Has Anyone Ever........

[turf]

Met a referee or player and talked to them?

If so, which player/referee did you meet and talk to and what where they like?

I'll bet they are COMPLETELY different characters off the field.

[butt monkey]

turf posted:
If so, which player/referee did you meet and talk to and what where they like?

I'll bet they are COMPLETELY different characters off the field.

Are you serious, What do you expect them to be like. Are you star struck! They are all normal human beings with wives/families and outside lives to go to (not obsessed with Rugby 24-7). I hope that has not shocked you too much!

Or did you watch too many episodes of the X-Files.

[ancientnloyal]

I remember when i was little we went to huddersfield for some sort of amtach (i forgot... they only had 3 stands at the Alfred McAlpine stadium then) and met a top referee with a beard. I have since forgotten his name but he was one of the top in the country at the time in the 1990s... he made me laugh. any names anyone throws up would be nice.

Phil Clarke always used to wink at me in church (when i used to go) in Haigh and had photo taken with him at my (and his) old primary school Our Ladys.

erm...

I think i've seen and spoke to briefly quite a few players - nothing really much to report back tbh, they seem normal, in fact ARE normal people just doing what we do away from work. It's good when they come into my shop as I can chat away - last guy was Dodgy Hodgy looking for some football boots.

[fitzy]

I have spoke to loads of players outside the jjb just before they get on the team coach they are all down to earth and friendly.

[Wigan_forever1985]

I remember seeing hock and hill in Next, and Hock was laughing cos he couldn't fit in the changing room stall properly and kept nearly fallin over i thought it was quite amusing as did Hill

[Matthew]

I met a fair few players at CP and they all seemed pretty down to earth. Kris Radlinski (who is probably the best example of a fantastic player who is also a top bloke) got my brother, a mate and me into the players bar and we stood around talking to the players for ages. Most of them were happy to talk to us (as were Eddie and Stevo - tho it pains me to admit it!) - I remember talking to Henry Paul and his girlfriend for ages and he came across as a really genuine bloke.

I also remember meeting Phil Clarke in the crowd at CP - he was just stood around talking to fans.

I also met Billy Boston - he was a real gent and is definitely a living legend

[WxmWarrior]

Met loads when playing at Leigh - Paul Rowley, Lee Hansen, Ste Simms stick out as being nice blokes with plenty of support / encouragement...

Went to college with Kris Rad and still speak to him now and the if i venture out in the old home town - through Kris I've spoken to Farrel, Connolly , etc when out who all seemed ok - Connoly was always bo**oxed though.

[Fraggle]

Matthew posted:
Most of them were happy to talk to us (as were Eddie and Stevo - tho it pains me to admit it!)

I know what you mean about that, but if you do get chatting to them in a pub they are just two more blokes drinking in a pub. Stevo's not quite as annoying in person as on the television, but it seems to be a Sky Sports policy to have some loud bald bloke to go with the syrup-wearing frontman. Eddie and Stevo are not really too different to Richard Keys and Andy Grey, and I'm sure both Stevo and Grey play up to the cameras.

I think the event where I ended up talking to those two, we had also been treated to a stand-up comedy performance from Steve Ganson. He's actually very funny, although that's to be expected given that his refereeing is a joke...

[turf]

Fraggle, do you mean that the stand up performance was funny or that he is funny when you get talking to him, or both?

[Fraggle]

turf posted:
Fraggle, do you mean that the stand up performance was funny or that he is funny when you get talking to him, or both?

His stand-up performance was funny. I think it was one of the events for Mick Cassidy's testimonial year, a Q & A session with Eddie and Stevo but with Ganson as a warm-up act. I don't remember talking to Ganson - with him being a Scouser I'd be worried about him nicking my watch or wallet if I stood too close to him for a conversation...!