Reading FC’s ‘Player of the Millennium’ was born in Hammersmith, London, on July 27th 1952. With a ball at his feet Robin Friday was blessed with the kind of precocious talent most of us can only dream about, but he was also cursed with a wild streak that made his exploits the stuff of legend. He smoked and drank to excess, would regularly start fights with both opponents and teammates, and was once sent off for kicking Mark Lawrenson in the face (when he should have been awarded an MBE).
He was signed for the Royals by Charlie Hurley after turning out against them for non-league Hayes in an FA Cup tie, and scored twice on his home debut in a 4-1 win over Exeter City on February 10th 1974. Despite his volatile nature the fans immediately took him to their hearts, he was crowned ‘Player of the Year’ in his first full season at the club (1974/75) and went on to make 135 first team appearances, scoring 53 goals and creating many more with his unorthodox, unpredictable playing style. His goals and creativity helped Reading win promotion to the old Division Three but then, despite being only 24 and one of the key players in the team, he was transferred to Cardiff City for a knockdown price of £30,000.
When then-Cardiff manager Jimmy Andrews asked why the price was so low he was told, “You’ll see”. And see he did, as Friday was arrested at Cardiff Central station within minutes of arriving in the Welsh capital for fare dodging. The night before his debut for the Bluebirds against Fulham he went on a pub crawl before taking a dozen bottles of lager back to his hotel. He still scored twice against a defence featuring Bobby Moore, and went on to play a further 20 games for the Welsh side, scoring 6 goals and delighting crowds with his awesome array of tricks, before leaving he started going AWOL for days on end with a ‘mystery illness’. It was the beginning of the end for the wayward genius. His overall behaviour worsened and became, in the words of Wales legend and Cardiff skipper Phil Dwyer, “Very volatile”. It had been common knowledge within the game that Friday was developing a drink problem, and was also fond of indulging in LSD and other mind-altering substances. Afterwards Jimmy Andrews said, “At the time I didn’t know what his major problem was so I bought him... For a period I handled it but I’m afraid Robin was a hopeless case. He was lost and by the end he was uncontrollable”.
The situation proved intolerable, his contract at Cardiff was cancelled and Friday moved back home to London where his life descended into a private hell of alcoholism, drug abuse and mental problems. He died of a heart attack on the 22nd December 1990 at just 38. Unpredictable as ever, he died on a Saturday. As a fitting tribute the cover of the 1996 Super Furry Animals single ‘The Man Don’t Give a Fuck’ (also named after him, naturally) featured a classic archive photograph of Friday scoring a goal for Cardiff, while showing two fingers to the despairing opposition goalkeeper.
There is also a book about Friday’s life available written by ex-Oasis bass player Paul McGuigan and Paolo Hewitt, “The Greatest Footballer You Never Saw”.
I got invited to a charity celebrity cricket day via my firm with Carphone warehouse about 7-8 years ago at the Bank Of England sports ground. Anyway it pissed down so they decided to change it to 5 a side tournament and in the 2nd game "my team" was up against a team with Mark Dennis in it. I fancied myself so I gave him a couple of liveners and he never flinched so getting braver gave him both barrells - He then whispered in my ear "oh is this how we are playing big boy" and proceeded to kick 10 bells of shit out of me with some crunching tackles I tell ya. I still wince now at the thought of some of them.
I never backed down i gamely tried giving it back but he was a nasty bastard I tell ya but I took it all. We had a good laugh about it in the bar that evening over a few sherberts but I was aching and full of bruises on my legs for days after AND he could sup some as well.
Both have addiction and mental problems, both have spent spells in clinics, both never full-filled full potential, both participated in high profile doris-bashing, but Collymore nudges it for me by nailing his managers daughter on the same day as a cup final, while he was in the next room.
Both are lightweights compared to Friday, who died pissed out of his face at the age of 38.
And lets not forget this about the Lawrenson sending off
"Another time whilst playing against Mark Lawrenson Friday became agitated by the future BBC pundit. He kicked Lawrenson in the face and received a red card before defecating in Lawrenson's kit bag."
Man Friday can play on the wing, Merse on the other. I'd have Collymore and Maradona up front, Gazza in the middle, at the back Dennis at left back, Tony Adams in the middle.
So i need a keeper, right mid, centre half and centre mid, or a good argument to displace one of the others
[cite]Posted By: AFKA Bartram[/cite]Lets do a proper bad boys 11:
Man Friday can play on the wing, Merse on the other. I'd have Collymore and Maradona up front, Gazza in the middle, at the back Dennis at left back, Tony Adams in the middle.
So i need a keeper, right mid, centre half and centre mid, or a good argument to displace one of the others
How can you leave George Best out of that line up?
Mark Dennis, absolute thug left back. Not sure he ticks enough categories to qualify in our hell raiser team other than being a thug on the pitch though.
[cite]Posted By: AFKA Bartram[/cite]Mark Dennis, absolute thug left back. Not sure he ticks enough categories to qualify in our hell raiser team other than being a thug on the pitch though.
Comments
Reading FC’s ‘Player of the Millennium’ was born in Hammersmith, London, on July 27th 1952. With a ball at his feet Robin Friday was blessed with the kind of precocious talent most of us can only dream about, but he was also cursed with a wild streak that made his exploits the stuff of legend. He smoked and drank to excess, would regularly start fights with both opponents and teammates, and was once sent off for kicking Mark Lawrenson in the face (when he should have been awarded an MBE).
He was signed for the Royals by Charlie Hurley after turning out against them for non-league Hayes in an FA Cup tie, and scored twice on his home debut in a 4-1 win over Exeter City on February 10th 1974. Despite his volatile nature the fans immediately took him to their hearts, he was crowned ‘Player of the Year’ in his first full season at the club (1974/75) and went on to make 135 first team appearances, scoring 53 goals and creating many more with his unorthodox, unpredictable playing style. His goals and creativity helped Reading win promotion to the old Division Three but then, despite being only 24 and one of the key players in the team, he was transferred to Cardiff City for a knockdown price of £30,000.
When then-Cardiff manager Jimmy Andrews asked why the price was so low he was told, “You’ll see”. And see he did, as Friday was arrested at Cardiff Central station within minutes of arriving in the Welsh capital for fare dodging. The night before his debut for the Bluebirds against Fulham he went on a pub crawl before taking a dozen bottles of lager back to his hotel. He still scored twice against a defence featuring Bobby Moore, and went on to play a further 20 games for the Welsh side, scoring 6 goals and delighting crowds with his awesome array of tricks, before leaving he started going AWOL for days on end with a ‘mystery illness’. It was the beginning of the end for the wayward genius. His overall behaviour worsened and became, in the words of Wales legend and Cardiff skipper Phil Dwyer, “Very volatile”. It had been common knowledge within the game that Friday was developing a drink problem, and was also fond of indulging in LSD and other mind-altering substances. Afterwards Jimmy Andrews said, “At the time I didn’t know what his major problem was so I bought him... For a period I handled it but I’m afraid Robin was a hopeless case. He was lost and by the end he was uncontrollable”.
The situation proved intolerable, his contract at Cardiff was cancelled and Friday moved back home to London where his life descended into a private hell of alcoholism, drug abuse and mental problems. He died of a heart attack on the 22nd December 1990 at just 38. Unpredictable as ever, he died on a Saturday. As a fitting tribute the cover of the 1996 Super Furry Animals single ‘The Man Don’t Give a Fuck’ (also named after him, naturally) featured a classic archive photograph of Friday scoring a goal for Cardiff, while showing two fingers to the despairing opposition goalkeeper.
There is also a book about Friday’s life available written by ex-Oasis bass player Paul McGuigan and Paolo Hewitt, “The Greatest Footballer You Never Saw”.
I got invited to a charity celebrity cricket day via my firm with Carphone warehouse about 7-8 years ago at the Bank Of England sports ground. Anyway it pissed down so they decided to change it to 5 a side tournament and in the 2nd game "my team" was up against a team with Mark Dennis in it. I fancied myself so I gave him a couple of liveners and he never flinched so getting braver gave him both barrells - He then whispered in my ear "oh is this how we are playing big boy" and proceeded to kick 10 bells of shit out of me with some crunching tackles I tell ya. I still wince now at the thought of some of them.
I never backed down i gamely tried giving it back but he was a nasty bastard I tell ya but I took it all. We had a good laugh about it in the bar that evening over a few sherberts but I was aching and full of bruises on my legs for days after AND he could sup some as well.
LOL
i was going to lol at the same thing myself! i would kick that muppett too!!
i'd edge it to Collymore.
Both have addiction and mental problems, both have spent spells in clinics, both never full-filled full potential, both participated in high profile doris-bashing, but Collymore nudges it for me by nailing his managers daughter on the same day as a cup final, while he was in the next room.
Top hellraising !
And lets not forget this about the Lawrenson sending off
"Another time whilst playing against Mark Lawrenson Friday became agitated by the future BBC pundit. He kicked Lawrenson in the face and received a red card before defecating in Lawrenson's kit bag."
Keith Moon, Ollie Reed, Robin Friday for me they are/were hell raisers.
genius lol that just pure genius!! lol
What do you reckon he used for the mopping up?
Rumour has it he used Lawrensons jockstrap
Man Friday can play on the wing, Merse on the other. I'd have Collymore and Maradona up front, Gazza in the middle, at the back Dennis at left back, Tony Adams in the middle.
So i need a keeper, right mid, centre half and centre mid, or a good argument to displace one of the others
Rommergirl?????
Van den howe - Elbower
B thatcher - as above
Adams - Drunk driver
Gillepsie K - nutter
Best - Alki
Gazza - Wife beater
merson - Drunk
Madonna - Drugs, drink cigars right proper nutter
Collymore - beat up eurika
Friday - Shat in lawros bag!
How can you leave George Best out of that line up?
?
Adams
McGrath
Dennis
Friday
Gazz
Merse
Best
Colllymore
Maradona
So may need another left back
There's a difference between hellraiser and a sad piss head ain't there?
How about Gary Croft?