MY FOOTBALL
What was the first match that you ever saw live?
In my mind, it’s Newport-Colchester in the FA Cup in January 1979. There was an organised coach from our street – in our town [Pontypool] you either supported Newport or Cardiff – because Newport were on a little cup run and beat West Ham 2-1 in the previous round. They played Colchester at the old Somerton Park and it finished 0-0. The glamour caught me right there!
Who was your childhood hero and did you ever meet them?
Because my mum was quite a fierce Welsh woman, if there was a writer or a sportsman, she’d go, “He’s Welsh.” If I saw some Welshness in was massive and I loved Emlyn Hughes [above], even though he wasn’t Welsh, but I thought he was because of his name. The first book I ever read on my own was . I was fascinated with him. But I also remember seeing John Charles walking down the road in Cardiff. I was 16 and had been busking. I’m thinking, ‘F**k, that’s John Charles!’ Awestruck.
