EP. 400 | That James Milner Episode: Elite Mentality, Dressing Room Truths & RECORD-Breaking Career!

0:00Chris Stark: Hello and welcome to that Peter Crouch podcast with me Peter Crouch, got Sid and Chris Stark with me. Is everyone okay? We're back. Yeah we're back. After that shambles. Yeah fucking shambolic. Sorry lads. I apologize. No it's all right. Sorry. It was my fault. It caused that havoc. But we're back. It's good to be back. Back stronger Chumb 1 but in the Chumb 1 bar as well which is nice. Everyone been okay? Really good. Yeah yeah. Yeah really good. Testicular Cancer Awareness Month I should say. A year on from all of that stuff. If you're new to the podcast. Something close to our heart. Just wanted to give a little shout out to that little reminder.

0:32Petr check your balls, everyone. You know, if you're not sure what I'm talking about, go listen to one of our old episodes about it. Or get onto our socials. You need to subscribe to our Instagram and YouTube and all of that. Get on there. But Testicular Cancer Awareness Month, just want to give it a shout at the top of this. Well said, Chris. Well said.

0:49Chris Stark: Also, a bit of admin. The signed Maccasfield jersey that we had, it's finished. The winner was Ben Dwyer. More giveaways in the future. So keep your eyes peeled to our socials. That's not one of them fake names, is it? Bendwire. Bendwire. Bendwire. No, it's not. I think it's... I can see where you're going there. Well, do you know what? He wants his shirt, doesn't he? Do you know what I mean? So I reckon that's his real name. It's not Bend Over, is it? No, and it's not Airdwire. It's Bendwire, I'm sure. And do you know, on the theme of shirts, we're going to design some podcast merch with our friends at Icarus FC now we've got these shirts right and we'll auction one off they are phenomenal you know for festival season they'll be amazing this is festival wear so already I'm visualising bucket hat this jersey like jean shorts that's a good idea you're right with festival season we need a football shirt for this podcast we've been saying this for a while actually so that's really really good I think you especially is going to love this one right up your alley oh oh that sounds loaded what's going on here no no genuinely like I think it's something that I can imagine you at a festival innit yeah nice alright can't wait okay well joining us on the show today is James Milner long time coming this one very very excited for this you yeah yeah I mean we've been wanting him for years I can't believe he's turning up okay let's get into it

2:25Chris Stark: Right, ladies and gentlemen, James Milner on the pod. Thank you for coming. Thanks for having me. Yeah, yeah, thank you. This was actually one of my, I think I was watching a match today and you popped up and I thought, have we not had a million? I've just been asking you for years. I've been saying, like, do you remember how many years ago we've been saying we've got to try and get him on? I know, yeah. But he's always busy and working hard and avoiding us, maybe a little bit. Well, no, plenty of ironing to do and stuff.

2:54here we go want to start

3:00Chris Stark: oh fucking hell let me start there then because the boring James Milner stuff like talk me through that what are your actual thoughts on that I don't care I don't care yeah it started one pre-season I think when I was at City and I think there was a boring Barry one come out a similar time and that didn't get much legs and I remember Meeks I think messaged the guy and tried to find out. And yeah, a bit of fun. Yeah. That was it really. It was all good. Oh, super. Manny, listen, I've got to start here because it's just, it's an incredible achievement, mate. Everyone who's played with you will say the same thing about you.

3:36Chris Stark: Like, you know, your longevity, your attitude, you know, your ability. To break the Premier League record for appearances, that must mean a lot to you. i mean yeah i suppose like it's not something i really ever you don't you don't start thinking about that and i've never really been one for individual stuff so it's you know it's one i suppose when when you finish which is obviously getting closer you probably look back up but for me like it's about being part of the team and again it's like an answer it's like oh batting off but it literally is you think like when you achieve anything you you love it because like as an individual sport it's amazing you've done it on your own but you know sharing those memories with the boys in the dressing room and the journey you've been through the ups and downs and sharing the celebrations with them like for me that like the team is what it's about really and um yeah it's not something really I've thought about but when you think about the number of games it's it's a lot and obviously asked a lot of answered a lot of questions about it recently and stuff like that but um it was sort of nice to get there to stop you know the people saying and stuff like that.

4:44And then, you know, I didn't play too much early in the season coming off the bench and stuff. So then to play, have a decent run in the team, starting the games and win the games and stuff and show I can still do it. I think that was a nice way to do it. And I think it was Brentford away and we won and then won a few more on the bounce after that where I started. So I think that was a nice way to do it instead of, you know, you know, just getting over the line and stuff like that.

5:05Chris Stark: I think it's probably good for you because we know you that like you would have almost, you're almost like you don't want, yeah, you'd love to have that. you wouldn't want that kind of attention and stuff around you and because that's all people were talking about for a little like that little period wasn't it it was like um but then to get over the line as you did you know to break the record uh loads of people came out and just said what a pleasure it was to you know to have managed you to have played with you we had jrgen klopp on the podcast a couple of weeks ago and he said the hardest working um you know the biggest dream in dressing room out of all the players I've managed things like that are from a person of the caliber of Jürgen Klopp that must be a lot yeah I think that's the the bigger thing for me I think not not really about it being about myself and and hitting that number of games it was more a chance for me to acknowledge the people have helped me get there you know teammates coaches family friends you know your wife people have been there all the way through but also um the acknowledgement from teammates and people you work for you know that ultimately like I said being part of a team before that's you know you're always going to get criticism outside and you're going to be opinions and stuff but as long as your your teammates are happy with you know the job you're doing and appreciate it and the people you work with i think that's there's nothing better than that obviously you're part of a team and you you want to contribute that's number one always i get the impression you're terrible with surprise parties it's not like i can tell you're that character but as crouchy saying to hear these kind of words from people that you respect along the way um do you think you've got better or worse with time at sort of accepting those compliments and letting people actually sort of enjoy the glow of your career that's a great question um fuck you didn't say that to me a minute ago

6:55probably the same to worse i thought yeah i feel like i've never really liked the limelight i don't really want to um you know prefer an assist to a goal really like you say you know you've contributed to the team but you don't get the headlines and stuff so yeah that's not something that it sort of goes with it doesn't it i suppose you play football and you want to play football and you want to do that side and there's there's good sides to what comes out of being a football and things like that but there's a negative side as well but yeah it's not really one for me that i've just wanted to come in keep my head down and do the job at hand and um you know everyone Everyone's different, rather.

7:30Chris Stark: I think it's one of them ones where it's the one that you look back on after you've finished, whether it's a year down the line, five, ten years down the line. I know you're going to keep yourself fit after you finish playing as well. But I found that when I finished to go playing at that elite level and how fit, because you're in a bubble, aren't you, with football? You just think that everyone's that fit. But when you come out and you see how fit out, and obviously you are ultra, ultra elite fit, and I've seen it firsthand. I think that's when you realise what an extraordinary number that is that's obviously going to keep growing as well.

8:06Chris Stark: But also look back on your career and obviously the records and the medals, the titles, everything that you won as well. But I think it comes back then, doesn't it? Like down the line. Yeah, I think so. And it's, you know, it's relentless, isn't it? Like you say, every day you're there, you're thinking about, even when you're on a day off, you're thinking about the next game, what am I eating today? Like when's my next session? Things like that. So you never really have a day off from it mentally. and I feel like, you know, to be successful, it's the next game, the next game. And that's probably the one downside of being a player.

8:34Like you don't get to enjoy the ups and the winning titles and stuff like that because, you know, you might win the League Cup mid-season on a weekend and you've got another game on the Tuesday or Wednesday and it's like, right, you can't even worry about that. So I think it's that next one, next one mentality, next day, next thing. And I suppose when you finish, you know, that's a time where you can probably reflect. But that's a huge change and like you know, I suppose, Like, you know, you're used to having your schedule handed to you. What are you doing today? This is your fitness work. This is what we're doing.

9:03You're heading towards this game, pre-season, you know, all that. Then what drives you now? What are you going to do? Like, what are you aiming for? Like, it's completely...

9:12Chris Stark: Is that something that developed for you? Because obviously you mentioned Dave, you were so early, like 16. And like, your mentality is something that, you know, it's almost like in the 1 % really. And that's kind of got you to breaking the record and be the longevity in the Premier League. like obviously you've let yourself go now by looks of it but when you're at the peak physical

9:49Chris Stark: yeah like where does that come from like is it installed from your parents is there a coach that gave that to you or is that just within? Yeah, I think a bit of everything. I think my dad was very good at that. He knew how to push my buttons. You know, he used to like say, oh, you know, you've got no chance of making it. You don't work hard enough. I'd be inside watching TV and like, and you'd go outside and start kicking ball against garage annoyed and that. And he wasn't being horrible. Like he knew exactly what it was to get, get the best out of me and poke the bear. And, you know, Leeds Academy renowned for bringing through, you know, always had a great record, bringing through great players, had a great education there.

10:22and then coming into the first team, I suppose, at 16, which was, you know, a different era really back then, you know, obviously the football and stuff and, you know, back in my day and all that. I feel blessed that I've played in two eras really, if you like, where there's been a big change. But I think the dressing room there of high standards, you know, your David Batty's, your Gary Kelly's, Don Matteo, like Mark Viduka's, like great characters, had to grow up quick. Again, wanting to keep your head down. Like back then as a young lad, it was like, you know, make the tees, pick the slips up after training, and help with the skips after games, clean the boots, spoke when spoken, that sort of thing.

10:56And now, you know, you see some of the boys coming in and the confidence they have and, you know, throwing their arms around in training and senior players. And you're like, oh my God.

11:03Chris Stark: There's a Gamescom board there by now. I'm sure it'll be a... I'm not sure it's big enough actually. You could write a few. Do you tolerate that in other players? Do you see it for what it is in a modern game? Try and instill the same standards, but you have to do it in a different way. I think back then, obviously, you know you might have been pinned up against the dressing room do you know what I mean or boots weren't clean youth team dressing room lights would go off and it'd kick off and light would come on and the three at first team had been in filled a few in standard stuff like that it was fun it wasn't anything like that but it was a different way of putting those messages across and those standards.

11:45That's what you've always said as well and I don't think it's any better or worse now like people say oh could this player player then is the standards and and how it was done you know teacups playing against walls and the hard regime is that better or worse i think both have a place and done in the right way and i feel like now obviously maybe you've got to put the message off a bit different and i think me making my debut so early i feel like you you become a senior player a lot quicker so i feel like i've been thinking more about the team for a lot longer than maybe a player who makes a debut at 21 so you're around those conversations with coaches you start thinking right how can I help these players well he's from Africa and he's not used to this so you've got to treat people differently a bit as well you know in terms of like what they're used to in their home country and getting used to the language and being away from the family and all these sorts of things so you know you're late and you kick off and I'm a massive one for being late but you know there's sometimes reasons for that and you try and instill those standards but you know you're trying to think about the background of each player as well which is probably more of a coach and and stuff but as you get an older player you start thinking about the team and how you can help these individuals in that way as well so I suppose starting my career so early helped with that that I've started thinking like that a lot early and helped me so do you think you've got over the kind of frustrated stage that you must go through where you're like you you have that experience and you're just a bit like look this is where you need to be getting to or is it actually is that sort of frustrates like die down a little bit when you deal with players no the frustration is still there especially like at Brighton obviously we have a great dressing room of young talent and it's frustrating because you've seen it so many times with young players and you know the penalty will drop at some point but you just want to get them from there to there as quick as possible and the sooner they understand what you're telling them and oh Millie's moaning at me again it's like the sooner you can like take that on board and put it into you'll become this player you've got everything you need but you know sometimes it might might take two years, sometimes it might take four years.

13:42Sometimes, you know, some lads come in with an unbelievable attitude straight away and they just eat it up and they go from there to there quick and they're the best ones. But, you know, some players will never get it. And we've all seen unbelievable footballers who were missing that thing or the attitude or, you know, had the wrong people around them. Again, it might not be their fault, but, you know, surround themselves with the wrong friends or agents. You've seen it all, haven't you? And that's frustrating when you see how many unbelievable players you've seen. I remember him or England Youth or, oh, he was unbelievable.

14:10well, I wonder what he's doing now. And it is tough and sometimes it's bad luck and other times it's the players got to realise as well. But, you know, hopefully the more, you know, the messages you can put across, and we have a great dressing room of senior players, you know, Welbs is unbelievable, Steele is fantastic, Dunkey, you know, Adam Webster, like Pascal's come back. Yeah. Yeah, it's a great dressing room for those boys to learn.

14:33Chris Stark: So take us back to the 16-year-old, I guess into the Leeds team. What's that like with, like you say, you mentioned some of the characters there like and you've been you know such a young scorer and um i mean were you just out of school were you how does it yeah i finished school in in the summer and then went moved straight we lived at the training ground at that point for the first two years and i was there and i remember being full-time in training and a bit nervous actually because i couldn't go and get my gcse results so you know even if i'd done bad you know that one you open them i was probably a lighty dad my dad went and got my gcse results so he's reading them out fountain was like please be good so anyway they were all right and then so i've just finished school and then was i think i went on an under 19 tour to scotland um so i was under 17s and got sent home after one game and i was like you know you think i've done something wrong i said no you're gonna play a lot of football this year and i didn't know they never really told me anything else got fast-tracked into the reserves was meant to make my debut in the reserves and one of the all the players stood on my toe in in in training that day and i was desperate to play you know them ones that throbbing like mad and physio and it was and i couldn't get my boot on i was devastated couldn't play and eddie graham's like don't worry next day physio's drilled it blood shooting out staying the steel it's the ceiling you know the pressure one of them it was like oh god missed your chance because you don't get many at that point anyway carried on training with the reses made a few appearances did all right and then it's one of them where you get called over to the first team.

16:01As I was a Leeds fan, I'm training with the Rezzos. You've got David Batty on the side and people like that and it's like unbelievable. And then get called over to the first team and like the pace of training even was just like trying to get my breath and I'm thinking I'm quite fit and it's like, you need to learn quick here and you don't pass it quick enough and Kelsey's on you. Pass it quicker. And it's like, right, I need to sort myself out here. And then managed to make my debut. I was in the squad a couple of times and not on the bench and Wazza scored against us he'd scored his goal against Arsenal and then Everton played at Ellen Road and he scored and I remember Steve McGregor the fitness coach sat next to me right next to the bench we were and he was like you're desperate to get on he could see and we were similar I think Wazza's about three or four months older than me and then we played West Ham away and made my debut there and then managed to again it's like a bit of luck a bit of taking your chance was in a few games in Terry Venables it was unbelievable for me as well having the confidence to put me in.

17:00He pulled me, we were playing Spurs at White Hart Lane away and he said, you haven't done anything wrong, you're not travelling. So I was like, all right, went out to train. One of the lads got injured, travelled, wasn't on the bench, only five subs back then. In the dressing room before the game, one of the lads gets injured in the warm-up. I mean, what are the odds on this? And then on the bench, came on, I think I made a goal or did really well and then from that point I was in and you just think sliding doors, man. Yeah, yeah, yeah. You never know, but the odds on two players getting injured in 12 hours.

17:30West Ham away debut though. I don't know what the ideal debut situation is, but that's intimidating, I would have thought. Well, it was all right at the time because I was on the bench and I was like four, three, one up. And then we went four, two up. And I thought, I've got a chance of getting on. And it went four, three. I thought, no chance. And he stuck me on. And I think someone gave me a pass around the halfway line. I've tried to bop it back, passed it straight to Decanne, haven't I? He's dribbled, shot 25 yards out, gone over at bars like thank god for that I went to shower afterwards and Bo said to me do you have a bet on 4-4 please so that was like welcome to the first two sort of thing

18:08Chris Stark: then first couple of games that you was on the bench it must be so surreal because you still must be thinking like you're a fan because you are a fan of the club you've been there you've come through you're 16 it must be so surreal going like you know what I mean like moments that just flash by you're going I'm actually on the bench here but then you've like another minute you'd be watching the game as if you are in the stands that you was probably doing the last two or three years. Yeah, I mean, I think back of it now and even after it happened a few years after, and you think back, and it was ridiculous how young I was.

18:38And the year before, I was ball-boying in the Champions League. And remember those nights, I think we played AC Milan at Ellen Road. It was absolute torrential downpour. Lee Bowie hit one straight at Dida last minute, and he went through his legs and went in the goal, and it erupted, and nights like that. And then the next season, like I say, I didn't really think about it. You're just trying to establish yourself. and you know I scored a couple of goals then around Christmas and then afterwards you think about it thinking like who's there like you found your mates who you're in the school year are still in the sixth form at school and they're all watching and your friends and family and my dad had amazing season tickets so he kept those so I knew exactly where they sat because I'd sat there for 10-15 years watching and yeah it was yeah thinking back now it was like pretty amazing and you think how fast did that happen how young I actually was you see how baggy the kits were that's it weren't they like gust of wind and you'd be taken off but I even think that with Boya like my memories of Boya if you were to show me a Boya picture it's in that lead shirt and it's baggy it's big baggy sort of

19:38Chris Stark: who were the biggest characters in that dress room there then was like you mentioned a few I mean Woody was hilarious Woody was so quick you know he'd hammer someone and they'd come back with something and he'd give them three more things about their appearance or how they ran or something before they ever got out. So you must have a little dulce or else. Yeah, it was ridiculous. So you had Woody. Doobs was pretty lively as well. I remember him bringing, I think he brought some rabbits in and put them in the indoor gym. So they were running around everywhere. And physio was kicking off. They're trying to catch him.

20:09He put some, they got some fish and put it in the coach's dressing room and the thing and left it. And then we had a physio who they called sausage fingers, soots, and a few of the lads in bats and a few others went around all the butchers and got as many sausages as they could and just wrapped his car up outside. And it was stinky, like, after. So, yeah, I think back then it was like, and your gear. I remember 17th birthday, we played Scunthorpe away and I'd scored 26th of December, 28th of December. And we played 4th of January on my birthday. And playing Scunny away and all their ball boys and that are in the tunnel after the game watching who's this kid who's scored in 16.

20:49The lads have caught my gear up on there. So I'm walking out, we skipped, kind of skips and i've got all my trainers cut up hit my mom won't give me any more gear tracky cut off everything looking like an absolute buffoon and all these like this guy just

21:02Chris Stark: that's so long so when you score you scored and you had to walk out with all your gear so that was that was my birthday fourth jam but i've scored two goals in the prem by that point yeah but i was still like skips like you just can't do it i was doing the under 19 captain's boots because i was the first year and he was second or third year and he to be fair got me like an Armani watch at Christmas. But yeah, I'm playing in first team ahead of him. He's in under 19, so I'm cleaning his boots. And you're doing his boots. And he's giving you tips. Oh, man. But I was still£70 a week. So I was like, yeah.

21:32Chris Stark: No way. But yeah, and then I remember the first day, you feel like you've earned your stripes. And it was probably a few months after that. And the kit man said, go on, get on the bus. And you think, yeah, I don't have to do the skips and pick the kit up anymore. Yeah, now I'm part of it. Was that good though? Like, yeah, it was good for you? Incredible. You feel like you earned the right to be in there. the respect and and that's the way i think it should be it keeps you grounded it keeps you pushing it feels like you're not quite there yet because you know how many times you see you know a player make an appearance or two and get a big contract and then that's it so it keeps you striving and driving and and you know the respect you know these guys are unbelievable players these are my heroes as well so you know you keep doing it until you're told otherwise but um yeah i think that's such an important part of you know growing up and becoming a player and and maturing as a as a player and a man really.

22:21Chris Stark: You end up, is it Newcastle you went to after Leeds? Yeah. And then Aston Villa. How do you view those, your times there? Yeah, turbulent I'd say. I feel like Leeds was a turbulent time with, you know, financial struggles and getting relegated. Newcastle the same. I don't think I played under the, started the season and finished the season with the same manager until like my fifth season or sixth season with Martin O 'Neill. But before that it was, you know, and Newcastle was going through managers and stuff. So as a club, fantastic going in there. That was another big dressing room personality.

22:54You know, your Shearers, your Bellamers, your Dyers, people like that. Woody there again. And, you know, I think he was allergic to me because I think he moved to Newcastle. And then when I got to Newcastle, he went to Madrid. So I had a bit of time with him, but not that much. Did he look after you a little bit when you went there?

23:12Chris Stark: Because obviously we've all gone into dressing rooms and you always want to see that first familiar face that you've either played or whether it's been with a country? I think he literally went in the first few weeks. Not really, but yeah, there was Darren Ambrose was there at a similar time. Steven Taylor, I played with at England Youth. So I knew him and he was trying to get into the first team at that time. So I knew a couple of the younger boys, which probably helped. But I remember driving in the first day in my Ford Focus and there was like BMW. And there's like four or five. And this kid gets out of this BMW next to him.

23:41I'm like, who's this guy? I'm like, must have Googled him or whatever. and I found out he's a youth team player and they're all coming in BMWs and knowing it, first team. And I was like, yeah, I need to change my car quickly. I wish you'd have kept the focus.

23:58Chris Stark: That would have been amazing throughout the whole crew. Yeah, just kept the focus. Unreal, but there was some serious characters in that dressing room as well. So you didn't, your Villa was, what was Villa like? Because you were there together. When he come to Villa, he was, because you've done a loan split with Villa already didn't you yeah I did I did a season at Newcastle and then the next year I think soon I was coming and wanted Solano back so he loaned me to Villa and had a year there and enjoyed it and then went back and it fell through on deadline day I was going I think was it 7 or 8 million or something like that and gone down there and Martin O 'Neill said oh have you heard they've pulled the plug and I thought he was bantering like you know I'm like, he didn't really know what it was like.

24:43I thought he was banning. He was like, no, no, they've pulled the plug. They were trying to get Schweinsteiger or something

24:49into the club. And he was like, nah. Pulled the plug, went out and fuming. And then we've gone back and I think Glenn Rauder was manager and he was like, I never wanted you to go anyway. So glad you're here. Got to the Saturday and I wasn't even on the bench. and it's the first and only time that I C-bombed the manager before the game this was as well and went mental. Like, just went mad at him and was like, what the fuck? Yeah. And then after that, he played me every game and I'd done well and that was it. But yeah, that was, I think, the angriest I've ever been. I'd like to think I'm a bit more composed when I go to see the manager.

25:27Yeah. It was just like, obviously, they said you can go, then fall through, then come back, and I wasn't even on the bench. It's like, what? But then what's your working theory on that? because it'd be odd thing to say wouldn't it and then and then drop yeah i mean yeah things happen like that i suppose when you're younger because i was still was i then probably 21 ish so still quite young and i remember one time being dug out by him and um it hammered me after a game for being lazy and stuff and you know you start reflecting you're like you know i can play shit at times but lazy is not something i'd really chuck at myself and then he pulled me the next day i said oh i apologize like but i had to give it to someone and you know and obviously the easy option is

26:09Chris Stark: the young lad sort of thing and when he come into villa because it like i said he already had a loan spell so he come into an environment that he'd been in before like in terms of training around and a stadium but when he come in it was like i've never seen someone so determined to just get to like to get to the very very very top now that might have been with aston villa if we would have got top four and bits of all but it was like i'm gonna get there and no one's gonna get in my way not in an arrogant way because obviously the team was always first with midi always first but it was a case of like and you played so well so so well like like every week seven eight out of ten scoring goals assists being on the right getting crosses in getting back doing like saving tackles on the on the byline on the goal line as well it was like that was my first because at that time my career was probably going that sort of going that way because how i was at villa and i was looking at minnie going i'd love to be like again love to be you know you can just see it from afar just someone just riding away just like literally just going the whole way brilliant to watch you know with regards to your like positions like what it's about a few of you like i think about you can play on the right play on the left you play central midfield you know fullback it's kind of and you you know you've kind of you've been very very good in all of them like what's your favourite position and do you mind being used as long as you're playing yeah what do you identify as yeah what do you identify as that's a bigger question that's a few answers yeah that's a tricky one yeah I mean I think I always enjoyed the middle more because I was involved in the game that's what I would have said Yeah, I feel like I started as a winger.

27:58I remember playing in the middle a bit when I was in Leeds Academy, but it was more the wing. And then one of my years at Leeds, we had Pennant on loan the second season. So he played on the right. So I moved to the left, didn't really bother me. Played both sides at Newcastle and then played a bit up front for Newcastle towards the end when Kevin Keegan was there before I left and enjoyed that. But yeah, I just wanted to be involved in the game really. and I think there's pluses and minuses to it. Obviously, there's times where you'll get on the pitch because of it, you'll play more games, but also, you know, it's not always easy changing position and you have your favourite position.

28:33It depends what sort of game it is. You know, if you're playing fullback in a team that's flying and you're battering a team, it's all time in the world, pass, overlap, you know, if you're all hands on deck and you're getting pumped and you've got an absolute geezer on a moped up against you, you're in big trouble. so it's and I think one game I think the most I've done in a game is seven I think I did seven positions in one game at City one game I was like started on the wing then I was in the hole then I was centre then someone went off for five minutes to get stitched so I went right back then I went left wing and then I played I think I did seven positions in one game and I still like the kit man Buzz has got a goalkeeper jersey printed up and he has a dunk one in case something ever happens and he's got me one as well because that's the only position I need to play is in that But that's got to be a record, isn't it?

29:20That's got to be... There you go. I know you're not one. It's not a fan of the accolades. Maybe before you finish, it's got to be every position. Maybe you're our best hope. One game, every position. One game. One game. Give it, James. Give it to him.

29:37Chris Stark: So when you get to Manchester City, that was... Who signed you for Man City? Mancini. Mancini, right. And is that... They haven't won a title yet. No, not so. No, it was early. That was the reason I went, really. I think I could have gone to Chelsea at that time as well. And what attracted me was, you know, obviously what was happening at City and they hadn't won anything for a long time. And to, you know, hopefully start that period of success and be part of that. And the first one was my first season. I won the FA Cup and the semi-final against United at Wembley. And, you know, semi-finals are normally better than finals in terms of atmosphere.

30:12You're half and half, haven't you? The ground and there was one half blue, one red. And it was the time the City fans were doing the Poznan and they're all jumping up and down. Wembley was shaking. It was ridiculous. And, you know, to win that first one as a team and give you that belief of, you know, we'll go on then. We've won that. And then obviously what came after that. But that was the first one, yeah.

30:30Chris Stark: So how long were you at City? And what was the evolution? And I'm going to ask you about some of the players there who was the best you played with. Yeah, I was there five years. And, you know, every year there was like a standard sign. It was 25 million, 30 million, 40 million, which, you know, it was a long time ago as well. so it was big money and always competition for places and yeah won the FA Cup first year and then the second year was the league title started unbelievable pre-season and we were in LA for like 18 days I think and it was carnage like trained in the morning after that could do what you want lads were like out regular like mental I think they probably had like four nights in out of 18 and we had we had a goalkeeper I can't remember it was I think we had a German goalkeeper who was on trial or something and he was standing behind Harty and shooting one morning and Harty swears blind this ball swerved and he can't do you know what I mean and he's fighting this ball and it's gone straight round his arms and bust this keeper's nose he's like what is this shit and he knew the boys were out he's like what is this this is meant to be professional anyway it was a season we started unbelievable we bopped United was it six Old Trafford and that's a record I like I think I'm the only player who's beat United by one two three four five six seven goals i think oh i think someone told me that but it's a good one but that's a record i'm done we'll check that's it yeah we'll take that so he's like this but it was that year we started unbelievable and then we struggled a bit coming out of january like united had it and then managed to and then obviously the aguero moment was pretty ridiculous so yeah just on the leads to la thing because that's the hell of a journey in itself that should be the book leads to la amazing when you saw these players that were coming in on these big signings were you sort of was that exciting to be part of and you're reading about or hearing about these players that might be coming in or was it intimidating um no it was you always back your own ability so I think that's you want to be part of it you want to play with the best players but obviously there's a few in there as well who make it more challenging and um you know that LA one just come to mind with Mario and you know the famous back here oh was that there again me being able to play more positions we'd played back to back friendlies so it was like 45 degrees or something I'd played the day before wasn't meant to be playing at all I'm sat on bench he goes through does that back heel Mancini James get ready so I played 70 minutes the day before and then come on and had to play 65 minutes the day after in that heat because he's been a clown because he was fuming he was fuming have you seen it have you seen the back heel go through one on one he just sort of turns around and tries to back heel it tries to back heel it and to be fair he is raging and he was a calm guy to be fair I actually used to see him around around Cheshire sometimes him and David Platt going for a coffee and yeah I'd heard he was aggressive yeah he wasn't happy so you know characters like that so you've got people coming in for big money so there's a lot of amazing players and Patrick Vieira was there I'm not sure he was there the second year he was definitely there the first year so you've got these guys who've been there done it and won that was like unbelievable great guy you know like pat look at size of your knee he's training after training his knee be like this he's like pat look at size of your knees like of course this is where i keep my medals you know like the big time banner and stuff but what a guy around 12 and the standard he's sort of certain but thinking back then like the competition for places like the training sessions like we trained at carrington and there was like a footpath that used to go around the training ground and people would bring like step ladders and tape photos the photographers there every day because they knew there'd be fights like the competition and training day before a game we do like the three team game lads would be kicking lumps out of each other it was ridiculous some of the tackles like the fights you see in like mario and meeks went at it you had colo torre and adibio you had like balotelli and the manager one day so flickers are there like i remember that there was a period where it kept happening like people are throwing each other on the floor it's daily and obviously when you've got superstars coming in because they're not signing young players to develop the ready-made players we want it now and you look at how the club's been done and you know the other teams have signed around the world and building the training ground and the ground and developing that area around there like they've done everything the right way and step by step and they've done an amazing job and the journey they've been on but that point it was like we need success now so you're signing 34 million pound players big egos and every year there was new faces coming through the door and you had to you know step up and usually it ended up with me being on the bench at the start of the season.

35:07I had to fight, play well, and then by October, November, I'd be playing a decent amount of games and I'd work my way in. But you know when someone's coming in for 34 million, they're going to play regardless. You move down the peg. You start again. Yeah, but that's a ridiculous mindset to have, isn't it?

35:24Chris Stark: You're sort of accepting that if a new name comes in, you've got to go, you might go down a peg to then prove yourself again. And obviously your character, your personality, they would always drive that that's not a problem other people they would just go I can't deal with this probably cost me as well though I feel like there was players in that dressing room who kicked off more if they weren't playing yeah and I you know I just I couldn't do that I just had to fight and push as I can and they knew I wouldn't kick off I remember there was one time one of the players walked in from training had an argument I was in the team all week because of that and then got to the Saturday it was a pretty big game and there was a knock on the door as we were getting ready to go to the ground never happens you know who's this and it was David Platt it wasn't even the manager Platt comes in and says yeah the manager decided to go with this other player so what talk us through that night you know when like the Aguero moment and all that what's you know did you go back in iron or did you go out with a lad yeah I think my top got creased in the celebration so I had to go back and do it quickly but I mean it was one of those like you know like turning round a one off game like a cup final is incredible you know like and you can win and lose a cup finally but a whole season's work the best team always in the league you know 38 games doing all that and then i'm into stoppage time and we just need two goals and you think we've blown it going from that low to that high in the space of four minutes yeah it was incredible and then obviously celebrations after and went to the yeah i think we had a party and then the parade after and stuff like that and you know that was my first you know a taste of that sort of thing i can't remember did we do a parade i think we must have done a parade for the fa cup as well maybe with the first one but um and we had vinnie who's unbelievable you know like he was an unbelievable captain as all learned so much from him as a captain but no surprise what he's doing as a manager but his organization as a captain all the fines written down this and that and he had to be on top of it with that squad you know some of the things some of the lads like just took the fine every day to play candy crush on the physio bed just paid it didn't care i'm playing candy crush so that was uh time seven so there was a fine just one standard outside of it um there's a fine for playing candy crush was well no no using your phone so you shouldn't have your phone while you're getting treatment yeah so and he wanted to play candy crush as he was getting treatment so i didn't care i'll take that's expensive okay no problem yeah and then like december when all the boys families were over it was like incredible like they're obviously pushing to stay with the family as long as possible so lakes i think in december i think we took like 80 000 pounds of fans in one month wow so the christmas party was pretty good the charities did all right out of it and the christmas party was pretty good that year brilliant oh my god amazing so how did liverpool come about then because you know what was what happened there yeah i think um i had two years left at city here we wanted to stay really wanted to stay um was doing quite well and um the club said yeah let's get through this transfer window and we'll we'll talk about it and so that was obviously like the july august time or whatever and then went through that period and heard nothing and then it got to towards the end of the that season so i had like just over a year left and the chem and the offer was pretty poor to be honest it was like i mean they're clever with the media said oh the offer's more than what he's on now but it was like if you win four ballon doors in a row so it was pretty and i was like in and out of the team a bit and wasn't really you know didn't feel like again you know people sign all the time and felt like i i deserve more to play more than i did and stuff like that and at that point then you think there's two left and if they'd have got to you know a decent reasonable fair offer you know at that point you'd still probably signed and it on and went on and then um you know it got close to the time and then liverpool became an option and it was you know that it's an amazing club and still i was like you know can you leave city at this point you know a fly in liverpool had pushed us close a couple of years before but they weren't you know right up there challenging again so it's a big decision to make really and see were always great with me in the end um you know the the owners got involved in terms of the negotiation and gave a good offer.

39:46He was brilliant at the last end of the season. He said, you know, whatever you want, we want it to stay. Let us know what it was. And, you know, if I'd have been for money, I'd have probably done that. But again, the thing that attracted me to City was, you know, starting that period of winning things. Liverpool, again, I don't want too much. And, you know, the size of the club. And it was like, you know, if you could go there and, you know, win a league title and, you know, that would be incredible doing it there. And, yeah, it was just how the negotiations panned out. It was too late. and, you know, I'd made my mind up then.

40:15So that genuinely was the weight in your mind between starting what felt like a kind of new project and being comfortable in the position that you were? Yeah, it was a big risk leaving City. Like you say, you know, I'd had five years there. You know, in the end, they'd come up with an offer which would have been fair. And, you know, I wish the owners had got involved. If I'd stayed, if they'd got involved earlier, I suppose I would have stayed there for sure. So, you know, that had been a tough decision. but at that point Liverpool what they said was attractive and like you say the size of Liverpool as a club but it's mad how things again sliding doors moment if they'd have sorted those negotiations out quick why would you leave City but then Liverpool came on and they speak to them and it's like yeah and you feel like you really wanted and it's like yeah that's actually really good to hear isn't it from a fans point of view like in terms of you really choosing that club at that moment I get what you mean the circumstances could have been different, but it feels like you put a lot of weight on the project and the ambitions of what were going on there.

41:18Yeah, and I think someone came out from Liverpool recently when I brought the record on a few interviews and they were saying I almost interviewed Liverpool or something, which I don't really remember that, but it was almost like saying, look, I'm leaving a good club here. Liverpool's an incredible, massive club, you know, unbelievable opportunity, but, you know, are you going to follow through, you know, because people, you know, say we're going to do this and when you're in the door and it doesn't happen and stuff. Brendan was brilliant when he spoke to me about where he'd see, saw me in the team and I came in pre-season and was my vice-captain pretty much straight away.

41:51Hendo was captain and, you know, Hendo was a bit standoffish for a while because I don't know if he thought I was, you know, going to, you know, steal his, you know, that. And he knew pretty quick then after, you know, I'm not that guy, I'm just there to help him as much as possible and, you know, what a captain he turned out to be and following Steve is pretty easy job, isn't it? so yeah you know he did all right um so that that was and obviously stevie'd just gone so that void and the first thing i remember going to liverpool was the year we nearly won the league the year we nearly won the league it was said constantly and that for me was like we have to get rid of that straight away you didn't win the league and so i used to ban her be like you didn't win the league we won the league now you need to move on otherwise it's just like a hangover i

42:32Chris Stark: remember the city game from that year before because i went up to watch it and um i remember Noel Gallagher was like just a couple down and the place was buzzing because they'd beat City and just thought this is the year I mean they're the huddle and then uh yeah and then obviously what what happened happened but um you know obviously you find yourself there uh not so long later what's your what's your first impressions of the club because obviously I remember when I went up there and it is a special place isn't it yeah I think internally like you say you could feel that hangover and struggled the year after and it was about internally getting rid of that externally i think we went on a pre-season tour far east and stuff like that and it was just like you realize the magnitude of the club like fans outside three o 'clock in the morning four o 'clock in the morning we we did maybe three stops maybe did singapore somewhere else like three places australia and there was this person with this custom-made sign and we're getting on the bus onto this plane and they've got this sign of Hendo or whatever it was and I just noticed it because it's you know that out there landed at the next place and this person's there and it's like how have you got here before us we were leaving it was insane and you were still there you were there we were flying I seen it and it was just insane but like you know the magnitude you know we played I played two games while we were there 100 ,000 fans one in America one in Australia it's like that's mad global You do well to do that in your own town, City.

43:58Yeah. And yeah, the size of it, the fans obviously, and just desperate for success, you know, that relationship they have with the European Cup and then obviously desperate for that league title. Yeah, so that was always a drive even, you know. And the journey when Jürgen obviously came in and the journey, I mean, the first year he was there, we lost in the League Cup final to City and the Europa League. we were winning at halftime and like both of those like hard to take and then I remember Jürgen after the final and he wanted us all on the dance floor and they'd obviously had a few drinks like we're all fuming and we had a drink and like come on get over and he came out the third time and said get your fucking ass over that dance floor and I'm like fuck

44:46Chris Stark: and we went out and we had a drink I've had some stiff shapes going on there he wanted us to sing which is even worse So he wanted us to sing We Are Liverpool or something like that. And he got him on to me and he says, this is just the start of the journey. This isn't the end. This is the start of the journey. And that was like, all right. So the first year, you know, he's coming halfway through. And I remember the next pre-season and one of the lads turned up late a few times in San Francisco. We were there like two, we'd only been there a day and a half and it turned up late a few times for treatment.

45:14He was injured, sent home straight away. He was like, bang, that's you. And then that was it from there. It's like, all right, here we go. Strap yourselves in. and then bit by bit this squad changed developed his ideas come through training like you won't believe training what was the point of getting you and Hendo up to dance because you're right that would have been some moody dance in that wouldn't it so you get up to what was he trying to do do you think he just goes on the dance floor and everyone was there in front of him he was on the stage and he just wanted to sing We Are Liverpool together and it was basically that together basically yeah and he did something similar after he lost the Champions League final and I think he was with his mates and this video come out of him singing and stuff like that.

45:56You know, it was like, what you see is what you get. He's an unbelievable guy. He always knows how to put what's spin on it. And there's times where you think, oh, we've done all right there and he'll come and go absolutely nuts. And then other times, you know, you think he's going to give us a rocket and he went the other way and he just always knew how to... Then it writes off some of the pressure maybe. I don't know. I actually quite like this mindset.

46:16Chris Stark: Well, I was just about to say there, you just said there about you wouldn't believe training. like in what way like just the intensity or the detail or one of the first international breaks I think because I was suspended or something for England so I couldn't play for England so I was at the club and like I think two of the boys threw up in one of the first sessions we did and the tempo was just through the roof and like it was ridiculous it was all about intensity next situation you're playing with one ball here and he'd kick another one and say right new ball and you're to sprint to that one and like even the the number of sessions I remember played Arsenal away on a Monday night and he always used to do a double after a day off in the early days.

46:54And I think we had the day off on the Sunday and then we had double Monday, single Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, travelled down to London, trained Monday morning before the game and then played the game Monday night.

47:07Chris Stark: Really? And it was like these out sessions where it's like, you know, coming out of a tinkle, it's like sprints and the amount of hamstrings we had that first season was unbelievable. I suppose no one's used to that kind of tempo, right? No, yeah, and you've gone from one to another and took time to develop and some players can't ever get there. I suppose it's like, well, if you're here, this is how you do it. I remember coming back from a hammy at Stoke and I think we lost two in the first 30 minutes and I was on the bench. I think I was cleared for like 15, 20 minutes and the physio said, whatever you do, do not let Millie get on that pitch.

47:38He's on pitch treating Coutinho, I think, turns around. It's like 20 minutes into the game, I'm getting stripped and went on and he's kicking off at Doc. Doc's like, what do you want me to do, say to Jürgen? He's not going on. Good luck with that one. I managed to get through it, to be fair.

47:54Chris Stark: What's your relationship, right, with Jürgen? Because obviously when I interviewed him up in Liverpool recently, he just could not speak highly enough. He said it was easy for me. He said we brought in, you know, really talented players. And they went to levels that, you know, obviously Alisson, Van Dijk, Salah, Mane, Firmino, really like the domain. but he said you and Lallana, later Robertson, Henderson, just you guys policed it. He said you just made it so easy for the manager. So it's obvious that he speaks so highly of you. So I just wonder what you thought of him. Yeah, incredible. Like I said, the biggest compliment I think you can say is, you know, you've all had managers who are one way in front of the cameras and different stuff, but what you see is what you get.

48:41As a guy, unbelievable. um could have a joke with him had that you know he's got that aura that you don't want to piss him off and get him angry but he could come over have a joke um always honest with him you know i'll always be honest with everyone and you know we had the odd odd um word here and there but never it was never personal it was always like we knew both wanted the same thing and um incredible my manager you know i used to come every i did a charity um i've got james mill on the foundation we did a charity ball and he'd come and support it sat at the front make sure everyone was there like buying buying auction prizes stuff like that um was manager for the charity game that we did at um at Selleck um for Stan's foundation and my foundation um so as a guy take all that out of it but then like as a manager like I say had a special way of realizing what would needed to be said at that time and um circumstances around the game like what might happen like before the Barcelona game and stuff like that Vinny company had scored that last minute winner when we were going for the league title as well and that was the night before and he's like has anyone got anything to say about that no right and then got onto it and and that was it and before that game was like you know you know it's almost impossible we'd have no chance but we do have a chance because it's you like you you you know you as a team like how you are and just just knowing or like if there might have been a distraction or something like that around the game or someone saying something or you played like stupid amount of games in the last couple of weeks tiredness isn't an excuse this is the most important thing we have to do today like we do it and even like we played first year was there we played Watford I think and we lost in London and it was the Christmas party and it was for the whole club and he's like right these people work the nuts off all the time for you when we train we train 100 when we play we play 100 when we party we party 100 really because i was at that game and and i um because that was a that was a big win for watford you hadn't you hadn't lost many and i remember was that was that that was a different season i think that was a oh was that was that the only we hadn't lost for a long time in that one i think yeah no i think it was the first and you go out and do a christmas party yeah it was yeah yeah it was for the for club it was organised and we had to go and do the Christmas do and it was for the staff at the ground and the whole and it was like basically saying yeah like team talk before you be on it standing corner feeling sorry for yourselves because these people put a lot on I love how he motivates players by party I don't know how many managers do the same sort of thing in your experience but he just loves it yeah back in the

51:22Chris Stark: day it would have been not so much that modern era or good way though good way to get the leds going but you had some top moments there like what what was it like like what players were the most impressive through that period because I mean fuck me you played with some players didn't you yeah I think I think Mo from the get go I think like the numbers he put up you're like Jesus are you ever going to stop scoring it was like ridiculous can I keep this going and he has for the amount of time it's like unbelievable Sadio I remember speaking to a player at Southampton who I knew at the time and like oh what's it like and he actually said I'll drive him up there for you so I don't know if he'd been kicking off because he wasn't playing or whatever I was like oh god well sorry as if he wasn't yeah yeah you can have him yeah and then he come in and immediately and I think that's a bit down to another player you don't know what that situation is and stuff like that but in terms of the dressing room we had at Liverpool like if you didn't buy into that you were on your own so you sort of had to be at that level because everyone was doing it we didn't have a compulsory pre-activation in the gym before but everyone was in there 45 minutes before the session half an hour before the session like everyone did it that was the standards we set and you fit in and everyone was on time divokarigi like unbelievable how he was always on time he's the like most chilled man ever and he'd walk in like five seconds to go every single meeting whatever it was he was always on time i don't know how he did it but it was it was unbelievable like how he was never late but even him like i can imagine somewhere else he probably would have been yeah yeah he was late when he popped up for a few goals they might have important goals he's absolutely like i need a little ledger like my fans love him they might have important goals he's scored um but yeah i think i think most sadio was unbelievable bobby i mean bobby like everything like as a guy as well but so chill the unbelievable ability how hard he worked for the team so clever I mean that whole team really but the big thing was was how we played as a team and like I remember the early days we'd have 10-15 minute spells where we'd just destroy a team we'd score three four goals and some of the lads you know playing on other teams you speak to them after it's like Jesus it was like you had 12 men out there just how we pressed and like no one had a minute gaffers celebrating tackles and 50-50s on sideline and I think Ox said he was like saying like I've I've never been celebrated for like pressing before and beat three men and Gaff won't blink an eye.

53:49I didn't care, but like sliding tackle press and he's like all over it. And that was the most impressive thing for me, I think, how the manager got the team to play together. But like even the Barcelona game, the names were missing. We didn't have Mo, we didn't have Bobby, I don't think. But then players are ready to play. They come in, they know the job exactly. The level didn't drop. And I think that's when we put those long runs together of wins. That's the whole, you need a whole squad for that. and that shows the level didn't drop, you know, like if you're missing a player or someone's suspended, that shows how good the squad was, how together the squad was, what a good job the manager did and how ready everyone was to play and come in and do the job.

54:26Chris Stark: Yeah, amazing. How do you view your England career? Average. Yeah? Yeah. I think obviously you want to be successful, don't you? We never won anything. I went to two World Cups, two Euros. I think I played in the first two tournaments, went to the last two didn't really get a sniff yeah and um yeah that was that really we went to south africa together what do you think was the was the issue there just didn't it didn't fit did it yeah i mean people talk about where it was and stuff like that i mean that didn't really ever bother me you know like i was in my room like looking at the walls and being boring as normal so that didn't bother me not having all today i know you boys had the darts going didn't yeah a bit of pete yeah leaving uh leaving them on the occi want you to come in and like throw it through the smog um i was just leaving farts on the occi just trying to throw darts without breathing i don't think that's ever the easiest thing My nickname became Potent Pete.

55:34Chris Stark: Potent Pete, yeah. Is that what it is? That'd be so dark. Have you got away with that when I thought that was nice? No, no, no. I actually haven't raised that before, but thanks for that. It's a new one, that. I hope you want to eat. Yeah, I think that's part of it. The training centre was in the same spot, wasn't it? So I think that makes it tough, wasn't it? I mean, early days, I remember being out of squad and we had Bex still in it and people like that and you used to go, didn't you? And you got like PlayStation, Xbox, laptop. you know speaker a pillow that sings to you all this stuff with your name on it was like jeez i'm like i'm set i'm sound don't worry about me and then like bex bex retired and the sponsorship deals dried up you got a beer matt awesome with an england badge on next next on yeah i was so i played that period where bex came in and we all changed all this for the five-year period and i like we kind of went at the same time when you're on your own now yeah yeah so that changed a bit but you know we always got looked after amazingly in terms of the setup and stuff maybe for you know it's tough it's relentless it's the pressure it's probably been at the training ground things didn't change like for me i wasn't i wasn't too but everyone's different like how what the need like you know golf might be like i play golf and we were allowed to play golf that's enough for me if you don't golf or you know family and things like that um i didn't have a family at that time so you're not missing the kids so all these circumstances again that's all right for one but it's not for others.

56:59But yeah, I mean, with the team we had, I mean, I was ill before the first game, which was like, that was my first World Cup. I wasn't allowed to eat with you guys for like four or five days, lost about four or five kilos, probably a bit less than what I've lost since I've been here. And I didn't think I was going to play. And then he played me the first game and I was off it. Obviously, I hadn't trained hardly, hadn't eaten, I'd lost loads of weight. I think I got booked early, got pulled off in the first half. I was like, oh my God, that's only my only ever England appearance I think it was USA USA is this the shirts or something it was just some sort of virus it was like yeah I don't know what it was I didn't play the second game and then the third game I started and assisted JD for the goal so that made me feel a bit better and then obviously the Germany one I could see from where I was it was miles over the line and it is an interesting one because like the history goes down as you know we got battered and stuff like that but we were 2-0 down 2-1 Lamps gets that 2-0 just before half time backs up momentum it wasn't even close you don't know how that goes then momentum in a World Cup game just before half time it might turn out the same but you don't know but then you get this narrative in history that this is what happened you know but you never know like with the momentum and we know what happens in football matches when you get a goal come back two goal swings

58:25Chris Stark: what do you make of England's chances this summer and should Danny Wilbert go I mean it depends how you look at it doesn't it if you're looking at facts and how many goals English strikers have got playing in the Premier League yeah on numbers and his experience what he's like as a lad I think he'd be a huge asset to the squad 100 % but you know we've got so many good players but 100 % I get to see him every week and you know who knows how many games the England manager watching of Brighton you don't know that obviously the other teams will probably get watched a bit more but if you've seen what he's done this year and how good he's been and I get to see first hand what he's like with the players in the dressing room and the sort of lad he is and that's so important when you're away at a World Cup you know the characters you have it's important in any dressing room but especially when you're away and fit in and someone who's been there done it it'd be a huge asset I think as well but in terms of the whole team you look at the quality of players we got and the level they're playing at, challenging for big trophies, which I think is hugely important.

59:27You know, when you're used to winning big titles, I think that's obviously, you know, you've got two guys playing at Madrid, probably one's not going to go, which for me, how good he is. But, you know, the manager sees it a certain way and he's going to make those decisions. But I think that's important when you've got players playing in huge games, used to challenging for trophies. Again, international football is different, but yeah, I don't see why not for sure. It's an interesting one though because I get a sense from him he doesn't mind making a decision even if it feels unpopular. Not that that would be unpopular.

1:00:01I just mean he's not scared to kind of see it as he sees it. So you think it would stand a chance with him? I think that's a huge plus for him as well. Like you say, you might not agree with him but sticking to your guns, not caring what people say. Obviously, you know, the amount of talk within the dressing room when I played for England, I don't know if it's changed now but it's like, oh, the media, this the media and I was like who cares like you gotta have that sort of tunnel mentality but it was like the media got mentioned so much and I think having a manager who doesn't care like this is the way I'm going I think that's obviously a huge plus and like like Trent is some people be like how can a guy of his ability not be involved but you know he's got his way of doing it and you know it's he's gonna do that I think that's a good thing that you know like definitely

1:00:43Chris Stark: when you've got someone who just blocks it all out and actually picks a team at least he's sticking into his beliefs you know he's not going to get swayed by anyone right we've got some questions from fans right if that's alright okay Gareth Duck would you go by the way that's the most Leeds name ever in it

1:01:05Chris Stark: would you go back to Leeds to finish your career I mean I love the club I was gutted only to play two years you know if I'd have been born a bit earlier could have maybe got involved in the Champions League run and you still watch them now on TV and you see the atmosphere at the end of the road. Go out to the end. Yeah, it'd be incredible. Can I ask you a question? What's better fish and chips, Brighton or Leeds? It is, isn't it? The Witherby Whaler. Have you been to Murgatroyd's? The Big Merc. Fuck me, it sounds like a deceptacle. Is that the Transformers film? Have you been there? I've been there at some point, yeah.

1:01:44Murgatroyd's? Oh, they're going to love this. Merg choice. Is it good? The big Merg. Really? Top level. I mean, Wetherby Whaley used to be the stop-off for every single football team. He played in the office, wasn't he? Yeah, he was like standards. The orders in and done.

1:02:00Chris Stark: Fish and chips back in the day, that was the one on the way home, wasn't it? The one for that away trip. On the off, yeah. I remember one of my first games at Leeds and we played in, what was it? Arsenal. I think we beat Arsenal at Highbury to stay up second-to-last game of the season before we got on the motorway, pulled over off a manager and captain off. Massive boxes of beer on bus and on you go. I'm driving exact same I remember Jerry Francis the same thing with QPR yeah just fish and chips and a few beers Murgatroyd cup of tea you get bread and butter scraps and then you get the big Murg it's I'm so hungry I really want that what's your one the Weatherby World Weatherby Whaler just off the A1 wasn't it that's still rocking it what are they training ground are they yeah that's where I lead you to training ground around that well close we'll start a little fish and chip for discussion on the pod.

1:02:52Let us know if there's better. Grimsby's the shout as well. Well, Grimsby's good. It's very fishy up there. I stand by Leeds. Was that not near A, Weatherby Whale, or did you stop there with your A1 the other day, did it? Or was that your honie, honie A1, yeah.

1:03:05Chris Stark: You're fishing chips and a couple of dildos. Have you ever seen that?

1:03:13A couple of Savaloys.

1:03:17Why is the A1 so horny, Jeff? I was on the young one. A1 was like Newcastle and that down.

1:03:24Chris Stark: Do you know we had someone wrote in actually and said why the A1 was so horny? Yeah. Did they message you? They DM'd you, didn't they? Can we get out? I haven't got my phone. Well, it explains to you exactly why it's so horny. It's really interesting, actually. Yeah, just to explain. High BBQ C, that's a different thing. Barbecue thing. The reason the A1 has no little chefs and lots of adult stores is that Little Chef went bankrupt and all of their stores were bought by the dildo shops. Either way, there's sausage on sale. I won't... It looks like a company account, so I won't name the Instagram account, but you know who you are.

1:04:05Chris Stark: Well, there you go. It makes sense. Yeah, we know. All right, Stephen Critchley says, which play-up pushed you furthest in the lactate test? But bear in mind, have you ever lost one? No. You've never lost one? is this a bleep test yeah kind of to lactate I thought was to no it's like when they they take your blood right yeah you do a certain level and then they take your blood and see how much you know how fit you are at that moment in time and sometimes you get pulled out when you hit your level and other times it's just go until keep going yeah until you can't really Joey Gomez went with me to the last lap one year went into the last lap yeah that suggests I guess everyone else has died.

1:04:50Mo, the last year, I think I was there, we were doing 500 metre runs and we were on the last one. And I said, I'm going to cruise down here and then kick the last bit. That's what I'm going to do. And I think he saw a weakness and tried to do me early. He went early? On the bottom bend, yeah. But yeah, he went early. I think he ended up 10 to 15 behind. But Mo wasn't really bothered at the start. But then, you know, he's relentless. Yeah, yeah, he's mentally. He's like, oh, yeah, I want a piece of this stuff early on. in the city because he was speedy and he was so fit as well but I think one year he thought yeah I'm going to go for this and he sensed I was getting a bit older

1:05:23Chris Stark: so you've never been beaten so now if you did a bleep test would you fancy a bright night do you do that I mean I'm not allowed anymore the physio because you're a bit older and stuff like that yeah I didn't really like it Jonas Gutierrez was unbelievably fit as well back in the Newcastle he was very good but there's nothing better doing it with you know you've got the young lads like 20 years old they're probably like 15 years and you know yeah one of them said i'm gonna be sick and like you're pushing them the pace along and does that give you like yeah give you a little buzz that that's what you know the best one was city we were in south africa and we we did pre-season at this this school and it was just like a grass track painted and we weren't going in any direction there was some running some way somewhere another one we've been put with someone who thought was levels i think i was with fernandina and we're just running in twos and you're running for a time so you're pushing it along and we're running and we've been doing a certain amount and he never said a word and then all of a sudden like we're running this way he just turned around and joined another group never said a word he just turned and went with this three and then he's gone on with millions he'd done the first one and then we must have been doing four or five and like we're pushing it along and he never said like slow it down never dropped back or anything he just thought fuck that and just turned around and started running just seamlessly as you like i literally turned around brilliant even though he'd gone and it's just there's three of them running other the way you know what they sometimes like i know that like you know when you get in a group and you go you look around you go no no no i'm in the wrong group here you've got this sort of brutal animalistic energy about you that i i've only seen before in wayne bridge where you first he was a joke yeah i'm not sure i've ever done that sort of thing with bridget because bridget was very fit as well yeah but like gym even when he was injured you see him in the gym doing handbiking bikes and he was a joke as well yeah alright we've got a really important one from John Coffey here he's not the fella from the Green Mile

1:07:21I don't know

1:07:22Chris Stark: he's living on this thing but he could have been with the question with the question it's got to be how did you brew the perfect cup of tea not coffee yeah I mean milk after innit yeah where do you go to I mean is it Yorkshire it's got to be Yorkshire a cup of tea ridiculous question yeah no PG tips Yorkshire I mean I think at Brighton someone gave me a PG tips in the first season and I was like oh dear they're winding me up yeah giving me a show back imagine being pictured with that oh yeah yeah it's a whole new meaning covering your mouth with your hand that'll cover your teacup are you sugar in there or no sugar no sugar for me and then someone told me You're actually going to stir it anti-clockwise.

1:08:11There's a science. Do you have a favourite? You're men are going anti-clockwise. Leave it for a bit and then stir and then squeeze it against the top of the cup before you take it out.

1:08:21Chris Stark: To be fair, that's exactly how I make mine and I go anti-clockwise. Do you? I might have to try that. Yeah, listen, my missus said I make the best cup of tea, but I think she's mugging me off so I'll make it. Yeah, you're falling for that one, aren't you? I'm like chicken, mate. Come on, I'm kidding. Yeah, she's like with her feet up. You've got to chuck a bit of Marmite in the next one. You won't be asked to do it again. Millie, I have to ask you about Parched, because you, I know you were involved in it and you knew about it and stuff. I just wanted to ask you, because you were prime suspect for a little bit.

1:08:54Chris Stark: Were you aware of being prime suspect for a while? I wasn't aware, to be fair, but I get chucked in to most things, to be fair. So, yeah, I'm not surprised I was around it. Yeah. Who's the most Parched that you've come across in your career? I thought I might get this. I did ask a second opinion from Andy Robertson, to be fair, just to make sure I wasn't, you know, remembering it wrong. And yeah, for me, it was Thiago. Thiago? I don't know if he was the same in the Legends game. Do you know what? I think he was a little bit parched. It's good to get that clarification on too. Interesting. Wow.

1:09:29It's the first mention of Thiago as parched on the podcast. Wow. Unbelievable. We'll have to put it to him. Yeah. Interesting. He didn't need to spend the extra time working on his technique, did he? No, that's a good point.

1:09:41Chris Stark: He's still got it, by the way. In the Legends match, he's definitely still got it. Listen, we've got a load of new listeners now, so if you don't know what parched is, then it's... I mean, how would we explain parched? Well, it was traditionally the player that was given the big coat by a manager. Someone who's very much in tune with the manager, spends a lot of time with him, likes to speak to him, perhaps go for dinner with him. Yeah. Yeah. The teacher's petting up. Gasping. Yeah. Absolutely gasping. Well, the whole scenario started with the reason Parcher's called Parcher, because no one ever saw him take a sip of water.

1:10:16Chris Stark: No matter how hard the session is, he was still at the manager's side chatting. So it was like he didn't take any liquid on. So he was parched. So Millie, listen, you're still in the game. And you know what's amazing about you is you've spanned so long in the league, you know, in the Premier League. like you've seen what I think maybe almost everything, you know, because right at the start, there'll be things that annoyed you that went out the game, that's come in the game. And, you know, is there anything that pisses you off? I'm talking about in the whole spectrum of your career there. Is there anything where you go, oh, the game's gone.

1:10:56Chris Stark: What's happening? Yeah, it could be a while to be fair. I mean, VAR for me is what I hate. That's a given. Yeah, that's standard. cameras in dressing rooms oh well now we're talking to that that's quite a new one yeah they tried it for the last few years at Brighton and I've been a hard no on that just you've been a hard no on that as in if everyone else says yes are they pixelating your face or something like crime watch sort of thing yeah yeah because I suppose if you say no you could have like you know McIntyre uncovered I'd just smash it up the wall really Scott robot voice or something nah if they put one in I mean we have them after games and stuff which i still hate but nah if it was i'd just smash it off the wall yeah yeah i mean like you've got tunnel clubs you've got cameras all over you've got cameras on you when you're sat behind the bench you've got cameras in the tunnel it's like if you want a brawl in there or someone's got injured and they're crying their eyes out or you know we're talking about mental health of players now and that's a big topic there's got to be somewhere within a stadium where you can get away from which and your dressing room's that place isn't it and that's gone out of it you know imagine people in the in the training grounds and just like now people just walk in like staff members and stuff like that like back in the day be like you're joking aren't you like you can't go in the first team dressing room and as a junior player as well or whatever like last year come in and it was like four o 'clock and i'd finished my session come through and there's like four or five lads in first team jacuzzi and in dressing room like causing carnage like stuff like that yeah i suppose they got led you i suppose you let them No, did you?

1:12:33Chris Stark: Yeah. Standard. Standard practice. What did you put that down to? Is that a glass tunnel? No, it's cameras in dressing rooms. Cameras in dressing rooms, yeah. I've got another one as well, Richard, Mike. Enjoy. Another one. What would I put two in here? So, you know, like referees, when they get a bit familiar in the game and stuff like that. We had one not that long ago, and one of our lads is from Gambia, and he'd done a few tackles, and you know you're a bit of a head off he's shouting tranquilo at him the referee's shouting yeah shouting tranquilo I'm like don't speak a word of Spanish he's shouting tranquilo he said it like three or four times tranquilo that's one I'm like yeah I know what you mean well we had actually last week we had Ben Foster and he was talking about when Jordan Pickford made his save and Vam Austin

1:13:29Chris Stark: that's outrageous I think that's acceptable from a keeper do you? yeah they're a bit wild different breed yeah pick from it I can just see the referee referee Tranquilo okay so over familiar referees can we put that down for me it was more the fact that he doesn't speak a word of Spanish he's not from Spain I don't know why he's shouting Tranquilo just because he's not from England it means he automatically understands Tranquilo it's such a unique situation but wonderful because it sums up a few different things I think honestly a referee Tranquilo sums up Just referee Chankiela. Yeah, for me, sums up.

1:14:02Chris Stark: Does anyone know how to spell Chankiela? Millie, if you don't mind signing it, we'll go straight up there. We've got, you know, there's a few up there. Harry Wilson, Danny Dyer, Ben Foster. I think celebrating mediocrity from Dermot Kennedy there, you'd probably agree with as well. Yeah, I think if you give me a few months, I'll come back and I'll give you another board. You would need another board, though. I could be here all day on this. I could be here all day. It's a good little game's gone board. but cameras in dressing rooms and ref chanquilo it's going on it's the best one yet it's the best one actually it might be our favourite actually it might be our favourite right mate before you go Chris is on a special mission you know as we are as a podcast about making shin pads great again I don't know what your thoughts are I think you might be a line with us the pads have got smaller and smaller as we go you know and And, you know, we saw a massive gash on the shin recently.

1:15:01Chris Stark: I don't know if you saw that abroad. And we just want to make shin pads great again. And I don't know what your thoughts are on the shin pad situation at the moment. Are you a larger man? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I think there was a photo earlier in the season with one of our young lads, Harry Howland. You know, someone just put the felt in and stuff like that. It's because you can't tackle really, can you? I remember the first one was free when I first started playing. Slow ball into you as a winger. you're getting walloped so yeah i think yeah i mean not like cricket pads going out to open batting but i think yeah a decent size there's got to be a middle ground now you know we're seeing oyster cards going down the sock and it's yeah i'm not like the ankle guards and stuff i don't think you can bring you're impressed i'll be impressed if you can bring them i would have thought you'd be a proper you know double strap on sort of thing yeah yeah i thought you'd have a Yeah, you could be a Sandico or a Robson Gold.

1:15:53No, no. But mine were classed as small, but they're not small. They're like proper size and they're going, you know, I don't strap them on. I mean, I'm taking it. Especially not doubling. I'll take underneath.

1:16:11Chris Stark: Don't look into you trying it. I believe pads for five a side. I appreciate that's, you know, a bit too far. That's where it all started. that's where so luckily i've now got crouching sidz on board because we don't we want to protect our favorite players yeah you know this comes from a good place and i actually think they look silly smaller so we'd love to give you these so we'd like to give you these these are the uh make shins great again shin pads um yeah with you know some of your clubs there all of your clubs you you the premier league trophy there and and you're an english shirt so just a little presentation you'd feel free to wear them or free to bin them on the way out but decent yeah alright high praise indeed to be fair that's the York boys haven't they been out all day the last two days and they've just got the shinies on and stuff haven't they I think they're still out as we're recording this in shin pads is the impressive thing absolutely awful I've actually I actually know they did the York owners and they I spoke to them after the game watching the game and they were I think they're going to do like beef a trip for them as well That'd be a quiet one.

1:17:20Chris Stark: But Milik, thanks so much for coming down. I know you've made the effort today, so I'm really, really appreciating it. Congratulations on all your success in your career. And obviously for me and Sid, who have played with me as well, it couldn't have happened to, you know, there's a reason that it's happened to you and the reason that you're still going to this level because your attitude, your application, everyone who knows you thinks you're a top boy as well. So congratulations, mate, and thanks for coming on. Cheers, thanks for having me. Enjoyed it. Top man. Cheers.

1:17:50Chris Stark: Oh, well, great to have James Milner on there, wasn't it? Proofage, don't you? Doesn't do a lot of media stuff, does he? No, no, absolutely. He likes the podcast. He loves the pod. He listens to it, knows all the gags and stuff that we've done over the years, and he's into it. So great guy. Great to have him on. Can I just say as well, he turns up at the Chumba One bar on his own. He sort of just leaves, wanders down the street. He's, I don't know why that's so, like I'm expecting more around him. do you know what I mean yeah yeah yeah Premier League record record appearance maker just strolling out on his own yeah the record you're right literally yeah it's mental you could walk past a million people and they wouldn't even know who was what a guy superb very unassuming interesting fish and chip chat actually yeah enjoyed that do you know what I thought I was thinking there everyone's got a fish and chips haven't they do you remember like when you grew up growing up or something like that I remember the blue ocean near me a Greek family that owned it Charlie Periklios actually was his cousin he went to my school Charlie shout out to Charlie great fish and chips that one yeah what's that one Blue Ocean well I'm going to stick up for Murgatroyd it's not near where I live but whenever I was sort of Bradford way if I was DJing I'd always call in there and it was someone got me onto it actually someone got me onto the Murgatroyd's thing and I've been big on them what about you Sid there was a fellow called Danny around our way Danny's fish and chips and I don't know man he was he was class Was it?

1:19:15Chris Stark: Yeah, I was, yeah. Yeah, it was class. Is it just... And then he expanded. Did he? Two or three. Yeah, no. That can ruin things sometimes, is it still? Yeah. I once saw, when I was in Alder Lege, there was a place called Foster's. It became world famous because a lot of the footballers live in that area. So they spotted in there and stuff like that. It kind of elevated this fish and chip shop. Good fish and chips. I once... They used to leave fish and chips for a pound once. And I once... The queue goes round the block. I once saw Andy Cole in the queue when it was a pound. you went from reading that he'd been signed yeah yeah another moment you only have moments with the fella don't you a moment yeah I stand up Murgatroids would be either of yours maybe we've got to do a blind take they'd batter you maybe the blind testing and let us know you're so right Crouchy because everyone is adamant their one is the best get your fish and ship shot shouts in and let us know.

1:20:13Chris Stark: Here's to Football League.

1:20:21Chris Stark: Right, let's get into the Football League. Another massive week for you, Sid. You've got the flip-flops on, haven't you? They're off, to be fair. My feet are in the sand. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Just the only ones where you just sit here. Bally off completely. Yeah, fully off. Yeah, fully off. Just bevied in hands. No problem. You're about to take that dolphin to skid into the sea, you know? Like a little dolphin. Might get on the jet skiing a bit, you know, we'll see what's out there. Fair enough. What are you feeling? What isolation are you having? What do you reckon it is? Clipper? Clipper. Oh, it's got to be in there.

1:20:54Twister? I like a twister. Can only dream of that. Twister. Languishing. Languishing on the bottom.

1:20:59Chris Stark: Yeah, well, unfortunately, I mean, Sid's got the bonus five points as well for the most correct results. So that takes him for ten points because he got the bonus with the chaos cards. Ten points, that puts him at 83. I got four points I got a correct score in the Arsenal Newcastle game 1-0 I thought it'd be tight so I got four points Chris you got two put Sid's on 83 me on 65 and Chris you're on 54 you're on 69 lad you're on 69 oh god I'm on 69 sorry enjoy it while you're there mate I mean what a place to be Chris you're on 56

1:21:35can only dream of a 69 at this stage honestly I'm just so far behind honestly

1:21:41Chris Stark: I might stay there for a while

1:21:47Chris Stark: this part of the podcast is supported by Paddy Pound the big weekend fixture most generally our slight favourites is 6-5 Liverpool the underdogs I suppose as you'd expect at the moment 7-4 you know what you can have a repeat of the last meeting as well where United won 2-1 it was 15-2 a 10-8-5 quid so that's quite nice that I think that's quite good though I think that's quite a good bet as well. Before we get into it, Paddy Power's Ministry of Mischief has sent in another now. Hi, Crouchy Chris. I know it's notorious this idea. Hopefully you're reading this back in the studio after last week's remote recording chaos.

1:22:22Chris Stark: This car in the channel was absolutely shambles. Sid's dodgy Wi-Fi had in vanished mid-segment quicker than a North London title challenge. I think there should have been 10 points deducted off that. But either bad Wi-Fi should be 10 points. Bad Wi-Fi. Okay. The fact that you had to drive to a leisure centre. It's phenomenal as well. The credit where it's due, Crouchy, that James Alexander Gordon impression held it all together while the others were missing in action. A rare moment of professionalism. Oh, no. Listen, it's like, these are my boys. A rare moment of professionalism. That's amazing.

1:23:00I know.

1:23:01Chris Stark: I need to adjust the claims that I'm coming for Chris. To be clear, I'm just a purveyor of mischief. Anyone can get it. But when you're dialing in from a paddle club, what do you expect? That should be the 10 points. That is, dialing in from a paddle club. Anyway, another week, another SIDS clinic. This runny's on needs to be studied. It wasn't a bad week for Crouchy either, but another stinker from Chris. He really needs some bonus points and fast. That brings us into the week's chaos card, which is all about who you know and how quickly they'll answer a call. I call it phone a friend. Each of you will be picking up the phone and calling on a famous friend to make your predictions for you.

1:23:50Chris Stark: Chosen well, because once they're locked in, there's no hanging up and dialing someone else. If your chosen expert delivers, there's five points up for grabs. And if not, well, hopefully it doesn't ruin any friendships. Best of luck, lads. I'll be listing the Paddy Power Minister of Mischief. Who are you going to call? alright lads can we have five minutes just maybe to fire a few texts out definitely need that but I will go first I'm going to make my first call now

1:24:18Chris Stark: it's tense come on great one great one I'm just getting video editing oh yeah great one have you seen that hey look he's in the video editing room already you know what I mean like just put his homework in oh she's got his shirt on oh you drag Sidwell

1:24:44Chris Stark: What's happening, Cara? All good, mate. So hold on, he's live from Monday Night Football, by the way. So Monday Night Football, yeah? Talk us through a little bit of that. You got a little bit of editing before and stuff like that? So I've just been in the room with the guys. So I'll go into the pure detail of the actual goal on the corner and they set up in Newcastle but to be honest there's not that much analysis tonight because the games we wanted to look at that obviously means something the relegation and the title Arsenal 1-1-0 Spurs 1-1-0 from a set piece we'll have a look at West Ham we've got Keenan Dewsbury Hall coming on so we'll have a look at West Ham Everton there was no City game because of the FA Cup so there isn't that much analysis tonight so we've gone to real detail on the Arsenal goals so yeah that's what we've just been doing inside mate, all good nice, alright listen, Cara is the pod still top of the show?

1:25:41Chris Stark: yeah, yeah, yeah cruising, man no, no listen you know it's very, very good but, you know this is football heritage, this

1:25:52Chris Stark: we were there first we were there, mate we were there first always right, so Cara listen, I know you're a busy man, right so I'm going to ask you Manchester United versus Liverpool

1:26:09No.

1:26:19I can't see Liverpool winning me.

1:26:21Chris Stark: Oof. I'm going to go for a 1-1 draw. I think these teams will probably finish third and fourth in the Premier League. but I don't think either of them are a really good team to be honest I think it probably tells you a lot about the Premier League this season to be honest if these two teams are third and fourth yeah I'll go for 1-1 because I think both teams would not have to sort of kill themselves to get into you know to win the games I think they're probably both nailed on now aren't if you're Champions League positions I'll go 1-1 what do you think yourself big man alright locked it in listen hey you're the king of Monday Night Football mate I'm going with 1-1 did you just see how the screen changed behind him as he started getting analytical as well.

1:27:03Chris Stark: It's extraordinary, doesn't it? Isn't it? The boys are happy with the screen behind you. It's a proper outfit. It is. Can I tilt your ship? How does it?

1:27:15Chris Stark: All right. All right. Make sure you leave that in. All right, that's staying in there. No problem, that's staying in. All right, Newcastle versus Brighton. Ooh, Newcastle looks a lot better than Arsenal with Tonali and Gamaras back in midfield. And you know what? Sometimes I think when a team are on such a bad run, they're just due to win a game. It's just a lot of averages. And Brighton are almost probably due to not win. I'm going to go for Newcastle 2-1. I'm not Brighton in great form, but I'm going to go for Newcastle. Eddie, I'll need a result. All right, top man. I like that. I like that one.

1:27:54Chris Stark: We're just moving on to Villa versus Tottenham-Kara. That's all right. Yeah. Oh, you're getting worried, Crouchy? I am very worried, mate. Honestly, I think I keep bumping into Tottenham fans at the moment and they all think they're down. They all think they're down. West Ham's winning on the weekend. I can't see them scoring the goals that they need. I think of the two away games. I think Villa-Pan, it's a tough game. I know it's in between the European games with Forrest for Villa. I just can't see Spurs scoring more than one goal at Villa. So, they have to keep a clean sheet to win. I think the best thing gets a draw.

1:28:27and I think Villa will maybe rest players in the front. I think it'll be 1-1. I just can't see Spurs going to Villa and win them. I can't see it. And I think Villa will rest a few players. Not lots, but I think they will just a few and they'll have to mind on the European. I'm going to go 1-1. A couple of horny draws in there, isn't there?

1:28:49Chris Stark: Yeah. All right then, Cara. Lovely, mate. Listen, good luck tonight and I appreciate you calling in. No problem, mate. Do I have to go through my agent or is it cash this again or does it have to go that way? Cash always. You don't need anything else. Don't you do dinners, Crouch? Top man, mate. See you, mate. Bye-bye, mate. Bye-bye. Okay, lads. I was just thinking about with regards to someone who knows the data, the analysis. I thought that might be good. Jamie Carragher. That's cheating. That's top team. You've been as G? Yeah, I do. I've misunderstood the assignment. Call a friend, wasn't it?

1:29:31Call a friend. But I call one of you two. I can't call either of you, so I'm...

1:29:37Chris Stark: Yeah. It's top tier, though. The only issue there was, I don't think I pressed record on the screen record. So you can deal with that, lads. All good? Maybe they just whack a little picture of him in the corner. A picture of Carol. A really faint... To be fair, Cratchit, we all know what he looks like. I don't know what a video adds to that. Oh, yeah. I know what you mean. Good point. As long as you can hear him a little bit. Just use your imagination. Yeah. I like what you've done there. You've just gone like, obviously top tier analysis, get someone like deep into it. I've gone deep into it.

1:30:07Chris Stark: Someone deep into it. Who's going next? Me or you? I mean, I can go next. Have you gone footballer? Yeah, I've gone footballer. I've gone footballer. I'm not going to lie. I sent a couple of messages. I nearly got Rachel Stevens to do this. I've totally misunderstood this. Well, that would have been one. That would have been one. I'm more than happy. She's in SIDS' top one. That was... I thought the idea of this was it was a bit of fun. What do you mean? It wasn't good to me. I honestly have misunderstood this. Right. Okay. Okay, here we go. I'm calling.

1:30:47There he is. That is good. It's good. It's good. That's very good. hello mate it's the one

1:30:57Chris Stark: the one and only Joe Cole oh I love that dangerously well dangerously well dangerously well so I thought so we're doing obviously a little segment Coley Crouchy called Jamie Carragher for a little bit of inside info I've obviously come for for yourself top pundit top analysis knows what he's doing knows what he's talking about so could you predict three games for me please mate did we tell everyone it was Joe Carl by the way I did tell everyone it was Joe Carl yeah Joe Carl I'll hope to see you asking what you need right Joe are you ready the first game please is Manchester United versus Liverpool I think that's going to be it's Old Trafford I'm going to go 2-2 horny for draws really horny draw okay next game Newcastle versus Brighton, please, mate.

1:31:56I am going to go Eddie Howe getting it back on 2-1 Newcastle.

1:32:00Chris Stark: Oh, he's got 2-1, yeah. He said the same thing, didn't he? Are you sure? Yeah, I'm sure. He thought Newcastle would get the result. Last one, please. Aston Villa versus Tottenham Hotspur.

1:32:14I am going to go... I am going to go... It's been really the semi-finals, isn't it? Tottenham have to win. Yeah. I'm going to go Spurs to win 1-0. 1-0. Slow scoring on both of yours. Okay, mate.

1:32:33Chris Stark: You'll be fine, mate. I'm on the beach anyway. It's fine. I'm cruising. Don't worry about it. He's on the beach, yeah. We're top of the pile, mate. Right, say goodbye, lads. Salud, Joe. Joe, where are you, son? Where are you? I'm indoors, mate. Oh, nice. Yeah. It's chilling here. Beautiful. I've seen you for weeks I've been doing all the work I know I've been otherwise I've been otherwise engaged I bet you have mate They've been sending me all over the game

1:33:05Good

1:33:05Chris Stark: Alright Keep it up son Burley next week Right

1:33:13Chris Stark: Take it easy mate Cheers Coley I think this is a disadvantage at a time where I, like, that's Joe Cole. We need to remember sometimes. I know you're used to it. Well, we've gone to TNT's the sky's finest so far. All right, lads. I think I misunderstood the assignment here. So I've gone for someone a bit different. Jamie Carragher, Joe Cole. I'm going to stick with a theme here. I've got a J in my phone book. J. But it's a bit different.

1:33:45Chris Stark: Big John! Oh, he is! Big John! It's Big John! hi how are we everybody all good all good what a legend I don't know about that I don't know about that Big John what we're doing is we've all got to call someone from our phone book so Crouchy called Jamie Carragher Sid's called Joe Cole and I was thinking who do I want to help with my predictions this week and it was only ever you so you've got the worst phone number book in history you ever called No, because I'll tell you what it is. I'm bottom of this league. I need some Bosch power just to see me right through on this one. And you're the guy to do that.

1:34:26Am I right?

1:34:28Chris Stark: You're right. You're right. You're not wrong. You're not wrong. Let's have it. Have you guys ever met? Have you met Big John? I've never met Big John. No, not met. Not met. No. Big fan of you and big fan of you all. So thank you for having me on. No, pleasure. No, pleasure. No, thanks for taking this call. All right. let's bosh through it for want of a better phrase alright Man United against Liverpool what are you saying Big John well I think it's going to be a tight affair both teams have done better recently I think it's going to end 2-2 2-2 it's a Desmond alright that's what Joe said Desmond okay Newcastle Brighton what are you saying Big John Newcastle are dropping like a stone Brighton on their day can beat anybody I say 2-1 Brighton 2-1 Brighton yeah that's good yeah feeling that alright brilliant and finally Big John Villa Spurs Villa very near well near the Champions League places they're going well Spurs desperately need to win I can't see it I can see 2-0 Villa 2-0 Villa serious Bosch analysis very good the other two waffled on a bit more Big John so well done for that one

1:35:45Big John, we talk about you sometimes on the podcast. I know you get asked to do this a billion times. Is there any chance just for the lads that you can reel off the Chinese order just to make everyone happy?

1:35:57Chris Stark: It ends in off and it starts in F. Bosh! Are you ready? Here we go. Shreddy chicken charming, special fried rice, egg fried rice Singapore rice noodles sweet and sour chicken balls sweet and sour chicken Hong Kong style salt and chilli king prawn salt and chilli chicken beef in black bean kung po prawn shredded chilli beef chips, prawn crackers curry sauce and don't forget the pancake roll BOSS! You'll be hungry now You'll be hungry We've got to get you in sometime Big John We love you Thanks for having me on lads and all the best Top man Thanks John mate BOSS BOSS cheers Big John love ya see you in a bit mate see you soon alright mate bye what a guy well I think you might have won imagine that comes through if Big John nails their scores by the way I'm just going to use them every week it's just going to be a Big John take over imagine that if he actually beats the analysis of Joe Colwyn top TNT pundit top Sky analysis pundit Big John pulled over brilliant what a man we can't forget about Paddy's boost in the Manchester United Liverpool game this is where we each pick a leg of the Crouch Poppet Builder the odds on that bet builder will be boosted by 20 % and put on the special section of the website or app I'm going to have players to score first Alexander Isak like it he's back isn't he player to be carded I will go for Luke Shaw alright I'm going to go player to have two plus shots on target I'm going to go got to be Bruno Fernandes let's go ok odds are corrected so I'm recording please gamble responsibly

1:37:39Chris Stark: Okay, well, that's the end of the podcast, lads. Yeah, I enjoyed it. I hope you enjoyed it as much as me. Bit of a big one, that. I loved it. It was a good one. You're so much there. And it was James Moore. I mean, like, you know, you couldn't do a short one, could you? No. It's not a short career, is it? Well, I hope you enjoyed it as much as us, and we'll see you next week. You're listening to this podcast, so I know you've got a curious mind. Here's a helpful fact you might not know yet. Drivers who switch and save with Progressive save over$900 on average. Pop over to Progressive.com, answer some questions, and you'll get a quick quote with discounts that are easy to come by.

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