[00:00:00] Ran up to the fans and obviously they're flexed on them and what not. Mate, he's looking a bit overweight, aren't you? Yeah. Jesus! To be fair, I still see some of them pictures now. He was signed on the wine, reckon he'll take his top off? Mate. We need some women followers, man. Still in good nick now as well, still in good nick now, yeah, yeah, yeah. Mate, you were gassed as well. Yeah, exactly. So I'm already pumped up as it is. But to be fair, even when guards scored, I thought we'd still be signed.
[00:00:24] Even when we know we've got the points deduction, of course we're then sucked into a relegation battle. But even when I come back, I know we're going to stay up and obviously we stay up with a couple of games to go, but which didn't need to be. We should have been at the other end, but that points deduction kills the team mentally and you can see it like going into like the January and the February and whatnot, do you know what I mean? You're kicking the balls, isn't it? Yeah. It's easy to say, Jude, isn't it? Hands down, Jude. Yeah. Because some of the things he was doing at 16 was outrageous.
[00:00:55] Grabbing games in the championship by the scruff of them there. When he's coming through, you're like, yeah, I better put a little one on this upstart, let him know what it's like. Nah, nah, nah, nah, nah. Because like, I know how good he is, but also, with the young ones, all you want to do is make sure that they're willing to learn and doing the right thing with respect. And the thing about him is, people say don't mistake confidence and arrogance.
[00:01:24] And obviously he's on that level where people could think he's arrogant and still do now. I think we went out that Saturday. Maddening. You shouldn't be going out in Nouveau. Before or after? After, but before, both, both. But I never forget, on the Monday, yeah, Richard Bill comes in and he's like, I had a phone call on the weekend. Saying, if the Zulus ever see you boarders out after Reggie's all, but you're getting done in.
[00:01:52] So I was like, I won't be going out after games like that again. Before we get into this, we're doing over a million engagements a month, but most of you aren't subscribed. If you enjoy the content, hit subscribe and follow us on socials. It'll make such a massive difference. Cheers. Is that alright, Digger? Digger, man. Yes. Thanks for having me, man. Thanks for coming, how are you? I'm alright, man. I'm alright. I've had to literally just jet here. No thanks, man. No, I know you've, you're trying still, you're playing.
[00:02:22] Yeah, yeah, yeah. Well, to be fair, it's supposed to happen a couple of weeks ago, wasn't it? Yeah, yeah, yeah. But, you're in, I might, that's the main thing. Yeah. So for anyone who doesn't know you, what's your, give us a brief overview of you. Of me? Yeah. The person? Yeah, as a person, let's get with it. Fucking laid back. Like to be the Joker. Okay. Um, some people might say big time, because obviously, I'm not big time in that way, but
[00:02:50] people might, from the outside, I've always had people say, oh, I think he's arrogant, he's this, he's that. But, I'm just very, I'm always wanting to laugh on a joke. Do you know what I mean? Like, that was me. But if you ask anyone that I've played with, they'll be like, what's Digger like? It's just always not serious. But obviously when it comes to the football side, I'm serious, but... Deadly serious, mate. Yeah. Deadly serious. Deadly serious. Deadly serious, mate. Do you know what I mean? But when it comes to like, the changing room in the band, I love it. Like, that's what I live for.
[00:03:20] I live for like, just having a laugh. Because at the end of the day, you're playing football with your mates. That's the way you've got to see it. Of course it's your job, and you're fine for three points all the time, but you want to enjoy your workplace, don't you? Do you know what I mean? And I think we're in such a weird type of work. It's a bubble and it's like no bubble in the world. Some of the things that you see and go on wouldn't happen in the workplace, would it? So I think as well, if you can enjoy coming to work then, do you know what I mean? It's half the battle, isn't it? It is, yeah, yeah.
[00:03:47] Why would you sum yourself up as a footballer, I know, who outweeds some of the football yourself? All action. All action. Leave nothing out there. And I think the one thing you know you're going to get from me is graft and hard work. And I think people respected that because the teams that I played for were known to be hard working teams. So it suited me. Do you know what I mean?
[00:04:12] And I think being the player that I am, there was times in my career where I tried to be something that I'm not. If you know what I mean? Because you try and adapt and you try and... I think we live in a society and social media where everyone wants that. You know when you see like clips on Instagram and that and you see like skills and this and that, everyone thinks that's a footballer.
[00:04:35] When really, the unsung heroes of teams that teammates love are the people that do the hard stuff that go unnoticed and go under the radar. And I think I was one of them that went under the radar that was very appreciated by the managers, very appreciated by the teammates. And if I would have just stuck at that and been happy with that, I think I would have probably stayed here a bit longer. So I did wonder whether you'd mention your goal scoring acumen as well.
[00:05:04] And I didn't think, I thought you might not, but you had goals in you, didn't you? Yeah. Nice finishes. Yeah, some good finishes to be fair, but probably not enough. But at the end of the day, like where I was deployed was destroying and sniffing out danger, weren't it? Yeah. Exactly. And to be fair, I enjoyed that, especially with certain teams and the teams that we formed probably in the first three, four years, we had what I'd call trench man. Do you know what I mean?
[00:05:31] People that you knew once it was time to roll his sleeves up, it was action. Do you know what I mean? Yeah. And you were confident that when you're walking out, he's got my back, I've got his back. And you didn't need words to say that. Do you know what I mean? And then towards the latter end, it was a bit like, well, he thinks he's going to get a move. Even if we get relegated, like it got to that kind of point. Do you know what I mean? Where people weren't all in. You've probably seen that now with a few teams, I'm talking to them and obviously I'm not there, so I can't obviously speak for them. But at the same time, it's like, well, how much do you want it? Yeah. Do you know what I mean?
[00:06:01] When... Yeah. You've been dressing rooms and you can see, you can see players faces. Do you know what I mean? Like even now, like I'm kidding now, National League North and I still prepare like I'm playing fucking Blackburn in the champ. Do you know what I mean? Yeah. Like it doesn't change for me just what level I am. I've still got that hunger and desire and every time I cross that white line, I'm trying to be the best version of myself. Do you know what I mean? Yeah. And again, the injury lists at Tottenham and stuff. Yeah. They say they blame them on the injury list, but how many of those players want to get back?
[00:06:29] How many of those players we had on like yourself, like Horse, Loco, Connor, like players who will just be like, I'm not going to tell the gaffer I've got them, I'm not going to tell the gaffer I'm not 100% fixed. I want to be out on that pitch. How many of those Spurs players are saying that, do you know what I mean? And then that's when it comes to the crunch. If you want to play, you're going to, you're going to be out. That was the thing as well. Like there was so many times like, obviously you guys didn't see my injuries, especially at the training ground, because obviously we're never growing or why not.
[00:06:58] But like, if I got a knock on, playing on, even now, like if I've got, like obviously I'm 35, I'm getting older now. So I'm always going to get these niggles. So I'm never going to be 100%. So my groin might be out in all my back or fucking I've known my calf or whatever, but I'm playing. Do you know what I mean? If I have to have a diclofenac, if I have to have an ibuprofen, I'm playing. Do you know what I mean? Like you're going to have to wheel me off. And I don't think there's enough people that are kind of like that. Do you know what I mean? You're kind of the end of the old school, aren't you? Yeah, massively.
[00:07:25] I think, I think probably 32 year olds, probably say a couple of years younger than me. Rest of the stuff. Like some of them now I'm seeing, honestly, it's the level of respect. There's no respect in that as well now. Like I know that we're in a different era and that, but they're your basics. Do you know what I mean? You get taught manners and respect and that's kind of gone a little bit. Do you know what I mean? I think lads play one game and they think they've made it. Do you know what I mean?
[00:07:53] Or they get in the first team dressing room and they're like, I'm here. I've arrived and you're far from arrived. Maybe you've played 100 games, 200 games. Do you know what I mean? You're a fixture in the starting 11 and they're like, you know what? I can trust it. Then you're like that Wayne Klein. Do you know what I mean? Well, the pie reflected that back in the day though, didn't it as well? Of course it did. The pie doesn't reflect that those days. You've got kids now. Like I've seen something the other day, yeah? Scholar wage when I was coming through was 90 quid a week. Second year Scholar was 110.
[00:08:24] Now I'm here and it's like 400 quid a week. And then like your first pro is like two grand a week. My first pro was 350 quid a week. And that was like, there was no negotiating. It was take it or leave it. Do you know what I mean? Because end of the day, like course you've worked hard for it, but you ain't done nothing in the football world. So how can you negotiate that? Do you get what I mean? That's industry standard. That's what it is. Whereas now these kids are like, hmm, not sure about that. I can get that. I can get, I don't know, three grand somewhere else in it. And they've probably got that power now, but it's like, it's just shifted.
[00:08:52] Of course I'm talking maybe 20 years ago. But at the same time, it's like everyone's handed everything too early. Do you know what I mean? So let's, let's, let's go back then to the start. Yeah. Yeah. So how did you get into football? Where did you get into football? Just playing with my brother, because my brother was a professional footballer. He played for Warsaw. He's my half brother, Dion Scott. He played for Warsaw. So I remember watching him. He'd take me to like the park and stuff like that. And this is how old school he was.
[00:09:22] Like I'm eight and he's 18. He's 10 years older than me. So I'm playing with all these 18 year old mates. And he's telling me to keep the ball. And I'm eight. Played against 18 year olds. And I ended up crying. He's telling me to stop crying, like fix up. So that was the environment that I had. Do you know what I mean? Yeah. So it probably was good for me coming through. Cause obviously when you've got your big characters. Yeah. Like Mick McCarthy and all those guys and the players that demand the most of you. You're already thick skinned anyway. Do you know what I mean?
[00:09:51] Um, but yeah, just playing in the street, play Sunday league up till 15. And then played a game at Kidderminster, which is ironic. Um, a far cup final and got scouted by a guy called Tony Lacey. He was like, come down for a trial. Went down for a trial at Wolves. And yeah, the rest is history. I had a, it wasn't even six weeks. I think it was like two in house games.
[00:10:18] So like I'd done one in the one week and they're like, yeah, come back next week. Done another one. They were like, yeah, we want to give you a year. Um, going back to what you said off camera. Yeah. Did you have that moment? You was having trouble in school? Yeah, exactly. So I got expelled from school. Me and my mates had a bit of a ruckus with some geezer that didn't go to our school. Um, so yeah, we, uh, ended up fighting him, whatever, whatever happened. And so that could have been the point where you just, you'd done.
[00:10:48] So we, at first as well, when I back expelled, the, um, just the school themselves said like, we went for it. We appealed it. And then they were like, nah. So then we ended up going to like some council house in Olbrick, which was like part of some other jurisdiction or whatever. And they decided that we were sorry. We've told, we started to this. And, uh, yeah, they ended up letting us back in. And obviously I had to say in that as well, like I've got trials at walls. I'm really busy. This is my only opportunity. Right. All that spill.
[00:11:18] Um, so luckily I got back in and then, yeah, it was just a wake up call for me. Cause obviously at school was a class clown, similar to I am now in football. Do you know what I mean? Try to be a center of attention and that. Um, I was like that at school, but obviously way more disruptive. And end of the day, like when you're at school, you obviously you boys know, we don't take it serious. Do we? Um, so yeah, getting in, then into walls, I had six months to get a scholarship. Um, that first three months, I hate it.
[00:11:46] So, cause it's just, it's, it's clicky any, like you're in, I'm the new boy. That's trying to get a scholarship. You've got all your clicks and that. And I just found it very overwhelming because like you try to get a scholarship. You're training more. The training's tougher. Like obviously you're playing with people that are as good as you, if not better. And there was a lot of players that are probably better than me. Cause obviously I'm coming from this bubble where I'm the best player, especially in my team. I'm like, I'm just smashing it. Yeah. Um, so then you go into that environment. It's different.
[00:12:16] It's tough. I remember we played Bolton away and I was on the bench. Come on after 30 minutes, got subbed off at half time. Was that bad? I was thinking, yeah, that's me. But for me, it was like, well, you have a roll over or you just get on with it. You use that fuel length. Yeah. You know what I mean? Cause obviously it's embarrassing as well. I've only been there three months. Who was a manager then? A guy called John Trollope. He's passed away now, but his son Paul Trollope was- Backed for Derby, didn't he? Yeah. Yeah. And he was Bristol Rovers manager. Yeah. Yeah.
[00:12:46] Yeah. Um, yeah. And he, he just, cause you have like monthly report, not every three months, every report and it was like, hasn't adapted this and that. And I was like, all right. Was you still pissing about it? Yeah. Not, not at Wolves. No, cause you couldn't, not in that environment. Yeah. Yeah. But then there was, I'll never forget it. It was this geezer who was friends with at school and he was like, we were fucking about and that just messing about with each other, having a few exchange words and that. He's like, hi, it's all right. You'll be back with us. Cause he played for my Sunday league team.
[00:13:15] He's like, you'll be back with us in like a couple of months. And I was like, all right then we'll see. So that was probably the fuel and I needed, do you know what I mean? So then come the February, I get offered a scholarship. So I was pretty like, yeah, I'm in that. And obviously fucked off my GCSEs. Good job. To be fair, I managed to pass English maths, got C's in that. So, but really I probably should have got an A in maths, pretty good at maths. But you just think you made it then. You're naive and then you're like, well, I've got my foot in the door now. Yeah.
[00:13:45] But probably coming from where I come from, it was, well, I'm all in that. And the way I play and the way I am, obviously you guys know, I'm all in. If there's something like that, I'm all in. So, and I'm going to work my heart off for it. And we're talking 20 years ago. Now it's a, again, you have to do your GCSEs alongside your ITS or whatever it is on ITS now. But like, you have to do it as part of that. Whereas then, alongside it. It was kind of like why you, there, they were kind of like, you're in with us.
[00:14:13] We don't want you kind of, your eyes somewhere else on lessons and stuff. We wouldn't go for the same. Yeah. So you're getting onto the, onto the Wolves bench then. Reserve game against West Brom. You got sent off. Yeah, sent off. Funny story as well. I should have made my debut against, you will, you'll check this out. It's very accurate. I don't want to get, what is it? The Geese, what's the Geese do? Oh. He comes to the stage, whatever his name is. He keeps doing that thing, don't he?
[00:14:42] Where he pulls people and keep lying about stuff. Oh, er. Is it Corral Prince or something? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. True story. So we played West Brom in the reserves, didn't we? Mick McCarthy was like, as soon as I got sent off Mick McCarthy was like, you're a fucking idiot. Because you were going to play against Blackburn on the following Saturday or whenever it was.
[00:15:09] So here's my finger, I thought I could have played in the Premier League, this and that, this and that. Who was that? Was it Carl Emery got injured? I can't remember who the injuries were, but there was a lot of injuries at the club at the time. But he wants to give you poulsers and then on the other side he's having to look at the value. Exactly. Yeah. This is what I mean. So obviously I'm kind of getting tested as well. Do you know what I mean? So I think previous to this, I might be wrong, but I was on the bench.
[00:15:34] I got called back from Warsaw on one of my loans and I was on the bench for like five, six games in a row. So I think my first one was Chelsea. Then I was on the bench against Man City, a couple of home games. So I had an inkling that I was liked and I thought, you know what? He's got half a chance here because you're not just going to get on the bench in the Premier League squad. Do you know what I mean? So, and financially it was nice as well because I'm on 350 quid a week. Getting on the bench there was like two grand. Yeah. Just to get on the bench. Do you know what I mean?
[00:16:04] Don't even have to get on. I think if you get on, you get a four grand. So financially it was nice as well. But obviously just being considered, I'm thinking, well, I've got a chance here. Do you know what I mean? So yeah, that one against West Brom was a bit of a wound. Do you know what I mean? But luckily I went on a few more loans and ended up obviously making my Wolves debut, which was surreal to be fair. What do you remember about that? You Wolves or Blues or what was it when you was growing up? Arsenal.
[00:16:34] Was it Arsenal? Still Arsenal now unfortunately. I've never known. Oops. We'll move on from that. Yeah. So yeah, I was at Chesterfield and we played Charlton on a Tuesday night. Got slapped for one, but I held my own and I played really well. And obviously they were going to win the league at that point. Yeah. And to be fair, I probably played better if not, well, I played as good if not better than their semi-mids and they were seasoned pros. Do you know what I mean?
[00:17:02] So obviously Steve Weaver and Terry kind of come to the game and they called me on the Wednesday and said, we want to call you back. We have a view to playing you in the Premier League. And I was like, get off. But at this point, I'd come back from Inverness in February and I think you guys might remember it. Wolves had Birmingham in the FA Cup, didn't they? Yeah. The two replay games, didn't they? You had a hand in every goal. Nah, nah. This is the championship. Oh, okay. This is the year after.
[00:17:30] This is the year before when we were both in the Premier League. We played each other in the FA Cup. So I went illegible for the first FA Cup game. So I got called back and Mick McCarthy was like, I've seen you play. I think you're ready. So he's like, I'm going to play you in the replay of the cup. But if you're not eligible for the first game, you can't play in the replay. Yeah. So he's like, that would have been a good test for you. But I don't think you're ready for the Premier League yet. So I was like, alright. So I know it's a chess to go. Can I stop there or say, is it right that...
[00:17:59] So I read a quote that he said, you went to Inverness, a boy, you can't back a man. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Is it right that you got sent off in a game for tackling someone into your own player? Yeah. Buckled your own player. Buckled your own player and then hit him again later and got sent off for it. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. It was Chris Hogg. Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's Andrew Butcher as well. Yeah, Andrew Butcher. Yeah, so yeah. I bet he was loving you. Mate, he was loving me but he's fucking nuts. Putting his hair on. Nuts, mate. I'll never forget it. I know we're going off topic a bit. But we must have lost one game.
[00:18:29] I think it might be. Might be more. Couldn't be love. So he's pouting us, throwing bottles at us in the changing room. And he's going round all of us, cunting us off. And we're all just like, fuck me. And obviously when he loses, you know he's a nutcase, innit? Yeah. So you just be quiet, innit? So he's leaving and as he tries to leave, yeah, he's gone to shut the door, but it's a safety door. So as he goes to shut it, he goes, and obviously we're all just like chuckling like, dude. So you're getting angry at it.
[00:18:58] So he comes back in and goes, you're all fucking in tomorrow. You think that's fucking funny? So he gets us in the next day and gives us a pause, mate. But obviously he wants to fucking lever the door, didn't he? But mate, it was funny. But he was crackers. And I remember as well when I said to him, because I was like, I'm going back off loan. I want to go back to England. This was to be fair before I'd seen Mick and that. And he was like, I ain't going to play you then. Thinking that I'd be like, well, all right, then I'll stay in Scotland. But I felt like I'd done enough there.
[00:19:26] I was like, I need to go back to League One or try and get a championship move. I feel like I'm ready. It's not like you're in the cosmopolitan throws of the Glasgow city or anything like. I mean, Ibanez is far. And the thing is, with that loan as well, I found out he was a manager and they were like, yeah, Inverness. Do you want to go? SPL, Rangers, Hearts. The Hearts were good then as well. So were Hibs. Rangers were good. This is before that. Obviously that went down. So it was a good league. Obviously the rest of the teams, it was better than the rest.
[00:19:55] So I was like, yeah, sign me up. Where do I sign? Little did I know that he was seven hours away. So I'd already signed it, put it in on the maps and it's seven hours away. I'm like, fuck me. Get out of this. You get into Scotland and then it's another summer. Mate, nah, you get to Carlisle and you're halfway. And Carlisle's a mission. So, yeah, I ended up obviously signing there. But yeah, like Mick said, like, I felt like even though we got slapped against a big team, I still felt like I was like doing really well.
[00:20:25] Do you know what I mean? Like competitive, getting about. So I felt like I did come back a man and I was showing in training that I could compete with some of the lads that were playing in the Premier League week in, week out. Yeah. And I think the thing that got me as well is Wolves signed Egert Johnson. He was at heart. I put a tweet out like, Wolves taking the piss out of me now to call Wolves and say that I got hacked. Because I was, mate, I played against this geezer and no way he was better than me. Egert Johnson, I don't mean to.
[00:20:56] No offence. But there was no way he was better than me. So I was like, are they taking the piss out of me? Same position. Same position. Like you're going to go and buy a geezer when you've got me there. And it was just like, it was a bit of a slap in the face, isn't it? But I'd come back and bearing in mind Egert Johnson signed that January. So I'd come back from loan and I trained with the first team for like three, four days. And that's when Mick come to me and went, you already you are. So I was a bit like, you know, showed you that maybe you shouldn't have, do you know what I mean?
[00:21:23] And then even when I got called back, he was fit and I played over him. So it was like a bit of a cap. That hacker called it well then. Yeah. Do you know what I mean, mate? Yeah. It wasn't really hacked. It was me. Yeah. He proved it right to me, the hacker. Quick shout out to Brum Life, our sponsor for entertainment, news, everything Birmingham. Go check them out on the socials. Search for Brum Life. Cheers. So talk to us about the, about the, so yeah. So then you played blues, didn't you?
[00:21:54] But it was free to air. Yeah. Had a hand in every goal. Had a stormer that day, didn't I? Yeah. Put yourself on the, in the wind. Put myself on the map, didn't I? Right on the green. How did the move to blues come about then? Um, when I fell out with Kenny Jacket in the December at Wolves and it was over a thing called match duty. So you, when you're not in the squad or you're injured, cause I was injured. I'd done my ankle that summer. So I hurt it in training, whatever.
[00:22:24] Um, and there was a thing called match duty. So if you're not in the squad, you go to all the press box, kind of like this. You go up and do your piece, me and greet, whatever. And I was like, I was on, um, Crutcher's like, I really want to go. Do you know what I mean? I need to keep my foot elevated, this and that. So George Ellicobi was like, I'll do it, Dave. So I was like, oh, cheers George, whatever. Come in on the Monday and, and Kenny Jacket was like, I heard you refuse to do, um, match duty. I was like, no, not all.
[00:22:51] And he's like, well, I've been told that you refuse to do it. And I was like, not really. And I said, like, without being disrespectful, it's not in my contract to do match duty. It's in my contract to be fit for this football club. And that's what I'm trying to do. We had a bit of back and forth from what not. And I had Dan the great point anyway, from people. Once he's done with you, he's done with you. Right. So in that December, I, I was bonded. I played, I think I played 23 games before that. So I started majority of the games in league one.
[00:23:21] Um, and to be fair, even in training, like I was, I've never been to bless my, I was, I was, I was a joke. I was doing well. And the lads were like, you've got to be playing. You've got to be playing ball. He just held a grudge against me. So I was supposed to go Barnsley before blues on loan, but, um, Wolves wanted my low e-bones paid. So Barnsley were like, we're not paying that. I was like, please just get out. I want to go and play football. Cause I'm, I'm training with the 23s at this point.
[00:23:47] It got to the point where I was like, I started preseason with Wolves and K jacket to be fair to me. It was like clean slate. This and that train the first three days of the first team. And then I'm warming up and, uh, 23s were over the other side, warming up. And, uh, one of the like sports scientists goes, Dave, and I'm warming up with the first thing. Dave, you're over there with the 23s. Embarrassing, mate. Embarrassing. Embarrassing. So I was like, all right, whatever. So you've, you've, you've got to be, do you know what I mean?
[00:24:16] You've got to be civil at this point. Like I know how football works. You have to be professional in everything you do. Otherwise you, you fuck yourself up. Don't you? Yeah. You're right in the reserve somewhere. So yeah, the Barnsley thing didn't work out. So I was twiddling my thumbs up. But you're thinking, you know, then I get a call off my agent saying Lee Clark wants to meet you. Yeah. Cause Tommy, Eddie, Amy just left in there. Yeah. So like for like any, you know what I mean? The way he played and whatever. And I play.
[00:24:45] So I was like, all right, I'll go meet them. Met him at, is it the Westfield? Yeah. By the training ground. Met him there, met him and what? Seeing as I walked in there, both from two beers. Beer of a side. Fucking fuck it. I'm not getting into here. And they just said like, look, we like you. We like what you're about. We think you can add to us. I said, look, look, the budget isn't big. Rare to turn. I was like this. I just want to come play football. For me, this is my home city. And it works perfectly for me. I ain't got to move.
[00:25:15] This is what you'll get from me. Let's get it done. Two days later, I'm having a medicine here. So obviously like the rest is history. So probably the best decision I ever made. And luckily I didn't go and learn to Barnsley. So it's just a bit different sparse, didn't it? Exactly. From yours. So this is what I mean. To be fair though, I've been lucky my whole career. And I like, I've been local. Yeah. Obviously forest green. We were saying this earlier. Is that always been like a deliberate thing to try and stay as local as you can? No, no, no, no. Because it's even been a kiddie now. It's not mad, isn't it? Yeah.
[00:25:45] So I mean, it's not local. Obviously now it has to suit, don't it? I'm getting on now. And obviously at these levels, you're not getting paid mega money, are you? Yeah. I've just assumed you'd learnt your lesson from Inverness and you always check the maps before you are. Yeah. You'd think that, wouldn't you mate? Or, yeah, it worked out perfectly. What were your first impressions when you come down here? Who was about when you first signed? Who were the heads? Dan Randolph playing Donaldson.
[00:26:15] It was a fairly new squad, weren't it? Yeah. Like there's like 13, 14 new signings, but I say you had like Olly Lee, Andrew Shinney, but I played with him at Inverness. Shinney has to say, yeah. Good player. Caddy, Glees, obviously he was a year older than me at Wolves. Granzy, there's no like big characters. Robbo, Robbo. Yeah. And obviously he's a leader of Menin'y. Do you know what I mean?
[00:26:44] He's been a guy man in a couple of weeks, yeah. Yeah, what a guy man, what a guy. Like he's your ultimate trench man. Yeah. Do you know what I mean? Like gets you going when you need to. Considering he wasn't our like kind of, he like turned us around. Because he used to be like West Bromps. Yeah, of course. He's the type of guy. We used to be like, oh, he's a bit like Savage and Ian like, Yeah, of course. A bit like you maybe. If he plays for you, I love you. If he plays against you, like, fuck. You know you're going to get the buy-in any from him? Do you know what I mean? Mm. So I think with people like him, I come into the game.
[00:27:14] You go through the trenches then. Yeah, I came into a group that complimented me. Like hard workers and obviously you had a bit of the flair with like cuts to be fair. Obviously top crosses are great. Dimmy was coming through and obviously he was hot. Do you know what I mean? And obviously he was in the top. Was Jon Sorrell in it? No, he was in the next season. So obviously that year we were f***ing really good. So you had like Dimmy one side, Cuts the other side, Shinny and Jon Sorrell and Clates. And you knew what you were getting from Clates. Yeah. Like to be fair, it's mad. I always say this.
[00:27:42] He should have scored 40 goals in both of them seasons. He'd score hard ones and missed the one-on-ones, which was mad. But he'd still clear 20 goals. But like he'd make a bad ball a good one. Do you know what I mean? You could put it in the channel and you knew he was getting there. Even if it weren't the right ball, he'd make their defender knock it out. Do you know what I mean? Yeah. But no, we had a good group there and I think that it, like I said, it complimented me. And I think obviously once Lee Clark left, because I don't think we really had a style.
[00:28:10] We just were people that got chucked together and then obviously Gary Rowe comes in and changed. Was he a good manager, Lee Clark? Or not? To be honest, I can't remember that much. I don't think Lee Clark remember that much, to be fair. I only had him for what would it have been? Six weeks? Yeah. Six weeks, because I signed, I think it was the 14th of August, I think. And obviously he got sacked October. Yeah. You weren't there for the 8-1, was he? Which isn't good for my memory though.
[00:28:40] Edit that. I saw a clip of it the other day. I think Mark Pugh put it up on somebody's Instagram or something like that. I was like, fucking I don't remember that. I remember we got... Delete that. No, we went out that Saturday. Madden. You shouldn't be going out in Nouveau. Before or after? After, but before both. But I never forget, on the Monday yet, Richard Bill comes in and he's like, I had a phone call on the weekend. Saying, if the Zulus ever see you boarders out after Reggie's all better,
[00:29:11] you're getting done in. So I was like, I won't be going out after games like that again. But, they're right though, innit? Do you know what I mean? I know we like young and naive and whatever. And like, you just drop... I was probably in that zone where I'm 24, 23 at the time. So I'm still... Yeah, you know what I'm going to write? I'm going to be on the training ground in the morning. Let's go and have a beer and fucking... Do you know what I mean? And I'm part of that society, or that culture. Yeah. Like... It's not meant as a piss tag, but it could be a lot of piss tags. No, of course it can and I get that.
[00:29:40] Social media, camera phones and all that. Yeah. You drink. And that was the era I was brought up in. Like, I remember going to a spa with Wolves and we were getting relegated. But we just went on a piss up because they thought that's what you needed and that was the norm. And you get pissed. Do you know what I mean? And that's what it is. Team building exercises. Well the thing is, when we done Jeff's, Orsfield's, in West Brom, Bobby Robson took on a secret piss up to USA. Yeah. And they Skyped and they broke the record for their first team to... So yeah, it doesn't work so it doesn't... Yeah.
[00:30:10] Do you know what I mean? It doesn't. If it doesn't it looks absolutely horrific. And if you want to use then you comment, do you know what I mean? Yeah. That's what it needs sometimes. And yeah, everyone's uptight in the challenge. Have a few beers, relax and then yeah, talk to each other. Have a few people off mate. Do you know what I mean? Jobs are good then. Yeah. Do you know what I mean? Blank on the booze. Exactly. So, what's... Obviously it's 16-17 season, you're absolutely cleaned up. Yeah. Massive fan favourite from Daiwan anyway. Yeah. Let's say you're all action, combative. What were your...
[00:30:39] You know what? Let's talk the goals. Let's talk Villa goal, Wolves goal. In that order. So, 1-0 down, Villa. Talk us through that in great detail mate. In great detail. So, how did you prepare for it? Prepare for the game? Nah, you know. Was you up through? You know what? That's the one thing with me about games, yeah. And probably... Not the downfall, but like... I'm glad I played for underdog teams.
[00:31:08] But I would have loved to play for obviously better teams and whatever. But I loved being an underdog. So, when we finished them two seasons in 10th, we were battering teams weren't we? Like, Hallwick, Derby. We'd batter them like 3-0. Yeah. But we'd lose to like Barnsley or Burton. Yeah. So like, even like the Villa game, I knew I was going to play well regardless. Because I'm going to give my all. And half the team at Villa don't know what it's like to be from Brum.
[00:31:38] And it helps having my missus' uncle, who's a Villa fan, who's been chatting shit for the past like fucking year. Because obviously when they were going down, we had like a little bet. Like, if we was finishing the playoffs, we had to wear a blue top. If they got in the... I think if they stayed in the Premier League, because they were going down, you've got to wear a blue top. Yeah. They ended up going down. But I was like, you know, I'll wear the Villa top, whatever. Just so I can get you in this fucking blue top.
[00:32:08] So I've got him in it. And the lead up to it, it's like, I've got you. We're going to beat you. I'm going to beat you. I was like, no, I don't think you are. Because that's the one thing Gary Wright was good at. He made you fearless. Like, we would go into games not fearing anyone. Maybe because of the hard work he instilled in us, but the way he set us up. We were a great counter-attacking team. Do you know what I mean? Yeah. Like, we could grind results out as well when we needed to. Yeah. So going into that Villa game, I was never worried.
[00:32:37] Like really, we should have won that day as well, because Clayton's missed that chance there where he should score. And he's had the header that goes... I don't know whether it does or not, but do you know what I mean? Yeah. Yeah, we had the better of the game, didn't we? We had the better of the game, because those Villa boys weren't from Brom, so they don't know what it means to be from Brom and what this derby means. And for me, that's still the biggest derby in the country. Yeah. By a mile. Because obviously football's probably a bit softer now, so everyone's friends, aren't they?
[00:33:03] Well, there's very little actual local footballers in local teams now, isn't there? Yeah, exactly. So even like your Man City, United City derby, it's not a... Nah, there's no needling it. It's no fight, there's no needling it, is there? Like, tell me anywhere else in the country where there's needling it all the time. Like even now we're still talking about each other. Do you know what I mean? Yeah. And we're not in the same league and haven't been for a while. Yeah. So yeah, going into that game, nah, I didn't think I'd score,
[00:33:30] but I'd say to him all the time, imagine I scored, imagine I scored. So obviously he couldn't get tickets in the away end, so when I'm running over, I'm running over to him. He was like in them seats up there. Yeah. So obviously that's where we used to get our tickets, innit? So I'm fucking running over to him saying, come on, that's what I'm saying on the video, come on, let's fucking have some. Do you know what I mean? As I'm bringing off. Right. But then after that, I'm like, fuck this, I'm taking my top off.
[00:33:58] Ran up to the fans and obviously flexed on them and whatnot. Mate, he's looking a bit overweight, aren't you? Yeah. Jesus. To be fair, I still see some of them pictures now. He was saying, I don't know why, you reckon he'll take his top off? Mate. We need some women followers, man. Still in good Nick now as well. Still in good Nick now, yeah, yeah, yeah. Mate, and you were gassed as well. Yeah, exactly. So I'm already pumped up as it is. But to be fair, even when guards scored, I thought we would still be sound. But to be fair, I think, because obviously I was playing more centrally,
[00:34:27] but on the right in the first half, and then obviously Cots comes on and I come in the middle. So I'm probably, Glees is always going to be more your holder, but I'm obviously more your destroyer, landing on things, landing. And I was always good at that, sniffing things out and reading the game, landing on bits. So obviously when it lands there, I take a touch and then hit it. I can see it and I'm like, that's in, you know, that's fucking in. And obviously the rest is just like, it's a blur, isn't it? Yeah. That touch as well though. That touch, you find back outside. Why don't you send him for hot dogs that way?
[00:34:56] This is what I'm, and it was guards, isn't it? So it's even better. I remember the noise. Mate, even now I still get goosebumps just because, I don't know whether it's the first, obviously I know we played them in the Carling Cup, or the League Cup as it was. Yeah. But it's the League Cup and it like, do you know what I mean? And we were still probably, not a million miles, but Gary Rett's just like getting his team together and whatnot. And we probably weren't full strapped. They weren't. So there's no like, Yeah. There's no like bite to it. Do you know what I mean?
[00:35:26] So with that, it's just like, euphoria mate. Like, still can't describe it now. Like it's mad. But for me as well, like watching it now, still get goosebumps from it because like, you get little flashbacks of little things that happen. And then, sounds mad, little fucking flashbacks that go out on the Monday saying, listen, don't ever take your top off in front of my missus. And that again, like obviously bantering and that, but he's like, my ficky missus. Yeah, you make it up for me. Yeah, yeah, That's brilliant. It was, yeah,
[00:35:56] it was jubilation. So, and obviously I know they'll always say, Oh, you only drew, but we should have beat you that day. Do you know what I mean? So, and obviously you've signed all these players, millions and millions. And then even that season, they weren't great, were they? Do you know what I mean? Well, I felt like, obviously, especially under the gaffer, we were, we felt, yeah, like one touch above. What was, who's your favourite gaffer you played under? Probably.
[00:36:26] Yeah. And then, and then Gary. What's the, so we'll, we'll talk the Wolves goal in a minute, but while we're on managers, how, how does that hit then? Cause obviously we had the Rooney thing where it was publicized, oh, the worst decision ever, blah, blah, blah. Rabbit for Zola. That time was absolutely ridiculous. Wasn't it on paper madness? Because like it hurt the players like bad. We just beat it switch. Yeah. And then we come in the next day and everyone's like, there's a meeting. And what are you thinking?
[00:36:55] We're going to watch it switch. Like, did we really need to watch it? Like we know, cause it wasn't a great performance. We just ground it out. Do you know what I mean? So we think, just another day at the office. And then we're a bit of commotion and whatnot. And then gaffer just walks in and goes, I'm going. And we're like, yeah, good one. He's like, no, I'm going. And we're like, it hits. And you're like, fucking hell. We're third. I'm sure we were third. We'd just be it switch.
[00:37:25] And like, we're fucking, we're on a third or fourth one of them. We were flying. We were flying. Cause obviously we built it then as well on the two 10th place finishes under the gaffer. So like, don't get me wrong. We're punching above our weight, but we're flying. So why would you, why would you, and we've just been took over. So why would you not give him that window to see what he could do with a bit of a budget? Cause you look at the window. We did do, and it was a fucking shit show. I think when it, Diego Fabrini won it for one.
[00:37:55] We brought Diego back. And like you say, you should never fall in love with a lone player. Cause we brought John Terrell back a couple of years later. That didn't work either. Did it? Yeah. And as well, like what didn't help Diego was John having a storm of the year before, because you've now got to replicate that. Yeah. I know we were crying out for like someone like that. I spoke to my under Zola, obviously not before cause we were flying, but you then trying to replicate that same form. Was he decent? Did you say in trying or not? Yeah. He's a, he's a player. Yeah. He's a joke, but he's a funny.
[00:38:24] So any little knock and then he was a bit big time. But then I remember, I never forget. He either broke his nose or broke his nose. He would mind relying against him. He'd just like give him a bit. If he was fine. Yeah. Don't get me wrong. You could take the piss out of you. Yeah. But you'd fancy yourself as soon as I get near him. Cause I don't know. He broke his nose. Didn't he? We swear that face last. Didn't he? Just weren't the same. Like I remember like, he wouldn't come in. He wouldn't deal with our doctors. He'd go and fly to Italy or whatever. Oh really? Yeah. And obviously we had a stinker that window didn't we?
[00:38:52] And I feel sorry for Zola man. Cause such a good man and manager, but he had bad backroom stuff. And obviously not many people know that. So we had like, uh, I can't remember his name. You boys got wind down when you feel like. So we had one assistant that played for you there. And he was all right, but he didn't say too much. Gabriel Kofi. That was his name. Yeah. Yeah. So he, what he would do as well before games is we'd be,
[00:39:21] I remember we played Blackburn and he'd get us in, um, we'd be in the hotel. He'd be like, come to room one, one, two, what the fuck's going on here? So there's me guards, Glees. And there's one of her. So obviously the midfield boys. He's like, right. I'm not going to do an Italian accent. I'm not going to do it. I was pricing myself then. You know what? I'll give it a go. He's like, right.
[00:39:50] Whatever the gaffer said, we're not doing that. We're going to go tight with these geezers. And we're going to go here. We're going to do that. And we're alive. Oh, we've got a game plan that the gaffer set out for us. That you've been training for. I know he's calling into a hotel room. He's already nuts anyway. The first day you come in, when they're done that press conference, the next day we're training or whatever. And I think there was a video or whatever. He's showing lads how to defend and that. So he's got them going up and that, this and that. He's like, this is how you defend and go and jockeying backwards.
[00:40:19] Then he fucking slide tackles a mannequin and breaks it. This is how you tackle, breaks a mannequin and we're like, what the fuck? And I never forget it as well. He comes in the canteen and he's gone. Cutter. Then he's gone, who else was it? But a couple of lads and he's gone 26. He didn't know my name. And I've gone Davis. He's like, yeah, 26, 26 outside in 10 minutes. I'm like, what the fuck's going on? Didn't even know my name.
[00:40:47] He's Italian and he's going to know my name. Boy, would have been nice to lie. Yeah, exactly. Exactly. So from the get go, it was just, it was a shambles. But it sounds maddenic. Cause like that first game against Brighton, we were fucking good. Weren't we? We played some good stuff and we were unlucky. Weren't we? And obviously they're flying at the other end of the table. And then we just, we just kept losing, didn't we? And I remember obviously it was the Fulham game. Yeah, it was. And it was funny. It was weird for me. Cause obviously I was,
[00:41:17] I had six months left on my deal and I had Forrest, Fulham and QPR interested. So obviously I was like, I love being here and I want to stay here. And then obviously the gaffer Zola was like, listen, I want you to stay here. So obviously after that, and obviously the money jumped up because of like the fucking owner. So I'm like, so I had a couple of conversations with the other teams and it was good, but it was at the same time. It was like, you've got to move. I'm settled here.
[00:41:46] I'm loved here. Like, especially at that time, I'm having a good season at that point as well. Like, do you break that? Do you know what I mean? Did, Gaz already gone to Derby then? Yeah. He'd gone to Derby. So he wants to, he was all over you. Exactly. Yeah. So then I'd obviously had signed a new deal. But then after, after that, I think we played forest the day after signing deal drew 0-0. And then five games later, I'm thinking what the fuck have I done? Because we're bearing in mind when he's took over with third or fourth,
[00:42:16] and then we're going to the last game of the season. We fucking got a win to stay in the league. Like how does that happen? It was just like, I felt sorry for him because the way he wanted to play was so good, but the recruitment was so bad and we weren't a team to play out. Yeah. And the spotlight was on as well. Of course it was. Because like, everyone who come had that incentive to be like, Zola's in charge now, Blue's in charge. Exactly. They've got new owners. And they tried to do it again with Harry Redknapp. They tried that, that way of going with the managers, didn't they? So like,
[00:42:45] it just disrupted everything because then you had the foreign boys coming in. who were on good dough. Even though I've just signed a new deal, I'm on good dough, whatever. They're on massive money. So then you're creating a divide already. Because these lads have grafted and not stuff to get them, like the club in the position that we are. We're punching above our weight already as we are. Do you know what I mean? So then you've got this divide and then you sign players like Emilio and Sue. And Doy. Check Keita and Doy. And they're like Emilio and Sue. Fucking acid bastard him. Do you know what I mean?
[00:43:14] Not good for the group. No. Just come for a payday. So like, when results are not going for you, how do you get someone like that on the same page as you? Do you know what I mean? So it was a bit of a frustrating one. Yeah. I remember seeing Keita's videos before he signed. Absolutely unreal. To be fair though, he was good weren't he? Like obviously the game, he showed glimpses didn't he? Yeah. But we were just, we just shipped goals didn't we? And we weren't fit enough as well. Like we'd gone from being super fit under the gaffer,
[00:43:43] to then blowing up at 60 minutes and teams were just steamrolled us after 60 minutes. I remember like in the Burton game. Yeah. We got steamrolled in it. Because we went for a spell, just losing to Burton every time we played them, didn't we? Oh, we got battered. Someone said that to me the other day. They were like, I've seen you. You played Burton. And I was like, where was it? He was like, we lost didn't we? And he was like, yeah, yeah, 2-0. I was like, we never had a good time at the play. Why weren't you not as fit then? We just weren't being concentrated on the part of the fitness? Yeah, we just done possessions all the time. Right.
[00:44:13] And ball retention, he tried to make us into this team that retained the ball. And we just, team were we? We just went out of you. Yeah. But you wanted to run through walls for the gaffo. So then Redknapp comes in on the rescue mission. Yeah, yeah. We stay up again. Yeah. And then not long after again, don't fall in love with a lone player, don't fall in love with a lone manager. Goes safe with Redknapp, didn't it? Then Steve Cottrell.
[00:44:43] So you're on your one, two, three, four, fifth manager then. Fifth manager then. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And I still haven't bit the dust so I'm doing something right now. Yeah. So what was it like then trying to, working under Steve? I know at the time he got a lot of bad press. Towards the end things went a little bit wrong. He was a great assistant under Harry. Great assistant because he was so good at playing mind games with people. In terms of like, I remember us doing a possession
[00:45:12] and it weren't great. No, a small sided game, it weren't great. He's like, it's for that. Bet you can't make it a seven. That's all right then. Make it a seven. He's like, hmm, six. Maybe he can make it an eight. And the lads bought into that. Do you know what I mean? And then like, we're all having banter with him, shouting, green army! Do you know what I mean? Because he's from that way and whatnot. And we're all just having him off and whatever. And obviously, he has a bit of banter back with us. But then when he becomes manager,
[00:45:41] you can't have that because he's the gaffer. Do you know what I mean? So like, and then he becomes like this bit of a control freak. And like, it's kind of his way or no way. And it was, it was tough under him. And obviously under Harry Redknapp, like, it was weird as well, because he was hardly there. So like, he signs all these people. And like, it's mad as well, because like on deadline day, we sign all them people. I'm supposed to go to Derby on that day as well. So like, Alex Sung was supposed to sign. Yeah. Fouls his medical.
[00:46:12] And obviously I'm already set up to go to Derby. It's done. And then Harry Redknapp rings me saying, alright, they got, you're gonna be a fucking big player for us. Don't worry. Don't, listen to what people have said. You're gonna be a big player. You're gonna start every game, this and that. And I was like, putting all these geezers on whatever. X, Y, Z. He's like, yeah, don't worry. Don't worry. Because obviously I'm fuming anyway. Because I'm sitting there literally waiting for the phone call to say, write up to Derby. Get yourself there. Because obviously Gaz is there, and I know what I'm getting from him. And he was flying. He'd done well with him,
[00:46:42] didn't he? Do you know what I mean? So I know what I'm getting from him. He had a poll to prove that, didn't he as well? Yeah, of course he did exactly, yeah. Do you know what I mean? Because like, he should never have got sacked here. They treated him wrong and treated him like a dickhead. So yeah, then ended up staying. Signed another new deal in the January. And never forget it, Steve Crotch was like, I've looked after you there. And I was fucking, I've already agreed it mate, what about you've looked after me, you fucking idiot? Do you know what I mean? So yeah, I signed an extra year there. I was finding it quite amusing.
[00:47:12] He was funny man. Do you know what, when results, when results, I'm still going. You like need to hear, there's a voice, there was like his prank call thing in it. So you got the voice notes and whatever. So there's this, there's this prank thing where he's like, hello? Hello? Are you stealing my wifi? And the gaffer's having a call with her like, an automated thing in it. Are you stealing my wifi? He's like, who the fuck's this? You've been stealing my wifi haven't you? He's like, who the fuck is this? He's like,
[00:47:42] mate, if you keep stealing my wifi, he's like, mate, where'd you live? Where'd you live? I'm going to come down there and fuck you up. And we've got this voice note, mate. And honestly, we just keep playing it and playing it. And then like, what lads will do is, like say someone loses a Rondo and whatnot. You've got to say like, I don't know, random things like, Green Army without him hearing it. But you've got to say it loud enough for the lads to hear it. So we're all saying, saying like, where's my wifi? Green Army. So like, obviously, so he can't hear yet. And that one day, mate, he's fucking heard us, mate.
[00:48:12] That was another thing as well. Like he loses it at that. And obviously we're in an environment where like, we're not taking the piss, but like, there's, I'm not saying there's no respect to whatever, but like, it's just, do you know what I mean? It's that. Is it hard to have a number two, become a number one and then? Yeah, massively. That's the gaffer. Sounds like your mate, one second. And then next thing, he's trying to tell us. Like when Mick McCarthy got sat, Terry kind of comes in, obviously he gives me my debut, but like the lads know him as TC. Yeah.
[00:48:41] And he's one of the best coaches I've ever worked for. Unbelievable. He's the type of manager, well, yeah, coach or manager, whatever. Unbelievable for young lads. Cause he grounds you, makes you do all the little things. I remember he used to take like Matt Jarvis. And obviously Java was a good player, but he made him tenfold because what he'd do every morning was take him out for crossing and work on his little bits and bobs. But we'd be like the guinea pigs and the mannequins doing like being the defenders or playing the balls out to him or going one V one with him.
[00:49:09] But TC would do that because he knew that would make us better players. Yeah. Cause we were coming up against first team lads. Do you know what I mean? So you make scenarios real. You know, you can do training drills where like you pass it into someone and you turn, you've got no opposition. He made drills real because you're going to face that on a match, ain't you? But going back to the point of having an assistant go to manager, it's hard course. It is because you go from having a different relationship to having you the gaffer. You can't have that. Do you know what I mean?
[00:49:40] Yeah. Not the respect goes. You can have the banter and the crack and you're his friend. And then all of a sudden they're not your friend. Call me mister rather than. Yeah. And then they're making decisions that makes you unhappy. And then you've got to go to them. But why aren't I playing this and that? And they've got to throw you some bullshit excuse. Yeah. And you're a bit like, and we're in a culture where bullshit is more than the truth. Like obviously, end of the day we're all men. Yeah. If I'm not playing, tell me why. Don't say like, Oh, you're not playing because of this. And you're going to get back into it.
[00:50:07] I'm going to play you in two games time and two games comes and you're not playing. Like just be real. And it, do you know what I mean? Just be straight up. We're like, we're all men in it. But we're in a soft society now. And we were, where you can't say boot a fucking who in it. Do you know what I mean? Yeah. Just some on that slightly. I was telling you about the Ray Parlor story the other week. Yeah. When there was playing with Safecake and he become manager, didn't he? He was plan manager. Middlesbrough. Middlesbrough, yeah. Yeah. And he went to me, he said, so all you lads can call me.
[00:50:36] So I know you know me as like Gaz or whatever. You can call me gaffer or boss or whatever. And a parlour shout from back. What about big nose? He said, that was it. He was done after that. You've done it, mate. You've done it, yeah? Do you know what I mean? Yeah. Cause someone's just had you up right there. In front of everyone. Oh, yeah. He said, I was soon sent out. I was done. It's mad though. Cause I've got this gaffer at the minute, Adam Morick, you spoke about. Yeah. Where like, he's got, everyone respects him massively. But he's like me.
[00:51:06] Like he just wants banter all the time. But when it comes to the detail, he's a geek and like, he's locked in. Yeah. But he's got this fine balance of like, crap with the lads. Serious. Do you know what I mean? But he's got it down to a T. Like the Frank Lampard face. Can have the joke with him. Yeah, kind of. But like, I fall into this bubble where like, I think he's my mate. And I don't think he's my mate. I don't mean to say like, it's like, I feel like I'm with one of my mates having a bit of crack and banter and that.
[00:51:34] And they're like, I have to be careful of what line I cross. Cause he's my gaffer and I'm an older head. And if the young lads see me taking the piss. Yeah. Do you know what I mean? He might be seeing, oh well, yeah. We'll start. Do you know what I mean? But like for me, he's cracked that divide. Do you know what I mean? And long mate continued that he does it. The higher he goes up. Cause I've got no doubt that he will. But yeah, having someone like that, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's good, but it's also, but then again, he ain't come from being my assistant manager.
[00:52:04] Do you know what I mean? Yeah. Yeah. So what about, so then? So then, so how do things change then when, when Monk came in? Yeah. Just yeah. It goes sideways. The press conferences get more and more ridiculous. Then Steve Cottrell leaves. Then Gary Monk. He strips it back. He strips it back like Gary Rout did. Just stripped it back. I remember we had a, I was injured. So I got bone bruising against the Villa in my knee. Um, so I was out for like four or five weeks and I was just coming back and we had, we played Middlesbrough didn't we?
[00:52:36] Um, and we had this meeting before and it sounds mad, but it was on a TV. But his ideas were just clear. And you know, because even then though, I know we'd signed all them players, but you still had like Harley, Max, who, Colin, who played in the champ. These players have played in, so they know what the league's about. They just need, it just needed the right person. Shay, you had Juki, you had me, Keith, like you had good players. So it's a great nucleus of a team. Do you know what I mean?
[00:53:06] So then like he puts this tactics thing on the board and it just clicks and it's like back to basics. And you're all like, and then you know, you're staying up. Same as Mad, but you know in it, you're like this geezer knows what he's on. Back to our strengths. Do you know what I mean? But then also, uh, he has the buying of, he's a family man. Like I never forget it. Like, and this is the type of person he was. Like he was class, like weird.
[00:53:32] The end of season, um, after we beat Fulham, he wrote us all a letter individually saying, I think some people got that. Oh, listen, I appreciate it from, but you're not for me or whatever. But we all got one saying like how we specifically could enhance what he wanted to build and how he wanted us to be a part of it. I want to get to know your families.
[00:53:58] I want to get to know you as a person already like what I see, but it was like categorized and obviously personalized to us. And I just thought that was class just before you leaving for the summer break. Come back refreshed and we're going for it. And then obviously, fucking the club sign Christian Pedersen and fuck it all up. Do you know what I mean? And then we get the points deduction and then what could have been a number and the boys did well.
[00:54:25] If you think about it, the only downfall of that season was obviously I got injured in that summer, which was a wonder for me. Because I was so excited to come back in like you were excited to be a part of it. Do you know what I mean? And then we get in that November as well. We know that we're going to get a points deduction. Obviously, it's swirling around, but we already know we're getting one. We just don't know how big. So obviously, lads in around the playoffs, aren't they? Do you know what I mean? The flying. I'm in the background doing my rehab.
[00:54:53] He's made it unbelievable for the boys that are injured feeling involved. Do you know what I mean? Texting me, calling me. Still involved. Still involved. Involving us with the group. Calling me when I'm at home. How are you doing? How's your mental state? This and that. For me, it's unbelievable. You're making me still feel like I'm involved. Of course, I'm a big character within the group. But you're still not part of the Matchday squad and you're not getting that winning feeling. You're not contributing. I'm not out on the grass. I'm not watching training.
[00:55:22] I'm fucking stuck in the gym. Do you know what I mean? Whereas he made it an unbelievable atmosphere. So, even when we know we've got the points deduction, of course, we're then sucked into a relegation battle. But even when I come back, I know we're going to stay up. And obviously, we stay up with a couple of games to go. But, which didn't need to be. We should have been at the other end. But that points deduction kills the team mentally. And you can see it going into the January and the February and whatnot. Do you know what I mean? He's kicking the balls, isn't he? Yeah.
[00:55:51] But manager-wise, he's not far behind Gary Rapp. Unbelievable. What about his number two pack? He was good at the time. But obviously, then he snakes him in the summer. And obviously, I know it comes down to what everyone says about Jude and the agent stuff. But at the same time, you're there as a group, aren't you? Do you know what I mean? And like, we had conversations that he'd already spoke with the club and said, I'll be manager.
[00:56:18] But that was his, that was his Cody. That was his boy, isn't he? He took him from Leeds and I'm not sure if they were together at Swansea or whatnot. But I have to double check that. But I know there were Leeds together and like, they were together in it. Do you know what I mean? And like, it just felt like a bit of a snakey move, isn't it? For us. And he was just like, it was a bit of a kick in the teeth as well that summer. Because like, you're gearing up for another good season and you know you are.
[00:56:45] Because like, I'm now fully fit and I'm like, fucking, I didn't want the season to finish. Because obviously, I'd come back in the February. Even though, to be fair, I got told my season was done. I told him I have a total month so I was like, fuck that, that ain't happening. I want to be part of this. And the season was finishing just too soon for me. Like I'd got back in the February. I'd just started, my ankle was feeling a little bit better. I'm getting right back in, getting back in speed and the summer comes and then he leaves and you're like, bit of a kick in the teeth.
[00:57:15] Do you know what I mean? Have you been quite sane? That's when you were kind of like, probably done here. Yeah. Do you know what I mean? And it's like, it was just a bit frustrating and then. Another number two is becoming a number one as well. Do you know what I mean? And then like, I'm thinking, fuck me, I'm onto our fucking, what's that seventh? Seventh? Nearly eight. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven. Yeah, one seventh. Yeah. Do you know what I mean? Did you have a bit of a bust up with him as well? Yeah. So he was a bit of a cunt to the young lads and I didn't like that.
[00:57:44] You know, I've always been protective over young lads just because as well, me coming through as well. We'd get battered by the fucking older lads, like battered. And sometimes it'd fucking hurt your confidence. So in my head, I was like, I need to instill some like, the right attitude in people. But I don't want to be a cunt. I never want to be that person where Digg is a cunt. Do you know what I mean? Yeah. I want people to be like, yeah, do you know what I mean? I want people to be like, fucking, I can learn a lot from him. Yeah.
[00:58:14] I can look up to him. If I've got a problem, they can come to me even though I'm on a fucking banditing or whatever all the time, whatever. Yeah. They can come to me and you don't realise it until you leave, but the amount of respect I had from the young ones, my peers and whatnot, when I do leave, it's like, it's massive. So like he would just be little if they couldn't do something in training. I remember we were doing this drill and there was a young keeper called Moat and he was a bit of a fucking space killer anyway. And Pep just as a girl-
[00:58:43] See the one that put him on the bus ride? Yeah. Drew Edith. Was it from Real Madrid? I think he might have been, yeah, the Real Madrid keeper. Yeah, the club put him on the bus ride in Drew Edith and that was the marketing form. Yeah, so Pep's fucking just had a go at him for no reason. I was like, fucking leave him alone man, he's a fucking kid. And then he comes back at me, I go back at him and then he sends me in from training and I'm thinking, oh fucking here we go. So I was like, alright, whatever.
[00:59:11] So then obviously I'm heated and whatnot and we're just not speaking to him. This is on the Tuesday. And it gets to the Friday and we're doing shape. Playing on the Saturday? I think I'm involved because bearing in mind before this, I was in and out weren't I? Because I had my kid. I had my son, my first son, before the derby game and I had him on the Friday at 2 in the morning.
[00:59:39] So obviously it was delivered at 7pm so I've had no fucking sleep and whatnot. So they're like, have the day off and spend some time with your family, missed the derby game. So I was like, alright, whatever. Obviously, I can't remember the result but I think they've done well. So then come the Wigan game on the Tuesday or Wednesday, obviously I'm not starting, which is fair enough. I've missed a game and it, do you know what I mean? It doesn't work, yeah. So I've not got back in and I'm in and out, in and out, we're not doing that good.
[01:00:06] And then I remember we played Luton and I fucking had a good game. And I remember the admin lads put me on Instagram saying how good was this? But then I was fucking, I came back and I was like, I'm flying here. I'm doing well. So in the midst of all of that, I'm supposed to go Millwall with Gaz again.
[01:00:29] And then Dong's like, we want you to pay all the wages and we want, what was it? We weren't Loi bonus, we weren't Loi bonus. It was like, they wanted appearance fields, something along them lines. Yeah. So I think in the end, Pep's taking, Dong's taking the piss. He's like, nah, we want this, this, this, this, this. So I'm like, please, to my agent, just get it done, please.
[01:00:57] And obviously in the background of all of this, Millwall were like, well, it's touch and go of this. So we might get someone else. I'm like, fuck it up. So then like, we're good with Millwall. We're going to do it. So I'm waiting for a text now to say, make your way down to London, this and that, this and that. Doesn't come. And I'm like, to my agent, what's happening here? Like, am I going or not? Like, do you know what I mean? I end up going Leicester with my missus to get her fucking teeth done or whatever. So I'm thinking, if I ain't get stuck in Leicester here, it's a fucking trek here to London. Do you know what I mean?
[01:01:25] I'm thinking, um, and they end up signing Ryan Woods. Obviously the phone just goes blank and I see Ryan Woods sign. So my head's gone as it is. And then I remember we play. Blackburn in the cup, don't we? Play well again. And Don rings me saying, listen, you're not going to be involved all the time, but you can have a new deal if you want. And I'm like, a new deal? Hindsight, I should have fucking signed that deal.
[01:01:55] Oh, you never signed it? Never signed it. Because that would have took me until 2023. So I was like, no, I just want to play it. I want to go. Because at this point I feel like they're taking the piss out of me anyway. Do you know what I mean? Like I'm involved, I'm not involved. And I'm playing well when I'm playing. So you either want me or you don't. So like, Don's like, no. And then like, obviously that thing happens with Pep. So it comes to the Friday. We're in shape and that I'm not in it. I'm going to be on the bench all day.
[01:02:23] And every time when you come in, they put a sheet up on the dressing room. I'm not in the squad. So I think, what the fuck's going on here? So I've gone to see him. Knocks on his door. And I've gone, why are you not in the squad? He's like, on Tuesday, you done me. Now I've done you. It's 1-1. I said, 1-1? Are we playing a fucking game here? And then, do you know what I mean? Like, we're trying to outscore each other. Like, what the fuck's going on here? Like, this is, it's like a fucking circus.
[01:02:52] So then it gets cut short, the meeting to be fair. Because we have a meeting with, it was Dong, but like one of the main heads. And we only met one of the main heads twice. But this was a different one. And we have a meeting in like the fucking, and uh, and in this room. And Dong speaking. This geezer speaking, sorry. And it was, it's almost like watching, you know when you watch a Chinese dog. And the geezer's mouth's moving, but then the words are coming after. Yeah. This geezer saying something.
[01:03:22] And then Dong saying something, what he's saying. But I know for a fact, yeah. Dong is not saying what this geezer said. And for a fact, because he's killing us basically. Because we're not doing that well. He's killing us. Dong is. No. The geezer in Chinese. He tried to style it. He tried to style it with like, you're not doing too well. I know he's conting us off mate in Chinese or whatever he is. So like, that's papered over cracks. But then we, that day I'm sure was deadline day.
[01:03:53] So I get a call about, I'm going to say about three o'clock. Charlton are interested in you to go on loan. Speak to my missus. And obviously we've got a newborn six months. I'm like, can it work? So obviously I've never been away before. And obviously it's a lot on my missus to have a newborn. I know we've got family around and whatnot, but you still, your missus thinks that you go to football, have a jolly up and then you're going from work to work, even though you've got a kid.
[01:04:23] So for me, it was like, do we go? And my missus was like, yeah, we can make it work. I was like, fuck it, we'll do it. So then Lebo called me about, no, but I got called to go to the training ground. And I saw, that's funny. Blues are supposed to sign Bright, is it Enakbar or something like that? We were supposed to sign in weren't we? So he's on the way there and I'm, he's coming to sign, I'm coming to leave. So obviously he ends up done getting done, does he?
[01:04:51] So I'm on there with Dong, Dong's like, it was weird, you know, because obviously I'm going to leave and that is like, and he's just talking to me about like the game tomorrow. And he was fucking, it was just weird. You know what I mean? So I ended up going to Charlton, spoke to Lebo here about 10 o'clock once it's done. And then go and watch him the next day. And then obviously end up going to sign for Charlton on loan. And then COVID happens in it, like, mad. So it's just, it's just a whirlwind of... Absolutely, bro.
[01:05:21] It's just a shit... So technically you're eighth blues manager? Yeah, eighth blues manager, but... Just not managing blues. The first two years at blues, unbelievable. And then it's just a shit show after that. Like there's so many shit shows, like stories and shit shows. We're only just stabilising now. This is what I mean, yeah. Two or three years. Like even that, obviously I weren't here, but that Paul Richardson when he was supposed to take over... And Lopez and... Do you know what I mean? Just shit after shit after shit. And then like, obviously you got... Darn you think he's playing football manager? Like there was once...
[01:05:51] Yeah, he got him offering fans out on the car park and that. Yeah. Like we were supposed to sign his striker and he was like, no, we're not going to sign him because Shay's faster on FIFA Ultimate Team. Like, this is what we're dealing with. Do you know what I mean, mate? It's mental, mate. Do you know what I mean? Oh my God. Carnage, mate. So just a swing back then. So the 2016-17 season, absolute clean up. Player's player. Supporters player. Yeah. Moment of the year, the Villa goal. So just the Wolves goal. We've got to touch on that. Yeah.
[01:06:20] Obviously coming from Wolves... Did you come off the bench in that Wolves game? No, I started. You started? Me and Keith played like more like 2-8s slash nines. Kind of like, or tens. Yeah. If you know what I mean, like bombing for Yatesh sitting. Yeah. Me and him just break, crash in the box. And obviously he ends up scoring. And I end up scoring. It was like a Zola masterclass because like, before the game he's gone to us as well. Or this is what I want you two to do now. And after that game, I'm thinking, you should just fucking do that. Every game then, innit? Do you know what I mean? Just crash the box. Yeah.
[01:06:51] But yeah, it was... So Dale said to me, what was your shame? Save stand? Errr... I've been tempted to ask you. But I don't know if you've spoke off camera. I can't really remember. But, I remember afterwards, obviously when I'm running to the Blues fans, I'm like, fucking I'm that guy, do you know what I mean? Because obviously, like I say with Wolves fans, like, I'd left but not on my own accord. So it's not like, I've just hopped to a rival. Like shit's happened, do you know what I mean? And I've just ended up signing for Birmingham.
[01:07:18] So obviously when I go back there and I get booed, it's a bit like, well, it's a bit shit that innit? Like, I've come for you Academy, I'm one of, supposed to be one of your own. It's not my fault that I've left. Do you know what I mean? Yeah. So, obviously before that I'd play there twice before. Got a couple of man of the matches there, so fuck off with that one. Yeah. So it's the whole kind of frustration. Yeah, frustration, yeah. And just the whole exuberation of story. Kind of yeah, like, why are you booing me?
[01:07:47] So it's that boat up like, and then obviously just to go like that in front of the Southbank, it's just like, just shut up innit? Do you know what I mean? Like, you can boo me all you want, but that day we had the last laugh. Do you know what I mean? So, people always ask me what's my favourite goal, that or the Wolves one, and I'm still tied because of the different meanings of both of them. Do you know what I mean? Yeah. So, yeah, it's hard to pick one of them. But even that season, to be fair, I just felt, regardless of anything that was going on with the gaffers,
[01:08:17] I felt personally in a flow state, like I was very confident and assured. It sounds mad. At the start of that September, I knew I was going to be on, like, my contract was coming to an end. So, I'll never forget me and my agent, sitting at the Man on the Moon. We had like a meeting there and him like, He used to be my local. I know, yeah, it's mad innit? So, he's like, to me, he's like, you could get injured. You could move, I could try and get you a new deal now.
[01:08:45] Or, you smash the next four to six months and back yourself. And I was like, well, I'll fucking back myself. Like, I'll prove to everyone why I should be here and be one of the mainstays at this club for many more years. And I felt like I did that in that season, do you know what I mean? And even with the injuries as well, you had some bad luck with the injuries, didn't you? Yeah, of course. That was, I think, I don't know, people always say this or whatever, Danford, but like,
[01:09:11] you're never quite the same explosive and especially the way I was and the way I play. I was saying to him before, when you came back and you could see that you were still giving it all. Yeah. But it just seemed like you were just missing that extra one percent. And to be fair, I've come back like five kg heavier up here as well. Yeah. Because like, obviously, you've got a lot of time when you're injured. So, I'm doing my legs, I'm battering it. And obviously, when you've had an injury like that, because obviously,
[01:09:36] full rupture of my left side ankle, of my ligaments on that side, repair of the other. So, I've got like an artificial one on the inside, plate on the side. And I've done my syndesmosis, which is like where your dorsiflexion is. And I broke my fibula, to which the back bit. So, I've done like, my foot was facing the other way. So, obviously, it's a bad injury. And the way I play, it's explosive and it's up and at people.
[01:10:04] And it's like, right, save the ball, go there. Bosh challenge. Bosh challenge. Yeah, literally going from side to side, but quickly. So, when I come back and obviously, I'm heavy up here anyway. And when I come back in my head, I'm thinking, well, I'm strong here. I'm strong here. I'll be fine. I'll be flying. And that's the thing. You always see this niche quote, I'll be back strong and I'll be back fitter. And I'll be back. But you're never the same for six months because your body's constantly,
[01:10:33] your mind is telling you to do something, what you could before, but your body's not adapted to it yet. Do you know what I mean? It takes time. And like the preparation before a game and like, I don't know, one loose pass and you turn your ankle out a bit. Can you feel that as well? Can you feel the mechanics of what you've had done with the running? 100% 100% especially the way I am because I'm already heavy footed. I've got the fucking wildest feet in the world. I'm heavy footed. That's why I wear studs all the time. Do you know what I mean? I've never been a mold because I take that much of the ground up because I'm a planter.
[01:11:02] All my power comes from my legs and my glutes. Do you know what I mean? So, you're just not quite the same. And I only felt probably as good probably just before that January when I come back into the team at Blues Under Pep. Yeah. That's when I'm like, yeah, I'm fucking out of here. Or that summer before I come out for my little man, like we play the first game of the season. Then we play Bristol City here at home where we fucking batter them. Yeah.
[01:11:31] And to be fair, it's probably one of my better games, especially on the ball. Felt fucking very good. We played Forest. We lost. But then like, I remember Pep coming in the next day. We're having video. And even though we lost like 4-0, he's like, look at the way Digger's come back. He's adding value to how he's doing. So, in my head, I'm thinking, fucking hell, I'm flying here. Like, I've come back and had a good preseason. And then it just isn't the same. And then I go Charlton.
[01:12:00] It's not great there. Like, it doesn't start well. I'm constantly back and forth and whatnot. And obviously, my miss is coming down and whatnot. And then COVID. It's a long way. And then obviously, I shoot myself in the foot by not going back to Charlton as well. Do you know what I mean? So, what was that? So obviously, with the COVID stuff, I got a newborn. You see all this shit that's coming on. I know we had all the meetings and the doctors saying, fucking this and that. But where I lived was an apartment block. So, I'm thinking if I'm going to be unlocked there, my missus and kid are going to be with me in an apartment.
[01:12:30] It's not right. Do you get what I'm saying? I'm going to be constantly crossing with people. If I get COVID, people are dying left, right and second. So, like, in my head, I was like, well, I'm not coming back until I know it's safe for me and my family. So they're like, well, you're refusing to come back. I'm not refusing. But bearing in mind before this, I've spoke to people at Charlton and they're like, yeah, listen, we totally get it. We totally get it. But we're going to have to throw you under the bus in public. And I'm like, I get that.
[01:12:59] Do you get what I'm saying? I mean, but like, it's not for footballing reasons. Yeah. When I look back now and I look back with my hindsight's a massive thing in it. That was a detriment to me because I had a duty to go back and play and because it was a relegation fight to go and fight for them. But also the next season after that, obviously, when we come back in, we start the season in August, don't we? And obviously, Karanka's like, you're not for me. So I'm not. All right, fair play. Is that as simple as it was? Yeah. Yeah.
[01:13:29] He come back and he's like, you're not for me. Ninth manager. Yeah. Ninth manager. So nine and out and it's like a cat. Do you know what I mean? So I've done well to survive that long. That's ridiculous in explaining. But then my agents on the phone to managers and they're like, well, why didn't Digger go back to Charlton? And obviously he's explained to them and they're like, well, is he going to bail on us when shit gets tough? And then you get that. That's harsh. It is. Of course it's harsh. Of course it is.
[01:13:58] But I get the way I know the way football works. Yeah. As soon as someone sees that you're not all in, your character gets questioned, doesn't it? Of course it does. So then like I'm scrambling to get like a club and I'm thinking what I'm going to do. And then I sit the next fucking four months training with the first team, doing well. And obviously we're not doing like blues are not doing well. So really I should have played at some points.
[01:14:26] And obviously Keith got told he could go as well, but then he ends up getting back in. And it was almost like, it sounds mad this. But do you remember when I scored against Middlesbrough? And Kranko was the manager. Yeah. We were going out to training one of the days and one of the sports spinesy skis called Nelsen or whatever, brings up the goal and Kranko was like laughing about it saying, you're the reason why we didn't fucking go up automatically. And I went to him, why is that the way I'm not fucking playing?
[01:14:55] Like in a passing comment, but all serious about it. Do you know what I'm saying? Like, I know you say it's paid, but it probably weren't the reason. But I was a bit like, I should give us a go. And the thing is as well, like at that point, the team needed someone like me. I was going to say, so for four months you were training with the first team. Yeah. In that spell. You know what I mean? You just grabbed the bus. Do you know what I mean? But like, I just needed that opportunity to get in. Mm-hmm. So then obviously the January comes and they're like, well, we want to pay you up.
[01:15:24] So I'm like, well, I'm not leaving unless, because I've got six months left. Like they're like, well, we'll pay 80%. I was like, all right, I just want to go and play football at this point. Do you know what I mean? So like there was me, Dan Crowley, Josh McEachern. It was a good bomb squad. Yeah. Well, I mean, that is, man. Funny as well. Funny, funny, funny, funny. We had a good little two, three months. Cause it got to the point as well where they'd make us train on our own life at three o'clock in the afternoon. And like after a week, I was like, I can't do this no more.
[01:15:52] Do you know how some people just sit on their money and whatever. Like, I don't care how much money you earn, you can't train all week to not play on a Saturday. Do you know what I mean? Yeah. It's not the same. That's not what we do, is it? So it was a weird time really. And obviously I was gutted. I knew it was coming to an end. But in hindsight, a lot of people said should have stayed until Bo you've gone. But Bo you was Charlton manager. Yeah.
[01:16:21] So he probably would have bought me off anyway. Do you know what I mean? So it's like that, man. Life. Why is this? I think we'll go to like, to just wrap it up. Hit these quick four questions. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It's quick four questions. Best player you've played with? It's easy to say, dude, isn't it? Hands down, dude. Yeah. Because some of the things he was doing at 16 was outrageous.
[01:16:49] Grabbing games in the championship by the scruff of them there. When he's coming through, you're like, oh, I better put a little one on this upstart, let him know what it's like. Nah. Nah, nah, nah, nah. Because like, I know how good he is, but also, with the young ones, all you want to do is make sure that they're willing to learn and doing the right thing with respect. And the thing about him is, people say don't mistake confidence and arrogance.
[01:17:19] And obviously, he's on that level where people could think he's arrogant and still do now. Oh, you look at the reports, the papers and that. But the thing is, you have to be self-assured now, don't you? Like, these players now are self-assured, but he knows what he wants and he knows how good he is. So why wouldn't you be that confident? It's just the area that we're in and English media love to bring you down. Oh yeah. But humble is an understatement. We used to banter him, like I remember, I think he'd come off at Leeds and he'd already had the rumours.
[01:17:49] And we were like, just added 10 mil there. And he's just laughing, do you know what I mean? But he knows it's right, but not big time whatsoever. Do you know what I mean? Just a normal kid and just loved playing for blues. So like, when, and to be fair, I ain't gonna lie, when they retired his number, I was thinking, what, Dov? Like, it's a blues thing to do and it, yeah. But they were right. I knew he would get to where he's got to, just not as quick. Yeah.
[01:18:19] Like, but then again, I'm a surprise because like, you think about it, he starts the preseason as a good player. Obviously, you can see the talent there. But he becomes, someone that usually takes someone four years in 10 months. Yeah. Like, the only way I describe him at football is like, you know, you've got like a genius, Einstein. You show someone something and they execute it.
[01:18:46] That's in, like, if you show them, I don't know, some whatever, they just get it like that. He's like that with football. Show him something, he gets it, he executes it. And his mental state is just, yeah. It's unbelievable. Unbelievable. But if it's not going to be him, it'd be either Stephen Fletcher, because it was at that point he was a joke. Or Nenad Milius. The Serp, like, he was the most random signing ever. Because like, he was signed the first year we went up to the prang. And he just wanted to meet McCarthy player.
[01:19:14] But, man, unbelievable. Like, no stress. Everything he did was perfect. Like, and obviously like, he would never have like, fucking the smoke with someone or, you know what I mean? Like, but technically a wizard. Wizard, man. Best player you played against? I fucking got a few, haven't I? Paul Scholes. Yo-Yo Torre. Nice. Stop there if you want to hear.
[01:19:43] Yeah, David Still. Nah, to be fair, you know who needs a shout out? Gareth Barry. Played against him, yeah. You know, obviously I know he's had an unbelievable career and whatnot. But, playing against that Man City team, that Torre, Milner, Barry. Obviously you had those stars there. But Barry did everything right. Everything was right. Every touch was right. You think you get into him, nah, shielding the ball. Everything was crisp. One and two touch, nothing more.
[01:20:13] Like, unbelievable. But, like, he's not easy on the IEZ. Yeah. Good player, had a great career, but he's not easy on the IEZ. Do you know what I mean? So like... Yeah, like, Carrick's kind of in the same thing. Yeah, yeah, do you know what I mean? Behind the scenes. Yeah, yeah, do you know what I mean? Allowing people to flourish. Obviously when I played in the Prem, I played against good teams. Like, I was lucky to play against like United, Arsenal, City. Even like, Blackburns and Bowles, they were good teams. But playing against those and like, playing against Scholes and Torre, and I managed to obviously get a couple of shirts in there.
[01:20:43] But playing against them made me realise how miles off it I was. Do you know what I mean? Like, obviously I was good enough and was good, but they were levels made. Yeah, you're talking an elite level of few, aren't you? Levels made. Yeah, levels made. Yeah, David Silva. I'm glad Gareth Barry's just signed against us for an over-45s team. Has he? That's my view. Brilliant. The root rings for me. Yeah. Was there a particular tough opponent or someone that you liked to get into?
[01:21:13] Mutually? Did you want to smash anyone particularly? Well, I was trying to put it more eloquent in there. Yeah, now it's been for amongst friends here. So, no one you'd see on the opposition team sheet. Yeah, I think. No, everyone was an enemy for me. Because like... Yeah, they can't apply we loved as fans. Yeah, of course. Because of a lot of... Like you said, I'm all action. I'll leave one on you. I'm not arsed about you. Do you know what I mean? Like, you can say anything to me I'm not arsed, because I've got a bit of banter for you. Like, you can never cash me off or you can never do anything like big time, because I've just got...
[01:21:42] I'm great off the dome. Do you know what I mean? So, I've got something for you regardless, mate. Do you know what I mean? The only thing you might be able to say is your touch is baggy or something. Do you know what I mean? Or something like that. But even then, mate, I'm still reversing it on you. Yeah. Do you know what I mean? You see it like the kind of guy who will take that as fuel. Yeah, fuel. And then come back to it later and be like, what about that? That's what I'm saying. Was there anyone in that Villa game that was giving you a needle? You got to... Err... I remember the other one, Alan Hutton, mate. Well, he's a fucking Wally, mate, ain't he? Mm. Like, do you know what I mean?
[01:22:11] I know he scored that good goal, mate, but he's still a fucking Wally, ain't he? Turned into Prom Café that day, you know? That's where we had to be just... Rob, we're going to go and get the train. That's enough, man. Yeah, we were just like, yeah, all right. See you later, yeah. Yeah. Was there an unexpectedly good team, mate? Was there anyone that you played with that you didn't particularly have a hard opinion of and then you were like, why the fuck you know? Err... I want to say Keith, you know. You know why? Because I'll never forget it yet.
[01:22:40] Obviously, he signed and he signed in my position and I'm like... And then went to Millwall? Yeah, exactly, yeah. Err... And he comes in and obviously he's... He's ducked from thinking he's going to be a little technician and that... First day in training, lays one on me. Yeah. Smashes me and I'm like, fucking up. I've got one on my hands here, do you know what I mean? Yeah. But... Did we just become best friends? Do you know what I mean? But obviously, he's like, he's similar to me.
[01:23:08] So, if anything, you're never going to think that both of us are going to play. It's going to be one or the other because like, do you know what I mean? But I think that we destroyed that much together that we just complemented each other and I love playing them because I knew... Like in my eyes, he weren't Dutch, he was English. Do you know what I mean? Like, John Terrell was similar. They could do the English sides of the game. Yeah. Do you know what I mean? But add that little bit when they needed to. Mm-hmm.
[01:23:30] So like, I probably want to stay in for that one because like, I'm expecting a technician and I'm expecting like someone that's just going to be like, do you know what I mean? And keep the game ticking and that. But he just ended up becoming my fucking... Well, you made it a headache then, didn't you? Yeah. You made it a headache that you had to start you pair there and work kind of around it. Because like, you look at the Fulham game, last game of the season, you know that you've got to put me and him together because you disrupt them. You let everyone else go and do what they do.
[01:23:57] You let me and him get all over Kearney, get all over McDonald. Let us just do what we've got to do and we'll just switch it. I don't even know anything about that. Do you know what I mean? Yeah. And I think Blues fans love this post because we fucking just left it all out there. Do you know what I mean? Yeah. Million percent. And is that the best goal you've ever saw, his screamer from 45 yards? Mate, he scored some bangers that year, mate. He scored some absolutely... You're right about that. I'm not floating in. Oh, you mean... In slow motion. The Derby one? Oh, the Derby. The Derby one was fantastic. Yeah. 45 yarder.
[01:24:27] Yeah, 45 yarder. I wish I had a few of them. To be fair though, what was your favourite goal? As far as what it means, the Villa goal, the Wolves goal, but you scored some good goals. Yeah, yeah. I think... I liked the Norwich one because it's a header. So it was like... And as well at that point, that was the start of that seat. Yeah, the beautiful opposite... Yeah, the little girl and she were making me.
[01:24:49] Do you know what I mean? So like, I was very confident in everything that I was doing. Either that or... I liked the Middlesbrough goal as well. Even more so because he bombed me off there. But it was a good strike. Do you know what I mean? Yeah. Erm... Yeah. Or the Ipswich double. Yeah. One where I've fucking other Alan Shearer. Do you know what I mean? That's what I mean.
[01:25:18] I think it's spoken down. That's sort of the game. It's like the box crashing. Yeah, yeah. The roving light and that. You had the energy then. It's mad as well. Because that Middlesbrough game, I should have had two. Because there's a ball that comes in from Caddy. Puts a beautiful ball in. And I think it's Diego. Where it's coming right on my head. And Diego comes in front of me and fucking misses. And he's coming right on my head. That mullet in your eyes. Yeah, do you know what I mean mate? But he's an unsung hero as well Caddy. Fucking what a player he was mate. Trying to get him on. He's elusive mate. Yeah, because he was...
[01:25:48] He's not a gaffer though, ain't he? Yeah. Well he's not, I don't think that. He's Kingsland. He's gone back again. Played against him on Saturday. Oh, he's gone back. Oh, you cried against him? Yeah, he was a gaffer, yeah. Yeah. What a guy, mate. What a guy, yeah. Can you still rib him or is now he's a gaffer if you've got to call him Mr Caddy? He's a bit more reserved now, isn't he? Do you know what I mean? But obviously he was a bit of a fucking joker in the training ground, didn't he? So finally then, just to wrap up. Is there a message you'd like to give to the Blues fans that loved you so much? Um, yeah, definitely.
[01:26:17] Less the Wolves fans, than Blues fans. Yeah, yeah, definitely Blues fans. Like for me, yeah, and it sounds mad this, since I've left, yeah, I didn't realise how much love they had for me. If you know what I mean, well, obviously once you're in the bubble you're in it. And of course you are, you're like, oh I loved your goal against Villa, this and that. But like, I see so many Blues fans now and I kid you not, I've not had one say, didn't like you down the Blues. Every single one's been, loved you down the Blues, wore your heart on your sleeve, love your goals against Villa and Wolves and whatnot.
[01:26:49] But, it was a pleasure playing for the club. Like honestly, I loved it, you know, like, I think as well because it's a workman's club and it, so we go hand in hand like that. Like, they appreciate when someone works hard, come off the pitch, regardless of the result and you fucking put everything out there. And I think I epitomise that during my six and a half years here, do you know what I mean? In my head, I wish I would have made it to like ten years.
[01:27:18] And that sounds mad but I'd like a testimonial and whatnot. For your 33rd manager. Do you know what I mean? You know what I mean? I might have made it to like 100 managers and that. But, no, honestly I loved it here and it's 100 hands down the best six and a half years of my career. My only regret is, obviously I know I could say like, oh, you're and whatnot, but I wish that I would stay here for longer. Do you know, like stayed a bit more with Harley, stayed a bit more with Duke, like the actual core, the trench man. Yeah.
[01:27:47] The people you looked around, you like. Because there were so many times during that, especially that Karenka period, that pep period, where you just needed someone like me. Yeah. And a keep together or do you know what I mean? That would just roll the sleeves up and let the players play. Do you know what I mean? Yeah. And we just needed that at times. And I just think that we lacked that bit of character. Do you know what I mean? And listen, they're doing well now. And then all the Blues fans want to see is the lads fucking buy into that.
[01:28:18] You know what? Yeah. Again, right now in the middle of that pitch, that sort of physicality is exactly what we're lacking. And I think as well that leadership and that know-how and that, I don't know, yeah, that bite, just having that someone at your heels. But I don't know, the game's changed, innit? Do you know what I mean? The game's changed and to be fair, I fucking love it where I am at the minute, man. I love non-league footy, mate. Honestly, unbelievable.
[01:28:46] I feel like I'm back in the UT, mate. Yeah. Just banter for days and no egos. Does everyone like to try and take a bite out of you? Yeah, every now and again, mate. But I'll just remind them how many games I've played in the Champs the night, you know, anyway. I mean, you can't fucking bring me down, mate. The CV speaks itself, doesn't it? Class. Yeah, I think as well, like, now looking back on it, I think when you come to the latter stage of your career, like,
[01:29:11] I played at a high level for like 10 years and that in a fluke, regardless of how people think about you or not. Like, and the amount of managers I've had at Birmingham, like we were saying earlier, nine not out. But so for me, it was a testament to myself that like, you had eight managers that thought you were good enough. And for me, that's enough. And the Blues fans, I can't remember them ever turning on me. Maybe because, listen, there's always a couple of scapegoats, aren't there?
[01:29:40] I'm sure they'll find us on Twitter or something. Yeah, maybe, yeah. Maybe the couple of, yeah, Davis was shit this and that. But I never felt like I was a scapegoat. Just because... I've never heard it. Yeah, do you know what I mean? Just because of how I conducted myself on the pitch, do you know what I mean? Well, I forgot to mention earlier, because that season that you took the moment of the season, the players' players, supporters' players, you were also the most booked player in the whole of the Football League, wasn't you? Was I? Yeah. I like that. Did you not get a trophy for that? You should've, shouldn't I?
[01:30:10] To be fair. Gold card. I'll write that more than the... Do you know what I mean, mate? I'm down to get a yellow, do you know what I mean? You found that in your Wikipedia, the most cautioned player that year in the whole Football League. I ain't surprised though, innit? Yeah. Loads of late tackles, innit? Was it first four games of the season you got a book in each game? And then you didn't get a fifth until October? Yeah, yeah. I did that at Wolves as well. First... But it was five games, five games, five yellows and got suspended. Oh, mate, I was fucking thinking what the fuck's going on here. But that's how I played, innit? Yeah. Do you know what I mean, mate?
[01:30:41] Occupational hazard. Exactly, mate. Do you know what I mean? I'm glad to give you a fucking easy ride, am I? Yeah. Thanks for your time, mate. No problem. I didn't see you guys playing with that. Cheers, mate. Cheers, mate. No worries. Listen, if you like the questions or the answers what these two boys are doing, I'll