Do you, did you, see yourself as a football player ?

[wwbug]

Just read a post where the poster states so many football fans know little about the game.
Although Professional Football has its complexities on and off the pitch, I thought it would be interesting to see how many posters played regular football after they left school.
Be it socially, Sunday league , even professional.
I played Sunday league until I was 25. Then life got in the way.

 

[Nivada]

Without a doubt

 

[Ginger Chimp]

Yes, I played after school. Sunday League mostly. Not a very high standard but we did win some stuff. At school I played County level.

I no longer understand football.

 

[Thank you Sir Jack]

I had neither the aptitude or the attitude. Apart from those failings, I was a generational talent.

 

[Guzeppi]

I was signed on to a 3rd division team for about 5 minutes.

Trained regularly with another for a couple of years.

Had the brain, but alas lacked everything else.

Well, not really, but that's what happens when you take certain routes in life. By the time you realise that, after all, you can do whatever you want, 15 year old kids are running circles around you.

 

[Jonzy54]

I have mentioned it before but I gave up playing football due to a medical condition.
My teacher said I would never make a football er as long as I had a hole up my rear end

 

[mac tíre]

Yes, played in various company bases leagues in and around Dublin. Knee injury forced permanent move to licensed premises. No regrets.

 

[SteveBullsKnee]

Played adult football from 17 to 37. Peak was playing in the Kiddy Prem against a lot of Semi-Pros who turned out for the likes of Stourbridge and Halesowen at the time. Would like to think of myself as a Kevin Foley type full back, limited ability but got through it by reading the game (reasonably) well. That was probably until 30 when my fitness went to dirt, slipped through the divisions and probably turned into a bit of a kicker to make up for my total lack of pace at that point.

No delusions of grandeur with my ability. A coach once asked me why my second touch was always a slide tackle

 

[Golden Arrow]

Yes, I played in the school team and even had a trial for a team who were then in the old First Division but was made to look bang average on the day when I came up against other kids my age.
Suffice to say, I had to settle for some Saturday afternoon stuff, but mainly it was in the Potteries & District Sunday where I plied my trade, initially in midfield then later at Full Back.
I'm sure many remember having to put the posts and nets up before the game (I would grab the corner flags as the thought of someone sitting on my shoulders putting the nets up after a Saturday's drinking didn't float my boat tbh).
What I also remember is applying copious amounts of "Ellimans Universal Embrocation" before taking to the field. Not sure if it did any good, but by god it smelt nice !

A reckless "David Busst" injury (fracture of Tibia & Fibula) put pay to my glorious football career and my Adidas Penarol boots still sit in the loft to this very day.

 

[SteveBullsKnee]

Yes, I played in the school team and even had a trial for a team who were then in the old First Division but was made to look bang average on the day when I came up against other kids my age.
Suffice to say, I had to settle for some Saturday afternoon stuff, but mainly it was in the Potteries & District Sunday where I plied my trade, initially in midfield then later at Full Back.
I'm sure many remember having to put the posts and nets up before the game (I would grab the corner flags as the thought of someone sitting on my shoulders putting the nets up after a Saturday's drinking didn't float my boat tbh).
What I also remember is applying copious amounts of "Ellimans Universal Embrocation" before taking to the field. Not sure if it did any good, but by god it smelt nice !

A reckless "David Busst" injury (fracture of Tibia & Fibula) put pay to my glorious football career and my Adidas Penarol boots still sit in the loft to this very day.

Don’t forget playing on park pitches and having the joy of winning a tremendous slide to tackle to look down to see the latest “present” from ankle to hip left by Lassie in the days when nobody picked up after dogs!

 

[glorybox]

Played primary school then Sundays from age 13 up to age 30 at full back & centre midfield - for my running/tackling ability and not much more!. My two boys have both played the last 7 years Saturday, Sunday, school, district and at Wolves development levels and continue to play. I'd like to think i know a fair bit about the game but have never coached. Not convinced i have the temperament.

 

[The Clock]

I played junior and senior school football with a well known former Wolves player.
It was clear even from very early years that he would likely have the opportunity, and very apparent that I wouldn't!

 

[Contrarian]

I had neither the aptitude or the attitude. Apart from those failings, I was a generational talent.

Both of those are only minor obstacles in any skill - if you have the right family connections!

 

[YouGottaRaulWithIt]

Yes, I was, finally stopped age 57 when the knees went.

 

[oldgolded]

Only in my dreams when I come on as sub for Wolves and score the winning goal in the FA Cup Final.

 

[wwbug]

Yes, I played in the school team and even had a trial for a team who were then in the old First Division but was made to look bang average on the day when I came up against other kids my age.
Suffice to say, I had to settle for some Saturday afternoon stuff, but mainly it was in the Potteries & District Sunday where I plied my trade, initially in midfield then later at Full Back.
I'm sure many remember having to put the posts and nets up before the game (I would grab the corner flags as the thought of someone sitting on my shoulders putting the nets up after a Saturday's drinking didn't float my boat tbh).
What I also remember is applying copious amounts of "Ellimans Universal Embrocation" before taking to the field. Not sure if it did any good, but by god it smelt nice !

A reckless "David Busst" injury (fracture of Tibia & Fibula) put pay to my glorious football career and my Adidas Penarol boots still sit in the loft to this very day.

That made me recall those foggy Sunday mornings hoping that you could see both goals from the half way line, or the match was called off !

 

[QB Wolf]

Played Sunday stuff until I was 30 but don’t think of myself as a footballer, I was functional with little discernible talent.

 

[old jacks thumb]

Absolutely loved my time playing. Started in the Dudley and cradley premier division when I was 15 and still at school. Had to lie about my age and was signed under a false name. This was back in 89/90 when there were 6 maybe 7 divisions and the top 3 were a proper standard. Started playing Saturdays the next season in the kiddy premier then got tapped up to play semi pro on a Saturday which I did for the next 15 or so years for a couple of local sides. After that went back playing in the kiddy league until I was 38. Still play the odd game for the local veterans side but it’s not the same and I really do,hand on heart, miss it like mad.

 

[SteveBullsKnee]

Absolutely loved my time playing. Started in the Dudley and cradley premier division when I was 15 and still at school. Had to lie about my age and was signed under a false name. This was back in 89/90 when there were 6 maybe 7 divisions and the top 3 were a proper standard. Started playing Saturdays the next season in the kiddy premier then got tapped up to play semi pro on a Saturday which I did for the next 15 or so years for a couple of local sides. After that went back playing in the kiddy league until I was 38. Still play the odd game for the local veterans side but it’s not the same and I really do,hand on heart, miss it like mad.

Played in the lower levels in the Dudley and cradley league at the end of my “career”, absolutely brutal! You could have taken the ball off the pitch and no one would notice.

 

[wolfslair]

Till 16 I was confident of going professional. I Had adidas as my boot and glove sponsor and went to events and expert sessions adidas used to run for junior sponsored players outside the top league at the time.

Was academy and playing age group games years above mine and had multiple training sessions with the first team. I was days away from going to spurs before I snapped my ACL and LCL after being watched by Fulham, Arsenal (had a very poor game against them which killed the interest) and Chelsea.

After that nothing but 5/6-a side

 

[Edinburgh Wolf]

Loved my time playing football - still miss it to this day. Started off in the boy's football leagues in Perthshire, then moved to the Dundee Leagues for under 16's and under 18's, which was a bit of an eye-opener!

I played amateur football in Aberdeen for 4 years whilst at Uni. Bizarrely a team from Perth offered to pay to transport me down every weekend to play for them, but that would've really ****ed up my social life, so I said no!

After Uni, I ended up back in Perth, playing for probably the best amateur team. I was the only guy in the squad who hadn't been at either a senior or junior (non-league system in Scotland) club. We had guys who had been at Liverpool, Celtic, Rangers, Dunfermline, St Johnstone etc as kids, plus older guys who had played for Scottish League clubs in the team. It's so much easier playing football with good players - they make you look a much better player than you probably are! I managed to win the Player's and Committee's player of the season, so obviously was able to play a little bit.

We won the league 2 out of the 3 seasons I was there, won several Cups, plus got to the last 16 of the Scottish Amateur Cup. I also had St Johnstone asking the club about me when I was playing there - they said if I was 17 or 18 they'd have taken me for a trial; unfortunately I was about 24/25 at the time! I'm still not sure if I should see that as a compliment or not!

I had a couple of offers to play for Junior clubs - probably about the 6th tier in the Scottish League pyramid - but tore my ankle ligaments in a work five a side tournament, and that put paid to that. I then started suffering from arthritis in my big toe joints, which I managed for a few years through injections and lack of training, but eventually gave up when I was about 29/30.

 

[steve vena]

Just read a post where the poster states so many football fans know little about the game.
Although Professional Football has its complexities on and off the pitch, I thought it would be interesting to see how many posters played regular football after they left school.
Be it socially, Sunday league , even professional.
I played Sunday league until I was 25. Then life got in the way.

Played for Sankeys wolves Sunday league premier. Fullback lol.

 

[Ginger Chimp]

Played for Sankeys wolves Sunday league premier. Fullback lol.

Sankeys! That takes me back.

 

[BrierleyHillWolves]

football ability aside, i'd like to think i'm better than most with the old football knowledge.

i once won the lot with cardiff city on champ man 0102

 

[northnorfolkwolf]

I love the International breaks because with no Wolves to worry about you get threads like this - brilliant. I have absolutely nothing to contribute on the football playing front as I went to a boys Grammar school in leafy Surrey so no chance of being spotted there even though I thought of myself as a junior Terry Wharton! I am surprised to see how many on here got badly injured playing and perhaps, looking back, I was too much of a wimp, when I did turn out for a Sunday game, and saw the size of some of the old buggers in the opposition! I at least I got out with my legs and knees in tact!

 

[Aurum Lupus]

Nope, I can't even play Fifa!!!

 

[steve vena]

Sankeys! That takes me back.

Great times mate early 90s.

 

[Very Proud (AKA Still Proud)]

Played for Sankeys wolves Sunday league premier. Fullback lol.

I was Heath Town Working Mens (early 80's) when I started off, few games in the Sunday Premier then went and settled at Div 5/6 level with my mates - mostly played for Wolverhampton Treasurers

 

[Jefe]

Good thread. I've been playing for about 25 years. I started relatively late, at 15 or so, and represented School and University teams in the South West at centre half. I later played local Saturday league, Sunday league, 5-a-side and 6-a-side, and managed a couple of teams. I never played to a high or semi-pro standard, but I did play against a handful of players who were either professional Footballers at the time or had been in their day. I'm in my 40s now, and am only really able to play a weekly 5-a-side session with mates owing to a weak ankle.

 

[DanishWolf]

Played at a decent youth level, but quit in my early 20's as I'd started coaching and found it hard to balance it with other commitments. I wasn't very good by the way. I just had an awful lot of pace..
When I attempted a comeback some years later, the pace was gone leaving me pretty useless.
I coached Højbjerg though, when he was a very young kid and attended a summer football camp and I like to tell myself it was that one week that laid the groundwork for his career...

 

[northnorfolkwolf]

Meant to say in my post above threads like this bring out the great sense of humour that exists on the Mix but rarely gets expressed when discussing Wolves. I liked SBK's remark that his 2nd touch was always a slide tackle!

 

[DanishWolf]

Ps: Funny sidestory about Højbjerg. He was always playing football. When he wasn't training at the club, he played with his mates in the park or backyards
When he turned pro at a bigger club, he wasn't allowed to play in his sparetime anymore, yet did anyway. A friend of mine, who was a coach at the same club as me, once met him in the street, ball in his hand, all sweaty on his way back from another (secret) game with his mates. My friend obviously promised not to tell his new club about it..

 

[WolfLing]

Played at a decent youth level, but quit in my early 20's as I'd started coaching and found it hard to balance it with other commitments. I wasn't very good by the way. I just had an awful lot of pace..
When I attempted a comeback some years later, the pace was gone leaving me pretty useless.
I coached Højbjerg though, when he was a very young kid and attended a summer football camp and I like to tell myself it was that one week that laid the groundwork for his career...

Sounds like you could be Dennis Rommedahl?

 

[DanishWolf]

Sounds like you could be Dennis Rommedahl?

Yeah could've been except he actually managed to have a career despite his limited ability..
His uncle actually used to coach our youth team when I was about 15 years old.
He wasn't fast or fit himself but he sure liked to make us run a lot..

 

[SteveBullsKnee]

Meant to say in my post above threads like this bring out the great sense of humour that exists on the Mix but rarely gets expressed when discussing Wolves. I liked SBK's remark that his 2nd touch was always a slide tackle!

I’d like to say a) I’d made it up or b) my coach was wrong but alas it’s all correct. I had the same bizarre issue George Elokobi had. If I had no time to think I was fine, but if I had time and space to control it properly I was definitely bouncing it off my shin towards the winger before unfortunately having to crunch the poor fella for my own shortcomings.

I also went about 10 seasons without missing a single game through injury (plenty through mis timed tackles!) and never once scored. Played a game towards the end of the season with mid table security in place, we got a penalty and someone graciously gave me the ball. Yep, stepped up and hit a penalty so bewilderingly bad that it bounced before it hit the keeper.

 

[MickHolmesFanClub]

Played for the school team, mainly as a defender, then for a number of teams in the Wolverhampton Sunday League. Largely played up front but did have a spell as goalkeeper too. Really enjoyed my playing days and wished I was young enough to still be out there on a Sunday morning. Had to pack it in eventually when I ruptured my achilles tendon.

 

[lobodelsur]

Played at school, B'ham FA Prem, W'ton Sunday League and University. Never had any delusions about being able to make it as a pro (altho' at Uni there were several guys who had had trials at pro clubs and I often wondered how and why). Played with and against a (later) England international and later played with or against guys who had played professionally in Netherlands, Belgium and Denmark without embarrasing myself. Gave it all up at 35 when my body wouldn't take me quickly enough to the places my head was telling it to.

 

[Boss Hogg]

I used to collect panini stickers and I have an extensive back catalogue of Rothmans annual yearbooks. Does that count?

 

[Beeches wolf]

As footballer I would have made a good bricklayer.

 

[Boss Hogg]

As footballer I would have made a good bricklayer.

A reverse Vinnie Jones!