Ever played with/known a professional footballer?

tricky

I have two...

First one is a guy who was a few years below me at school. Plays for Spurs, signed his first pro contract during the summer. Name is Adam Smith and has I believe played for England u16s or something.

The other is very bizarre...

A few years back when I was playing for my club team on Sundays, our manager who had links to Leyton Orient and other schemes throughout London, introduced to our team a player who he described as a Gambian u17 international, knnown only as TJ. Now our manager spouted bs on a regular basis, so we didn't really believe him. He played about 3 games I think, and scored about 6 goals despite being a midfielder. He then randomly left as quickly as he arrived. Few months later our manager told he he had played in the u17 world cup for Gambia which being a cynic, I checked out and found out it was true.

Nowadays he is playing for SK Brann in Norway. His name is Tijan Jaiteh.

I look forward to the day he signs for Arsenal/Man Utd/Chelsea and I can say I played with him. But he never bloody passed it!

Off_it

I reckon there's a few on here who have played with a "pro" in their time - but I'm guessing that is maybe not what you meant!

Kap10

Harry Cripps and Patsy holland both taught football at my school

PeakieRocket

When I was at school one of my best mates little brother went on to get a contract at Charlton. Dean Kearley, he was a centre back, was about to released and join Garry Nelson at Torquay when he broke his ankle playing his last game for the reserves. Did it in a challenge with Nicolas Anelka, and he had to quit football.

pickwick

A 'pro' at what exactly?

Valley_floyd_red

I played in the same school football team as Jonathan Hunt. He went on to play for Derby sometime around 1993.

Stig

[cite]Posted By: Valley_floyd_red[/cite]I played in the same school football team as Jonathan Hunt. He went on to play for Derby sometime around 1993.

Same guy that played for Southend? He was good.

Leroy Ambrose

My boss at the moment was an England schoolboy international (allegedly)

Valley_floyd_red

Yes, he went through a few clubs but played in the premiership for Derby. Never realised his full potential I think.

tricky

well by "pro" I meant professional footballer.

Was inspired by playing the demo of the new Football Manager when I had a look at Brann and I was bored!

Chunes

Not quite. Went to school with Adam Cottrell who was playing for Charlton reserves a few years ago, don't know where he is now. Also went with Scott Mulholland who played a few games for QPR before he did his ACL and had to give it up.

Stefco

3 for me, that I know of. Liam Ridgewell is one. He was the mascot for the old Junior Robins team(a sunday league expansion for young Junior Reds that started back in '88 & played in the bexley & District league) that I played for. He was about 4 or 5 when he started coming along, as he was the brother of one of my teammates. He was always kicking a ball about, bloody obsessed he was! Haha!

Number 2 is Byron Glasgow, a player who briefly played for Reading after being released by Arsenal. I went to secondary school with him. His career went off the rails after getting busted for coke & he slipped into non-league the last I heard.

Jimmy Bullard I played against a few times for Junior Robins. He played for the YMCA boys team in the Bexley league. He was a bloody brilliant player back then. Played at centreback, & would make mazy runs up the park & score with scary regularity. He had a fantastically hilarious white blonde mullet back then. :-) If anyone remembers 'Tommy's Troubles' & its principle character Tommy Barnes, from ye olde Roy of the Rovers comics many years ago, you will get the idea. Haha.

ct_addick

Played a couple of games with Southend reserves and Peakie can attest to this as I played with his brother there....Trevor Whymark (ex-Ipswich and Engalnd) played up front one game for us....was brilliant in the air....played with John Harrison who was an ex-addick at Barking...played against Paddy Powell when he was a Bromely as well.....also played against a Charlton youth team that included Paul Walsh and Paul Elliot....we lost 8-1....Walsh was brilliant...my cousin is married to Tim Sherwood....actually a nice guy.....god I sound obnoxious !!!!!

northstandsteve

Gordon Watson played in my under 11 team at Hayden

Swisdom

was in the same youth team as Bowyer and Jamie Stuart ( also played for 3 years with him for North Kent)

PeteF

Ok Ray Tumbridge coached us at school with Paddy Powell, poor Ray had just discovered a habit for scoring own goals! he was slaughtered by us on a regular basis, I am pretty sure that is where Paul Walsh was spotted.

P_Air

[cite]Posted By: Swisdom[/cite]was in the same youth team as Bowyer and Jamie Stuart ( also played for 3 years with him for North Kent)

I used to know Jamie Stuart (in a non-footballing capacity). I remember seeing him on the news when he was booted out of Charlton for 'not intentionally smoking weed and coke'.

Ahem.

Just read about him Wikipedia. Sounds like he turned into a charming person...

BexleyRed

I knew David Whyte when he played for us. His young brother played for the same youth team as my son. I spoke to super Clive Mendonca a few times when he lived near me.

pete_tong1

Kevin Hollock - West Ham, Swindon, Man City, Doncaster and was with Scunthorpe.

palcafc

Played in the school football team with Tony Cascarino. Played in goal against Colin Walsh and me hands were stinging for days after saving a shot of his.

BlackForestReds

Played cricket with John Salako before he signed for Palace.

eva4charlton

Worked and was friends with Les Berry's brother in law, knew Mrs Berry quite well.

nth_london_addick

went school with andy turner (spuds,palce,pompey) and jermain wright(millwall,leeds,wolves)

played footie against Mark falco, and in the same team as Joe Allen (chelsea and brenford)

I had a proper bang up with

Mark Kennedy,Ben Thatcher and Mark Beard when they were yoots with Millsmall

outside the Gin palace Old kent road those were the days

Ledge

myself and paulbaconsarnie were in the same year as Mark Fiore who went on to turn pro for Wimbledon and play for Plymouth - - do you rememvber him PBS, I played against him in juniors

CHG

I am good mates with Lee Williams, played for Margate when Sam Sodje was there, been drinking with both of them.

Thommo

Played against Martin Crainie at youth level (before saints stopped him playing for anyone but saints), also played in same side as Chris Weale, Bristol City Keeper (also taught him how to stack shelves before he made it pro)

Carter

[cite]Posted By: Chunes[/cite]Not quite. Went to school with Adam Cottrell who was playing for Charlton reserves a few years ago, don't know where he is now. Also went with Scott Mulholland who played a few games for QPR before he did his ACL and had to give it up.

I work with his old man, he got messed about by Donachie at Millwall then went on loan with danny Phillips to Weymouth under Jason Tindall, went to Dorchester and Welling and now he is not playing for anyone, shame as he's an hard player. He smashed Thomas up in the air in the Welling game last pre-season.

When I see Barry Fuller playing regular for Gillingham I think it just sums up how football is all about opinions and they can vary massivley on who rates what etc

Essex_Al

I played for Penhill Standard with Mark Penfold and Richie Bowman (they were two years younger, shows how good they were). Anyone know if Penhill Standard still exist?

When I played for Welling United we played against a celebrity 11 for charity in front of a crowd of 3,000. For those old enough to remember they had Ed 'Stewpot' Stewart in goal and 'diddy' David Hamilton played as well!

A good mate of mine from North Kent schoolboys and Welling United was Paul Barron who played in goal for Arsenal (understudy to Pat Jennings) and Plymouth. He is now the goalkeeping coach at Newcastle.

Goonerhater

a good few -- Cascarino when he played for crockenhill.

keith Peacock -- he played for a 6 a side outfit (they had 7 players) as we were pissing on everyone -- we still won 3 v 2.

Mark Penfold when he palyed for Morley Tigers

Peter Reeves when he guested for Metro Gas.

as a schoolboy played against Bexley Utd

Hillsys Up

Jamie Stuart was in the same yoth side as me and AFKA (Kingfisher) Played in the same Kent side as Matthew Rose and Ben Thatcher. I signed for Wealdstone in pre season of 93/94 at the same time as Tony Gale, the next day he signed for Blackburn and won the premier league with them.

Oakster

played in the same school sides as

ian Chapman - Brighton defender from about 1988 - 2000

Damien Webber - Millwall defender in the mid nineties

Craig Whittington - Huddersfield striker who was one of the first players to recieve a lengthy ban for drug abuse

I was in the same school class as Simon Brotherton (MOTD commentator) & Dave Beckett (ITV Championship commentator).