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Theo, Give Us a Ball: A Life in Football

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  • Was the manager when I helped out down the Valley as a teenager. Theo and Keith Peacock would always chat to anyone there.
  • edited August 2018

    ''Dale fucking Stephens.....oh come on!''

    Now playing regularly in the Premiership for Brighton.
    Don't suppose you saw him play much in Chris Powell's
    promotion season and year after. Class midfield better than
    any of our present lot!!!

    Never really set the world on fire for us though did he.....there wasn’t much gnashing of teeth and wails of despair when he left us.
    Unlike Yann and Morrison......I personally wouldn’t put his contribution to our cause in the same bracket.
    He won’t go down as a ‘much loved’ and missed ex player.
    As for saying he’s better than anything we have now......well, that wouldn’t be too hard would it but hardly a good analogy by which to support your view on him as things were when he was playing for us.
    As an Addick I personally didn’t rate him that much, a good squad player is how I viewed him.
    I would also take a bet with you that I saw him play, home and away, more times than you.
    Admittedly, he seems to have done much better at Brighton than many might have expected.....but for us, he didn’t do that much, IMHO.
    Incidentally.....sorry Theo for taking the thread off subject, hadn’t really realised it...... it was football related though, so I’m sure you’ll forgive me!
    Agree with you. Stephens was flaky: used to try to shield the ball but wasn't strong enough and would get dispossessed. A bottler. Evidently he has come good at Brighton - just as Simon Francis was weak for us yet has done well at Bournemouth.
  • apologies if i missed it but where can you buy the book? i can only find it on kindle
  • I always felt that Stephens uneccessarily slowed down our attacks ..... he'd invariably kill the ball, turn back to face his own goal and hold on to the ball too long, before passing sideways .... by then our movement off the ball had stopped and our attacking players closed down.

    But he had great technique and control and was capable of threading through a killer pass to split the defence, on the rare occasion he played the ball quickly. And there were times when he produced great shooting ability.

    He was a bit lightweight for us and drifted in and out of the game .... but it should not be forgotten that he was only 21 when he moved to us, a northerner moving down south for the first time and very soon to become a father - lots of change and challenges for a young man of that age.

    And he's since matured into a very decent Prem player.
  • DOUCHER said:

    apologies if i missed it but where can you buy the book? i can only find it on kindle

    It’s in the OP ... paperback in next few weeks.
  • Best pub in the area...British Oak.

    It's a dump or was. One visit was enough.
    Always seemed OK when I used to go there, but haven't been in there since around 2006-07.
  • DOUCHER said:

    apologies if i missed it but where can you buy the book? i can only find it on kindle

    Apparently due out in paperback in the next few weeks.
  • You have to laugh at people digging out Dale Stephens - he's probably currently worth more than our entire first team squad.
  • edited August 2018
    I was brought a kindle as a birthday present and have now found a good reason for using it. I have hardly put it down all weekend.

    I read the Charlton bits and skimmed most of the book now.

    I think his son Paul deserves great credit for writing this in an informal style. It felt like I was in Crossbars before a game talking to Theo about his career and life .

    I worked out that as a player Theo came in as Billy Bonds had been sold. Was he Bonzo's replacement? An insurance policy had Bob Curtis not made it . He never won a match playing for Charlton .

    Interesting stories about his time at the Valley . For example Dave Shipperley and the Xmas drink .

    I was interested that he felt he never really replaced Charlie Wright in goal until Graham Tutt came along. He regretted not bringing in another keeper in this period .

    Also interesting to hear his Millwall stories about players we later signed Brisley, Johns, Mehmet and Walker as well as Mike Flanagan popping up again at QPR .
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  • Met Paul whilst doing my degree years ago - nice bloke - said the dinner table was literally like a tactics board - salt and pepper pot used as wingers, tomato sauce the holding midfielder etc
  • Stick to thread. It’s about Theo’s book not about Dale Stevens or a pub.
  • Anyone know for definite whether this is coming out in a paperback version? (Not into downloads of books!)
  • Never realised that he only played 6 times for us ?
  • Lovely guy. I asked him once who his favourite Charlton player was - he replied "Alan Campbell." Yes, I know, a little before most of the Lifer's on here - but he was a great little footballer, part of the famous squad that nearly got promoted back in the late 60's.
  • Theo almost made the 92 club as a player ,fell just one short. Never played at Chesterfields ground but was Charltons manager when we played them in the league.
  • Theo is our first Manager that I can remember. Watching Hales, Flanagan, Peacock and, my favourite, Powell, was always a thrill.

    I remember absolutely hating Andy Nelson when he replaced Theo, although as I got older I know this was unfair on Nelson. I never warmed to him and the near disastrous deal with New England Tea Men didn’t help.

    Went to quite a few of the Q&A sessions a few years back when there was always a mix of Theo, Keith, Paddy and Killer. Theo was always the genial host and had some brilliant stories. Looking forward to reading the book.
  • Saw Theo at the Wycombe game and thought he looked a little under the weather. Great bloke and an astute manager in his day. Definite read for me.
  • Is it out in paperback yet?
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  • Is it out in paperback yet?

    two or three weeks Theo said
  • Is it out in paperback yet?

    Hopefully I can get a copy in time for my holiday next month.
  • addick05 said:

    Lovely guy. I asked him once who his favourite Charlton player was - he replied "Alan Campbell." Yes, I know, a little before most of the Lifer's on here - but he was a great little footballer, part of the famous squad that nearly got promoted back in the late 60's.

    Graham Moore & Alan Campbell, what a pairing :smile:
    Usually to be found in the Conservative Club.
  • Spoke to Theo at the Plymouth game and he said book should be available in the next two to three weeks. Unless anyone knows different.
  • Just finished it on Kindle. A good read.
  • Just finished it on Kindle. A good read.

    Ok, maybe I got my wires crossed or does the Kindle version get released first?

  • addick05 said:

    Just finished it on Kindle. A good read.

    Ok, maybe I got my wires crossed or does the Kindle version get released first?

    Been out on Kindle for a few weeks now. "real" book is out soon, some time in November.
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