Stories from meeting footballers

Dots1982

Anyone got any good/interesting stories of meeting professional footballers particularly Irish ones. I've never met one myself but the best I heard was from a work colleague who was on holidays in Cyprus about 4 years ago at the same hotel as Stephen Hunt.
By the man's account he was a nice guy who talked easily to fellow guests and played FIFA with the kids in the games room etc.
One day anyway he came in from the beach with a look of great excitement and glee on his face, he came up to my mate and his friends and said:
"Lads you'll never guess who I saw on the beach?", the lads waited for the response, "Chris Eagles" said Hunty and burst into uncontrollable laughter.

Well I thought it was funnt when I heard anyway.

Anyone got any other preferably non fiction stories about encounters with footballers?

gimmick

Met Uwe Rosler before. A complete cúnt! I was a glass colelctor in a pub. Man City were playing a friendly in town that night. Thought he was the shíts altogether.

Think Keith Curle and Niall Quinn were both with them at the time. Sound the 2 of them. The pub slag pulled Curle. Fair play

3hn2givr7mx1sc

Dessie Baker is the only barely well-known player I've met.
I served him in the golf club I work in and I met him in the bar in Tallaght stadium when he was injured.

Fowler87

Met Damien Duff before at the funeral of his ex girlfriends' grandfather.. It was during his Chelsea' days and he returned home from a champions league match the following morning to be there for the ceremony. Sound fella too, paid for a few rounds of drinks for the whole pub after:D

Seaneh

3 mates went to a world cup qualifier against the faroes a few years ago, went to a club that night and were well in with a group of girls, chatitng to them for ages and then half the irish squad arrived. Stephen Elliot had to be dragged off a 15 foot ledge he managed to climb on to and a certain centre back come strike left, by himself, with the 3 girls the ladd were chatting up all night. Poor feckers, went a few thousand miles, thought they were well in and then stolen by a league 1 defender with a head like ian dowie!

Know a few lads who were on a J1 in Chicago and were in a bar, recognised John O'Shea and went over to chat to him as they were all man Man U fans, he was on holiday with the missus and she was off shopping or something so he decided that feck it, he was going on the lash with the lads, brought them all over the city and bought them a load of rounds, they said the was one of the funniest feckers you could ever imagine meeting, told them stories about playing games against world class players and having to actually have a chat to himself during the match like "Calm down, it's only Luis Figo you're marking, you'll be grand, WTF AM I GOING TO DO?!?! HOW AM I MEANT TO MARK LUIS FIGO?!?!?" and a few other similar stories.


group of lads heading to liverpool for a match not long ago and in the bar in Dublin Airport and one of the lads said "we should go to John Aldridges place for match day drinks, should be a good laugh there" someone else goes "grand, anyone know where it is?" and some auld lad beside them chips in "sure ask him, he's at the bar with Jason McAteer".
So they head over to chat to the two lads, have a few beers with them.

Turns out the two lads are sitting beside them for the flight over, locked as a fart, telling them loads of stories, mostly slagging poor McAteer, stole the lads winegums and wouldn't give them back, told them that they both hate Tranmere, especially Aldridge. was a funny 40 minutes by all accounts.

Know a lad who played for United underage, was with the reserves for a few seasons and played a few league cup games/made the bench for the league a few times. Still good friends with Wes Brown, John O'Shea and a few others, have heard some really funny stories form him. Wes Brown being followed by private detectives when he was a young lad because United were trying to keep him out of trouble, he'd have to sneak through lanes etc to be able to go see his bird at the time. Had to climb out the back window of a friends gaff to sneak to the pub one night. Mad stuff like that.

Few more but couldn't be arsed typing anymore.

gimmick

Oh, and I met Maik Taylor a few years ago. Nice fella. I was actually talking to him for a few minutes before I half recognised him and said rather stupidly "Are you a footballer? With Birmingham?". Nice guy.

Jayob10

Seaneh wrote: »

3 mates went to a world cup qualifier against the faroes a few years ago, went to a club that night and were well in with a group of girls, chatitng to them for ages and then half the irish squad arrived. Stephen Elliot had to be dragged off a 15 foot ledge he managed to climb on to and a certain centre back come strike left, by himself, with the 3 girls the ladd were chatting up all night. Poor feckers, went a few thousand miles, thought they were well in and then stolen by a league 1 defender with a head like ian dowie!

Know a few lads who were on a J1 in Chicago and were in a bar, recognised John O'Shea and went over to chat to him as they were all man Man U fans, he was on holiday with the missus and she was off shopping or something so he decided that feck it, he was going on the lash with the lads, brought them all over the city and bought them a load of rounds, they said the was one of the funniest feckers you could ever imagine meeting, told them stories about playing games against world class players and having to actually have a chat to himself during the match like "Calm down, it's only Luis Figo you're marking, you'll be grand, WTF AM I GOING TO DO?!?! HOW AM I MEANT TO MARK LUIS FIGO?!?!?" and a few other similar stories.


group of lads heading to liverpool for a match not long ago and in the bar in Dublin Airport and one of the lads said "we should go to John Aldridges place for match day drinks, should be a good laugh there" someone else goes "grand, anyone know where it is?" and some auld lad beside them chips in "sure ask him, he's at the bar with Jason McAteer".
So they head over to chat to the two lads, have a few beers with them.

Turns out the two lads are sitting beside them for the flight over, locked as a fart, telling them loads of stories, mostly slagging poor McAteer, stole the lads winegums and wouldn't give them back, told them that they both hate Tranmere, especially Aldridge. was a funny 40 minutes by all accounts.

Know a lad who played for United underage, was with the reserves for a few seasons and played a few league cup games/made the bench for the league a few times. Still good friends with Wes Brown, John O'Shea and a few others, have heard some really funny stories form him. Wes Brown being followed by private detectives when he was a young lad because United were trying to keep him out of trouble, he'd have to sneak through lanes etc to be able to go see his bird at the time. Had to climb out the back window of a friends gaff to sneak to the pub one night. Mad stuff like that.

Few more but couldn't be arsed typing anymore.

so really ya know a lad who played for Uniteds first team then. May I ask who he was?

amiable

Myself and my friend met Chris Hughton outside White Hart Lane years ago when he was a coach at Spurs and my mate made a tit of himself.
After telling him we were from Limerick which he was delighted to hear my mate proceeded to tell him that his granny lives near chris hughton's granny.
To which Hughton replies ''well she doesn't live there anymore''
My friend then asks, Why, did she move?
Hughton replies ''No, she died''
Genuine story and i have to say Chris Hughton was an absolute gentleman

Jayob10

gimmick wrote: »

Met Uwe Rosler before. A complete cúnt! I was a glass colelctor in a pub. Man City were playing a friendly in town that night. Thought he was the shíts altogether.

Think Keith Curle and Niall Quinn were both with them at the time. Sound the 2 of them. The pub slag pulled Curle. Fair play

when I saw this thread title would ya believe Uwe Rosler popped into my head. City were playing near a town I used to live and we met the whole team for autographs, kind of like a fans meet and greet. they were all sound as a bell, but Rosler was a tosser of the highest order.

Seaneh

Jayob10 wrote: »

so really ya know a lad who played for Uniteds first team then. May I ask who he was?

He's from just outside Athlone, if you're a fan and knew the youth reserve team's that O'Shea/Brown played for, you could probably figure it out?

Played League of Ireland for a while after he came home.

Jayob10

Seaneh wrote: »

He's from just outside Athlone, if you're a fan and knew the youth reserve team's that O'Shea/Brown played for, you could probably figure it out?

Played League of Ireland for a while after he came home.

I think you're talking Eric Molloy, he never played for the first team. He played with the youths.

amiable

Off the top of my head i've met Chris Hughton, Micky Adams, Teddy Sheringham, Ian Walker, Jamie Redknapp, Don Hutchison, Kevin Gallen, Les Ferdinand, Darren Peacock, Dennis Wise and Sean Davis. I'm sure there's more

Seaneh

Jayob10 wrote: »

I think you're talking Eric Molloy, he never played for the first team. He played with the youths.

I thought he played a few league cup games?
He was with the reserves for sure.

stovelid

Jayob10 wrote: »

He played with the youths.

I think youth and underage mean the same thing. Might be wrong now.

tonycascarino

I met Stephen Ireland. He said he loves playing for his country.

Jayob10

stovelid wrote: »

I think youth and underage mean the same thing. Might be wrong now.

youths would be underage yeah. However in those days United had 3 different sides below the First team.
There was the hot prospects who would play with senior fringe players. And the other 2 teams were bascially lads in the shop window for lower league clubs to look at. I remember there was a big deal made out of it at the time.

Dots1982

amiable wrote: »

Off the top of my head i've met Chris Hughton, Micky Adams, Teddy Sheringham, Ian Walker, Jamie Redknapp, Don Hutchison, Kevin Gallen, Les Ferdinand, Darren Peacock, Dennis Wise and Sean Davis. I'm sure there's more

No offence but I don't care, I asked for stories of meeting footballers and preferably ones that make the reader laugh/be stimulated rather than "I met him in an airport/shopping centre and asked him for a picture/autograph. Nice lad"

mikemac

Met Packie Bonner in Dublin Airport so me and my friend walked over to say hello
Pffft, he wouldn't give us the time of day :rolleyes:
Now fair enough, people are sometimes under stress or busy but from reading here and heard in other places he's normally like this

Also met Mick McCarthy in Dublin Airport, a pure gentleman. Went way up in my estimation

M5

Met the majority of the Newcastle squad in Vue cinema about 2 years ago. Spoke to Colo, Martins and Enrique (all a lot shorter than they look on TV). Also met the majority of them in Carton house this year, heard they were training there so headed down. Spoke to Krul and Shola and Colo again!

Also bumped into Niall Quinn on flights back from Newcastle on at least 2 occasions. Once he walked into the departure gate which was full of Newcastle fans just after the 5:1 drubbing, everyone burst out laughing, Niall went red and sat down and read a paper

Seaneh

Jayob10 wrote: »

youths would be underage yeah. However in those days United had 3 different sides below the First team.
There was the hot prospects who would play with senior fringe players. And the other 2 teams were bascially lads in the shop window for lower league clubs to look at. I remember there was a big deal made out of it at the time.

So like one team with the likes of O'Shea, Brown.

One team with the likes of Greening and Chadwick.

And then the other with the Paul Tierney's of the world?

Big Pussy Bonpensiero

Only player I've met outside of the Spurs team is Kaka. He was an ambassador for European Special Youth Olympics in Rome when I was over there with my brother in 2006. Real gentleman, made it his business to shake hands with and speak to as many kids as possible. He even posed for as many pictures as he could, and there was a lot!

Jayob10

Seaneh wrote: »

So like one team with the likes of O'Shea, Brown.

One team with the likes of Greening and Chadwick.

And then the other with the Paul Tierney's of the world?

yeah 3 reserve teams pretty much. Eric played in one of the teams the was kind of a shop window. huge pressure when ya are playing to attract a new club every game.

Seaneh

Jayob10 wrote: »

yeah 3 reserve teams pretty much. Eric played in one of the teams the was kind of a shop window. huge pressure when ya are playing to attract a new club every game.

Sounds about right...

I know when he came home he turned down contracts from Walsall and a few other league 1/2 teams, most of the offers were part time and the rest were wages he wouldn't have been able to live on (£350 a week, if even) so he just came home, got a job and played LOI.

Dolph Starbeam

Met Chris Coleman in a pub up in Dublin on a night out, few of us got talking to him for about half an hour just about football, he loved it, very nice lad, i think he had just taken over at Coventry when we were talking to him too but can't remember for sure.

_blank_

This is me in Coppers with Stephen Hunt



This is me in Coppers with Kevin Doyle



This is me in Coppers with Shane Long

roryc

Met Paul McGrath in the Viper Room about six or seven years back. He was there with another guy having a few pints, and one of the guys I was with knew a friend of his from Bray, so we ended up drinking with them for a few hours.

Eventually they left at about 2am, and it wasn't until the next morning that I thought to myself that it was weird that he was drinking, as I was under the impression he was off the drink.

Walk around to the shops and front page of the papers are stories of him 'falling off the wagon'. Think he was caught pissing on Grafton Street and starting fights or something to that effect. Didn't seem that pissed when they left but was drunk enough myself so might not have noticed.

According to this story from about six months ago, looks like he hasn't changed much unfortuantely... http://www.herald.ie/national-news/soccer-hero-mcgrath-in-assault-probe-2157446.html


Also went drinking with Dunphy in a wine bar near the Dail last year... can't remember the name of it, its off the corner of Stephens Green towards Fitzwilliam Street and you go down steps to get to it... maybe someone knows the name.

Anyway, one of the girls I know works there so we generally get a lock in after the pubs in town have shut. Went back one night and she's like "that Duffy fella off the telly is here"... apparently hes a regular there.

I'd met Dunphy before at a charity poker tournament where I was sitting beside him for the guts of an hour, so thought he might remember me (why do people always thing a 'celebrity' will remember them?). As expected he had no idea who I was, but because I was lucky enough to be in a group with some hawt wimmens (none of them mine unfortunately ) he let us join his group.

Until then his group had consisted of him and two bottles of red wine.

The guy is a legend and f**king hilarious on TV... but an absolute creep around women

Wanted to get a photo with him but he was having none of it, and the security in the place were keeping a close eye on us.

Ended up staying there till about 7am, only **** thing about the night was that its a wine bar... All you can drink is wine and its a fiver a glass!

deisedevil

Rio Ferdinand and John O'Shea (Honorary President) came over to the local Man Utd Supporters club 10th anniversary party. It was just after Rio had been banned for missing the drugs test. Was funny to hear everyone slagging him all night, he had a laugh about it too in fairness to him. Denis Laws daughter was with them too. Looked like herself and Rio were very cosy. John headed to bed early, match with Leeds the following day.
Rio was well able to put away the Guiness and seemed to have a great time even though a lot of us felt that the band ruined the night.
Rio was big into the Irish Breakfast and he asked some of us to bring over vac packed sausages, rashers and black pudding and some steaks. In return he was going to give anyone who was coming over tickets to the Manchester derby and to the Ricky Hatton fight that night sitting with him. I couldn't get off work!
A few went to the match but didn't go to the fight as the United Christmas party was on that night, so Rio and John got them on the guest list for it and they went to that instead, how bad!

Pinturicchio

Me and my mate walked up to Packie Bonner and I said "are you Packie Bonner?"

He took it very well. We were in primary school at the time.

Dots1982

roryc wrote: »

Wanted to get a photo with him but he was having none of it, and the security in the place were keeping a close eye on us.
QUOTE]

Fair play to Dunphy, "he always sticks up for the little guy"... from a wine bar in Dublin city centre :rolleyes:

tommyhaas

amiable wrote: »

Off the top of my head i've met Chris Hughton, Micky Adams, Teddy Sheringham, Ian Walker, Jamie Redknapp, Don Hutchison, Kevin Gallen, Les Ferdinand, Darren Peacock, Dennis Wise and Sean Davis. I'm sure there's more

Dots1982 wrote: »

No offence but I don't care

shano_88

Met a few of the Real Madrid team a few years ago. We went to a match and heard that there training ground was very near the airport so we headed out that morning before our flight. Got a real T shirt framed in my house with 7/8 signings.


A few players just drove past us when we were waiting outside the training ground. There was a few other young Spanish lads outside the training ground as well and they shouted something at them if they didn't stop. Anyway Guti drove by and didnt stop as you might expect from him. A spanish lad shouted something at him and Guti slammed on the brakes and reversed back a little. We all started walking up towards the car and he stuck his hand out the window and stuck the middle finger out and went on his way. I laughed at the time but really, what a **** thing to do!


Also, When we were walking away from the training ground we were trying to flag a taxi to the airport. A white sports car came flying up the road driven by Sergio Ramos. He stopped, hung up on whoever he was on the phone to got out of the car, took photos with us and signed whatever we wanted. What a sound guy!

Dots1982

shano_88 wrote: »

Also, When we were walking away from the training ground we were trying to flag a taxi to the airport. A white sports car came flying up the road driven by Sergio Ramos. He stopped, hung up on whoever he was on the phone to got out of the car, took photos with us and signed whatever we wanted. What a sound guy!

Jesus, I'd almost be embarrassed if a world famous footballer was that nice to me. He seriously just pulled over for a couple of randomers and start getting photos taken with them. What made ye so special?

shano_88

Dots1982 wrote: »

Jesus, I'd almost be embarrassed if a world famous footballer was that nice to me. He seriously just pulled over for a couple of randomers and start getting photos taken with them. What made ye so special?

Ive no idea we were walking away from the Real training ground. We saw the car coming and waved it down and he stopped.Everyone else was gone so it was just the 4 of us.

srfc19

feelingstressed wrote: »

Met Packie Bonner in Dublin Airport so me and my friend walked over to say hello
Pffft, he wouldn't give us the time of day :rolleyes:
Now fair enough, people are sometimes under stress or busy but from reading here and heard in other places he's normally like this

Also met Mick McCarthy in Dublin Airport, a pure gentleman. Went way up in my estimation

I disagree with the Packie Bonner bit, we met him in Dublin Airport when we were heading to the Italy years ago and he was sound, chatted for a while and took pictures with us.
Might have been because we were a football team rather then just randomers though I suppose.

redout

I met Cata Díaz at the Alfonso Pérez last season - in fact met him a couple of times.

Was standing in a small line for tickets and he just popped out of some side door.

Was on his way to the Cafeteria for a bocadillo!

Genuinely sound bloke truth be told - told me Pepe was a maricón

Messi apparently really is that good anytime they were in the same Argentina squad.

Before anyone is like 'who?' this would be him.

_blank_

there's loads of conflicting stories about Bonner, seems that if you get him on a good day he's nice as pie, get him on a bad day and he's an absolute twunt. Same as anyone I suppose.

Also, that Guti story where he reversed to give the finger. Fair play to him, especially if he was getting abuse thrown at him by randomers. Too many football fans expect to be able to get away with flinging abuse at players, then whinging like children when they get abuse back.

srfc19

redout wrote: »

I met Cata Díaz at the Alfonso Pérez last season - in fact met him a couple of times.

Was standing in a small line for tickets and he just popped out of some side door.

Was on his way to the Cafeteria for a bocadillo!

Genuinely sound bloke truth be told - told me Pepe was a maricón

Messi apparently really is that good anytime they were in the same Argentina squad.

Before anyone is like 'who?' this would be him.

I think we know who Messi is!!

redout

srfc19 wrote: »

I think we know who Messi is!!

Thats Cata Díaz brother.

Sirsok

I was outside Lansdowne before a friendly one day, was about ten and was tryin to get some autographs, in particular Roy Keanes. Got a few autographs before i seen a crowd mob around Keane, i went over but kept gettin pushed out of the way by older men, i when back over to my dad extremely disappointed, before my dads mate snatched my programme. Keane had left the mob of people and was walking down a set of steps into the stadium. My dads mate stood infront of the security at the top of the stairs and shouted down "Hey Roy Another One For The Lads".....Keane was just about to turn the corner, stopped, came back up the stairs and signed the programme.....made my day

also my grandad wa drivin a truck across England one time and my cousin was woith him, they seen a car broken down on the side of the rad, with my Grandad being a Ex-Mechanic he decided to help, so he fixed the car and shook his hand and drove off.....turned out it was Emile Heskey. Cousin was in shock in the truck while my grandad didnt have a clu

greendom

My wife met Zubizaretta when we were living in Spain and asked him if they needed a new defender (meaning me !). She said I played like Spasic who was an awful defender with Real Madrid at the time and would do a great job sitting on the substitutes bench.

He took the whole thing very seriously and said I would need to go through the correct channels to get a trial etc, some people, no sense of humour

mixed up

I met stephen ireland at his grandmothers funeral

Hazys

I went on a lads holiday in Hersonissos, Crete a couple of years back and we saw John O'Shea sitting alone at the bar in a pub off the main strip. A few pints in all of us when we walked in, as soon as one of the lads sees JoS he runs up to him like a school girl running upto That That and shouts out "Oh my God! Its Darren Fletcher!"...que awkward silence and staring between him and JoS. JoS says nothing and my friend eventually walks away...we left the bar soon after that, pretty funny tho.

Another was my friend and his buddy were walking about Dublin when they bumped into then Ireland Manager Steve Staunton. They had a camera on them so the go up to Steve, "Any chance of a picture?", Steve "Ya sure, no problem, lads". So the lads quickly hand the camera to Steve and jump back, put their arms over each others shoulders and smile! Steve starts laughing and they then get their picture taken with Steve.

Sir Gallagher

Dots1982 wrote: »

roryc wrote: »

Wanted to get a photo with him but he was having none of it, and the security in the place were keeping a close eye on us.
QUOTE]

Fair play to Dunphy, "he always sticks up for the little guy"... from a wine bar in Dublin city centre :rolleyes:

So what? Maybe he didn't want a picture of him slaughtering back the wine with a load of birds ending up in the paper the next day, he has a missus after all doesn't he.

amiable

Dots1982 wrote: »

No offence but I don't care, I asked for stories of meeting footballers and preferably ones that make the reader laugh/be stimulated rather than "I met him in an airport/shopping centre and asked him for a picture/autograph. Nice lad"

Chris Hughton posted story about earlier.
Had a few pints with Micky Adams and Teddy Sheringham in The Cornmarket Bar in Limerick
Met Redknapp and Hutchison outside QPR on South Africa road. Redknapp sound hutch was a prick
Kevin Gallen is a family friend of my cousins and meet him and his brothers regularly
I trained with Les Ferdinand and Darren Peacock
And Sean Davis sister is married to my friend.
Is that better for you mr petty?

Ps Micky Adams is a top bloke imo. Had a good slag with him and he was well able to take a joke

FatherTed

I met most of the Man Utd team outside of Rutgers University in New Jersey back in 2003 after they had finished their training session as they were getting on the bus. Not much security around and there were only 4-5 other fans there so it was pretty quiet. They all signed autographs except van Nistelrooy the cnut. I had short chats with Forlan and O'Shea who seemed to be sound lads.

Anyways, Roy Keane comes out so I asked the one of the other guys there to take our photo and Roy obliged as well as signing my Man Utd shirt. Then I said "Thanks Roy" and shook his hand. I took a deep breath and blurted out "Why did you abandon Ireland last year?". I thought he was going to clock me and he gave me one of his stares but instead replied "Gotta go".

cson

FatherTed wrote: »

Anyways, Roy Keane comes out so I asked the one of the other guys there to take our photo and Roy obliged as well as signing my Man Utd shirt. Then I said "Thanks Roy" and shook his hand. I took a deep breath and blurted out "Why did you abandon Ireland last year?". I thought he was going to clock me and he gave me one of his stares but instead replied "Gotta go".

Hazys wrote: »

A few pints in all of us when we walked in, as soon as one of the lads sees JoS he runs up to him like a school girl running upto That That and shouts out "Oh my God! Its Darren Fletcher!"...que awkward silence and staring between him and JoS. JoS says nothing and my friend eventually walks away...we left the bar soon after that, pretty funny tho.

Another was my friend and his buddy were walking about Dublin when they bumped into then Ireland Manager Steve Staunton. They had a camera on them so the go up to Steve, "Any chance of a picture?", Steve "Ya sure, no problem, lads". So the lads quickly hand the camera to Steve and jump back, put their arms over each others shoulders and smile! Steve starts laughing and they then get their picture taken with Steve.

No real offence meant to either of you as you've shared stories related to the thread; but you wonder why players can be ***** sometimes? The quoted posts are why.

amiable

cson wrote: »

No real offence meant to either of you as you've shared stories related to the thread; but you wonder why players can be ***** sometimes? The quoted posts are why.

Agreed. It must get tedious sometimes for them.
I was in a bar in Ballybunion one time and in came Ruby Walsh and was asked by first bloke he met straight away 'any tips'?
I know he's not a footballer but its an example and it must be the same for footballers

Big Pussy Bonpensiero

^Happy 1,00th post;)

amiable

THFC wrote: »

^Happy 1,00th post;)

Cheers mate.... Genuinely didn't even notice haha

Boskowski

cson wrote: »

No real offence meant to either of you as you've shared stories related to the thread; but you wonder why players can be ***** sometimes? The quoted posts are why.

Ah come on. Number 2 is quite good really.

cson

Boskowski wrote: »

Ah come on. Number 2 is quite good really.

Ah yeah the Stan photo thing is funny enough but you could easily see how it'd piss someone off if they weren't in a good mood.