THIE PLAYERS LOUNGE

Interview with - JULIAN DICKS, LEDLEY KING, HENNING BERG, JONATHAN WALTERS

JULIAN DICKS

"I USED TO HAVE A BATH BEFORE A MATCH - JOHN MONCUR S**T IN IT ONE TIME"

West Ham's hard man remembers scrapping with Dennis Wise and the least friendly testimonial in history...

James Hilsum

You’re known as one of football’s angriest players – were you a hothead growing up? 

Not at all. As a young player, I was a skinny little thing – six stone, wringing wet. When I was about 12, I was playing for my Sunday side and some kid stamped on my hand and it came up like a golf ball. I said to my dad, “I'm hurt, I’m coming off” and he went, “No you're not, son – you get back on there and sort it out”. That always stuck in my head. I didn’t become aggressive, but I started looking after myself. When I was 14, I signed for Birmingham and later played alongside the likes of Mick Harford, Tony Coton and Mark Dennis. They used to kick the s**t out of me in training. That was my education.

You became a legend across two spells at West Ham after initially joining in 1988. Why did Irons fans love you so much?

I gave 100 per cent in every game, wore my heart on my sleeve and never backed out of a tackle. West Ham fans appreciate that. They could tell I loved the club. I honestly think about Upton Park every day. Every six months, I drive down to where the ground was, just to be there for a few minutes, then I drive home. I still love West Ham so much.

Tell us a wild story from your new book…