re playing Egypt tonight and

My God they’ve got a win and did you see that Chris huton is the current manager of Ghana and he got attacked after the first game that they lost really yeah they not surprising I know it is what this African Cup of Nations honestly you watch the football in Africa oh my word

He didn’t have you didn’t have a good buildup to the um to the tournament really no had a poor buildup and it’s just carried on sort of thing but I know but the this African football when you go and watch it it is ridiculous you think you know fans everywhere they’re

Just absolutely crazy I mean do you take in much we’ll talk about the charity now um tell us about that first and do you take in much of the football over there many games yeah I I tried there’s in in a c the main team was the hearts of Oak

Do you remember Kim Grant played for Chon Striker he was the manager so we used to go and watch him go and sit in the dressing room and they’re they’re strong athletic you know these players are are are built the pitches are not very good the games are ftic there there

There doesn’t seem to be anybody who can put their foot on it you know and and calm it down um but exciting absolutely exciting and you obviously I wanted um Chris to do well he was the director of football for a while and then took over

As the manager but um they don’t they don’t hang about if you’re not doing well over there but um so we might not necessarily think about watching that tournament but you would recommend for very it’s an exciting tournament I covered it for about 10 years with Euros

Sport and to say the pitches aren’t very good is an understatement they are hard they’re bouncy they’re bobbly it’s hot conditions so the ball’s Lively and it is just a case of just get after it but you see some amazing goals out there as well and some horrendous

Mistakes too and how’s the charity work going tell everybody about that yeah no the charity is great um and and I’m not sure if you’re aware that Mr butcher is a is a patron for our charity and has been to garana and seen it in action

Right at the start when we first started it all up um and it’s gone you know it’s gone tenfold since then along with Titus Titus Bramble Titus is’s out in Abu Dhabi at the moment so um we’ve not seen him in Ghana for a while a difference

Between GH and Abu Dhabi trying to get him over the country it’s not quite as easy to as it used to be no I mean he when when we were there he’s you never saw him much he’s in was in the Sky Bar wasn’t he a famous bar on the golf

Course a lot now isn’t yeah well there’s there’s a a friend of mine at the back um another Phil um he’s been the Sky Bar he’s been over and we’ve you know I’ve got 22 volunteers coming out um first couple of weeks in March who are going

To work in the schools work with the kids doing what sort of things so you can there majority of them are just going to be like teachers assistants football coaches so they come and work in our schools we’ve got six schools we reach about 5,000 kids um but in a 10day

Sort of trip we’ll do all sorts with them we’ll take them to Cape Coast so see about the culture talk about the slave trade how it started all those years ago gh’s a really really friendly country the temperatur is normally around a muggy sort of 30° um but it’s

Absolutely fantastic country the people are you know amazing and and what we’re trying to do because because of my background in football people think I’m out there looking for footballers and people garans love football so we use the power of sport to get more people to

Get more kids to the sports sessions we put in in the morning and stay at school so it’s it’s actually trying to get more kids into education because if they don’t get educated then they don’t break the cycle of what they do um but it is

The most friendly country like I said we go out there you know I’m out there four or five times a week two to uh a year two to three weeks at a time so probably sort of three three and a half months a year in Ghana I’m now booking that

Between the It toown games that are at home obviously but um yeah it’s just it’s just an amazing experience and anybody who’s been out will say we went to a tournament didn’t we you held a tournament every year Festival had a festival and um they they loved they were really competitive really

Competitive and it was great to watch and everything else like that so they were really competitive at the football and then the music used to come on between the games and everybody in the crowd danced even the referee they were all dancing they all love to dance it

Was amazing we had to dance cuz we been talking about the atmosphere at Portman Road lately perhaps we were to introduce that maybe at half timebody I think we stuck out a bit Terry didn’t we me you and Gary yeah yeah my boss n of the sprinklers no

There’s no no sprinklers out there we we we we hire a um so so the capital agano is AA we got one score in a the main Port is is 25 km away called TMA and there’s a TMA stadium that we use and and the the pitch is a bit like this to

Be honest it’s the oldest astr Turf you know a bit like the one at don’t insult our astr I don’t mean yeah I was looking at the lines only been here half an hour but you know but it’s the only one and and we had the festival there and for

Some of these kids it’s the first time they’ve ever played on Asher Turf um and then you know we we we get Kit donated from obviously our football club but Arsenal and Brighton get to the end of the season got loads and loads of kit that haven’t sold and they want to

Donate it to Charities give it to me I ship it out to GH so you see kids running around in lips Town shirts and but yeah it is um it’s a fantastic thing to be able to do probably at this stage of my career because you really begin to

Understand how much you get out of it they get out of it when I’m taking people like Phil who came last time you can see what the kids get out of it because we totally refurbish one of our school blocks but you actually then sit down with Phil and he talks about what

He got out of of it personally because these kids have got nothing but they’re so happy because they don’t miss anything yeah they’re not they don’t they’re not worried about their iPad at home because they haven’t got one they’ve never had one and they’ll never

Never get one so all they want to do is be outside every day and the temperature is lovely every day so you know they go they they go to school and school has become like their Sanctuary whereas in this country the school bell goes they’re gone there the

Bell goes we’re still there they’re still hanging around because it’s the best place they go to and they get they wear their school uniform and they get fed there twice a day which again is is is massive so yeah it it’s uh it’s very inspirational it’s great work that you

Do isn’t everybody fantastic brilliant um let’s talk about you and your town history how did it start um it started with a tri well it started with a a game I was playing for Barry Town at the time I mean I I played non- League football I

Moved from London to thatford when I was 13 I played for thatford Rovers I played for thatford town then I went to Barry Town and uh Barrytown were a good team at that stage and we played liown reserves in a in a preseason friendly um and I did okay and Bobby Ferguson

Offered me the chance to come and trial um I think that was the first time I ever met Terry butcher we played a a game against um West Ham and I scored and um and then I got taken off because probably I wasn’t the the fitness levels

For about an hour and I scored and we come in afterwards and you probably won remember this cuz I was just some kid but um you said to me well if he keeps scor like that son they’ll sell you they won’t sign you you’re right because I I don’t remember

It but that’s the only thing I got right in my career but then then towards you know towards the end of that season you know Bobby Ferguson right you know next season would offer you a contract and then he got a sack so um probably because he was offering me a contract

But um then um Charlie Woods was a coach at the time and we waited and waited and waited John Duncan came in as the manager and um Charlie Woods put my case across saying that I Tri and you know I think I was cheap so let’s give him a

Year what was a fee what was a fee H five grand five grand yeah so I think they got their money’s worth I remember Ian Marshall when when he first Ian Marshall was a character proper character me yeah when when he heard he didn’t know he heard that I cost 5 grand

That’s he used to com in every single day wait five grand come over it me yeah so uh tough school yeah and and and it was a tough school and coming you know I’m 23 years old going into a going into a dressing room with people like Jason

Delle and Mickey Stockwell and Frankie yup who I’m older than and they got you know 100 games under their belt before so you you’ve got to show something um you’ve got to show that you can play at this level you’re the boy from non league and I went out on loan a couple

Of times talky and exitor came back played about the last8 10 games of the that first season under John Duncan and um then got my second contract and then you’re going again you know you’re but once you’ve come out of non League to a professional Club you don’t want to go

Back did you ever think that you would make it no but at times you had doubts I think I had doubts um you know when you’re not playing and you’re desperately trying to get in the team but it’s almost like you go from a non- league team where you feel

You’re you know you’re a decent player and then you go into the training sessions with these level and go oh my God you know I I thought there were some decent players around but you know everybody is is fair and strong and and and good players um but I think you know

You’ve got to work out what you’re good at and also I I believe that they’re looking at your character as well well it sort of made you hungrier the players that are got contracts but when you came in so what did you do before when you

Were 23 2 23 when you came in so I was working I was working for I was working for a company an engineering company I was I was spraying these big Cherry Pickers and then I worked for a guy who owned Barrytown football club and he

Because the company I was working for it was really difficult to get away on they wanted me to work Saturday morning and obviously the game you know Barry town so he said listen you know I’ll I’ll pay you come and work for us and you know in

The end it all worked out but because of coming through that that that diff different way not come through the academy is do you know what I mean not being suddenly having to do it full time is a big impact on your body as well massive it’s not turning up on a Tuesday

Night Thursday I just to do training you’re doing it Monday all day Tuesday Wednesday Thursday you know and the quality of people that you’re looking a you thinking blind me every day these boys are at it yeah and I love training you know I I trained and I had to train

Hard it was something like straight away I came in I trained hard some players you know drift through training don’t they you know but I trained hard and that was the way that I think made a difference to me and then you then you

Got to find a way to get in a team yeah he should have done what walkie did just train on a Friday wait listen well you you can imagine when I come back and Walkie come and played in our team Bob gild off we called him cuz he didn’t like

Mondays he never train ever trained on a Monday George birie when when George was the manager at the end he’d say uh walk you training to dat and Walkie go what are you doing he goes we’re going to start with a run he go stop you

There well if he said we’re having to fire as side or we’re going to be a bit of Head tennis I mean you know we’re talking about a guy that had an unbelievable career with you guys and then had an unbelievable career with like me and stalkers and Jason and Chris

Kia you know just just just amazing but um training for me yeah when went up level get as fit as I can and how do I get myself in that team you know and I played in Midfield and you know I will play on the left I play on the right I

Play in the middle and I’d play wherever the manager wanted me to if he said go and play on the left today I’m yep no problem and you just get yourself in that team and do a job and become you know become an important member of the

Squad really you went on of course to um have great success didn’t you with IPS town a uh a certain team that got promotion to the Premier League yeah what was that like I mean you’ve had Jason it was just amazing if I look at our team it we didn’t have any

Superstars we didn’t have the biggest budget but we had the best manager John La was the best manager in that League you know forget the rest he was the best he came in he totally transformed what we were doing how we would play he was

Open and honest with you he come and sit down he was super smart do you know what I mean you go to John with a contract negotiation thinking I’ve done Willie I’m going to get a rise and then you walk out going God I’m lucky to be here

He was very he was it was a bit like that with Bobby Bobby but he transformed our team um and and the the icing on the cake that we had if you think of you know like people like me and stalkers and Neil Thompson and Frank Gallup and

Linan and you know all the Gary Johnson all hardworking players who were you know doing their bit and then we had deselle and kiumia right and deselle and kiumia were the icing on the cake for our team but they needed pushing you what I mean both of them they needed you

Know you and the man the manager would say that mil’s get into do or milks get into get get into loo he called him loo and and and and you would go and talk to these players and go listen if you two are on it today we win today yeah do you

Know what I mean and you must have done you know you just lifting these guys and um and they were on it they were on it that season and you know we’re all on it that season and to to go up and and win and and be Champion champions of the

League the second division and get promoted to the brand new Premiership you know there was never a better time you had you had a you had a that that season you only you only had two losses in the first 12 in all competitions he started really well then October

November you didn’t have a any winning nine nightmare but the last 22 games you won 14 Drew five and only lost three so you timesed like like T did last year you timed your run really really well I remember I remember the manager you know I I remember having a really settled

Side um and um and John L would had come in and and he’d say um he’d say same team same Subs so and um we used to take one extra player do you remember David Gregory David Gregory Neil Gregory so David Gregory would would be the the

Spare man so if somebody got ill he would be the person so he’d always travel with but the the spare man would also cook the food yeah right so on the coach you know you I mean so he he’d go like this so I remember John L said this is

The sixth time I’ve said this on the Trot same team same subs and he went same chef chef but you you we had a we had a we had such a great group of lads again you know you all of those players believed in what John L was doing you

Know he enhanced everybody’s career um and he just treated you well and and and and he had um we had mck MC with him and Mick mcgiven was was no fun whatsoever I interview Mick MCG uh and it was very hard yeah so goodness knows what it’s

Like to work with him absolutely you know in all the years I’ve seen him afterwards and all that he was at Chelsea for years I bump into him just a night but when he was your first team coach my God he was a d man you know and

John was the John was the character John was the you know the Lively one and obviously he kept Charlie with him at all times you know what Charlie was like um and and it was uh it it it was tough I mean I I look at you know when I first

Joined the club it was tough I was scared of Charlie Woods you scared of Bobby Ferguson scared of Charlie Woods I was scared of Charlie Woods yeah because he’s not very big char No I know but but I think that I’m scared of them because I think this person well these people

Have got my career yeah well that’s what Fergie was like was on the Bobby robs when he was first team coach oh c the number of times you got locked in the referee’s room and had a head tohe head with him Jesus but Fergie would hit you

Yeah he would hit you with a squash bracket with anything hit you yeah if I’m scared of Charlie imagine what but fery offered me a contract then then left basically do you know what I mean so I didn’t really play that much under um Bobby Ferguson but yeah during that

Time you know they’re great friends now as you say we got the X players dinner coming up you see them all do you know what I mean and it’s it’s it’s been it’s been great to you know to to see as many come back you can never take that time

Away because it because it it was like the the season was it’s a strange season because it was a season where the next season was the Premier League and you could see you could see the clubs all clubs trying to get into that they wanted to be part of that and

And you know that great run you had at the end of the season got you into the Premier League yeah you know you that that was another level sort of thing did your did your pay go up after that or did it yeah yeah yeah it went up not as

Much as some but um it certainly helped and then we got three years later when we got relegated it went down again yeah yeah don’t worry about that um sorry for yeah I say black but know under Kenny spending money and and you you and they

Were top of the league weren’t they and then you just kind of inexorably kind of real them in and over if you think about Blackburn You Know Jack Walker was the first owner chairman to buy his way into you know heavily invest into football so

He bought his way out of out of the league that Sherwood those B and then and then bought basically bought the team that won the Premier League didn’t he like the first one really that you was the new he was the Abramovich of his time

Wasn’t he you know and and he had a vision but he was you know the thing about his story was he was from Blackburn wasn’t you know what I mean and he made all his money in that area and and what did he seem to do well so

The Premier League then Le was tough new game yeah such so tough when you you know all of a sudden you look in and you go anfield or you’re you going not like these guys going in every week and win in you know what I mean we were going in

Out and hanging on but we had a really good start didn’t we we had a really good start again because you’re an unknown quantity but like us this year yeah so that in that in that Premier League the inaugural Premier League was Norwich yeah they’re on well done

They’re on fire this week they’re on fire Blackburn of course QPR Sheffer Wednesday Wimbledon Coventry Leeds Southampton Middlesboro and Olden now would you believe Olden were in the Premier League League the first premier league that’s that’s there’s some big clubs there are not in there anymore actually first team

To beat it switch in the Premier League wer they there some crap teams in there as well but there we are Wimbledon which we just recently played but no the Premier League was was it went up a a whole new level didn’t it with the Sky Sports and everything going up change at

The club did it was it could you notice the the change of of of of that level yeah I mean but is what’s weird was I remember playing in the Premier League and there was a buzz about the place it’s not like this this now it’s just

You know I think different level isn’t it now it’s just crazy now just because there’s so much more access so much more information going out and that you know there you know imagine imagine in 1992 someone saying right when you come out for the tunnel we’re going to put some

Fireworks out there do you know what I mean you know can’t believe it can you you know imagine these guys when they coming back with the F cup Imagine One the FA Cup now we’ve be doing laps and Laps of suffk we I can just I can just I can

Just see gaty crapping himself to be honest he wouldn’t know what’s going on but it’s so so so what’s happened is is is the entertainment business has taken over isn’t it do you I mean and and the players profiles have grown and people have come in and and there’s more women

And and and families and children going into games than they was in now day you know if you if you if you look on the if you look on the pitch when 1992 when we’ve beaten Brighton on the last game you look at the fans on the pitch it’s all

Men you want I mean it’s all men they all it was it was more over coat and flat cap yeah that that was flat cap that was 6162 they carrying Ray Crawford off everybody wearing a tie to go to the football that’s always changed well I’ll tell you what uh miltz it’s

Time to see whether you’ve still got it or not your skills the time has come for this week’s keepy up challenge sponsored by our friends at Ginger Pickle so there your ball Ms there’s your ball okay I think you’ve got Phil ham in your sites what have you got Phil what was your score now just remind us 75 no six wasn’t it six to Phil ham uh top of the leader board is James skor

Croft 79 chaino 59 Allen Lee 58 so what you have milch you have 60 seconds uh Phil will blow the whistle Terry will time uh start when you like once the whistle is blown but once the ball drops to the ground that’s it so you only get one crack at it okay and

The capacity crowd are going to come forward and count aren’t you everybody are you sure thank you when we ready boys here we go this could be a big one 2 3 4 5 6 oh unbelievable well done numbers there fantastic I we might have to V that but

We think it’s about 74 is is that what we think 79 yeah oh so it it was I mean you I mean you actually fell away when you used your left foot didn’t you I mean let’s be honest about it I just I figing at a time trying to get as many in

Quickly and just did you ever score need to run did you ever score with your left foot obviously not let’s get some videos up well if anybody’s watching uh and wants to just slow-mo that and do a prop count for us between now and next week uh that’ll be gratefully received but

For the moment 74 second on the leaderboard ask me anything for a minute who does that knock off the bottom Phil that me oh thank was off the field as well can we point out that West suffk is doing very well there with SC top you second

Alan Lee now fourth so yeah we’ve now got to rub the whole of the board out now start again yeah sorry about that no it’s okay it’s worth it Well Done bre want to come back out is there an age thing no no you’re fine you’re fine a

Handicap cuz I’m looking at the people in the top five chaino will be on the phone he will he will want to come back in again and do it again Le chapas they’re they’re so young I’m actually very good proud very good don’t forget if you’re watching on YouTube to to like

And subscribe the Channel please and if you want some of our merch some of our lovely shirts and mugs uh I think I’ve got one down here there we go if youd like one of those all on the website that’s www.life pitch. TV uh time now

For the town news in brief sponsored by John kelar of brownford with Phil ham from tww Td.co still not liing this hat I have to say but there you go we love it don’t we everybody we love it Padington bear anyway yes January Cher window in full swing um made couple of signings already haven’t we but town of targeting Sheffield Wednesday left-sided Winger or fullback Marvin Johnson

Might might be seen as a bit of a surprise move Johnson returned to the Wednesday side in November having been left out of the efl squad by their former manager Cisco but has sealed a place in new boss Danny rolls team a fee of1 million pound was reported but there

Seems to be a little likelihood to to paying that much for a 33y old um it’s going to be kind of You’ thought 100,000 something like that club know how desperate we are don’t they that’s the issue well I think reporters just kind of I think that was more of a reporter

Just kind of conjuring a figure out of nowhere but anyway joh he looks to be cover for leaf Davis on the left um best known by Town fans for elbing West Burns in the game in February and then subsequently getting a a three match ban I suspect to cover for leaf Davis also

Perhaps to allow uh Cameron hre to go out on loan who’s been covering that role I know a lot of League one clubs would like him so um to play midfield really um so we’ll see what happens there that’s one that’s kind of developing Striker search continuing at

The end of last week emerged that the blues were chasing Blackburn Sam Gallagher uh and it’s understood a number of offers in excessive million pounds have been turned down it appeared as if the two parties were eventually going to reach an accord but R then decided that they he wasn’t available

After all um from what I’m told because they haven’t got a replacement lined up although just before the show we saw a report linking them with Lucas ukovich from Birmingham city who you would have thought is a kind of like for like replacement um Gallagher is’s also

Interesting Stoke is Keen on the move from what I gather so I I wouldn’t rule this out being revived although as it stands not much was happening um town then moved on to ke for Moore former blue Striker was here for a year who’s available on loan for from AFC

Bournemouth with a number of other clubs interested um yeah Town signed him for £25,000 from toi and then s sold him a year later to Barnsley for £750,000 so not a bad profit there um but he only made 11 sub appearances while while he was here without scoring so we we didn’t

Really see the best of him since then he’s become a regular in the championship Wigan Cardiff and the cherries and has been Captain 39 Times by wal scoring 12 times um opportunities in the Premier League have been infrequent since Bournemouth are promoted so it seems set to move to a

Championship Club um another one to kind of keep a a watching brief on U meanwhile former Blues coach and Skipper Tony Mo says he’s hopeful that on loan Fulham Striker Jay Stansfield another town Target will remain at Birmingham for the rest of the season uh M believes

Stanfield will play more regularly at St Andrews in the second half of the campaign than he would at Town um but says the period in which the Cottages can recall recall him remains open for the moment so again one that perhaps possibly could be some movement uh and

Elsewhere Cameron Burgess won his fifth full Australia cap as the soccer R beat Syria 1- nil at the Asian Cup in Qatar earlier today burges played the full 90 minutes as Australia secured their place in the round of 16 Tan’s other player at the tournament elen bagger is in action

With Indonesia on Friday afternoon when they face Vietnam that’s the end of the news thank you very much uh what do you think think boys uh about the targets that Phil mentioned there um do we need a striker yes yeah not I think we need two asking yeah yeah

I think we need two but I don’t know it’s it’s what they do T as we’ve alluded to before that that they do their homework very well we’ll find out if he’s a good character but M mainly they have a lot of stats and they go by

A certain criteria and let’s let’s be honest about it the signings that they’ve made have been very very good over the two years been excellent so you know they’ve got a proven track record so you know in those analysts all 54 of them we trust do we know how long Hurst

Is out for roughly we’ve been given that most of the rest of the season is now it so you’re talking you know you definitely definitely need one and possibly well I think he need too because if we brought in any of these like gallaga and he gets

Injured in the first game we back to square one again aren’t we so I think we definitely need to um I think Poss I think Gallagher and Stanfield gives you a bit of different options doesn’t it I think um um ke frommore obviously gives you a completely different option at 6’5 yeah

In games like the Stoke game the other week where we were struggling to break down a team that was just sitting um making it tight in their penalty area having a 6′ five Striker there is gives you an option you uh that is quite difficult to defend against Terry how

Would you cope with the six but we don’t really play that way no but it gives you a bit something different do you know what I mean I think I think you kind of need that in those circumstances but I mean a lot of the teams nowadays they

Don’t they don’t even go route one they never changeed they just keep going just change like for like and keep keep playing the same way hope that it would eventually break break a team down but you know you’re talking about if Burgess was playing at the moment in the last 10

Minutes of a nil nil you stick Burgess up front we would never do that do you not think we would stick a 644 fell I think K’s done it once or twice back in the in League one on one one or two occasions with Burgess but uh yeah I

Mean I I don’t think I this is kind of suggesting that that keth all he is is kind of a fellow 6’5 I think there’s more to his game than that but it does allow you to get crosses in and um and and and and have someone who who’s kind

Of you know beating people in the air two managers here two managers what’s it like at this period um when you’re trying to get players in because every manager is trying to get players in what’s it like when you got People Like Us speculating left right and Center

About who we want and you’re desperately trying in Kieran we must trust you think I never had any money to spend in the window so never had that problem wheeling and dealing you’re deal you deal in we’ve always dealt sort of ver free transfers and swaps and all this

Kind of things so you got to have a nice bottle of whiskey available just to delve into but nothing’s really done until the last probably two two days of the transfer window and that’s when everybody rushes and that’s when deals are done so I I can see it being the

Same with us I did try and get a player from Sheffield Wednesday once when I was at Bristol City and it was coming down to the end of the January window and I found uh I found the club and I wanted to speak to Trevor

Francis and I got a hold of Mickey Mills who was there and millsy said Trevor’s uh is at home he’s having a few days off I said oh well I’ve got some money available I’ve got 250 Grand to spend on a player and like certain player that

You’ve got uh MSY said well um you’ll have to speak to Trevor I said well can you give me chev’s number and I’ll phone him at home no he doesn’t want to be disturbed I said MSY I’m trying to spend the only money I’ve ever had in me life to spend

On a player and you’re saying you’re not allowed to speak to him either he says no I’m not supposed to call him while he’s having a few days break and that was it they didn’t want to sell players a different world now isn’t it it’s a different world it’s it’s you know the

The recruitment team talking with the director of football talking with the manager and then go into Mark Ashton and and and the conversations are done you know and and they’re also done very quietly aren’t they you know you all the speculation and then something happens yeah doesn’t it very quickly I think I

Think Trevor was on the suned to be honest rather than he was away I think he was yeah he lik a b of suned yeah the late Trev well the signings last uh January worked really well for us didn’t they the players that we brought in so

Hopefully I mean that’s what I mean think they did them early didn’t they early in in the window so they had their targets but it’s much more difficult now it’s much more difficult so and he I don’t think Kieran really wants to be burnt again like with Scarlet sort of

Thing and bringing someone in and it doesn’t quite do it looks like we were’re a little bit more desperate for a certain type of player as well at the moment you look at players that haven’t worked since they’ this this ownership and under Kieran really Scarlet was a

Deadline day signing and then the previous year Panucci Kamara it was deadline day signing um gasan Ahad me deadline day signing so I think that there you know he doesn’t take a genius to work out they probably weren’t the players that they really wanted at that point they were the players that were

Available that were of yeah I think what he’s done now though is if you are a player and you not playing in a Premier League club and someone like I Town comes in for you now with the club that the way that it is with the reputation

That the manager building and and people in the game going I’d go there the guy um the lad we signed from Brighton I you know very friendly with the guys at Brighton because they they give me loads and loads of Kit so straight away I went

Tell me about this lad he went great player great lad and I went listen he’ll be treated well here and he’ll enjoy his football and it’s just having that so people will are now starting to think i’ go there and we’re second in the summer we were a newly

Promoted team and now we’re second in the championship it’s a different cat pitch you know all the training facilities and if you know what happens with football it’s a close shop isn’t it so what happens is someone’s linked to someone they know someone in our dressing room yeah straight away and

They go right what you you know what you think come just come do you know what I mean come we’ll see what happens over the next few days time to take a look and see what’s happened to es town on this day in the past brought you an association with Fred a Logistics well on this day the 18th of January we actually go back first of all to 1936 no I wasn’t lovely don’t remember this one it’s in Black and White born in Liverpool Defender Larry cbury was spotted by Al Ramsey playing for the king’s regiment against Barry Town oh

Wow Cur made an immediate impression in suff due to his pace and superb timing he was one of five players to win championship medals in all three divisions with ipswitch he didn’t score in his 283 appearances also on Saturday the 18th of January but this time we move up to

1969 Bobby robson’s first game in charge of Ipswich toown saw them travel to Everton and face their third play hosts in front of 4,725 fans in his final season Ray Crawford scored twice while Joe Royal played up front for the toughies in the 2-2 draw and all that happened on the 18th of

January fantastic thank you Russell a great work uh we have a trophy to present uh this evening and uh the manv fat trophy which I have hidden behind my Kevin Bey cushion here it is uh would you like to pass that mils to uh to

Terry over there who’s a big fan of our man V fat scores so that’s why him playing goal uh this is from man V Fat Mark who can’t be here tonight uh a terrific effort on the scales this week saw the IP switch man vat players kick off the

New year with an incredible 40 uh 54 kilogram weight loss 54 kilograms that’s 86 players that they’ve got now uh this week’s results far from athletic 11 Seattle Quarter Pounders 13 pork Vil 13 LA Galaxy bar 7 to lose a few pounds nine man titty 13 ltina 11 barely athletic 11 now we

Have a trophy as I mentioned to uh to hand out and and here to pick up the trophies going to go over to our microphone here is Warren wecraft in the studio to collect the winner shield on behalf of pork Vil everybody well done well done pork Vil we say um upper

Porkys is that right if we can get an upper porkys from everyone uper pork por thank you thank you excellent thank you so much thank you but not only that Warren has lost wait for this an incredible 28 kg in if you want to know

What that actually is it’s 4 and a half Stone since he’s joined last year well done so well done thank you so much and and you you all enjoy it it’s good fun isn’t it it’s amazing um I think it’s just everyone there together you know we all get on even though we’re

Against each other as teams you know you got so much support I mean Trav who’s with me today he’s he’s from a different team um you know all all right down to the mental health of guys you know we’re all there for each other and it’s amazing such a great experience and you

Know it’s a good cause to to get your weight down you know and yeah it’s great Mark’s a great guy you know I can’t take my half Mor to to Mark he’s he’s um you know helped so many so many guys it’s brilliant I think you’re fantastic

Brilliant has it has it cost you much because you surely had to get a new wardrobe didn’t you uh so so unfortunately for me uh my town top is uh is obviously massive I’ve had to tuck it in it’s huge it probably go around me twice now so uh yeah um the Wardrobe

Thing a bit of a problem but uh get to my maintainable weight and then I’ll just go on a bit of a shopping spree so good luck that congratulations what does it feel to to hold the trophy on behalf of you and the rest of the team yeah brilliant absolutely brilliant um

Shame some of the other guys could make it tonight I did invite them but um yeah lazy and uh got got loads of excuses obviously no no worries we give a big round of applause everybody well done thank you por Vale up the POR up the

POR sure we can get any more in by the way no I mean this is busy I’ve brought three I’ve bought my agent my manager and my minder well Phil’s had four mentions tonight already yeah you can see him you can see which one’s the

Minder when he comes out you what do you what do you make of the crowd this week oh sorry yes yeah yeah fantastic yeah good on I think they’re very good and with the fact that they cheered when we mentioned norch before was very very

Good there we go yeah on the ball you can’t say on the ball can you because that’s one of their no you can’t no should we move on yes move on uh big round of applause Simon Milton thank you that’s it for this week uh don’t

Forget to keep in touch on our socials for life to pitch TV that’s Facebook insta and X on YouTube please like And subscribe smash that like button let’s get some more subscribers on there all it does is give you a little bell to tell you when the next episode is

Available it doesn’t cost you anything free to do uh life of pitch TV is the web address as well w ww. lifesa pitch. TV to buy the merch uh thanks once again to our main sponsors DPS Tech also sponsored by here we go all about hearing marketing company Ginger pickle

Forward floors come hither design the Hudson group sound for Pro Audio Fred Olson Logistics John keable cars in brownford the dove in St Helen Street in IP switch and DPS Tech also now sponsor the sofa thank you capacity crowd we’re done up the town everybody [Applause] To Yeah