Where did /do you play

Was wondering recently if knowing what I know now, if I could go back would I have the required skill set to make it with the right application. I honestly believe there is an element of natural talent that gets most players to the level they do but then you look at some players and think if they can I probably could have.

I was a decentish forward/left winger but once I turned 18 we played most games after an all night session so it was hit and miss. We were only local level but our managers would still come in to the local nightclub on a Friday looking for us and drop anyone who he found in there on a Friday night

Think I’ve told this story before but pure used to bang on about this elite team he managed and talked me in to going training with him. I was expecting to turn up at carrington the way he went on. Turned up at a school that was obviously shut n a Sunday. We had to climb through a hole in the fence, there was only six of us so we played three a side using jumpers for goalposts and we had to keep stopping to let the bloke cutting the grass through.

Left back

Centre half and a stint at right back. Centre is where I'm at home though. Proper snide too...

Actually played for the first time in years last weekend. Don't think I'd look out of place in a team like Burnley. Even at 38. Body has been in bits since, though.

Most of my career has been centre mid.

Had 2 seasons up front in my mid 20's

Converted to right back now at 44

Right back/ centre mid. OG Philipp Lahm hybrid

Originally Posted by believe

Was wondering recently if knowing what I know now, if I could go back would I have the required skill set to make it with the right application. I honestly believe there is an element of natural talent that gets most players to the level they do but then you look at some players and think if they can I probably could have.

I was a decentish forward/left winger but once I turned 18 we played most games after an all night session so it was hit and miss. We were only local level but our managers would still come in to the local nightclub on a Friday looking for us and drop anyone who he found in there on a Friday night

Think I’ve told this story before but pure used to bang on about this elite team he managed and talked me in to going training with him. I was expecting to turn up at carrington the way he went on. Turned up at a school that was obviously shut n a Sunday. We had to climb through a hole in the fence, there was only six of us so we played three a side using jumpers for goalposts and we had to keep stopping to let the bloke cutting the grass through.

I recall that story

And knowing what I know now I could definitely have made it. I’d realise how quick your teens actually pass and practiced until my feet fell off.

Central defender with the bonus of a good left foot, Buchanesque distribution. Downfall was a love of slide tackling and not staying on my feet.
Used to let forwards get a sniff on purpose sometimes just to allow me to slide in and crush their dreams

Keeper

Good standard - trials at some decent clubs.

Centre back until 21 - Uni team, school team, had a tryout for Manchester Boys with the notorious Dave Warburton. He got Wes Brown to United.

Started playing 'Old Mans' football in Germany at 30 and was pretty fit and so ended up as a marauding right back.

Was a decent player at centre midfield until I was about 12 but I was a much better swimmer which required training 10 times p/w plus competitions every weekend. Didn’t play competitively again until I was 16 and everyone had learnt to play like men and I was shit in comparison.

Moved to right back and played there for years until my knees gave up the ghost.

Centre mid/right mid most of my youth. Was never sure if I was the best player in a shite team or whether I could have been better in a decent team (sort of a Nicky Butt). Had trials for district teams but I was the only one form my school and no £#%&!er would pass me the ball. Think my dad knew I was decent as he used to keep trying to get me in the back garden to train and work on things but like a typical kid I couldn't be arsed.

Became a good 5 a side keeper later on as I was a good shot stopper.

Played left back to a not great standard but had a good whip so used to take corners, free kicks etc. Loved the more physical aspects of the game too, so had quite a few disciplinaries with Cheshire and Flintshire FAs.

Played Sundays until I was 37 when I broke my hand and couldn't work. That was when the fun prevention officer made me pack up.

Miss it still. Everything from putting the nets up on some lardy £#%&!ers shoulders, to cleaning out some gobshite 22 year old winger and seeing his mates carry him back to the car. Some of the piss ups were legendary. Only see some of the lads now at funerals

I was a more silky version of Beckenbauer

Right footed left back but no Denis Irwin. Played in a very successful junior team but went to a rugby school so ended up a Sunday pub footballer playing by numbers.

Gangly cb here. Master of a muddy pitch slide tackle. Filled in at right and left back, hated left back as have zero left foot. Probsbly scored more ogs than goals over a period of about 15 years

Player - Striker, played upfront from a very young age through all levels to pro trials, big numbers...got some great newspaper clippings I'll dig out when putting the decorations away...

"Boy misses nights sleep and bags 7"

Missed the ferry back to Ireland and for the morning one made my dad take m straight to football.....

Enter clubs, women, DnD etc ...

Manager - done my fa coaching badges, been coaching my son and kids for 4 years now, currently U10's
Harsh but fair, don't sign up to the "give everyone a chance" redesigning of youth football...

Few cup runs and third in the league....

Still need the "birthday bump" celebration to finally have made it ..

Started life as keeper and was pretty bloody good tbf. Never conceded a goal at school level in 11 a side and only 3 or 4 in smaller sided tournaments got picked out as star of a tournament by Mike Summerbee, Andy Hinchcliffe and Lee Martin when I was 12 or 13. That was the high point though tbh. £#%&!ed goalkeeping off a year or so later after taking a boot to the chops in a goalmouth scramble on a freezing Sunday morning. Goalkeeping is a thankless task.

Played just about every position on the pitch since, gave up 11 a side at about 17 though, continued playing 5 a side and nowadays 9 a side, with the occasional 11 a side game over the years and love it tbh. Accomplished forward these days, like a hard working Zlatan tbf to me.

Did come out of retirement for a mate who started an open age 11 a side team when I was about 35, played CB, RB, CM, RM, CF over about 10 games while he picked up players, then ended up in net again for 6 or 7 games. Got absolutely battered did a decent job but absolutely hated it by about the 5th game and re-retired after the 7th game, £#%&!ing freezing, early Sunday, conditions horrific, went out to claim a cross and this little shit of a striker went under me and span me so I came down on my back, first time I’d been properly winded in years, think I landed on someone’s heel, finished the game when I got my breath back what felt like an hour later, couldn’t £#%&!ing move for days. They found a new keeper for the next game and I gracefully bowed out. £#%&! that

Originally Posted by dunk

Started life as keeper and was pretty bloody good tbf. Never conceded a goal at school level in 11 a side and only 3 or 4 in smaller sided tournaments got picked out as star of a tournament by Mike Summerbee, Andy Hinchcliffe and Lee Martin when I was 12 or 13. That was the high point though tbh. £#%&!ed goalkeeping off a year or so later after taking a boot to the chops in a goalmouth scramble on a freezing Sunday morning. Goalkeeping is a thankless task.

Played just about every position on the pitch since, gave up 11 a side at about 17 though, continued playing 5 a side and nowadays 9 a side, with the occasional 11 a side game over the years and love it tbh. Accomplished forward these days, like a hard working Zlatan tbf to me.

Did come out of retirement for a mate who started an open age 11 a side team when I was about 35, played CB, RB, CM, RM, CF over about 10 games while he picked up players, then ended up in net again for 6 or 7 games. Got absolutely battered did a decent job but absolutely hated it by about the 5th game and re-retired after the 7th game, £#%&!ing freezing, early Sunday, conditions horrific, went out to claim a cross and this little shit of a striker went under me and span me so I came down on my back, first time I’d been properly winded in years, think I landed on someone’s heel, finished the game when I got my breath back what felt like an hour later, couldn’t £#%&!ing move for days. They found a new keeper for the next game and I gracefully bowed out. £#%&! that

Explains the De Gea hate

Originally Posted by Long tongue phooey

I was a more silky version of Beckenbauer

Always wanted to be on the right wing (Beckham was my hero growing up) but played better up top.

Left footed left back mostly. No great, silky skills but I could hoof a ball and was a decent stopper. Bad tackle one day and my cartilage pinged. Doctor said no football whatsoever for at least 6 months. 18 year old me knew better and started back after 3 months. Had some kickarounds and 5 a sides and felt good. 10 mins into my comeback game and it pings again. Played on till HT and ever since it's been the "good" knee and the "bad" knee. Especially when the weather turns cold.