He was a striker in that team, pure class in that admittedly average standard. I don't warrant a mention in that company - I was fitness based, albeit that gets you a long way at the lowest park level, he was quality at actual football based skills!
And it was only a few games before he went off somewhere more befitting his skill level!
But I'm sure he played non league later on, definitely Holmer Green, not sure who else.
I was "effective" - but that was down to a bit of pace, absolutely obsessive commitment levels and at the lowest level an incredible stamina level.
I remember we used to have a ludicrous 6pm astro hour with work then 10pm indoor session the same day. It'd be 9.55 and I'd still be smacking it against walls and running people off the pitch and smacking goals in. (At times having run to the 6pm session too)
But what I certainly wasn't, was technically strong. You only had to compare to the likes of Sam to see what a proper footballer is, rather than someone supremely fit who can adapt well to football at the lowest level where most have very low fitnesses.
We actually played a team Mike Keen put together once. He was 60+ by then, but it was still a buzz to come home saying i'd played against an ex top flight footballer - but in reality you can imagine can't you, still decent on the ball - but push it past them and run.
Other than that, the highlight was I did once score 4 or 5 goals in a game at the Wycombe training ground, watched by Terry Evans, Steve Hayes and John Gorman!!
While Terry would just say i was "f@@king different class" (what a phrase to keep shouting in front of all sorts), Gorman actually came over after the game and said "how old are you son?"
I said my actual age (mid 20s), he just walked off saying "Ok".
I sometimes chuckle thinking if i'd said "12" i might have been signed up ;-), but I jest of course. I knew my level, and the opposition were utter pony. I definitely got to the level my talent deserved...the lowest level - park footy :-)
Joking aside there's not a chance in hell i'd be able to get any insider talk. He's a Wycombe man through and through, and loyal to the cause.
I can honestly say the only time I've ever been ITK ahead of the gasroom collective was the Bayo signing. I knew about that a few days earlier. Was hilarious watching some of the comments on here.
Great story, @Malone. Mate of mine played 6-a-side against a team containing Peter Taylor (when he was manager of Wycombe) and said he was still sh*t hot and ultra competitive!
Bizarrely I played 6-a-side against a team containing Josh Parker (at John Hampden), pre his signing for us. He didn’t have to do much to stand out…as you say, the many, many levels above these guys operate at really quashes any dreams of “I could’ve been a contender.”
If I haven't already bored on for too long, that brought back a couple more memories...
We had a work footy tournament once, 6 a side and in the final we met a team that had a few semi pros. One of them I believe was Rowan Vine's brother. And apparently Rowan himself had been at the event and keen to play until he realised playing against some absolute nobodies when he's a pro footballer might not be a clever move.
The 2-3 semi pros were funnily enough too good for us, so I'd really have hated to see what Rowan Vine would have done to us.
And one more... I'd normally played Saturday league only. I had a couple of seasons only on Sundays.
My first ever Sunday league game was I think division 3 (which was the 4th tier with there being a premier league) and we played a team called Bird in Hand.
They had a 34 year old Neil Catlin, who'd been in the Conference not long before, his brother, Marlow's current keeper, Graham Bressington (a vet ex Wycombe player!), Kevin Stone and a couple of other local non league faces.
I came away thinking if that's the level of the 4th tier of the local Wycombe combination I'm absolutely screwed here.
Funnily enough it wasn't. They won every single game in the league that year and I think they got to the final of the combination cup and narrowly lost to a top of the premier league team.
Their tightest league game was a 2-1 win against us in the rematch. I remember not getting up for a header early enough and copping an elbow in the face from Mr Stone (not dirty, just he knew how to head the ball and I didn't!) and me lucky enough to squirm a 25 yarder past Marlow's keeper.
I've played against lots of these names as well, though I tended to play Sunday mornings rather than Saturdays. I also played against Kevin Stone, Graham Bressington and Mike Keen ! ... also Mark West.
My mate once managed the heady heights of Burnham reserves.
He actually asked me to be on the bench for them once, wanting me to turn up suited and booted!
While the "lure" of being able to claim I was "semi-pro" was there, I did not fancy coming on as a 1min left full back sub and getting smashed by some brutal winger 🤣
There was one very old looking ref I remember genuinely thinking that this is whose safety our hands is in, when we played an exceptionally aggro team once.
He looked about 80 back then, but I saw him recently so he must have only been 50-60 back then!
I’ve been guilty, in my anguish, of called out those close to the throne who had been notable by there absence on the Gasroom, in these troubled times, so thank you @glasshalffull for your considered and thoughtful post; actually calmed things down a tad for me. As you say without owners with deep pockets in the modern game we have nothing so let’s hope it all goes the way we want.
If you do still have sway please explain to the new guys in charge that warmth empathy and communication with the core fan base is worthy of their valuable management time.
As for the autobiography title perhaps ‘Amazing things can happen after a chance encounter in the gents’ would garner some pr traction?
I’ll add one more too…went through school with Pat Lynott, former Wycombe youth teamer (captain during a good Youth Cup run?). He was a couple of years older and different gravy as you’d expect. A few years after falling out of the game with an injury and hard luck he did my gym induction! To think, he ‘nearly’ scored against Celtic in the Cousins testimonial. What might’ve been.
Anyway, next manager…I think you’d need to be ITK of the ITK to figure that out right now.
Comments
He was a striker in that team, pure class in that admittedly average standard. I don't warrant a mention in that company - I was fitness based, albeit that gets you a long way at the lowest park level, he was quality at actual football based skills!
And it was only a few games before he went off somewhere more befitting his skill level!
But I'm sure he played non league later on, definitely Holmer Green, not sure who else.
Fascinating to hear. I am also going to take your humility as "I was an absolute destroyer in midfield, but couldn't thread a 40 yard pass on a dime."
I was "effective" - but that was down to a bit of pace, absolutely obsessive commitment levels and at the lowest level an incredible stamina level.
I remember we used to have a ludicrous 6pm astro hour with work then 10pm indoor session the same day. It'd be 9.55 and I'd still be smacking it against walls and running people off the pitch and smacking goals in. (At times having run to the 6pm session too)
But what I certainly wasn't, was technically strong. You only had to compare to the likes of Sam to see what a proper footballer is, rather than someone supremely fit who can adapt well to football at the lowest level where most have very low fitnesses.
We actually played a team Mike Keen put together once. He was 60+ by then, but it was still a buzz to come home saying i'd played against an ex top flight footballer - but in reality you can imagine can't you, still decent on the ball - but push it past them and run.
Other than that, the highlight was I did once score 4 or 5 goals in a game at the Wycombe training ground, watched by Terry Evans, Steve Hayes and John Gorman!!
While Terry would just say i was "f@@king different class" (what a phrase to keep shouting in front of all sorts), Gorman actually came over after the game and said "how old are you son?"
I said my actual age (mid 20s), he just walked off saying "Ok".
I sometimes chuckle thinking if i'd said "12" i might have been signed up ;-), but I jest of course. I knew my level, and the opposition were utter pony. I definitely got to the level my talent deserved...the lowest level - park footy :-)
Brilliant anecdotes! Cheers for that!
I probably should have added a TLDR version of
Me - ran a lot
Gracey (who'd have guessed that was his nickname!) quality footballer who a mutal mate once said "I'm surprised he's not playing for Liverpool".
@Malone revealed as the ultimate ITK.
Genuine LOL.
Joking aside there's not a chance in hell i'd be able to get any insider talk. He's a Wycombe man through and through, and loyal to the cause.
I can honestly say the only time I've ever been ITK ahead of the gasroom collective was the Bayo signing. I knew about that a few days earlier. Was hilarious watching some of the comments on here.
Great story, @Malone. Mate of mine played 6-a-side against a team containing Peter Taylor (when he was manager of Wycombe) and said he was still sh*t hot and ultra competitive!
Bizarrely I played 6-a-side against a team containing Josh Parker (at John Hampden), pre his signing for us. He didn’t have to do much to stand out…as you say, the many, many levels above these guys operate at really quashes any dreams of “I could’ve been a contender.”
Those are some great memories yourself!
If I haven't already bored on for too long, that brought back a couple more memories...
We had a work footy tournament once, 6 a side and in the final we met a team that had a few semi pros. One of them I believe was Rowan Vine's brother. And apparently Rowan himself had been at the event and keen to play until he realised playing against some absolute nobodies when he's a pro footballer might not be a clever move.
The 2-3 semi pros were funnily enough too good for us, so I'd really have hated to see what Rowan Vine would have done to us.
And one more... I'd normally played Saturday league only. I had a couple of seasons only on Sundays.
My first ever Sunday league game was I think division 3 (which was the 4th tier with there being a premier league) and we played a team called Bird in Hand.
They had a 34 year old Neil Catlin, who'd been in the Conference not long before, his brother, Marlow's current keeper, Graham Bressington (a vet ex Wycombe player!), Kevin Stone and a couple of other local non league faces.
I came away thinking if that's the level of the 4th tier of the local Wycombe combination I'm absolutely screwed here.
Funnily enough it wasn't. They won every single game in the league that year and I think they got to the final of the combination cup and narrowly lost to a top of the premier league team.
Their tightest league game was a 2-1 win against us in the rematch. I remember not getting up for a header early enough and copping an elbow in the face from Mr Stone (not dirty, just he knew how to head the ball and I didn't!) and me lucky enough to squirm a 25 yarder past Marlow's keeper.
(Apologies to anyone nipping in for new manager thoughts - just some brief nostalgia in between)
I am absolutely here for your reminiscing! Some great stories.
Any recommended bookies for a punt on this william hill don't seem to do it!
I'm guessing we might be of similar age @Malone
I've played against lots of these names as well, though I tended to play Sunday mornings rather than Saturdays. I also played against Kevin Stone, Graham Bressington and Mike Keen ! ... also Mark West.
One last one then i'm off...
My mate once managed the heady heights of Burnham reserves.
He actually asked me to be on the bench for them once, wanting me to turn up suited and booted!
While the "lure" of being able to claim I was "semi-pro" was there, I did not fancy coming on as a 1min left full back sub and getting smashed by some brutal winger 🤣
There was one very old looking ref I remember genuinely thinking that this is whose safety our hands is in, when we played an exceptionally aggro team once.
He looked about 80 back then, but I saw him recently so he must have only been 50-60 back then!
I’ve been out all day so only just catching up.
I’ve been guilty, in my anguish, of called out those close to the throne who had been notable by there absence on the Gasroom, in these troubled times, so thank you @glasshalffull for your considered and thoughtful post; actually calmed things down a tad for me. As you say without owners with deep pockets in the modern game we have nothing so let’s hope it all goes the way we want.
If you do still have sway please explain to the new guys in charge that warmth empathy and communication with the core fan base is worthy of their valuable management time.
As for the autobiography title perhaps ‘Amazing things can happen after a chance encounter in the gents’ would garner some pr traction?
Get Gaz back! I felt nostalgic watching that tonight. A throwback to some glorious days
Dan Rice just threw up over his spreadsheets.
I’ll add one more too…went through school with Pat Lynott, former Wycombe youth teamer (captain during a good Youth Cup run?). He was a couple of years older and different gravy as you’d expect. A few years after falling out of the game with an injury and hard luck he did my gym induction! To think, he ‘nearly’ scored against Celtic in the Cousins testimonial. What might’ve been.
Anyway, next manager…I think you’d need to be ITK of the ITK to figure that out right now.
Reminded me of the time Jason Cousins played in goal in a 6 a side game at John Hampden as punishment for one of his red cards!
I'd go the Brentford assistant. But I wouldn't put more than 1p on it.
Inside Training: Mansfield Preparation
We need a caption competition for what the two Danes are saying to each other around the 2:00 mark.
"Little do they know they will all be replaced with our compatriots within six months."
"If they ask anything about Wycombe just shift the question to playing in England"
"I thought you said Wrexham"
This is probably the best club in the world Anders.
Yeh but did you know Magnus that J Jacobson invented Carlsberg and played for Wycombe!
Went to school with Mike Keen, his brother Kevin was pretty good 😁
I think Kevin is Mike’s son
“So there definitely was a team founded in 1884, but there doesn’t appear to be any evidence that it was the same as the club that was formed in 1887”
'First game was against Wycombe Norse Club, I believe'