Life’s A Pitch TV Episode 23 – John Peddelty

This week our special guest is John Peddelty, who joins Mark Murphy, Terry Butcher and Phil Ham for the 23rd episode of LAPTV. Russell Osman will return next week.

We would like to thank our Main Sponsor DPS Tech, our Associated Sponsors, All About Hearing, Ginger Pickle, Fore Wood Floors, Hudson Group, Venue 16, John Keeble Cars (Bramford), and our Production Sponsors who are Come Hither Design, Jon Parker of Venue 16, and Richard Garrett of Sound 4 Pro Audio.

[Applause] [Applause] w [Applause] r [Applause] the capacity crowd is in but the capacity crowd hello happy New Year happy New Year and happy New Year to you as well whether you’re watching on YouTube or listening on podcast and Welcome to our first edition of life to pitch TV for the

Brand New Year good to have you along with us uh what a year 2023 was for ipswitch toown we’re hoping for more of the same in 2024 just some shoutouts first of all before we get underway our main sponsor DPS Tech a massive thank you also to our other sponsors all about

Hearing marketing company Ginger pickle forward floors come here the design the Hudson group sound 4 Pro Audio venue 16 Fred Olen Logistics John Keel cars in bramford and the dove in IPS which without them we couldn’t be here with you on a Thursday night let me introduce

You to the team it’s only Terry butcher no Russell Osman this week but he’d love a cheer anyway Phil ham would love one as well from twd.com [Applause] [Applause] [Laughter] F they they drink the beer I mean they come in and uh get refreshed but they’re all behind the team you can see that and resp splendent in their shirts I think word has got out actually that this is a warm room with beer and snacks and it’s

All for free I think that’s possibly why that we have so many people coming in on a Thursday yeah I think we got a waiting this haven’t we we have indeed yes yes we have but lovely to see you all you look very handsome very beautiful well

Done and you all looking forward to the season ahead yes fantastic uh lots to talk about tonight and we have a very very very special guest this evening would you give a big round of applause for former Town player John Peli come on John now not only were you a player for

Town but you ended up as a police officer locally and I’m looking at our capacity crowd I wondered why they were moving further back any faces you recognize no I don’t think so but uh to stand sideways on or something like that so I can’t say sideways I’m still under

The official Secrets act so I can’t say anything but now it’s uh it’s a pleasure to be here um so I’m really looking forward to it yeah we’ve got lots to talk about with you tonight and uh and lots to talk about as far as I town is

Concerned you get to watch them quite regularly don’t you yes I have been more this year than well not this year yet but last season uh watching them uh originally I didn’t go down every week I now I am going down every week because

Of what I do down there to help the ex players out but yes it’s uh it’s all a bit of a um what shall we say I better got be careful with me words haven’t I because I’ve been told not to swear we just have to take a box you can

If you want no no no I’m not I’m not doing that but now I are doing ever so well this year and I’m very very surprised of how they they are doing this year did you ever did you ever go down there as a policeman yes I did I

Was um down there quite regular as you know we used to do Saturdays even on our Saturdays day off we had to do football that was our duty especially the first two years which was uh you had to get through your probation and at that time

As you know I probably was starting to referee but I had to give it up because of um the sort of Saturday’s football thoroughly enjoyed it as you do you start out the ground and you work your way in like everything else like the suffix show you work you start

Outside the uh the the the ground work your way in then the big job is looking after the the uh helicopter and that was the item of my life so I think probably at the suffk show oh I looked after the helicopter was anybody famous in the

Helicopter I can say that yes but I can’t remember who he was my memories starting to go all those years ago but I think it was um might have been princess an or one of them anyway but it was one of the royal family and I think my duty was to look

After the helicopter for 8 hours what was it like policing round the ground though because obviously as a former professional footballer were you itching to get out there what was that like well I’ll tell you this tell you the story is to say I was walking around when I just

Joined the police as you do with your top hat on don’t you and your raincoat and everything and uh I think it was probably 1986 maybe something like that four years since i’ after I joined in 82 and I looked at this goalkeeper who was warming up for

Everton and I said he used to clean my boots it was Martin Hodge the old goalkeeper who used to played Plymouth who went up to Everton and you as you know that in those days the warmup was just kick the ball here and there and everywhere not like

This um an hours training sort of thing before you start so I said uh I Hy so I get on the radio and I can’t remember who was in the in the control I say blah blah blah blah blah I’m just going on the pitch so I don’t want any interruptions what you

Doing that sort of stuff what you’re doing and I shouted I walked on the pitch and I think it was around near the old Portman roadstand and I walked on I said OJ and he looked around and he said John and we all had a big hug on the

Center spot don’t you as you do like this he said what I just just out of the blue martin and I’m thinking Martin you used to clean my boots and whatever but it was nice to see people like that and you see people like Gary Mixon who was in this starting

Off in his um managerial career and still playing when I was when I pucked up but uh yeah it was good fun and do you want another story about the the northand yeah yeah as you do you stand in the northand wasn’t it before all the uh fencing came in to separate separate

The supporters and we used to have two rows of policemen down the down the middle the white supporters home supporters whatever no problems next thing you know what’s that somebody had peed on me leg and I’m thinking you know what I mean and I’m thinking but I didn’t know didn’t see

Who did it so you can’t pull him out and deal with him so yeah I had uh I was peed on which is nothing to be uh famous for but uh stories like that and you’re getting in the van and and you’re going around I Town Center there there’s punch

Ups more punch-ups in those days there is now allegedly you must have been used to that with with with Bobby Robson having a few punch ups with his players as well true uh as I say with the stories when I played in the first team

It was always my mate not my mate but sir Sur Le Sur Le the Old Coach he said uh right John first five minutes get close to him and kick him and I did and fair enough it was one of those stories where you get close try and not

Kick him deliberately but get make sure you’re there it’s called make sure you were there and um off you dirly well went he said and you said so so you were a you were a policeman you were a referee do you like getting abused well I won’t say anything about

Being abused Terry but but no I think being a referee is these days you they’ve lost the art of refereeing would you I mean what with v now would you have managed V that would be interesting well V you have to go along with it don’t you you have to go

Along with what they’ve got nowadays but I can see you arguing with the V are really oh yeah I could I would but hopefully when I was refereeing I always used to talk to the players and I think every time I’ve seen people who different places where we’ve been

To you refereed me he said did I he says yeah and I always used to say Well done good tackle that that sort of thing always talking to the players and all my instructions were to my linesmen were if I’m caught out you’re in charge and I’ll go with you even if it’s

Wrong and that’s that’s that’s what we did and we had no problems and I couldn’t but referee in today to me has lost the art it’s all about making mistakes they got to make a mistake and VR will put it right and it’s wrong and it’s but that’s the way things are

Nowadays V are and these linesmen I can’t call them linesmen the assistant referees don’t make decisions they will not make a decision um but that’s where my opinion is I’m oldfashioned I’m sorry about that but that’s the way things are y That’s the Way It Is Well I’ve got some

Feedback for you already because you know what it’s like uh doing a local show amongst local people people know you John and uh Grant Wilson’s been in touch the grant was my old PE teacher at marfield Junior School when I was growing up and uh he’s been in touch he

Says you were a brilliant referee manage the game with humor knowledge and Common Sense top lad he says so I think that’s so yes thanks very much thanks much and don’t worry I’ve got a few more comments but we’ll save those for later yeah all right well it’s just like I’ll say this

Now in the police when I was in the police if you dealt with somebody how you wanted to be dealt with you’re doing your job and I’ve always like we saying before we came on air that you speaking to people how are you John Boy I’m fine fine I’m

Fine and it’s sort of uh oops that off and that’s the way it was and hopefully I’m thinking back I never ever dealt with a stubbing in these days it’s all stabbings and knives yes you have a good punch up don’t we when we were in the

80s and 90s we had a good punch up but there’s none of these stubborn people and killing people yes the the only people that were killed were the people who were murdered put it that way but uh we never dealt with anything like I I can’t remember ever ever unless I was

Not given the jobs to deal with of dealing with stabins that’s that’s the way things are that’s the uh the way the world is nowadays it’s the world has changed sadly um look we’ve got a lot to talk about we’re going to come back and talk

Some more about you and your career um but it is time to take a look at the season so far and this has brought to you in association with the dove in St Helen Street in ipswitch Now we had our Christmas break so we haven’t been around for a while so there’s quite a lot to catch up on um and I believe um we were here last looking ahead to the Norwich game very good indeed thank you well done we were with with Lor s weren’t we

And we’re all the canary is still deflated up above my head thank goodness but uh yeah well do you know what can I just honestly say can I be honest now if I never have another East anglian Derby it will be a day too soon I’ve decided

That I hate that fixture now it’s just too stressful isn’t it it really is I mean if we’ have thumped them I’d be sitting here slightly differently but especially when it’s changed to 12:30 kickoff I I know no I do I do agree with you and particularly when we’re in a

Season where we’ve got kind of a greater ambition do you know what I mean I think when George was manager it was the same that we’d go and play there and they were never really contenders at that top of the um what was well they’re certainly not contenders then and this year similarly

They’re not really contended so we’re kind of so you get this game where they’ve got it’s got a lot of additional hype around it when really our focus is on is on promotion um and I think normal game against the side that well I’ve got 14th or something when we played them um

We’d have probably won it but I think all the additional kind of stuff around it might have impacted it to some degree and obviously we ended 22 um but I think we should have won I think I think many people are in in in doubt that we should

Have won that game Nathan Broadhead had a couple of chances early on didn’t he they should have taken uncharacteristically didn’t take the way it’s actually I think it’s quite surprising um when you see a town player not score a one-on-one in the last little while because they’ve been so so

So um clinical haven’t they the the strikers and the forwards um so yeah a bit of frustration you know I think they pretty much had two chances didn’t they two errors at the back two goals V might have helped us out V would have helped us out twice because obviously there was

Was off sides on both of them weren’t there um but at the end they they thought they’d won the Champions League Didn’t They isn’t that ridiculous it just goes to show how far we’ve come though doesn’t it I think that’s true I think they kind of built it up to be a

Game where they were going to get absolutely slaughtered and um and as as they didn’t then uh yeah it was it was uh that that was something to be cheered but yeah disappointing result but I think the performance is pretty decent um and um but you know I’ll wait go on

But ter yeah I mean I think I think but you say you don’t you hate them you don’t like them no it’s too stressful too stressful yeah I love them I fantastic I love I love it when you when they’re down here and we score against them it’s fantastic great feeling but

Not so nice when they score but I just think having played in Rangers Celtic games you know there still right up there with ipsu snage it really is because you’ve got you’ve got you know big teams and big crowds and supporters and history and everything else like

That and these games you look forward to these games very very much but you know yeah on the day I understand it because I was nervous I didn’t want to lose to them and when we’re two1 down you sort of think oh my goodness but I have faith

In this team that he’s going to come back hasn’t done so much at the end of December but I have faith in them that they will come back the game were incredible weren they with the fans out out in front of the stadium there I thought coming on the team bus and doing

All that stuff was no that wasn’t right for me that really wasn’t right so I didn’t I I thought that was a wrong move and I and I yeah why if anything because you haven’t won anything like you know you’re you’re going for a promotion last

Year you know you win the game you’re you get promoted we know about that and it was something special you win the game against Norwich you don’t get promoted or anything else nothing’s decided and it it so of gave me a a feeling of of being a bit cocky and a

Bit arrogant and a bit like you know we I switch and we do this and we do that and all that and I think that you know noris if I was or player I would have said look they they think they’ve won it they think they’re going to get

Promotion they’re Billy big time and all that sort of thing so I would have I would have gone in sleeves rolled up and ready to get stuck in um so no but I love them it’s brilliant I play them every week would you not play nor every

Week yeah just me then yeah just you but you but you were being honest so there we are well you know it’s just it’s you know it is very stressful isn’t it it’s very stressful um and then we got to mention lead United which was well we

Just didn’t turn up did we well United I think kind of Premier League quality show didn’t it and it was it was you talk about atmospheres and all that kind of thing leads obviously had built that up to be second v3d huge game for them enormous atmosphere in in one of well

Second biggest Grand in the in the division I think and um and they just you know from the start they were at it and they got an early goal if they hadn’t got the early goal might we have grown into the game not impossible uh but you know they got that goal the

Great ground is is going their players are on top I think if you look at all the goals they all come from pretty much the same thing that we lose the ball sort of on the edge of the final third that they’re in you see what I mean and

Then get broken on at PACE because they’ve got such Pace in their forwards haven’t they the first go was a corner but the the move that led to the corner was that the penalty came from that the goal in the second all all four goals came from the same sort of thing just

Them breaking on us from deep in their own half with that pace and us being caught short of numbers um and yeah we just did and and once you’re kind of three-nil down at half time it’s um yeah you you’ve got no chance have you going

To side like that and uh yeah it’s it’s it was a chastening experience I think um Kieran McKenna probably learn a few lessons from it and uh in his perhaps Outlook but you know we’re going to teams that were in the Premier League in

May and we were in we were in League one in May you know what I mean it’s and I think the team that started at leads everybody was part of the league one team weren’t they I think um so it shows how far we’ve gone and the fact that

We’re we’re trying to to go toe-to-toe with them rather than you know in the way that norch came and rather sat back against us we’re going toe-to-toe to try and beat these sides and um obviously it didn’t work out that day but we’ll come to the a subsequent game in a moment

Won’t we will we played the team at the top of the division in come to them now leester well then yes so we’ve lost 4-0 at leads the team in third and we’ve got Leicester city who are top of the league and flying and I think pretty much all

Of us would say that they are almost certainly going to win the league um and I think probably we probably deserve more than a one-1 draw didn’t we I think it was second half second half we were the better team very good second half and I think it’s so easy when you

Down to Leicester one nil the way they’re playing and stroking the ball about and keeping possession and playing the sort of Barcelona way Ticky Tacker and all that sort of thing and you sort of think well it’s hard to get the ball off them but I thought they persevered

Really well and showed a lot of courage and lot of gut to get back in the game and and could have won it what you think of that one John well I didn’t go to it as you know as I say I watched it on the TV um I

Thought Lester was the better side the whole game personally and I thought IP you looking to get a point but they wear the table are the table doesn’t lie they first IP is second so they must be playing some good stuff wasn’t they to get to be second

Place but all I’m going to say is I don’t know if he has a plan B that’s but my opinion and I’ll always stick with it he brings on plays which are the same but he’s doing they’re doing the well so what am I I don’t know

Anything do I so I’m just giving my opinion that were a policeman so I mean that’s true that’s true yeah I was a policeman and a referee as well a referee as well but do you think that’s what he’s trying to do now is perhaps

Add a bit of variety or a bit of more bit more I think again coming on a bit further on other game gu I think is the thing we see the game on Monday against Stoke when they word for you Phil gu gu well done um it’s not that long a word

To be fair no it’s just marmalade there’s a longer one um we bar um and yeah we played against 10 men for 23 minutes or whatever it was 27 minutes or 23 minutes and um they just packed their penalty area and we just couldn’t find a way through and I think

This is your point really is that we we just keep trying to do the same thing um and so you know you you’ve you’ve got to either kind of come up with bringing new players that can find you a way through or come up with one or two different

Ideas such as bringing a 6′ seven inch Striker Off the Bench or something like that you know yeah I don’t think it’s an unfair thing but iect Kieran will say that his plan a has worked very well up to now yeah it has I mean injuries and

Illness have affected Us in the last couple of games haven’t they yeah um you know we we’ve we’ve seen players come in and we you know they’re not our first choice every week and we’ve noticed the difference haven’t we he’s made he’s made 22 changes I think in the five

Games average of four just over four and a half 4.4 and you know and this this is what’s going to happen during the season just unfortunate but when you’ve got I think Hurst was a was a big big blow so I thought he he led the line and has led

The line very well and you only know I think how good he is when he’s not there so I think that was a big blow but when you look at the other players coming in we talked about this early in the season about players not getting game time you

Know prob up to match speed to come into the system but then we had Conor chaplain sitting here the first episode of Life of pitch TV and he said uh last season when they had a bad spell not roughly around this time I think probably a bit later whereever it was

But he always said that they weren’t particularly bothered that much because they weren’t losing games they were drawing games and I think having lost the leads game to then not lose but not play particularly well and with all the changes it’s still in we’re still in a

Great position we really are and then you know you’ve got games coming I know we got Lester away but you got games coming up that get get some inj get some of the injured players back and you know chance I’ve sry I’ve always said that uh the lads who come on I’m thinking

They’re not mat fit I’m thinking where do they get their match Fitness from and One S of ter bucked me up a long time ago again we used to play Saturday yes it’s all different change now because they’ve got these squads of whatever they on a turnout on a Saturday

I think there was what 12 of us maybe on a on a Saturday when we were playing but if you didn’t play in the first team you played in The Reserve side and you were match fit so if you if there was an injury you come straight in next week

And you’re up and running and I’m thinking where are these Lads getting Fitness from well it’s all about sports science now and they they they put put on these training do they yeah routines and everything else that that sort of generates the same what they say the

Same sort of energy levels and same sharpness but you’re never going to get that we know that we know that and we I felt sorry for the lad he gets a lot of stick he comes on but he scores goals and one of my mates says he can’t h a

Ball and he can’t trap a ball but he scores goals who I speaking about Freddy Freddy and I’m thinking the other night he should have scored but I don’t think he was much fit and he’s not much fit these people these players are not much fit well I’ve actually seen him miss the

Jant as when he was match so it’s true but I am as well but thing about thing about Freddy is he doesn’t you know if he doesn’t got time to think about things sometimes he puts it in the back of the net you know rebound bang even

Gets hit in the face and it goes in but there you go I think he had he had a chance in the Leicester game didn’t he the ball fell to him and he took a touch and then had a go at goal whereas I think if he’d been in the team week in

Week out he’d gone first time because his his confidence would have been there but I think you’re right I think the QPR performance Illustrated this earlier in the season we had the game against wolves didn’t we and they made 11 changes or whatever and the players on

The fringes came in and we won but I think because they’ve not been getting Games Week in week out or every other week in the caribel cup they came in the people like Dominic B Freddy all those who’ve not been playing I think that just that little lack of sharpness um s

Sort of drop the overall performance down at and I think I think the fluency when you get change so many changes the fluency and the sharpness and the understanding isn’t quite there when it drops a little bit that’s when that’s when we you know we’re in danger of not and the and the

Fact the five players that were out of that game was Hurst obviously uh Burns who else was missing morsey was missing wasn’t he the five pretty much our five best players weren’t they Broadhead was out as well um and so yeah so it’s very difficult for any team to to to kind of

Davis was Davis out as well Davis was out there you go first be very interested to see what he does this Saturday he FA Cup this Saturday FA Cup yeah are we worried about the FA Cup this season or not now not at all no so what what what you’re saying then is

That you’d rather they get promoted and not win the FA Cup yeah but you want to win both don’t you want to win both don’t so you put your personally you put your best team out but I can see what he’s going to do on Saturday he’ll do maybe six five or

Six changes well not that few I think there’ll be a lot more than that to be honest what well these options are limited aren’t they because of the injuries but it is a good chance is a good chance for to get match they going through third round fourth round fifth round

Getting the fifth round well you have a chance to winning something and but but it’s interesting Kieran today I went to his press conference today and he was talking about um last season’s cup run when they played uh Rotherham who were in the championship beat them 4-1 at

Portman road then they played Burnley who were the runaway champions in the championship last year Drew n nil down here and then took them to the final minute where they lost 2-1 and he said that gave the players confidence and I think I like remember Simon Milton

Saying this about the 9192 team that because theyve had that good run that they went through and they played Liverpool didn’t they took Liverpool to a replay um and you know they though they lost I think they came back from anfield on the coach thinking you know

We’ve given Liverpool a game and that they grew as a team and I think Kieran was saying that he he thought his team did that last year so I don’t think that he will um take the attitude that some of our former managers have taken here

Of just kind of seeing it as a kind of imposition really the cup I think he will feel that he will make changes because obviously the league is the priority but at the same time I think he will pick pick a reasonably strong okay well we’ve poured over uh town we’ll

Talk about some news later on the new signing and some other bits and pieces but back to you John and and your playing days who brought you to town yes uh along long time ago I was scouted by um John KS from the from carile bless him from car I think

He lived in carine backed up by Mr Gray Ron Gray and they were the two Scouts up north right so basically before that I’d signed for Nottingham Forest as a school boy at 15 and I keep saying now to anybody my advice that you do not sign

Any paperwork at all because it stops you going in those days it stopped you going to another club and I’m I don’t know what the rules are now the D days aboutmy and things like that but if I was a Youngster I’m 15 16 14 whatever I

Would have go to as many clubs and see what’s going on see how they perform what they do before you you make a decisions along with your father probably who says yes you can go cuz I always remember now I can see me dad now bless him he’s

99 and we were down the old house cand Road where T where T probably’s been to evenwood where my local Village and he said uh the Scout was walking up and down the room my dad was with him I was sitting there wondering what was going on all he wanted was my

Signature no I’m not no I’m not signing the papers he said me Dad I’m not signing I’m not signing next thing you know it’s signed and I’m thinking ah right so I’d better sign as well then and I’m convinced to this day that he give a back

Hander I don’t know how much I forgot to ask my dad when I went up home at Christmas to see how much he got him but I am convinced he got a backhander and he didn’t tell me about it he kept did you have a large turkey

That year or something I have no idea I know we didn’t have jaming bread that’s one thing but no so that was 15 and the year following I never ever went down to notingham Forest cuz all they wanted was your signature so he stopped you going

To other clubs and I said I’m not having this so I thought I haven’t been down yet so what I did I just toed up in front of him or did that sort of action oh so after that I was able to go to different clubs in the village was a

Lad called Walter Mees who was a scout for Chelsea and he always he seen me play but every time he’d seen me play said I didn’t play very well but and up going to middle I was going to go to Middlesboro so the next thing you know is John and Ron said come

On down to ipswitch with another trial did you know where I was no and I looked on them up I said it’s it’s down there at farthest point of the world did you pass your geography O level at all no yes I did oh you did I

Did I did pass my geography L that’s amazing I know it is but the best thing about it was Eric came with me Eric Gates Eric was as you know should we say ugly no no I can’t say that I’m you said that I’m not saying that anyway I’ve known I’ve known

Eric since he was about 11 did he did he gamble then as well I’m not saying anything I’m saying and uh Eric was 11 we’re in the same class at uh Bal modern school or Bard Castle modern school so we played together since we’re 11 we know Eric we

Played School football South the district side which you went to the district Bishop Orland District side Durham County school boys which funny enough erig didn’t get into I did uh then both of us never went to England you England school boys which I couldn’t understand but then we came down here

This coming down we played it um tting stone tting stone on the left hand down the drive on the left hand side so that was my trial match and I’ve still got the original uh piece of paper with all our names on in a frame in me shed as they

Call it sort of thing and there’s Eric there’s George I think Stevie Veil bless him was was on it as well uh me there’s quite a four or five players out of there came and played for iwit and you and you also played for England under 16 is that right I played

For England on the youth team you the youth team yeah the under 18s when I was when I was Pro so uh but Eric didn’t I couldn’t understand it he was was he too small or something like that or was there a height yeah no I know what you mean did

They did they think he was a mascot or something probably but he didn’t play but best thing and we’ll have Eric Gates on the show next week apparently apparently Eric’s coming down for the sunon game so you can rib him we’ll get a bid but as to say be way

For that yeah he had this trial batch and Bobby watching you I think he was and whoever was there watching he offered us a offers as a an apprenticeship so you snap your hands off don’t you and you’re thinking well we came down probably another two or three weeks after that and

Stayed and I stayed with Mr Robson calling the boss the boss me and Eric stayed with with the boss it capable cable St Mary in in his house did he did he charge you did he no didn’t no we didn’t but we at them out of the house

And home didn’t we well he wouldn’t have like that no I know that we soon get we soon got out after a month and then as you do you start going around your uh staying digs and whatever up in up our Chantry so what what team did you

Support when you were a boy when I was a boy sundland all right good ma maol but I’m not a maol if everybody says uh me other my brother Michael he he supports Newcastle and I will dare not interrupt him when he’s watching the football like texting him

CU I know what I’ll get back what was your debut the the actual debut was it chelsford in the um in the FA Cup against T and that was sometime January whenever it was 73 three was it yeah League debut was it Liverpool in same year we got beat 2-1

Toshak and Keegan were up front what was that like then I mean Liverpool is your league debut the big atmosphere and two of the biggest names in English football oh you was in you think and and there is Big TSH up there and Keegan was about here sort of thing and and

Basically you just had to go out and do you try and do a job on them and like Ser you know what I mean get close to what kick them kick them so you alongside Alan Hunter were you or no I think it was beat oh right it was Kevin

I think and I think MSY was left back and I think George was right back I think um Allan was injured or might have been vice versa uh so I usually played if alanar beat got injured but then he changed it when beat went left back and stuff like this and

Uh whatever but uh did you ever play right back or Midfield or anything like that for town no just Center just just Center off I can’t run can I well I wasn’t going to say that but that’s true bit like you like I could touche is that

Why so many robbers got away is it yeah yeah they did as well chased up man he said but no it was um I did play a couple of games in Midfield down in down for Argy but other my main thing was Center half and stopping them from

Coming in and your first goal for the club my first goal was um you you put me on the spot there now no well I’ve got it written down here tell I just want to see if you remember that memory’s gone a bit um first goal was it against was it in

The UEFA cup ah yes when we won 3-0 against brouge that’s right well done 30-0 against brouge down at Portman Road and we go and get stuffed 4-0 over there you playing that one I played in both of them well that’s probably one of the true but I’ll always say that because

You’re so slow like you I was yeah oh it was we went over there and everybody thought well we won this and we didn’t and I could see see I can see what’s happening now that uh half the players didn’t want to know and it’s usually the case you’re 3-0 up you

Get stuffed four we only needed one goal we couldn’t get on in and I was really gutted that that we got B uh 4-0 and then was your and your first own goal I think that must have been stok was it no was that well according to Wikipedia was Sheffield

United Sheffield United the sheff center half sitting here comparing own goals huh be Strikers will be comparing goals own goals thanks very much Phil was it really I thought it was Stoke Don H you got one you may have got one against Stoke as well I don’t know

Yeah how many did you score for the CL for the team own goals well it was other one or two then wasn’t it but I scored five be more could be could be L more it could be but I did score five five uh goals for the team in the other opposite

Net were Corners long shot you want three kicks or something do you want to tell me about this goal this goal I scored against Leeds well I I didn’t have YouTube at that time so I couldn’t really see it no scored against Leeds I

Did and I’ve got it on me phone if you want to see it just briefly describe it right the ball came in from the left wing to Trevor y Mark bless him who headed it down and from 23 yards I right footed it past Harvey was in goal into

The net how about that round of applause come on I’ve scored an I’ve scor I’ve scored an own goal for for longer than3 yards so no it was it you think of these times but it’s all about fate isn’t it what happened and stuff it’s amazing that you

Seem to remember your goal and not your first own goal but there we are well I I’ll get stick about that there a selective memory but ni thought didn’t you have c a nasty injury at some point in your career it was yes it was sort of

Um in the middle I fractured me me skull as they say was right in the middle here and the best thing about it was if it was fate if it had never happened I wouldn’t be sitting here it’s all about fate isn’t it that day I should have been at car on

The Saturday but the boss came in and says I’ve got to bring him back I’ve got to bring him back said no you haven’t that was big on because he was uh he was he was injured and that was at car it was the

Away game at car I see cuz I’ve got on my phone the actual date of pictures and some pictures and um I says oh right all then so I rang up uh up me sister or whoever they’d organize a coach from the village to go through the car a there was 50 on

The bus to go through the car Isle so that was cancelled so I played down here and we played against Oxford Oxford United reserves and as you do you’re going up and what happens I can see it now the little lad comes across like this and I’m going up to head

It and I H the back of his head and next thing you know none of this um what do they call it today this head where you get checked out and everything like that concussion thing there’s a in Collard come on John get up come on get up and can’t get

Up so uh as you do your end that’s what the injury was and it’s fate it’s all about fate really and it’s all about fate uh apparently the story is that Newcastle United came in for me but they got Glenn big Glenn instead Glenn key it’s it’s fate so if I had fructed

Me skull and [ __ ] up I wouldn’t be in the police maybe don’t know what you’re doing do you it’s all about fate sliding doors say there any kind of you know concerns for your career at that point well yeah what happens is you get you get fit again after 6 months and the

Back preseason 6 months that was 75 wasn’t it so 76 you go down to Plymouth I suppose you going to ask me about that later on but and uh everything starts again from there uh but people say you’ve got pensions says I’ve got nothing from football I’ve absolutely

Nothing from football what we’ve earned or what we’ve got me and the wife have worked for and that’s that’s the way it is you mentioned that the the Plymouth deal which brought um Paul Mariner to whip switch so thanks for that well you took one for the team literally I did cuz the

Boss said uh if you don’t go it deals off I said no pressure then so that really is the back of be on you think if is I’m thinking most ter is up there as well did you did you know where Plymouth was at the time no does

You and Terry Austin isn’t it main ter and the and the day got got a picture as well but uh uh look so I’ve gone from IPS which the farthest point on the East Coast down to Plymouth which is the farthest point on the Southwest coast and then you’re traveling from

Plymouth every week to say carile up into the Midlands and wherever but you get used to it you got used to it you had a nice bus or coach as they called and um you got honored and just got on with it none of this or we can’t get the

Plane back to from Newcastle to uh Manchester so they had to get the BS which yeah I’m not saying who it was but you know who I meant don’t you it’s utter nonsense but there you go the arrival of Marin was amazing though wasn’t it for rips switch

Well I think that was the start of it wasn’t he and you look at some of his goals he scored where what was it six nearly was it six or nine nearly started seven seven seven against West R first his West Brom that’s right and what can

You say about him and uh he came on International and did he did his job didn’t he nice L because I was there I was I just joined the club in 76 so I never really had a chance to play alongside you at all and it’s virtually like Hello

Goodbye sort of thing for me but you know obviously when when Maris came it was it all changed but when I first joined the club you were still you were you were there and um it was very much a case of well you you were ahead of me

You know the pecking order and and all that sort of thing you were you were quite way above me and I’m looking at that and I’m thinking I got no chance of get getting in the first team not that you have Ambitions at what 17 years of

Age but you sort of think ultimately that’s where you want to be but to get through that I’ve got to be better than the people on Dale Roberts yourself and all these other great Dale there was there’s me Dale Glenn um who else was the Kevin he played well Russell as well

Was came so then all of a sudden you got to think well I’m not going to get a game but uh but it’s fate isn’t it they like fate you do this you go to Argy the best thing about Argy I got a pay rise it was Mr Robson wasn’t famous for

Giving out was no appar he says there’s your contract sign it what say yeah them all lined up on his desk picked it up all right yeah and you signed it but when I went to Plymouth I got 25 p a week pay rise which in no’s days was

A lot of money to me money a lot of money to me on leaving I want do you want to know what I was on cuz I’m I’ve told everybody around here s thing I was on1 pound a week when I went to Plymouth so

I got £1 1225 a week for uh basic you got 25 or 30 pound for playing in the football league in those days which we did appearance money year is that right well whatever it was yeah but looking enough down in Plymouth you got a Bonus of crowd

Money but every week you were getting good crowds we were doing Plymouth were doing quite well when I went down there and one week with one week you’re earning 300 a week and I’m thinking well that’s good money that is but in those days there was no pensions and you’re thinking well you

Got to save it somewhere this is this is when I finished later on pensions were coming in weren’t they and 35 that’s when you could retire from and get your police your football pension I’ll have a bit of this but the best thing I ever did was Terry Austin’s dad

Uh bless him Terry’s dad was in pensions and insurance and he got me an accident insurance and it it paid out because of the thing without that I would have been in the cart as they say CU I no no trade you have nothing do you no trade all he

Knew is football yes I had me preim fa coaching badge but what that going to get you so um we just have to do what you have to do and we decided to come back back to I well it’s a it’s a great career that you had for town for

Plymouth in the police force as well uh we’ll talk about Speedway and golf a little bit later on but for now give John a big round of Applause and it it is time on life to pitch TV for this week’s keep it up Chall sponsored by our friends at Ginger pickle and John uh we have a ball here um and you very kindly agreed did I you did you had a you had a somebody said I can’t keep them up with these shoes on you had a practice earlier come on oh

There you go look you’ve only got a get long as i’ be is it Steve yeah Steve M Steve’s on five Terry got Terry got three I got three so there’s no give a big round of applause come on the crowd what a good sport so John hold on just

Wa so Terry’s going to time you you got 60 seconds okay Phil’s got a whistle and and once you start you start okay um many times he can without without you know without finishing and and 79 to beat from scoy is that all right he’s got three legs he

Did it all on one foot okay are we ready whistle oh almost double figures John it get no you can’t you’ve got to finish now that’s it that’s it that’s it now by a cheering that’s it eight eight so I’m I’m nearly knocked off now it’s just quite more Ste

Give him a Round of Applause well done John actually your your shoes look like they”re just missing the studs because they’re like steel toeat so you know just how used to have pair of Bo I did have a pair of boots did I did have a

Pair of boot like them well done and thanks to Ginger pickle for sponsoring that segment of the show don’t forget if you are watching on YouTube smash that like button subscribe as well you get notifications of when the show comes out uh we’d love you to do that and if you

Want mugs and t-shirts then they’re available from liop pitch. TV so www.ap pitch. TV I know lots of people got those for Christmas uh time now for the town news in brief sponsored by John keal cars of bramford with Phil ham from twd.com First transfer of the window or the first incoming transfer of the window Jeremy samento on loan from Brighton joined yesterday uh 21-year-old Ecuador in international spent the first half of the season on loan at West Brom but the seag gos recall him due to his lack of games effectively replacement for danne

Scarlet who was recalled by Spurs uh as cover for injuries and players away at the Asian cup he’s going to make his debut I think on Saturday at AFC Wimbledon Kieran today at the press conference said he they’re sort of assessing how much of that game he can play um

Exciting player I think we’ll have a bit of a chat about in a minute but aside from that the early days of the window I’ve also seen Australian Striker young Australian Striker tety yangi leave the club to join Livingston in Scotland for an undisclosed fee had a couple of

Spells on Loan in Finland as well as a a stint at Northampton um and Livingston have revealed that town have got a hefty sellon should he prove a success north of the border which basically means if Rangers or Celtic quite like the look of him if they sign him which is what

Happens isn’t it Terry I think um and the best news obviously is that signing the worst news we’ve had this week is that as we’ve alluded to George Hurst is out till pretty much the end of the season Kieran said at this press conference after the game at Stoke that

Uh he’s going to have an operation which is I think is early next week um it’s going to keep him pretty much out for all but the last knockings of the of the season a big blow really um because as we’ve said before he’s such an important

Player to us as Terry says perhaps don’t notice quite how good he is until he’s Miss in sort of a frustrating parallel with 20145 when tamell placed in January but lost David McGoldrick to an injury which and only came back for the to play a bit

Part in the playoffs so at least this time we’ve got money haven’t we well that’s true that’s true unfortunately David mcal got injured after the transfer window had closed at that point um but we had already signed Freddy Sears who who came in at that point um

But Kieran says that the extent of the injury doesn’t particularly add to the urgency because it was already after stri number nine anyway so um watch this space he said this afternoon at his press conference that really nothing imminent so we may have to wait a little

While um Jay Stanfield known to be a Target uh whisper I heard earlier in the week is that Birmingham might Fulham might wanted to stay at Birmingham because he might play more often at at Birmingham but obviously Wayne Rooney has been sacked as manager there so

Things could change so um I think that was a great move by bming they did very well and and now they now they’ve taken the having gone for this big name uh they’ve now apparently looking towards Tony Mo who would obviously be a much more sensible appointment in the first

Place I think I think Brighton have moving in more directions than a weather bin the owner said was the chairman said you know we’re not moving in another Direction but he’ already said that to get Wayne Rooney in from John H so you know how many directions as a football

Club want to move in well yes it’s ter and finally a few of us have been caricatured for this show by Dan Thomas from come here the design but one of us escaped that treatment from now but no longer award win Perth caricature caricature artist in Western Australia

Based Town supporter Terry dunet has filled that Gap Terry’s caricatures can be found on uh Richard Terry’s car can be found on Facebook and Instagram look for Terry dunet cares over our his website Terry dun it.com Au yeah thank you Terry and this is now appearing on

Our screens is that is that in proportion do you think at all I thought I thought you could have had a bigger head really wow that’s so there you go in it’s got a little dead Canary at the bottom if you see as well oh fantastic excellent oh

That’s brilliant I think I think we will supply you with a uh a framed copy of of this and wonderful I think that’s a good one and Terry tells us that characters of Kira mcken and airan are in the works as well brilliant and there endeth the

News thank you Phil than you thank you I feel like I’ve arrived now with my own caricature I have I feel comfortable now uh let’s have a look at what’s happened to itfc on this day brought to you an association with Fred Olen Logistics okay well Russell’s not here obviously so I’ve got the book and uh a couple you read yeah I can read a bit yeah it’s a very small writing but there we are it’s on Tuesday the 4th of January 1949 a certain Michael MC Dennis Mills

Was born in godling but it was obviously a very very small cot he had and [Laughter] uh didn’t grow much after that um pman Road legend MC Mills total of 741 appearances as a club record and during an illustrious career he lifted both the

Fa and UEFA cup he also won 42 caps for England captaining them at the 1982 World Cup finals and if there’s a a picture of the team like up for that for the for the national anthems and Mills is obviously with the captain’s armband and he’s standing just like a true like

A soldier would impeccable impeccable Captain Mills who later managed Stoke City and coester United can rightly be considered one of the ipswitch Town great Round of Applause happy birthday M happy birthday and he’s now he’s now he’s now 99 no he’s uh 7 75 I think he is 75

Carried Away by your we keep trying to pers to come on yeah I have a word with him every week yeah we keep asking one of if he’s watching this which it’s probably way past his bedtime uh we would love to we would love to see him

Here wouldn’t we we would indeed and walk we keep asking walk to come we have to have a booster seat for MSY but there we go on Saturday maybe if we get gatesy as well we can both them we can invest it would be worth spending some money

Wouldn’t it well yes yeah yes you get two people on there for the price of one yeah Gatey Saturday the 4th of January 19 19 64 New York born Gerard Baker well Jared Baker scored a hattrick as Town walloped old them Athletics 6-3 in the

FA Cup Baker was to score 66 goals in 151 Town starts after signing from Hibernian in 63 for 177,000 and finally on Saturday the 4th of January 1997 at a snow clad City ground the blues were thrashed 3-0 by Stuart Pierce Nottingham Forest in the fa cup third

Round the game was notable for iwi born future England International Kieran Dy debut the skillful D made 112 appearances before Newcastle brought him for 6.5 million slightly different to the 177,000 the highest fee received for an to player so it is I think is it that’s

The I think you could be right yeah that’s the news on the um in history uh for the 4th of January fantastic Jerry Baker’s brother was Joe wasn’t he Jerry Baker Jerry Jerry Baker played from the US and Joe Baker played from that’s correct yes England England yeah yeah

Some comments uh from our socials for you John all right uh James Easter’s been in touch James yes a lot of people know James Easter in the crowd here lot know James Easter Everywhere hello James he watches every week um says you’re a big Speedway fan is that right yes

Correct yes I’ve been watching Speedway since since I probably about 11 yes we used to go to the old Middlesboro Stadium the middlesbor Bears at the Cleveland Park with me sister and brother-in-law with him so uh yeah I’ve been watching that and came down and carried on with it sort thing and um

Even went to um she Lov me for saying this but uh I think we come back off honeymoon in 75 that’s a long time ago and we actually went to the speedway on Saturday afternoon be with Foxhall there was a world championship round on I think so we ended up backing Fox all

Watching Speedway in those days she she liked it she does like it anymore so I wonder why oh I wonder why yeah they did well last year didn’t they yeah Speedway just talking to John now we they should have won the double last year but hey ho was never been raced in

My opinion if he hadn’t been on TV but there you go it CU it was like the the first leg against when I were playing at home on the Tuesday night and they never ever do that so they lost probably about th to 1500 people for

That night still got a good crowd but um yesterday got beat by Sheffield whatever in the I think they’ll win something again this year good good good good side isn’t it um Ashley Jordan’s been in touch I know John quite well we live close always up

For a laugh good golfer as well what Ashley no you well me well first time I played today for about six weeks but yeah Ashley’s a very good friend if you want driveways do and just give me a ring Ashley’s in Ashley’s I do actually so it’s Ashley Ashley’s in the driveways

And other things um uh Mark Jepson who was in the police force as well says what a great guy you are and Nathan I was invited to go on a golfing holiday with John suffer constabulary outing to the algar in 2001 smashing holiday and a smashing

Gentleman it’s a long time ago isn’t it but uh well you say that in the in my shed should I say how big is the shed of yours well it’s um I’ve got scores going back from about 2001 every trip we did uh every year we’ve got where we went and

The scores and everything yes I do like me golf um do do you never get out of your shed then because you got all these scores and everything in there yes I do get out of my [ __ ] yes apparently you were iwi Golf Club you were the second

Ipswitch player to have uh had that role along with John elsworthy before you apparently I’m reading not iwi Golf Club rushmere rushmere oh rush but it was called if go Club I think years ago till it would till he went to where it’s at now it’s called

Perers and uh iich golf club yeah I was Captain in 2010 no so sorry 2012 yes what we haven’t touched on is your uh your career as a a sports Master Sports Master yeah did you teach PE or anything like that no that’s might me me cousin Morris well

Steven’s been in touch John was my sports Master at s John Lemon High School in beckles ah right that’s Morris ah my cousin used to play for Dar is a village yes Morris used to play for um carile and Darlington in in the old days and he

Pucked up and then he went to be a teacher and became a Headmaster and one of his teaching schools was the John Leman school have been beckles and um I haven’t seen Morris for about two or three years well last time I saw Morris is when me Dad’s 90th

Birthday so that’s well Ste Steven says can can we ask you about the Baran run and the medicine balls but clearly we can’t can we no no so what on that no I can’t remember that one on the phone but it’s like Morris you look at Morris and

Think hang on a minute you look at different games and well Morris didn’t play it was me because they get they get people mixed up don’t they but Morris was a good player he was a good player well so are you John uh we’re out of

Time give John a big round of applause John pel and we are literally out of time thank you capacity crowd you’ve been amazing best one so far this year Butch y easily the best easily by bye M don’t forget if you want to keep in touch with what we’re up to

Check out our socials that’s Facebook insta and x and YouTube if you watch please like And subscribe it doesn’t cost you anything just helps us with the channel uh and don’t forget if you want goodies go to life to pitch. TV www.lives pitch. TV thanks again to our

Main sponsors DPS Tech we’re also supported by all about hearing marketing company Ginger pickle forward floors come here the design the Hudson group sound for Pro Audio Fred Logistics John keable cars in bramford and the dove in St Helen Street in ipswitch thanks very much for watching and listening we’ll be

Back next week thank you capacity crowd and up the town [Applause] [Applause] everybody He