On the road with football’s new old boys’ network

https://observer.co.uk/news/sport/article/on-the-road-with-footballs-new-old-boys-network

Thought this was quite interesting. 

Stopped reading at former L**ds right- back.   UTO

Interesting read.

They're events that I'd have no interest in attending, but it seems those ex-players doing the rounds know full-well there is a market there to exploit. Mark Crossley in particular - but to be honest, why not?

6 hours ago, aussieowl87 said:

Interesting read.

 

They're events that I'd have no interest in attending, but it seems those ex-players doing the rounds know full-well there is a market there to exploit. Mark Crossley in particular - but to be honest, why not?

 

 

Crossley seems to have cornered the market in ‘getting cheap laughs off Brian Clough’ 

That's a really good read, and very well written. 

It would make a good documentary, someone following these ubiquitous after dinner speeches & Q & A's.

A brilliant piece that gets into why these events are popular with both the speakers and the audience.

28 minutes ago, SnowyOwl13 said:

A brilliant piece that gets into why these events are popular with both the speakers and the audience.

I think from an SWFC perspective, there's blokes aged 40 + who love going to an event a Hillsborough to listen to their old heroes like Sterland and Varadi from the mid 80's Wilko era, and Hirsty and Shez & Carlton P. from the early 90's. 

A nice evening with a bit of food and beer, nostalgia for the glory days, and quite frankly providing an income and something to do for players that wouldn't have earned millions from the game. 

5 minutes ago, Bannofan said:

 

I think from an SWFC perspective, there's blokes aged 40 + who love going to an event a Hillsborough to listen to their old heroes like Sterland and Varadi from the mid 80's Wilko era, and Hirsty and Shez & Carlton P. from the early 90's. 

 

A nice evening with a bit of food and beer, nostalgia for the glory days, and quite frankly providing an income and something to do for players that wouldn't have earned millions from the game. 

Chris Waddle is doing the rounds and he's sold out at Ponti's in Stocksbridge and then the social club at Bracken Moor. And I meant to get tickets to the latter but it sold out first!

These kind of events have been happening for decades though, I remember my cricket club hosting Duncan McKenzie about 25 years ago and I went along as a teenager despite not knowing who he was. Like Crossley, his set was basically a load of Brian Clough anecdotes (again, I could barely remember Clough as a manager, but it was still funny - if the ex-player is a good story teller it works).
 

Think Jack Charlton used to do loads of these and earn quite a lot of money from them. As did Jimmy Greaves, George Best, etc.

Only difference now is the venues are slightly more upmarket than working men’s clubs and social media clips and podcasts are bringing them online too.

been to a few of theses down the years.................my hero Shez was good value for money as was ex Liverpool defender Tommy Smith.

The worse by a country mile was a mumbling disinterested Bruce Grobbelar who bored everyone so rigid they all started talking amongst themselves.

Best one was in the early 80,s at the (I think) Arundel WMC on city road with Big Jack, Brian Clough and Danny Bergara.

I would happily listen to Tony Adams but some of these guys, including some of our ex players, I find absolutely painful to see on these circuits.  You have people who have had fantastic careers talking about dressing room fights, getting drunk, stupid stuff as weirdly that is what the audience wants to hear.

i can’t understand it at all.  Virtually all of the audience has been drunk or been in a fight with mates  at some point so it isn’t especially interesting to hear someone talk about. It.  Very few of us have played in a World Cup like Sheridan has , or played in cup finals, yet no one wants to hear that stuff .

absolutely bizarre 

I've been on a couple of cruises where they've had guest speakers doing an hour like this.  Mike Gatting was one. I don't really remember him as a player and a lot of the references were lost on me, but it was still really funny and interesting because he could tell a story. You don't have to know the characters to find a human story funny or moving. As long as it's "real" it works.

On 11/11/2025 at 11:57, mcmigo said:

I would happily listen to Tony Adams but some of these guys, including some of our ex players, I find absolutely painful to see on these circuits.  You have people who have had fantastic careers talking about dressing room fights, getting drunk, stupid stuff as weirdly that is what the audience wants to hear.

 

i can’t understand it at all.  Virtually all of the audience has been drunk or been in a fight with mates  at some point so it isn’t especially interesting to hear someone talk about. It.  Very few of us have played in a World Cup like Sheridan has , or played in cup finals, yet no one wants to hear that stuff .

 

absolutely bizarre 

Isn't that exactly the point though? People want to feel a connection to their heroes! They want to be able to say "they're just like us".  And then being able to shake their hand afterwards whilst revelling in your own former glories, reflected in theirs.