The Day I Met … David Cross & Johnny Ayris

By Steve Anderton

Back in about 1980 – 1981 I played cricket for a local team in Essex. On this particular day we were due to play Hutton CC at King George Playing Fields in Brentwood. I kept wicket at the time and was surprised to see Psycho (David Cross) walk out to bat. As he scored 100 plus runs against us I had plenty of time to chat to him during his innings. When it was my turn to bat I had another opportunity to talk with him as he also was the wicket keeper.

At the end of the game he asked me if my wife and I would like to join him and his wife for a drink back at Hutton’s Club House. I thought this was just him being polite as it is courtesy after games to have a drink with the opposition, but in fact when we arrived at the club he immediately came over to me and insisted we join him and his wife as he had suggested earlier.

We stayed for at least 2 hours in his company and found him to be very different to his on pitch persona. He was as interested in my meagre footballing achievements (Essex Senior and Isthmian League) as I was in his. I will always remember him as a really nice guy.

Also my wife worked with the wife of Johnny Ayris and as such we became friendly for a while as we lived close by them in South Woodham Ferrers. Over dinner one night in our house John explained to me how his career got cut short by Ron “Chopper” Harris of Chelsea.

One last one is that after I stopped playing Saturday football I played for a Sunday morning team in Southend – on - Sea called Trinity. For a season where we got a good way in the National Sunday Cup we were managed by Anton Otulakowski. He was very unassuming and did not open up with many stories from his playing days.

The Day I Met … Paolo di Canio

By Andrew Morrin

I heard Paolo di Canio was going to be at bluewater signing is autobiography. So took my family (missus and three kids). Got there, massive queue and I mean massive. Out of the shop and longer than I could be bothered to measure. So, made decision to go and do some shopping and come back later. Hoping queue would be shorter by then.

Got there one/half hour before close, and still a well long queue. Decided to bite the bullet and join it. It became clear that there would not be enough time to see everyone, before the shop (and shopping centre) was to close. Someone mentioned to Paolo about the closing time. He refused to leave until he had seen and signed everyone in the queue.

Well, we were basically close to the end of the queue. So by the time we got to the front, it’s was after the time it was supposed to close I was aware of this. We had brought along a camera to take pictures. Well we got to the front. And, some person(presume security) motioned me to step forward and get my book signed. This person was trying to get through the queue as fast as possible (understandable). This made me decide not to ask for a photo and just get the book signed. Well, Paolo saw me with my boys and wife. I steped forward and gave him the book. He signed it. Than I went to walk away, and he called me back. And, insisted he shock my hand and personally greeted all my family (shaing hands and hugging). He also noticed the camera, and relalised our intentions and decision not to ask.. And insisted we take multiple pictures. One of him and myself. One of him with his arms around whole family amd a few others.

This made me feel so special and warm inside it was untrue. Some would say could PR, I would say he was a diamond geezer. Will allways respect and admire him for that.

The Day I Met … Ernie Gregory

I am now 71 and my dad started taking me to watch the Hammers in about 1947/48. I lived in Forest Gate and from 48 onwards was a pupil at Plaistow Grammar School.

It was at about that time, during the summer holidays, that I looked out of my bedroom window and saw a group of 5 or 6 men in the garden next door. They were digging out a second world war air raid shelter, dug deep below the surface. When I took a closer look I suddenly began to recognise some of the men as regular first team players from WHU. I rushed down into the garden, jumped up on a box and had a close up view. The group included Dickie Walker, the then captain, Ernie Gregory, our long serving goalie and Ernie Devlin, who played as a full back. I can no longer remember who the others were, but they were all very friendly and enjoyed chatting with this very young supporter. This was an era when players wages were very low and almost non existent during the summer months, so they had to take on labouring work to keep the wolf from the door. How times have changed!

Whilst at Plaistow Grammar School, we often used to walk down to the chippie at the end of Prince Regent Lane and would bump into Terry Woodgate and Ken Tucker, both of whom were wingers playing in the first team at that time and who lived nearby. These men were all my heroes and any time they nodded a glance of recognition in our direction it was considered a red letter day.

I was a season ticket holder for many years. I saw the 66 World Cup trio grow through the youth team and reserves into the very fine players they ultimately became. Sadly I no longer visit regularly, but follow them with great passion via the internet and web sites such as your own. Keep up the good work.

Michael Morton

The Day I Met … Frank Lampard

After a crack of the dawn start we made our way from Upton Park on what can only be described as heap of junk towards the M4 and wait for it “Hereford in the cup” 73/74 season. First the driver got lost getting out of London and by the time the Heston services were looming every one was calling for a “comfort break”, not this driver (with his 10 year old daughter sat on the engine cover alongside him) we sailed straight past so that in his words “we could make up time” by the time we hit the Maidenhead turn off the troops were about to burst in a collective “weeathon” he finally stopped just off the motorway and we all ran into a field.

The rest of the journey was spent cruising at about 40 miles an hour, and kick off was looming, still miles away and only 40 mins to kick off, boy ‘o boy was this driver taking some serious stick (good job he had his daughter with him).

And then it happened we got lost on the outskirts of Hereford the game had kicked off the lads were going mad! finally got into the ground 20mins late. We lost 2-1 “how did that happen” and back to the coach for the long haul home. It turns out the coach has no heating, it’s raining and blow me the bloody windscreen wipers don’t work and the engine chugged as if it wanted to just die! it was a complete fiasco.

We finally made it to some services on the M4 and the we were all sitting down cupping a cup of tea trying to get warm, talking about another cup dream shattered by some wannabes from the depths of the football league when into the services walk the team and Frank Lampard came over to our table and in a very matter of fact way said “SORRY ABOUT THAT LADS”. To be honest I’ll never know who took more abuse that day the coach driver or poor old Frank, what I do know is, it was the last time I ever went on a supporters coach to an away game!

Roshi

The Day I Met … The 1993 Team

By James Metcalf
The Year was 1993 September 1st. Myself (aged 19 at the time) and 2 girls or a similar age, that I was friends with at the time decided to go to Old Trafford on a Wednesday night. We took the Official supporters coaches, which happens to be the only time I’ve done that. The traffic around Manchester was terrible and by the time we got into the ground the game was 5 minutes old and we were already 1-0 down. Ludo had been beaten by Lee Sharpe I think. The game was fairly predictable and we lost 3-0. Cantona and Bruce bagged the other goals.

Anyway, we walked out of the ground after and followed a large group of West Ham fans to where we thought the coaches were parked. We walked for ages before realizing that the fans we were following were heading to their cars. So, we turned around and walked back only to be told that the coaches were moved on by the police and couldn’t wait any longer for us. Short of cash and any other ideas, we headed to where the Team coach was parked.

By this time the players were just about all on and Billy Bonds was standing by the doors of the coach.
I believe my exact words were ‘Billy, Mate, we’ve been left behind by the coaches and have no way to get home’. Billy told the 3 of us to hold on and went on to the coach to speak to someone else.
A few minutes later, Harry Redknapp comes down and says ‘You sure there’s no other way home for you?’ After a short discussion he tells us to get on the coach!! I couldn’t believe this was happening!
As we got on, the board members were at the front, the senior players like Alvin Martin and Tony Gale were to the other side.

Just past the kitchen (and the waiters) were a set of seats with small screens built in above. We were lucky enough to sit around a table with Mark Robson who was a total star, a West Ham man through and through. I remeber him tucking into a bowl of Chilli Con Carne and telling us he lived in Beckton!
Ludo was playing cards with Keith Rowland and Matty Holmes. Down the back was the roudy lot, Martin Allen, Colin Foster, Ian Bishop, Morley and so on. One of them chucked their dirty pants at the girls, who barely spoke the whole way home. I think they were just so shocked by what was happening.
The only player not on the coach was Julian Dicks. Robson told us he was driving back to Bristol that night. Certainly one of the greatest nights of my life…..

Have you got a tale of meeting a West Ham player? If so, email it to me and I’ll publish it on the site at some point.