As the Green Army’s fashionista, what tips would you give the lads to smarter up? Especially Michael Soulsby?
Firstly, and for Michael especially, I’d suggest buying own clothes instead of letting his mam – some of the stuff he has worn over the years… less said the better. I think the young lads could learn a lot from some of the veterans, Garry Allen & Mr Jackson are both always well dressed for the occasion, a shout out to Matt Justice too. Jeans and t-shirt are the go-to combo, though I’m sue Mr Rolls won’t agree!!
Favourite all time Spartans XI (with a manager and why?
Very hard question! Manager has to be Harry Dunn, impossible to overlook, though the Mick Tait days were great.
Keeper, Adam Bartlett (though rose-tinted spectacles maybe?) ‘England’s number 1’. Defence, I’ll go Gareth Williams RB (all round legend, and deadball specialist), you know I’ve got to have Pelly at CB (before Harrogate, as solid as they come), alongside him Swailes (hard hitter, and organiser), LB I’m going Lidz (the energy to overlap in his first spell, class)
RM, John Alexander for the cult hero status alone?? (Sure he played RM a couple of times) being favourite ever though, I’ll go Rivers (FA Cup!) CM, Twinny (silky ball player) and Alex Gildea (the hard man to break up play and give us the bite) RM, Robbie Dale (for obvious reasons) ST, pains me to say it, but Brayson (lazy b*****d, but he knew where the net was!), and Shaun Reay (for those FA cup goals alone)
Shag marry kill – Tony Young, Paul Robinson and Liam Robinson?
The questions get harder; I’ll kill Liam, to get some grief next time I see him if nout else, shag Tony and marry Paul, the quieter Robbo, and the one who makes the moonshine.
Funniest moment you’ve ever witnessed at a game/on the bus/in the pub?
There really are so many it’s hard to think. My first away day probably just about takes it though, us in a mini bus, all the way to Worcester. Ben Chandler in a mankini, and him having to ask the steward for his boxers back after someone threw them on the pitch.
Soulsby’s car to Fylde was quite funny, particularly coming back. Three of us drunk, trying to take him home via Alston in the snow, and the never-ending bucket of KFC chicken – Parker, ‘Do you want some chicken?’
Favourite away game of all time and why?
It has to be Hartlepool, but that’s too predictable. In terms of a great day out, despite the result, Chester would be hard to beat.
What do you reckon is the stupidest thing Michael Soulsby has ever said in your presence?
God, there’s too long a list, and its basically water off a ducks back now when he comes out with these. Genuinely can’t think of an example!
Give us a good story from an awayday game that’s flown under the radar
The Fylde one above is a good one, as is the Worcester, but I’d probably go for one of my early away days, in a service station with a queue that must have been 30 long for the toilet. Someone from Blyth had stink bombs, one got lobbed into the cubicle with a lad, and let off. Queue went from 30 to none, with a closed for cleaning sign out pretty quickly (if I remember rightly!)
Who’s the worst and who’s the best drinkers you’ve seen on supporters busses over the years?
Worst has to be the current crop, you’ve got Sellar in the early days, Tom at Gloucester last season, and Owen loving everyone.
Pie is up there with the top drinkers, can drink as many as anyone can, but also Mr Rolls). Obviously some of the older lads can hold their own too.
Lastly, how would you like to see the club improve in the near future and what changes would you like to see?
I think, like a few people have said in these, we really need to bring the club up to date. That starts from the media, updates on players, match day info etc (we are heading in the right direction here), food offering, which is always slated in the GA survey, to getting more young people into the ground.
We still have (to my eyes anyway) an ageing fan base, and whilst there are signs of youngsters, I think we need to do more in the community as a club. GA’s initiatives seem to be one step ahead of the clubs (food banks, membership etc), you’d hope it would be the other way round…