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Was the regime difficult?
I got fined a fiver every day by the manager for not shaving. And we got caught out drinking one night before a match and they ran us into the ground the next day. But I learnt discipline and hard work thorough football.
Did you meet the first team?
I was Lee Sharpe and Gary Kelly’s boot boy when I first arrived, then they took my on as pro and another little lad cleaned my boots instead! Gary Kelly really looked after me; he was Irish, only two or three years older. When my contract ended and I’d to go back to Dublin he called me, asked if I was alright for money, wanted to help out. I’m still good mates with him now.
Are you still friends with footballers?
You can make good mates in football but not often. It’s mostly acquaintances really. I was mates with Alan Maybury and Damain Lynch beforehand, cos we were in the same team in Ireland together. The rest of the lads are sound, they’re good for a laugh when I run into them.
Did your football kit have your initials on it?
Yeah, I did. And my number – I was number 42.
What was your finest footballing moment?
My finest moment was when I got called up for the first team. I’d only been at the club for two months, and I travelled on the team bus to Southampton as second goalkeeper reserve. I went down and we drew one-all, but I was on the bench, watching. I thought I’d hit the big time.
And the worse bit?
When they told me I was too small was hard. But football can be a very very cruel game. By that point I’d had enough and was ready go to home, start fresh with something new. I was devastated but I knew it was time. I loved being home for the first three months in the summer closed season. But when the season restarted and I wasn’t involved it really hit me. But then I started my karaoke business, and moved on, and my resident Friday night at Karaoke became my world tour.
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