Were You Any Good At Football When Young ?

[LEONARD]

No, enthusiastic but lacking in skill and application.

Much better at cricket and volleyball.

I never suffered self delusion, so knowing I would never grace Goodison Park, was the tragedy of my young life.

 

[arch stanton]

I played in reasonable level Saturday leagues but I was always aware I was the midfield grock in the team, dragging the opposition down to my level and then letting our good players do a bit. Also, the mens football pyramid is so big and strong that there were thousands and thousands of better players at my level and above in the pyramid

 

[ArtetaMagic]

I wasn't a great goal scorer but I scored great goals. My fave, think gazza vs Scotland but at an absolutely crap level. Have played alongside some quality players tho

 

[Kurt.]

I admire your honesty, but you were never in my league.

I know, I was playing 4 leagues higher

 

[Calvin]

I know, I was playing 4 leagues higher

Just the 4? And don’t you mean weight classes?

 

[ToffeeTim]

I was, and still am rubbish. I could run a bit and win tackles, but any part of football that involved skill wasn't for me.

 

[Daveysgingerlovechild]

Absolute cart, yet strangely effective. Like Marouane Fellaini crossed with Doucoure, with a touch Denis Straqualersi and the pace of Phil Jagielka.

Apparently laughable with the ball but terrifying if you had the ball. Not my words.

Played anywhere. Was good in goal actually.

 

[Rita_Poon]

I remember playing in Kirkby when I was younger. We had two lads in our team, 1 who played at Everton and 1 at them lot. Pair of them were boss. Like you could tell they were class. The lad at them lot was voted best youngster in the NW etc. That was when we were about 12. We also had 2 or 3 lads who could of played at a much higher level but genuinely couldn’t be arsed and love the green and ale to much.

Time they are both 15 they didn’t play for the clubs. Both never played professionally. Brutal the step up. I’ve read about lads playing in the Liverpool area who are better than most in the football leagues but could never be arsed with it.

Christ!

 

[Blue 1]

I was alright, represented my schools and played for local youth teams from about 10 years old until about 14, when picking the team was handed over to the "jocks", to use an Americanism, you know the type, who just picked their mates.

I was starting to lose interest by then anyway, really, as the lure of girls and music, and then also booze and drugs took over.

 

[Sarnia Kevin]

I was pretty atrocious, but I tried my best and made up the numbers for a kick about.

 

[blueloon]

Saturday and Sunday leagues as a box to box midfielder. When I moved away I didn’t play until the guy inThe flat below asked me to play for his team , who he said weren’t bad , but were short that weekend. So I did , scored the first goal after 5 minutes and the captain ran the length of the pitch , jumped on my back “ That’s the first goal we’ve scored this season “ !! I retired young at the end of that season, but forty years later returned to play Walking Fitba , great stuff and still scoring the odd goal now and then!

 

[Doctor Blue]

This is going back a little, well a lot actually, more than I care to remember so apologies if muddled. I was in the last year at junior school and I was already playing for the district, my old Man heard about try-out for what I think was called Everton 'C', everyone around me was roughly 10, 11 or 12 ish. I saw myself as a bit of Alan Whittle, but ended up in defence as a right back. I could tackle and run like the clappers, I just didn't know what to do with the ball when I got it! After the try out Mike Lyons (who was a striker back then) and who had been involved with watching us, came over and lightly wrapped his arm round my shoulder.
"So, what other things do you like doing when you aren't kicking a ball?" he asks.
"I love art, sir, drawing and painting...!" I said, with a big silly grin on my face. Mick gave me a small but firm tap on the shoulder before he said, "Yeah, I can see that now, you stick with it lad and one day you'll make a fine artist! "
I did have a few games down in one of the minor leagues playing for such luminaries as Borrowash Victoria, Long Eaton United but never the sultry heights of Everton FC 'C' again sadly. Incidentally for that try-out I brought with me my first Everton shirt, which my Mam says I never took off until one day she cut the white cuffs off it because I kept pulling the sleeves down and holding them in my clenched hands. She said I stretched the sleeves making it look two sizes too big. Like Samson's hair, once removed so too with them all my footballing capabilites it would seem. Happier than ever these days writing fantasy novels and Sci-fi so it all worked out in the end!

 

[Toffe3m4n]

In short, yes. Me and my younger brother were very good players in our teens. Multiple trials at different clubs, some successful and some not. Continued playing semi-regularly well into my early 30's but knew about 20 years ago that I wouldn't make it as a pro, although if I'd committed myself more I reckon I'd be more than good enough at semi-pro level.

Loved playing, though at times I'd get over-competitive to a fault lol

 

[ste d' indica]

Shocking player. In fact, even using the term 'player' feels like a stretch, my sole achievement of note was an own-goal of the year pot for a spectacular side footed reverse volley of a clearance that span over a befuddled keeper almost in defiance of physics to gales of laughter from the entire event.

 

[canuckblue]

I would have liked to have found out, seeing as my grandfather played for Marine and both my parents were born in Europe. But there was no youth football in the rural area where I grew up, just hockey and baseball. I do remember playing a little at the elementary school level, just pickup games at recess, and scoring a couple of goals.