Run-Ins with players

**Crosby87** · 22/05/2024, 4:27 PM

Any good stories of meeting ex or current squad members?

Went out to Boulder around 2011 and was walking in Denver, saw Caleb Folan who was apparently with the MLS team.

He was shocked to be recognized and was quite funny about it, he had a bag of cherries.

That's it, that's all I got.
Should have asked for a pic

**weldoninhio** · 23/05/2024, 10:54 AM

Originally Posted by Crosby87

Any good stories of meeting ex or current squad members?

Went out to Boulder around 2011 and was walking in Denver, saw Caleb Folan who was apparently with the MLS team.

He was shocked to be recognized and was quite funny about it, he had a bag of cherries.

That's it, that's all I got.
Should have asked for a pic

Had a run-in with Leon Best a few years in a Dublin nightclub. Bellend. Came up to me and told me "you can't stand there". I thought he was staff and asked why, and he replied that he could see the dancefloor from where he was sitting with me standing there. Laughed at him and told him to fcuk off. Got a bit heated and went forehead to forehead, he gave it the whole "do you know who I am", I laughed even harder, security broke it up and had a chat with each of us, told me who he was, and that he was being a nightmare all night. Said I could stand where I wanted. He walked away fuming. Good few more of the Irish squad were there, and they were all sound, getting pics and signing autographs. Best thought he was Ronaldo.

Heard he was later chased out of the club by a gang of lads. Never heard what that was over.

**tetsujin1979** · 23/05/2024, 11:04 AM

Sat next to Damien Duff at the Belgium game at Euro 2016. Well, he was next to his dad, his dad was beside me. Was wearing sunglasses, a bucket hat pulled down, and a coat zipped up (in that heat!) and people still recognised him and asked for a photo. He must have taken a hundred of them. I talked to his dad a little at half time and asked him if it was ok to ask for a photo, and he said it was fine, just to be polite about it, so I got one after full time when he was leaving.

On the same trip, I was staying in La Rochelle, and was leaving an Irish bar there one evening when I got stopped, and asked "are you the guy who does the Irish Abroad account on twitter", I said I was and asked who he was. It was Jack Tuite, former underage international who was with Derby at one point. He follows me on twitter, and recognised me from some Movember photos I had posted. He had moved back to Dublin after being released from the academy. I still follow him on twitter and instagram. He's working as a fitness coach, has a training business in Lucan.

**seanfhear** · 23/05/2024, 11:13 AM

I passed Ray Houghton on the street near the bus station in Galway ~ ~ One of those, Is that Ray Houghton ? ~ ~ 99% sure it was him anyway ~ ~ The person that I was with has no interesting football and couldn't give a hoot one way or another !

**SkStu** · 23/05/2024, 1:28 PM

Told this tale on another thread (Aldridge).

Originally Posted by SkStu

I met him in Buskers in Temple Bar back when he was manager of Tranmere. Himself and Kevin Sheedy were there. I was absolutely langered and chewed the ear off him about Alan Mahon and how he was the next messiah of Irish football. He was actually really sound, even though i was probably the most annoying person he met that year. He was just "yeah, Ally is a good kid... yeah, he's sound..." - Sheedy was just laughing his ****** off. I thanked Sheedy for one of the greatest moments in Irish football and he just nodded. Eventually i took the hint and stumbled off into the night... good times for the three of us.

**Stuttgart88** · 23/05/2024, 1:52 PM

I've met squad members many times down the years but two stand out:

I was standing outside a shop in Mayfair, London, waiting for a friend before going for a beer. I could look up the date, it was the day we played Andorra away under Trap. Anyway, who walks out of the same shop but Mick McCarthy and his wife. I said hello and that I was a big fan. His wife was chuffed. He was Wolves manager at the time I think and his wife was probably more used to him being abused!

He was so friendly and really appreciated it. I asked if he'd be watching the Andorra game and he said of course. We even talked about the Connolly/Doherty first half subsitution he made when he was in charge!

But another was when I was in primary school in late 70s a rumour spread that Pele was in the school chapel. We ran over and indeed he was. I got to shake hands with him. But at the same time the Irish team was training on one of our (rubbish) pitches. Giles, Mulligan, Daly etc. We got to watch them train, resplendent in cotton O'Neill's tracksuits.

Typical rugby school though - there was no mention that the Irish footy team was going to be training. We only found out by accident.

**CraftyToePoke** · 23/05/2024, 2:24 PM

Was watching the away team warm up at the local non league ground & the guy taking the back four, working on their line & keeping it was Clinton Morrisson himself. Caught his eye, held up my phone for a photo, two minutes he says, I'll just sort these lads out [ his defense ] then he trotted over & we took the picture. Said thanks for the goals in green & he lit up, huge smile & said they were his pleasure. Then off he went, he was absolutely sound.

**Razors left peg** · 23/05/2024, 3:26 PM

Most players are sound and happy to take a photo as long as you meet them in the right circumstances. The one that stands out to me though is a player who was met under completely the wrong circumstances and he was still sound.

I was only a kid, it may have been 1991 before an FAI Cup semi final. Bunch of Galway United fans in a hotel bar in Dublin and Paul McGrath wandered in. He was probably looking for a few quite drinks, would have been in the height of his heavy drinking days I suppose. Last thing he would have expected is a couple of bus loads of football fans in there. It was well before the days of camera phones but someone must have had a camera with them, cos my memory of it is that Paul took a picture with every single person that queue up for him before he left. Nicest man you could ever meet.

**Razors left peg** · 23/05/2024, 3:28 PM

Originally Posted by weldoninhio

Had a run-in with Leon Best a few years in a Dublin nightclub. Bellend. Came up to me and told me "you can't stand there". I thought he was staff and asked why, and he replied that he could see the dancefloor from where he was sitting with me standing there. Laughed at him and told him to fcuk off. Got a bit heated and went forehead to forehead, he gave it the whole "do you know who I am", I laughed even harder, security broke it up and had a chat with each of us, told me who he was, and that he was being a nightmare all night. Said I could stand where I wanted. He walked away fuming. Good few more of the Irish squad were there, and they were all sound, getting pics and signing autographs. Best thought he was Ronaldo.

Heard he was later chased out of the club by a gang of lads. Never heard what that was over.

Im probably with Leon on this one. Wouldnt be like you to be obnoxious and contrarian with someone to try get a rise outta them!

**Stuttgart88** · 23/05/2024, 4:06 PM

Originally Posted by CraftyToePoke

Was watching the away team warm up at the local non league ground & the guy taking the back four, working on their line & keeping it was Clinton Morrisson himself. Caught his eye, held up my phone for a photo, two minutes he says, I'll just sort these lads out [ his defense ] then he trotted over & we took the picture. Said thanks for the goals in green & he lit up, huge smile & said they were his pleasure. Then off he went, he was absolutely sound.

Clinton is so likeable.

**elatedscum** · 23/05/2024, 4:26 PM

Lots of run ins over the years. Mostly I'm always shocked by how small they are...

**seanfhear** · 23/05/2024, 4:37 PM

Originally Posted by elatedscum

Lots of run ins over the years. Mostly I'm always shocked by how small they are...

Saw Gary Pallister one time in Kings Cross London walking on the footpath beside me ~ ~Big Man.

**Razors left peg** · 23/05/2024, 4:41 PM

Originally Posted by elatedscum

Lots of run ins over the years. Mostly I'm always shocked by how small they are...

Im 5 6, I dont have this same shock......

**CraftyToePoke** · 23/05/2024, 4:42 PM

Originally Posted by elatedscum

Lots of run ins over the years. Mostly I'm always shocked by how small they are...

Yeah, same. I was looking for my seat at London Rd one night and there was this little dude in my peripheral who I was going to have to get past, it was Mattie Holland doing a bit of Radio Ipswich work and I was right there before I copped it was him, so there we were & I suddenly say, Mattie Holland, and this little dude gets an awful fright. Dunno what he thought was going to happen, but we smiled & he went back in the little broadcasting box lively enough.

**weldoninhio** · 24/05/2024, 9:54 AM

Originally Posted by Razors left peg

Im probably with Leon on this one. Wouldnt be like you to be obnoxious and contrarian with someone to try get a rise outta them!

Yeah, standing quietly in a nightclub on my own looking at the dancefloor while my mates got pics with Darren Gibson and Anthony Pilkington is quite obviously obnoxious and contrarian.

The bouncers were obviously in on it with me, and then the lads that chased him out of the club later that night were also in on it.

**seanfhear** · 24/05/2024, 10:50 AM

Originally Posted by weldoninhio

Yeah, standing quietly in a nightclub on my own looking at the dancefloor while my mates got pics with Darren Gibson and Anthony Pilkington is quite obviously obnoxious and contrarian.

The bouncers were obviously in on it with me, and then the lads that chased him out of the club later that night were also in on it.

So, Not a bestie then !