One 16, one 17. Fabulous. Young players today take an age to break into the first team. In my day, you were considered a failure if you weren’t playing by 18.
There are various reasons for that, but fundamentally we were just more robust. As children, our lives were about walking everywhere, running and cycling to school.
We played out until it was dark. In the summer holidays, you only came home when you were hungry.
At school, you played every sport available, which is no longer possible. For instance, I would do gymnastics, trampolining, pommel horse. I’d play cricket and athletics - the 100, 220 and 440 relay. I’d do swimming. And it wasn’t beyond me to play two games on a Saturday and another one on Sunday.
Ready
It gave me a rounding as an athlete, not just as a footballer. It meant that I turned up at Bolton Wanderers naturally fit and ready to fight for a place at 15.
Denne historien er fra September 22, 2019-utgaven av The Football League Paper.
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Denne historien er fra September 22, 2019-utgaven av The Football League Paper.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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I'd still want to keep Pat on side
Patrick Bamford has always been a player who divides opinion amongst Leeds supporters.
WHITES & THE BLADES SPEED ON
LEEDS and Sheffield United maintained their pace at the top of the table with comfortable home victories - but Sunderland slipped off the summit.
BAILEY: WE'LL GIVE POPPIES THE RESPECT THEY DESERVE
OWEN Bailey knows exactly how pumped up seventh-tier Kettering Town will be when Doncaster Rovers roll into ramshackle Latimer Park today.
TOWN EARN THEIR CORN!
HARROGATE mon Weaver breathed a sigh of relief after his side edged past Gainsborough Trinity at a rain-sodden Exercise Stadium.
OH MY JOSH - O'S KEEPER IS THE HERO!
RICHIE Wellens praised keeper Josh Keeley as Leyton Orient reached the third round following a dramatic win over National League Oldham.
'IT HASN'T BEEN MY WHOLE FOCUS AND THAT HELPED ME
SHAUN Barker never attempted to conceal the fact that he had no burning desire to play football.
MATT'S BOYS SHOW CLASS
WYCOMBE side-stepped a tricky second round fixture by defeating Wealdstone at Grosvenor Vale.
LUKE SEETHES OVER SLOPPY SWANS START
LUKE Williams admitted he gave his players the hairdryer treatment at half-time after seeing them come into the break trailing against bottom of the table Portsmouth.
UPSET FOR HARRIS AS TYLER HITS STUNNER
Neil Harris insisted the fact that Millwall were bitterly disappointed to claim only a point shows the progress his side have made over the past 10 months.
ANTE AT THE DOUBLE FOR ON-SONG CITY
NORWICH head coach Johannes Hoff Thorup paid tribute to the home fans after watching his side come through a tough test against Luton to win comfortably in the end.
