Have you ever bumped into an ex player on holiday?

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

Yes! The one and only stuart storer in Berlin.

 

[fat old seagull]

My wife and I went into the local village pub, just got settled down in front of a lovely log fire. Then a particularly good looking chap came over and asked me if I was Des O'Connor. I said I was, and we exchanged polite small talk, I felt the need to humour the chap, as he was clearly overawed by me. Eventually as we were about to leave the Mrs nudged me and whispered "invite them over for dinner". To make the offer more appealing I told them my Chinese wife would knock up something oriental for them, just as she had the week before, for our close friend Alan Pardew and his wife. With that the guy exploded, told me to Feck Off and just disappeared into thin air....

 

[Mellor 3 Ward 4]

The captain of Hereford, two weeks after we relegated them.

 

[Seagull]

Gary Charles, ex England & Forest running a restaurant in Matlock Bath, Derbyshire a few years ago. Had a good chat.

In Portugal about 20 years ago I overheard a Mr & Mrs Lawrenson checking in to a hotel, so asked if they had a son called Mark. They did and recalled the Albion fondly.

Had a slash next to Chris Cattlin at half time in the Cup Final, ... quite a brief chat, questionable holiday!

 

[crasher]

The captain of Hereford, two weeks after we relegated them.

Must have ruined his holiday

 

[de la zouch]

Danny Murphy - Dubai. Really nice bloke and so bloody knowledgable about the game, just wanted to chat tactics, players strengths etc. Proper footy fan.

 

[portlock seagull]

Bumped into Dean Hammond at Centre Parcs (Nottingham) last month during half term holiday. He was with family and holidaying with David Nugent and family. Had a quick chat about his time and nearly re-signing. I did enquire whether Nugent would be keen on signing - he just laughed! I then later tweeted Dean (my new holiday friend) but then appeared to avoid me for the rest of the week - did that staring into distance thing whenever paths crossed!!

this is more in tune with situation I'm in and reckon it could go. I've decided not to say anything until departure, just kept to small talk today as on same excursion as the legend and don't want to make their holiday awkward. I'd love to say something though, wife asked if I was ok earlier as I seemed 'vacant'. It's because we keep talking to a legend and wife and she's blissfully unaware of what I know. Te he!

 

[portlock seagull]

The captain of Hereford, two weeks after we relegated them.

Ouch! David something? He wrote a chapter in a book shortly after called 'that sinking feeling', each chapter was one of 15 or so seemed to be the worst relegations of all time. Obviously our match with them in '97 was a shoe in, along side Dennis Law sending Utd down and other such infamous games. It was humbling to read, the Hereford players were absolutely devastated and Because the stakes were so high for us I think we forget it was huge for them too. The entire footballing world was against them that day, everyone wanted us to stay up, media bias etc. If you can get hold of a copy, I'd recommended just for that chapter alone.

 

[BN9 BHA]

At Disneyland Paris about 3 years ago BZ (who was at QPR at the time) was about 3 cars behind me on the Peter Pan ride that broke down mid air for about 10 mins, luckily no one was upside down or anything. When we got off had a quick photo, shook his hand and that was that. The following day Adam El Abd approached me as he saw my Albion cap, he posed for a few photos with the boy and was genuinely interested, asking about our holiday etc

I was in Bristol last year and saw Adam El Abd in the city centre, I said hello to him and he politely said hello back, but then he noticed my youngest son who was wearing his Albion shirt. He seemed pleased that we had stopped to talk to him and asked us why we were visiting Bristol.
My Mrs still takes the piss because I spoke to him, one of my other lads saw some Albion players at Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park last week, she asked him if he said hello to any of them, he said he didn't. She pointed at me and said " he would have done like when he saw ' his mate ' Adam in Bristol "

 

[portlock seagull]

I was in Bristol last year and saw Adam El Abd in the city centre, I said hello to him and he politely said hello back, but then he noticed my youngest son who was wearing his Albion shirt. He seemed pleased that we had stopped to talk to him and asked us why we were visiting Bristol.
My Mrs still takes the piss because I spoke to him, one of my other lads saw some Albion players at Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park last week, she asked him if he said hello to any of them, he said he didn't. She pointed at me and said " he would have done like when he saw ' his mate ' Adam in Bristol "

Other halves - they don't get it do they? Mrs Bn9bha should count herself lucky you didn't join AEA for rest of the day chatting and drinking as would have been completely acceptable in these situations.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Gary Hart at Alton Towers 2004. Emotional.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

This is sort of related. Liz Hurley's brother used to work at my place. I bumped into him a few year ago, and had a log chat (over an hour) and didn't mention his sister once. I though that was real class on my part

 

[Thunder Bolt]

I was in Bristol last year and saw Adam El Abd in the city centre, I said hello to him and he politely said hello back, but then he noticed my youngest son who was wearing his Albion shirt. He seemed pleased that we had stopped to talk to him and asked us why we were visiting Bristol.
My Mrs still takes the piss because I spoke to him, one of my other lads saw some Albion players at Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park last week, she asked him if he said hello to any of them, he said he didn't. She pointed at me and said " he would have done like when he saw ' his mate ' Adam in Bristol "

I was staying in a hotel in Bristol a while ago, when we went to the bar just before dinner, I spotted Lee Clarke. I realised the Blackpool team were staying at the same hotel, which puzzled me at first until I realised they were playing Cardiff the next day.
I went up to him to ask if Andrea Orlandi had travelled, to which he replied yes. One of the staff with him asked if we were Brighton fans. He came from Lewes.
He kindly went and spoke to Andrea in his room, who came down to have a chat & photo with us. We'd found out that Calde had been offered another year, which Andrea knew because he'd just got off the phone to him.

 

[Bigtomfu]

Great thread.

The entire team at Newcastle Airport post a 1-0 defeat to Sunderland under McGhee.

We were queuing at Burger King and Oatway jumped the queue in front of us but Danny Cullip saw him off and let us through. Captain on and off the pitch.

Steve Claridge running through Victoria tube station in his kit post bookies/late to meet the coach the day of his debut away at West Ham.

Oh and Tony Towner helped me move house from Dyke Road up to London. Was bitter about his days at The Albion.

 

[fat old seagull]

This is sort of related. Liz Hurley's brother used to work at my place. I bumped into him a few year ago, and had a log chat (over an hour) and didn't mention his sister once. I though that was real class on my part

Good job you didn't chat to Liz for an hour, she'd have had your hair permed, wearing makeup and weighed down with Bling in an hour. Or was that all Warne had in mind anyway?

 

[BN9 BHA]

Other halves - they don't get it do they? Mrs Bn9bha should count herself lucky you didn't join AEA for rest of the day chatting and drinking as would have been completely acceptable in these situations.

Correct she doesn't get it, very odd because she supports the Albion and saw AEA play for us at Withdean loads of times.

 

[BN9 BHA]

I was staying in a hotel in Bristol a while ago, when we went to the bar just before dinner, I spotted Lee Clarke. I realised the Blackpool team were staying at the same hotel, which puzzled me at first until I realised they were playing Cardiff the next day.
I went up to him to ask if Andrea Orlandi had travelled, to which he replied yes. One of the staff with him asked if we were Brighton fans. He came from Lewes.
He kindly went and spoke to Andrea in his room, who came down to have a chat & photo with us. We'd found out that Calde had been offered another year, which Andrea knew because he'd just got off the phone to him.

My wife would have thought that was very odd behaviour

I've not met Andrea Orlandi but he sounds like an absolute gent.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

My wife would have thought that was very odd behaviour

I've not met Andrea Orlandi but he sounds like an absolute gent.

I'm not normal ha ha. I'm Albion obsessed, and my husband understands.

He is, in a similar way to Calde. It's no wonder they are great friends.

 

[Lifelong Supporter]

I was driving along the Old Shoreham Road and a Ford Capri came into the back of me. I got out all calm and was greeted by Paul Clark on the way home from the game. He was pleasant enough and a few weeks later I called at his flat to collect a cheque for the repair, which I did collect.

 

[whitelion]

I was driving along the Old Shoreham Road and a Ford Capri came into the back of me. I got out all calm and was greeted by Paul Clark on the way home from the game. He was pleasant enough and a few weeks later I called at his flat to collect a cheque for the repair, which I did collect.

So he bumped into you.