Football stories ????

[barney]

With the season virtually finished, I bet a few footie fans on here have an amusing story linked to their club that they could share.

Following on from me saying that Geordie Steve Bruce started his footballing career at little Gillingham, here's how it all came about.

Steve was invited down to Kent for trials as a school leaver and back in those days, they were given an apprenticeship.

He travelled down with another Geordie youngster and they were put up in digs and given their trial.

Steve obviously impressed and was offered a contract and went on to be captain of Man Utd.

The other lad was sent back and told he would not make it as a footballer.

His name .................................. was Peter Beardsley

Shows how wrong an 'expert' can get it

Like the guy who turned down the Beatles

[Raybosailor]

It's all about the breaks Barney, I was turned down by Forest at a schools selection day down at Trent Pool but two lads from our school were selected as apprentices namely Henry Newton and David Stainwright who both turned pro for Forest with Henry going on to play for Everton & Derby.
I was playing in a local amateur game against Thorneywood Athletic when we were told there were one or two scouts watching.
I had a stormer of a game but at the end of the match the two main scouts (from Sheffield Utd.) went to one of the opposition players and signed Alan Birchinall who went on to play for Chelsea and Leicester were he still works in the backroom I think.
If the breaks are there and clubs are looking for your type of player it's bingo.