Idols with feet of clay

[Wienergull]

Ever met a footballer (Albion or other) who you rather wish you hadn't? I have to say my own experience has been good, but maybe that's because I've met so few. Stuart Storer seemed a genuinely lovely bloke when I talked to him at a book signing the first season we were at Gillingham. Frank Worthington was wryness personified when collared coming out of a bookie's near The Valley shortly before kick off circa 1986. Asked why he wasn't playing, he said "The manager [Chris Cattlin] doesn't know what he's doing." Even Lawro, who has taken a lot of stick on this board for disowning the Albion, was very personable when I met him at the Goldstone, but that was back in 1988.

 

[SussexSpur]

Gary Lineker, very cold and up-himself, though maybe this seemed exaggerated by the contrast with Trevor Brooking who was with him at the time and couldn't have been friendlier. (This was before hearing all the circulating stories about what an unpleasant sleaze Lineker is anyway.)

 

[Wienergull]

I forgot to mention that Joe Cole was the only England player to come over to sign autographs (along with Sven) when the team was boarding their coach at their hotel in Vienna a few years ago. Had a lot of time for him since then. Trevor Brooking was also there, but didn't come over.

 

[Cian]

Reverse in some ways, I always assumed Fran Rooney (former head of the FAI) was going to be a twat and, well, he's not. As yet not met a "celebrity" of any description who didn't at least meet expectations, although for most musicians I've met I've been way too drunk or tired to care

 

[hans kraay fan club]

I have worked alongside a lot of athletes and swimmers rather than footballers, and its funny how the really big names tend to be decent, and the slightly famous can be so up themselves.

By way of example Roger Black is a nobber, whilst Michael Johnson is a really top bloke, and has time for anybody.

Steve Cram messes up my equation a bit, as he is quite famous, but an utter utter twat.

One of my customers meets a lot of Chelsea players, as CFC use their facilities - he says J.Cole is a really nice guy but Cashley is a dick.

 

[Rusthall Seagull]

I met Gary Hart whilst stuck in a traffic jam coming over the dartford bridge - he was in car next to me.....hot day and windows open, I started a conversation with him about the Albion - he seemed a very nice guy, but he drove off mid chat...

 

[Gazwag]

I forgot to mention that Joe Cole was the only England player to come over to sign autographs (along with Sven) when the team was boarding their coach at their hotel in Vienna a few years ago.

Did he do six step overs and then pass the pen back to an opposition fan

 

[Man of Harveys]

Wiener, what do you do in Berlin? I'd like to live there. Give me a well-paid job there and, in return, I'll piss around on NSC all day. Well that's what my current employer does...

 

[mejonaNO12 aka riskit]

in the opposite dick knight was a LEGEND for me and mr biscuit when we were doing our a level media thing on falmer. he ignored his p.a guy or media bloke and spoke to us on camera first instead of meridian tv who were waiting there with two smartly dressed reporters. HERO

 

[crodonilson]

I've met a few celebrities, Dave Benson Phillips when my niece was on GYOB and he was a thoroughly decent guy and an Albion fan to boot.

Dale Winton was a thoroughly decent chap, Martin Platt from Coronation Street was a bit of a nob and Jill Douglas from BBC Sport was also well up herself.

 

[Seagullible]

Michael Parkinson is a top bloke as is Rolf Harris. Ulrika Johnson is so up herself it's not true and Timmy Mallett swears more tahn anyone else I've ever met.
All of whom I've seen while shopping in Maidenhead
Jonny Vaughan is pretty much as you see him and basically cheekey as f***. Denise Van Outen is really nice and very down to earth off camera - met them when I was on Big Breakfast

 

[pasty]

Talking "celebrities", the most unfortunate person I have have ever had the misfortune to meet was Robert Maxwell. I know one shouldn't speak ill of the dead, but WHAT A COCK !

 

[Tooting Gull]

Timmy Mallett swears more than anyone else I've ever met.

For some bizarre reason, that's an amusing image.

'Mallett's fcuking mallet, anyone? You want some?'

 

[leonidas]

Had a few beers with Ian Hart over the years, nice chap, does that count?

 

[Gwylan]

My boyhood hero was Barry John. When I met him, years later, he was funny, self-deprecating and an all-round nice guy. Phew.

On the other hand, I met Henry Blofeld, whose commentaries I've always enjoyed and he was a grade one tosser. (I've also worked with CMJ when I did my work experience at The Cricketer and he was nice bloke).

For my job, I've worked with a few celebs: Jonathan Ross and Barry Cryer were the nicest. Ruby Wax, Mariella Frostrup and Jim Bowen are thorough arseholes.

 

[sams dad]

I worked on Steve Ovett's house when he lived in Brighton back in the 80's. Really nice friendly bloke, not at all like he was portrayed in the media.

 

[Wienergull]

Mariella Frostrup and ....are thorough arseholes.

Oh, dear, wish I hadn't started this thread now. Still like her voice though.

 

[clapham_gull]

In a previous job I met a number of sports stars. They were all doing a spot of training with kids for a tv program.

Some genuinely friendly, Steve Davis comes to mind. Top bloke, brilliant.

Others Chris Boardman? the cyclist, rude as f*ck.

Linford Christie was absolutely nuts, probably due to the fact that he was being trailed by dope testers (he claimed) and they turned up on the shoot.

We also made a programme with the then Southampton team. Iain Dowie , Glenn Cockerill and a certain Mr Adams were all very, very friendly.

We got them playing a team from a school that had a fair few of disabled children in wheelchairs. The school had devised a football game pretty much like chair basketball, on a 5 a side pitch.

The Southampton players got in the wheelchairs and competed, but were squarely beaten by the kids.

 

[clapham_gull]

I've always worked for television companies after that (in non production roles) and the nature of the job usually means that I comes across famous people from time to time, usually these days in a lift or in a toilet.

The worst experience I ever had was with a television/radio presenter who was in low point of his career.

Previous to that he was very famous, and now has become more recognised for his radio work.

It was my first job at my new company (which was pretty much shifting boxes about)

I had to take something into a studio and the said presenter followed me in after his usual routine of getting shit faced in the pub before doing his presenting for the recorded programme.

Pissed off his head, his phone rang and he stood in the doorway of the studio and refused to let me past until his phone call finished a good 15 minutes later.

(Even shifting side to side as I tried to get out)

When he phone call finished, he sarcastically stood to one side to let me out.

Tosser.

 

[Lady Bracknell]

Being a huge fan of Blackadder and admiring most of his other work, I was most disappointed to discover that Rowan Atkinson was a Grade One Arsehole. He raced in the Renault 5 Turbo Championship that I was involved with as a timekeeper and I had a whole season's worth of watching him be as unpleasant as possible to everyone who had the misfortune to deal with him. So it was no surprise that he palled up with the one other prize wanker amongst an otherwise very nice group of competitors.

Jackie Stewart, on the other hand, was a thoroughly decent bloke as was Mikka Hakkinnen.