Darren Caskey | Any Luck Catching Them Swans

12:38Darren Caskey:No, not really. No, he just... You only sent it forward. I mean, I don't know if he actually told him. If he'd told him he was starting the next day, he might not have gone so mad. But do you know what I mean? I think he just lost the plot, do you know what I mean? Got a bit excited. First away trip under a new manager and he's like, can get pissed up. He just went a bit too far. But he'd come on at the end and, to be fair, he'd probably put about seven balls over the stadium. We wasted a bit of time at the end. But that's probably as good as that he gets. Do you know what I mean? He's one of them players that can edit for it and kick it.

13:08Parky:Don't mind Johnny Oster was probably a sitting midfielder then. Five foot, eight.

13:13Darren Caskey:Yeah. He was brilliant for us at Gateshead, though, John.

13:16Parky:Good player, wasn't he?

13:16Darren Caskey:John, Phil Turnbull. Phil Turnbull and John were like, for that level, brilliant footballers, you know what I mean? By the way, we never got beat when we went to the ball.

13:25Parky:Yeah. never lost a game when we went to the ball we heard about who was the young lad that probably a similar situation to Hatch probably had one too many oh Matty Fry Matty Fry

13:36Darren Caskey:yeah but I think two pints is enough for Matty isn't it

13:38Parky:that was his first trip that's Shandy as well that was his first trip he must have had seven or eight by now and he's I think he must have took the vice captaincy off him who were milsy and he's in like that like Popper having a bass

13:53Darren Caskey:I used to be

13:54Parky:fucking vice captain

13:55Darren Caskey:at this club before you came in. Then we realised he couldn't trap a ball with that's why we probably took it off him. You just edit and boot as far as you can down the other end because John might be at the other end somewhere.

14:07Parky:So Dover away first game with 2-1 down.

14:09Darren Caskey:Was you all get first game

14:10Parky:Dover away? Yeah. 2-1 down at half driving both goals of Matty Fry's fault. Off. Oh dragged. Yeah. Never seen anybody as happy to get dragged. Did you take a lot of the coaching when you were assistant did he give you rain to take all the sessions

14:25Darren Caskey:I've done, Milsy's sort of a man manager really, do you know what I mean? And obviously everything was set up and done and whatever before everyone come in. But I've done most of the sort of coaching. But I mean, it was basic really, do you know what I mean? We were organised, everyone knew what they was doing. We made sure it was enjoyable every day, didn't we? Well, did you enjoy it most of those? Yeah. But it's enjoyable, you know what I mean? Worked hard, got everyone as fit as we could. Some were a little bit harder to get fit than others. But then we were just organised and then we let them do it, you know what I mean?

14:54Parky:Back to the very, very start, mate. You were quite young when you were picked up at Spurs. Am I right in saying that? Eight, nine?

15:00Darren Caskey:Yeah, around eight, nine, yeah. Obviously, as a kid and whatever. But then I went to Lyshaw when I was, I'd been there 13, because I was the youngest in my year. It's my birthday's August, at the end of August. So in the football years, I could play for the year younger. Right. That's why I ended up doing the double thing with the England lot. So I went to the World Cup thing for the 20s. but then when I come back I could play for the younger lot for the European Championships that I played in the year before that with the older group if you know what I mean

15:30Parky:I think I heard Kevin Gallon talking about his international team and it's unbelievable how was some team that

15:36Darren Caskey:to be fair

15:37Parky:talk us through some of the names can't remember them but no no I mean obviously

15:42Darren Caskey:I had all the Man U lot the Skulls yeah Skulls but Neville who else has was a couple more from Manu as well, I think. But then you had me and Sol from Tottenham. Then you had Robbie Fowler, Joe Chim. I mean, there were some good players in that team, right?

16:06Parky:I think Gallum was saying that him and Fowler were sub.

16:09Darren Caskey:Yeah, well, they never started. Joe Chim started at the front and Kev and Robbie went on. But I think Kev come on sub and scored a couple of goals a game. Robbie come on, I think, against Spain or someone and scored three and then ended up being like, them two ended up being the ones up top.

16:26Parky:I was big solid at a young age. Big.

16:31Darren Caskey:Yeah, not the brightest, but no, he was brilliant though, wasn't he? He was a good player. Were you like that developed at a young age? No, he wasn't. He was like six foot legs and then a tiny little body on the end of it and then suddenly then he'd become like 12 foot tall. Do you know what I mean? No, he weren't like that. Well, Sal was at Lillishaw with me as well. but he was he was very quiet and in them days like when he was really young but he kept himself to himself all the time so like but and what were you like at Lillyshaw were you like you are now like just fucking about all the time and

17:03Parky:yeah

17:04Darren Caskey:most of the time yeah I used to come back from like I'll come back from Lillyshaw like because you're like squalidies and whatever no because my brother's 10 years older than me so I just go out and get pissed up with my brother at like 13, 14 and I come back and I go I see my nan at the weekend I say well was it good yeah what do you do i said ah not a lot for fucking not telling my mouth pissed up with my brother till fucking god knows what time did you enjoy it because it's a big thing i really i really loved it i really loved it but i think i mean i hated school literally hated it i was thick as shit like you know what i mean so i didn't like school would you go every morning school we used to have to go to school yeah the first day i went in that i think it was called Schiffner or something like that.

17:46Darren Caskey:First day I went in, went into the English bit and I went straight up, got there early, went into the teacher and went, do you, do not ask me to read out in class as I just walk out. So I knew I'd be like, you know what I mean? I'd be shitting myself. What's he say? You know what I mean? He never did like, you know what I mean? For two years, he never asked me to read out in class. I got away with it. Somehow I have that little knack of getting away with shit that I can't really do.

18:09Parky:And would they, would they not really be that ass about the school or not that people from Millie Shop?

18:14Darren Caskey:I think after our group sort of went, they got like sort of like locked it down a little bit more. Do you know what I mean? You used to have to sit in the room and do your own work and no one fucking done it. You know what I mean? Well, some of the clever ones might have done, but I wasn't bothered about it.

18:28Parky:What was your upbringing like at Spurs? Like was it when you were in around the first team lads? Were there any that took you under the wing? Were there any that led you astray?

18:39Darren Caskey:What sort of as in when I was a kid kid or when I actually joined it? coming through

18:43Parky:in and around the first team

18:44Darren Caskey:like YTS yeah I mean obviously we had Gazza was there when he he was what he was he was I mean to be fair there was a lot of characters in them days weren't there but yeah there's plenty to lead you astray there Steve Sedgwick was probably one of the worst he would do anything like Gazza would just say do this and he'd do it like you know what I mean so Gazza was even the worst probably Sedgwick was the worst probably I think I'd say Sedgwick was probably worse than Gazza because he was stupid enough to just do anything you know what I mean he would literally do anything like wheels i went on a trip once and i think nick barmbie had puked up on the floor we was in i think i think we was in my bay i can't remember but he'd puked nick barmbie had puked everywhere and like gaz i got a beer mat scooped it up and said said like 50 quid if you eat that and he just just fucking at it like you know what i mean that's what i was like chris i just looked at him and like what the fuck Do you know what I mean?

19:38Parky:It must take some chewing than beer mats.

19:42Darren Caskey:That was the nicest bit, that bit. No, but he was an absolute lunatic, Sedge. See, I never had him done. I always thought he looked like a sensible fella. Oh, Sedge was an absolute nutcase. We were going golf one day, and we was in like convoy going to golf. I can't remember what course it was, but we stopped, and then all of a sudden, Sedge just got out of the car that they were in, had no clothes on, dived and tried to had no clothes on dived and tried to catch a swan missed it just smashed in come back out we got to the club we're like what are you doing and we're like oh Gazza said 50 quid if you catch a swan so he took all his clothes off because he didn't want them wet for the golf and just dived in and tried to catch his swan and I'm like what the fuck do you know what I mean

20:24Parky:was it 50 quid to try and catch a swan or 50 quid if he caught a swan well that's where

20:27Darren Caskey:we probably caught him out you know what I mean I don't know that's with Gazza who are too smart and that's saying something if he's too smart

20:34Parky:You thought it would have been people saying that the Gaza wouldn't you?

20:37Darren Caskey:Yeah, that's what I mean. He used to be a nightmare as well, but them two were always up to something, like every day, like trying to do all sorts of shit, like cutting people's socks at the end off, putting shit in people's fucking jocks or whatever he used to wear in them days and whatever, a nightmare.

20:55Parky:And would you be drawn towards that? Oh, no. Or would you just bystand and like what? Well, I mean, as a kid,

21:03Darren Caskey:you a little bit like obviously because you're not you're not got the not the power is not the right word but in your dress room now until you can till you actually get your bit you just sort of watch but yeah i mean i'd like someone said like when he gaz would say anyone want to play a game like snooker this afternoon i'll be like yeah come in there like and then six hours later like you can't see you know what i mean and then you just go out for the night with him and it's like you can end up in like weird places do you know what i mean doing weird weird stuff do you know what I mean sounds good though yeah we went back to Wascac he took me we went that time when we went to play snooker went up back one of his mates had a hotel in London so we went back there we stopped off he drove all the way after about 20 well we played about I think we played about 15 frames of snooker so you can imagine how many pints we had drove we stopped off at his mate's place in Millil got me some clothes and had to go out for the night so I'm thinking this is alright it's bought me clothes everything we're going out stopped back there he met that guy I think his name's Paul Shane you know he used to be on RDI

22:06Parky:oh yeah did he touch he had a I think he did he looked a bit like you

22:10Darren Caskey:actually no so yeah we stopped in we were drinking elephant beer for the rest of the night we had loads and then he went downstairs he went come on come downstairs he opened his boot he opened his boot and he had this rifle and he just started shooting all the lights down around near the hotel and he's like laughing his head off and I think we get caught yeah just lights anywhere just shooting them like just shooting the lights out then put the gun back in his car and then went back in and I was like oh man the next day I'm turning up I was still in the youth team at the time so next day I turn up we're about 15 minutes late and I'm thinking oh my god if I get caught here I'm going to get killed like but yeah if you could get in some corners with Gazza like

22:52Parky:That's an introduction to professional football getting roped into that

22:57Darren Caskey:It used to come down to our fishing legs until we got barred from both of the pubs. I think it was in here, not these owners, in here, and they started, got absolutely, steamboats, started ripping all the curtains down and whatever. And then my father-in-law got a phone call because I weren't living here at the time, saying, I don't know why they thought that we were in charge of him, but he's ripping all the stuff down. Just tell him to get on with it, get rid of him then. That's the case, you know what I mean?

23:21Parky:I mean, it's sad where he is now, and I think he even said he'll die, an alcoholic, drug addict kind of thing. could you tell him that when he was being too much you know like yeah i think he knew as well

23:33Darren Caskey:he knew he was down like the fishing lakes once i can't i can't remember what sort of year it was or whatever and jimmy jimmy was with him five bellies with him and he was he had been off the booze and he was he was great like you know i mean he was coming every day like that's where i think he's all or nothing i'm a little bit like that you know i mean oh like you know i mean he's there he's not drinking and then he'd come back the next day it'd been probably he must have been come in for about six weeks didn't pay for a thing by the way but then he's he's like oh i need to get on it like nothing to do i was thinking i don't want to get involved in this he's like jimmy book us book us a trip i think they went to australia or something and then the next thing i hear about like three months later he's gone again like absolutely but it's a shame because he's got a gold light you know what i mean but he's obviously got a bad addiction that's that's the problem.

24:24Parky:What were the managers like with him? What were the managers at the time? Were it Venables?

24:29Darren Caskey:Well, Venables, yeah. I mean, when he'd done his knee, I just remember one thing just comes flashing back to my mind. We're training. I was I wasn't in a team. I was a youth teamer going over training. Venables had his, like, he was facing us and like Gaz has come and used to have a blacked out Mercedes and it's coming onto the grass and suddenly he's getting quicker and quicker and quicker and I'm thinking, oh my God. And all the players so say you're Terry Venables there facing this way you can't see Gazza's coming like now like 50, 60, 70 I was in the car in the car I thought you meant he was running running he's knees fucked he can't run so he's coming he's got the crutch out of his what's he call it out of his window right he's coming quicker and so slowly everyone's moving thinking he's going to come and mow everyone over comes and does a big massive handbrake turn on the thing that's the first time I've ever seen Terry Venables actually go and like rip him like went to the window and like went mad at him but then the next day they were good as

25:27Parky:gold again together you know what i mean but what was the purpose of the car was it just just off

25:31Darren Caskey:his head i don't know just that's what he's like though he'd just do anything to just cause havoc like you know what i mean but he was injured at the time so he was obviously up like away from the group a bit but he just he just did mad shit like that all the time like you know what i mean

25:44Parky:like now like today if somebody's coming on the training pitch 50 mile an hour pulling a doing a or not sacked.

25:54Darren Caskey:Severely reprimanded. Yeah. Yeah, you're being massive. You couldn't get away with some of the stuff like, you know what I mean, that they used to do back in the day. No chance. But that was back down to what's got how people manage all different people. It's like now, you know what I mean? How do you manage someone that's on like 500 grand a week or whatever? But everyone's different now, aren't they? They're not as mad people. Well, they might be, but they're not the same now, are they?

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27:59Darren Caskey:Nothing brings people together quite like Team USA at the Olympic Winter Games. From NBCUniversal's iconic storytelling to the innovative technology across Xfinity and Peacock, Comcast brings the Olympic Games home to America, sharing every moment with millions. When Team USA steps onto the world stage, people aren't just watching,

28:21Parky:they're cheering together. This winter, everyone is all on the same team.

28:25Darren Caskey:Comcast, proud partner of Team USA.

28:30Parky:It looks like it's a team of, was Ruddock there?

28:33Darren Caskey:Yeah, Neil was there. Did you

28:35Parky:call it again?

28:36Darren Caskey:Well, to be fair, I, what's he call it? I used to go drinking a little bit with Neil in Rumford, a place called Checkers. But that was just like, do you know what I mean? I was a young kid. I just think, God, like, you know what I mean? After about three hours, I just needed to get home. But I didn't. I stayed for a bit longer. No, but he was just a mad drinker. That was the thing. But back in them days, you had some that just liked a good time, whatever, then some that tore the arse out of it. You know what I mean? But Neil used to tear the arse out of it.

29:05Parky:Do you know when you say drinker, do you mean a drinker as in, like, just sat in a pub like this, having a drink, or want to be in the fucking bright lights with the birds and all that sort of stuff. Oh, no, no.

29:15Darren Caskey:Like Chequers in Bosse Court, it was like a fucking shithole. Do you know what I mean? It was just going for the crack and having fun and that. So basically just the lads having game-based. Yeah, he wanted to have the fun and that, you know what I mean?

29:25Parky:Obviously, I know how you are. You'd done fucking well to ever play a game, really, didn't you? I was just thinking that. You must have been doing well alongside that.

29:37Darren Caskey:Well, yeah, I think I went, if you say Daniel, But I think, what's it called, my turning point in my life was when my dad died. I'd gone, I was, when I left Spurs and that, yeah, went out drinking with it. But I was like, I was a young lad and they were like, you know what I mean? You know what it's like as a young lad. I mean, all the older ones, just follow them and whatever. But then when I went to Reading, I went to Reading and then my dad died and then I just sort of, I sort of lost myself a little bit. Do you know what I mean? And without knowing it, if I, I'm not one for looking back, but if I look back, that sort of hurt me a little bit.

30:08Darren Caskey:You know what I mean? and to blank it all out, I just drunk. A lot of times I drunk on my own. Do you know what I mean in them days? Just now? No, just go out and just drink. You know what I mean? Probably the bad thing for me, when I was at Reading, I was doing well. I was probably about two stone overweight, but I was doing all right. You were still performing. I was still, well, as such. I started scoring a load of goals out of nowhere. I don't know how. But I think if I was fit and whatever, I probably would have got to move again. Do you know what I mean? But anyway, it is what it is, isn't it?

30:38Parky:Who gave you a chance at Tottenham? Who would push you?

30:44Darren Caskey:Well, Terry was there when I was youth team, and then Aussie gave me my debut. Aussie Odele's given me a debut.

30:53Parky:What was your most memorable Tottenham game?

30:56Darren Caskey:I made my debut as a sub against Arsenal at Ivory, which was amazing. But then my full debut was home to Everton. and I scored the winner in the last minute. So that was probably the best, really.

31:12Parky:So that's some start, isn't it? To your career.

31:15Darren Caskey:I imagine... Then I met John.

31:18Parky:I imagine expectations were high as well. You know, being part of that team, under-18s team that won the European Championship.

31:26Darren Caskey:To be fair, that's probably maybe with me, maybe that was probably a little bit weird. I think we played Man U, it was around Christmas time. We had a couple of injuries, so I started. because when everyone was there all the internationals and that I'd be on the bench and I'd be like you know what I mean so we played Man U and we won 4-1 and I got man the match I thought right I'm definitely playing next week do you know what I mean and then all the internationals are back I think Jerry Francis was manager at the time and he pulled me and went no you're not playing you've done well last week whatever and I'm like are you joking me like you know what I mean just got like man the match and I still but then he went well no because when all the and he was straight with me I liked him in that way Jerry he was good like he said no when all the internationals are fit and everything, you're on the bench if you're lucky.

32:10Darren Caskey:And I was like, oh, you know what I mean? Put me in my place a bit. But I just literally wanted to play every week. That's why I sort of forced a move around sort of 20, 21. That's why I sort of forced a move out really. Gerry had offered me a new contract but I just wanted to get out and play. Sherry, I'm a good wingman. Teddy was a tough man, yeah, apart from when I had to borrow his shoes because he was a size fucking 12 or something, wasn't he? Do you know what I mean? I went out of him once and I'm not going all the way because I lived a little bit further away then he's like it's like you can borrow my stuff or whatever and he gave me these blue brogues they were enormous i'm like oh so i went out with like ted's gear on like i'm like five foot five like ted's enormous so i got his i've rolled his jeans up about 94 times put these blue brogues on a size 12 and i'm like a seven and a half eight do you know what i mean didn't didn't look too good that night yeah he's a good lad ted was great with me like when i was when i I was younger, he was brilliant, right?

33:04Parky:Even though you probably can't see the shoes, just play on your mind that you feel like you look a tip. Especially when you want to go on dance floor. It's difficult. But good if you drop your change out of your pocket, because you've obviously got plenty to catch it in, haven't you? Especially them turned up jeans. So had you been, before you left Tottenham, had you been rewarded with contracts and stuff?

33:24Darren Caskey:Yeah. Had they looked after you? I mean, I weren't on fortunes, but I was a young kid that got homegrown, do you know what I mean? but I was doing alright. They'd offered me a new contract but I just wanted to go then because I knew that I was never going to play every week. And I reckon even when you've left Spurs

33:39Parky:there'll have been some Premier League clubs after you but was it a case of you just wanted to go somewhere?

33:43Darren Caskey:There weren't no Premier ones but I was close to signing for Bolton at the time. I can't remember who the manager was actually but I was close to signing for Bolton and there was one other club. I think it might have been Ipswich.

33:54Parky:Bolton would have just been promoted that year that you signed for...

33:56Darren Caskey:I think they went up the next year I think. They went back up didn't they? I just took Reading down. That's fucking perfect.

34:04Darren Caskey:That's quite a few clubs, actually, weirdly.

34:08Parky:You did that 93-94 season. You played 32 games that season before Gerry Francis came in. So you'd had a further kick in the team. Was it Gerry that maybe pulled you back a bit?

34:21Darren Caskey:Well, no, I think, what's he call it? I think Ozzy likes a different style of player sort of thing, really. I think Ozzy used to like, you know what I mean, the way I was and whatever and Jiri was a little bit more structured and whatever and fancied other people and I was still only young then and he pulled me out I'd always been involved in you know what I mean but I was sitting on the bench all the time I didn't like it very much If you're 20, 21 you've played That was the thing the year before I played quite a bit and then I was just like and then I'd get in I'd do really well and then but I mean he's probably right what he was you're going to play your strongest team as a manager aren't you when you get on the other side of the fence you see it a bit do you know what I mean go well you ain't for week in week out a minute you might need another year and that's the thing he was straight with me i love jerry he was brilliant like so he'd bring me out and he'd tell me why be straight with me and that's it my decision that's it that's done and when i was going to leave he wanted to offer me he offered me a new contract but then i ended up going were you in the squad when klinsman yeah yeah yeah i imagine him being ultra professional klinsman yeah but he was good though he come out for the crack had a few beers and that with the boys and that I like a drink though the Germans don't they yeah he had that stupid mini didn't he he had a contract with Volkswagen or something and with like he had some like mental cars and that but he used to come to train in his little Volkswagen minis I think so just in case he had too many pints and didn't get caught on the way home but now he'll come out and have a good crack on that with with everyone he was he was he was good as gold light you know what I mean I just remember him being a diving bastard yeah what's he though I think he just got the rep that reputation

35:56Parky:and did for that one dive and then did the celebration.

36:00Darren Caskey:It was theatrical, wasn't it? But a good player. He reminded me a little bit of Gary Lineker really in the early days because Lineker was there when I first went. What were you like? I don't think he really, he stayed away. I mean, him and Gazza couldn't have been more two opposites, do you know what I mean? Lineker was like, because they were older in his career, do you know what I mean? Wanted to stay with the older lads, didn't really muck around with the younger ones where Gazza just wanted to be with all the youth team and piss around and that, you know what I mean? And I'd do extra training with us and whatever.

36:29Darren Caskey:Lineker just got on with this thing. But when I say about Klinsman and Lineker, like you would never want Gary Lineker on your team as a five-a-side because he couldn't trap the ball. Like, you know what I mean? But runs and finishing, unreal. You know what I mean? But in a five-a-side, he'd probably be the worst player every time. But he runs-wise as a midfielder and that, he's runs with brilliant, unbelievable finisher. Same as Klinsman. Do you know what I mean? he was a bit more athletic and that you know what I mean than he was but but they were similar in that way where their runs and their finishing just top draw do you know what I mean

37:03Parky:Would Linlicka be happy if he drew 3-0 and he scored all three? Would he want to that? Yeah

37:09Darren Caskey:Yeah I would say but I don't know I didn't know I was a kid then you know what I mean that was only through my eyes and them days do you know what I mean but I would say yeah What about Klinsman is he I think he'd probably be the same as well

37:22Parky:I know there's selfish strikers but that's cuntish that innit

37:26Darren Caskey:Yeah I think that's what they have to do I think in that way you need to be a bit selfish being a striker don't you You'll know

37:33Parky:You'd still be furious that we lost I'm sure you said that you'd be one of them that would be happy if you got a hat-rack and draw I'm a cunt and all

37:41Darren Caskey:We all know that We don't need to sit around the table and discuss that We know for King John's that I can't believe you just throw me

37:48Parky:in with Jürgen Klin and fucking Gary Linicka by the way No, we don't throw you in with everyone who's played us, just as cunts.

37:54Darren Caskey:I'm not being funny as well, right? He's up there with a finishing. He just couldn't do the runs. Do you know what I mean? Have it by a Paul Noir for a fox? And I mean that. I mean that. I've not had Paul Noir for a fox, he knows.

38:08Parky:No. Apparently he was a keen salesman back in the day. Did he take it to Tottenham?

38:13Darren Caskey:I think so, yeah.

38:14Parky:I think he did. Did he put it on the bus?

38:15Darren Caskey:I must have missed out on that one. I don't know. I might have been underage at that time.

38:21Parky:By the way, he did say that finishing were quite slimmer to Klinsman and Linick. In case we missed. I think he fucking skipped over that band.

38:30Darren Caskey:No, Paki was a top finisher. Left foot, right foot, heading. Brilliant, that's what I said. But he just couldn't run. That was a problem. And I feel for him because I've done that for my whole career as well. It's horrible being the slowest player on the pitch. I'd love to have one time just had the ball on the wing and fronted someone up, pushed it just 20 yards and sprinted past them like that, you know what I mean? Could never do it. You have to tuck inside, do it, you had to beat them nine times before you could get anywhere, do you know what I mean?

39:00Parky:I was going to say, did you hit the ground running?

39:02Darren Caskey:I did, but it was very slowly.

39:05Parky:So they got in the playoffs the season before you joined, Redden? Yeah. And what went wrong? What was the, because you got finished 19?

39:12Darren Caskey:Could have been that 900 grand signing. now the next year I don't know if it was the next year or the year after did we get relegated the next year I think so

39:22Parky:that was the year after

39:23Darren Caskey:I think it was the year after I think if you look in your notes I broke my leg that year I was out for a while the only injury I've ever had

39:31Parky:was that

39:31Darren Caskey:yeah I did I think we played I think Terry Bullivan was the manager yeah so Mick Goodin and what's it called they took me there I think we stayed up that year but then the next year Terry Bullivan come in I broke my leg on the Friday it's the only injury I really had I broke my leg on the Friday before we were going up to play Sunderland actually funny enough I think Sunderland pumped us 5-0 that day that would have been about what was that 98 or something

40:00Parky:is that when they got promoted maybe got promoted with 100 points

40:04Darren Caskey:Sunderland that year yeah they pumped us 5-0 by the time I got back in the team we were like right down the bottom and that's the year we got relegated by Forrest at the end of the season.

40:15Parky:And do you know when you say you brought your leg that season, had your dad passed away by now?

40:19Darren Caskey:Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, which didn't help. Yeah. Like, my dad was one of them. Like, I actually, I was speaking to someone the other day and I said to him, I think I was, like, frightened of my dad, but I don't think I was, actually, when I look back. I was actually, like, I just wanted his approval. Yeah. He never said to, I don't think he ever said to me his whole day that I played well. But you're always like, do you know what I mean? It's funny enough, what's he called it? Jake said that to me the other week. he's like, bloody hell, I'm like 32 years old and he never told me I played well once, Dad.

40:45Darren Caskey:Do you know what I mean? But I think that's just that old school do this. You know what I mean? Get on with it and do whatever. But that's just the way he was like, do you know what I mean? But I looked up to him so much. But yeah, I did go a bit downhill then, but you know, that's what it was. Did the club ever help you? Did the club realise you were? You don't ever get any help on that sort of side of it. I know, I know.

41:03Parky:I've obviously been back quite a while ago.

41:05Darren Caskey:In them days. Did you like Pardew? Which is, did I what?

41:09Parky:Did you like Pardew when you came in?

41:11Darren Caskey:Yeah, Paz was a great coach. And I got on well with Paz, like, do you know what I mean? He was good, like. I always tried to, oh, when we were, oh, dear. So we went to Holland. I think that first year he come, Paz was like, well, there'll be no drinking on this trip. Oh, fuck it. Do you know what I mean? Okay, no worries. So I got to the hotel and I went to see Paz. I'm like, Paz, come on, there's a couple of older lads. You know what it's like in Holland. There's bikes everywhere.

41:41Parky:are you an older lad are you 23 24 are you a little lad here are you 23 24 no i was by the

41:48Darren Caskey:time pard's come in i was probably i said yeah but i feel like an old lad i was getting even slower by then but i was no it's probably about 20 well it's probably 25 26 and so i'll get there i think we had remember gareth davis a big ginger center half probably one of your two too young and then And there was about three Welsh lads. So I said to the past, I went, come on, let us go for a pint. You know what I mean? I said, nothing will happen. Just let us go for a couple of pints. I'll be responsible. We're just going to go on the bikes out the front and come back. I said, no one will know. He's like, no, I don't know.

42:24Darren Caskey:I said, no drink. I said, yeah, but we're not going out in the group. We're not going out in the evening, whatever. We must have got not even 50 yards outside the hotel. gareth davis went across the road looked the wrong way and this young girl come lifted him off his bike mate he somersaulted landed on his chin his face split open right and without a snob she pulled up about 20 yards up the road on the left within minutes she had rung the police the police are there and i'm just thinking oh my god i've not even had a pint yet and we so the police come and they're like where are you guys from from me i'm from england yeah well i said we're only staying up the road we're on this football trip like i was Talking like as if I'm not at school.

43:03Darren Caskey:I'm on a football trip. He looked the wrong way at Somerset. And the girl blasted her. She was shaking, shaking like. So anyway, we go back. Police come back to the hotel, don't they? So I'm like, oh, no, I've got to tell parts. So I got there. He looked at me. I thought, I'm never going to play all year. He just looked at me and went, you've only been gone 10 minutes. And I'm like, oh, Jesus Christ. But his face was completely split and everything. I thought, oh, what a nightmare.

43:29Parky:I do like that that was your first thought, though, that, shit, I haven't even had a pint. I know.

43:33Darren Caskey:But you know, the thing was, if I'd have been coming back, this always happens to me, it's just bad luck, do you know what I mean? You know, if we'd been coming back and we'd have been pissed up and he got run over, I'd have been thinking, well, it could have been my fault, you know what I mean? When he got 50 yards up the road, he got lifted by this young girl and to be fair, he somersaulted like mad, like big ginger dush right on his fucking thing. To be fair, I'd shoot my pants out, I thought he could have been dead, like, but... It probably worked in your favour, you've only been gone that sort of time.

43:57Darren Caskey:Yeah, it would have done, yeah.

44:00Parky:His face is still smashed whether you're pissed or not.

44:02Darren Caskey:I mean, to be fair, I weren't really bothered about his face, but I was worried about getting told off by a pass. I thought he might not play me again.

44:08Parky:Was he all right with you, though? I know you said you're never going to play, but was he give you a bollocking and move on?

44:14Darren Caskey:Yeah, I mean, he wasn't happy, but yeah, he left it and moved on a little bit.

44:18Parky:I don't think you can give a bollocking, can you?

44:20Darren Caskey:I mean, the thing is, how unlucky I am, he could have probably given me the bollocking. Oh, I don't want to ride my bike 50 yards down the road. Do you know what I mean?

44:32Parky:Tommy Burns as a manager.

44:34Darren Caskey:Yeah, Burns. He was intense, but a lovely man. I love Tom. He was a lovely man.

44:39Parky:I've got to hear that he took over the last seven games of that relegation season. Lost six, won one.

44:46Darren Caskey:Yeah, I didn't play them last seven, did I? I thought I flew.

44:51Parky:But he kept his job for it next season.

44:53Darren Caskey:Yeah, he brought a load of Scottish players in the start of that next season. Even worse. Even worse. Oh, my God. Might have fetched some shite him. No, actually, I think it's the other way around. I think he brought them in at the end. I think he might have brought them in at the start, actually. And they weren't good, mate. Jesus. Weren't good enough. Brought them from like... Well, I would like to say he brought them from the third division in Scotland, but I think he brought them from the top league, but nowhere near good enough. I think he underestimated the league, to be honest. But he was intense, but I really liked him.

45:29Darren Caskey:He's a good guy.

45:30Parky:It's one of them, isn't it? You've left Tottenham, and what on paper was a good move to the Championship to play games, and then all of a sudden, the season after, you've dropped down another league, and you're like, what the fuck? Then you get injured. So did you just feel like it wasn't happening for you?

45:46Darren Caskey:Well, yeah, I really did actually think. When I first left Spurs, I thought, I'll bounce back. You know what I mean? But it didn't happen. But I think then I sort of went on a bit of a spiral and whatever and I was sort of, without knowing it, I was sort of just happy to be like sort of the bigger sort of fish in a little pond, if you know what I mean.

46:07Parky:What would Phil Parkinson like? Top man.

46:14Darren Caskey:You just said you didn't like him.

46:16Parky:Yeah, I don't particularly like him,

46:18Darren Caskey:but I just wonder what he liked when you played with him. No, Parky was good when we played with him. like I said to you before he was one of them people that just got the best out of himself and whatever he was ultra professional ultra does everything right and whatever we didn't spend a lot of time together we spend more time now do you know what I mean now he's all finished and whatever but no he was a good lad he was a good lad

46:45Parky:we had a message from Andy Woodman asking what happened with him, you and Pardew?

46:53Darren Caskey:See, Woody's a twat, isn't he? This is not a comfortable one, actually. So, on a Friday, I can't remember when it was, but on a Friday, Pardews had joined in. Small-sided game. Like, we were on flames, our team. Do you know when the other team are trying as hard as they can, it's getting worse and worse? So we're like, 3-0 up, whatever, and I keep running past Pardews going, yeah, you know, keep winding him up. seven nil pass do you know what I mean whatever got to a point where he'd lost it just come over to me and just gone like and I just stood there and like what like he just went bang butted me right on the head like I was like woof like proper like hard like and I'm then obviously he thought shit what have I done so he just went straight in like I can't remember who the coach was like you finish the thing he went straight into the and all the lads are bantering me going oh my god strawberry head look at your strawberry head so I had a massive red mark on my head like this right so I'm like oh so anyway later on in I'll cut it short so later on the end like training went home he rung me come anyway are we all right I went yeah sweet like no problem years later I go to what's he call it go to Gateshead so I think we I think his name was um we're going to watch we're trying to get a player on loan from Newcastle Pards as manager of Newcastle says yeah no problem so now I speak to Pards yeah come up and have a little look there's a youth team game going i think his name was adam it's a little ginger kid adam can't remember his name anyway but anyway getting a lift with milsey just gonna go up pards is there so i'll cast out where you sitting says oh we're out somewhere whatever it's only a youth team game we're just gonna sit out and no no no come in the come in the box with us it's all right no problem i said who are you with he says oh would you be here in a bit so i have no problem it was pards was all smart and i thought bloody hell we've come smart for a youth team game like do you know me so when And we sit there, sitting down.

48:46Darren Caskey:Do you want a drink? Yeah, anyway, start having a pint, whatever. Woody walks in. You know what Woody's like, yeah. Oh, fucking hell, this is ironic, innit, Cass? I went, what do you mean? He went, you know where Pardes has been today? I went, no, he went, at the FA for headbutting someone. Remember when he had butted you that time in fucking training? I was like, oh, forgot about that line. Do you know what I mean? He went, unbelievable. Just got back. Just think if you'd have took him to court or done whatever. I was like, no, no, it's fine. I'm like, fuck, bloody hell. That's all you need is wood to come in.

49:14Darren Caskey:He ain't gonna need no skeleton unturned, you know what I mean? Cheers, Woody. Did you get the player, the ginger lad? Campbell. Adam Campbell, you've probably never heard of him. No. Little ginger kid, yeah. Did you get him, though? Oh, we got him, yeah. Any good? Nah, shite. No, no, he'd done all right for us. Yeah, he'd done all right.

49:30Parky:I bet you that was it. Was it Mila, David Mila, when he came off the pitch? Was he managing Newcastle then? Pardew's gone for him. Yeah, he'll have been at all. He'll have been at all. Yeah.

49:42Darren Caskey:I don't know which one it was but apparently there was a player near the edge that day that we'd gone and he had I think and he had head-butted someone on the side didn't he was that who it was yeah so he got previous well yeah he probably won't be happy with me telling the story but there you go he's told now sorry lad good job earlier on I said that he's a good lad wasn't it I can't believe

50:05Parky:he's head-butted you

50:06Darren Caskey:and you're like to be fair I was done that when he first done it because it fucking hurt as well I fronted it I thought, but then all the lads were literally bantering me, calling me strawberry-heading that, because I had a big whop of strawberry on the top of me.

50:18Parky:Were you not one for reacting?

50:21Darren Caskey:To be fair, it stunned me a little bit. I thought, well, you can't just suddenly just hook the manager in the face, can you do you know what I mean? See, I think you can.

50:30Parky:So he's a manager at the time.

50:32Darren Caskey:Yeah, Parz's manager, yeah. Right. Parz's manager. But afterwards, it was sweet. I just went and see him. He rung me. I went and see him. I just said, as long as you don't not play me tomorrow, don't hold it against me. you know what I mean I shook his hand that was it all forgotten never been spoken before until Woody walked in and went oh this is ironic you know what I mean remember you where he's been I thought oh fucking hell

50:51Parky:see I think you're well within your actual fucking game one back

50:55Darren Caskey:yeah I think I think he took me by surprise actually to be fair but I'm probably not the person that starts swinging well I'm not but if somebody nuts me yeah

51:05Parky:and I take it Woody wasn't at Redden at the time no no Woody wasn't he knows that you've told Woody about it

51:11Darren Caskey:No, I think Pards must have told Woody because I never told Woody about it. So Pards must have told Woody about it. Obviously, with everything that was going on, you know what I mean? See, there used to be some scraps in times. I remember Glenn O'Dell used to live just across the road when we was at Reading. He lived just across the road at Sonning. I think Pards might have been the manager. So every now and again, Glenn would come over and do a little session. So he started this session, Barry Hunter, and there was another lad called Jimmy Crawford, an Irish lad, and they were like, they're both Irish best mates like best muckers like yeah there'd be three of us go out for a beer and all that do you know what it's like when someone lifts someone and you lift them back and you know what I mean them two Glenn come over done this session them two had the biggest scrap I've ever seen in your life like and they were knocking seven bells of shit out of each other like Glenn was he was like like you are now and to be fair I was and they were they were windmilling each other like mad right and then at the end blood everywhere and that went they shook hands went right let's get on my training that was it like you know what I mean and who was the two players Barry Hunter and I think his name was Jimmy Crawford Jimmy Crawford one of the guys that Tommy Burns had brought in they literally were like a big good scrap like to be fair it was a good scrap we'll have a little look at this stand back oh you definitely stood back there you got in the way you were getting like you were getting a roundhouse I thought it was just scraps in his head yeah No, Glenn was just like, he couldn't believe it.

52:42Darren Caskey:I don't think he'd come back after that.

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55:31Parky:This episode is brought to you by White Claw Surge. Nice choice hitting up this podcast. No surprises. You're all about diving into tastes everyone in the room can enjoy. Just like White Claw Surge. It's for celebrating those moments when connections have been made and the night's just begun. With bold flavors and 8 % alcohol by volume, unleash the night. Unleash White Claw Surge. Please drink responsibly. Hard seltzer with flavors. 8 % alcohol by volume. White Claw Seltzer Works. Chicago, Illinois. So you left Reading, went Notts County? Yeah, yeah, went to Notts County.

56:06Darren Caskey:There's obviously a bit of a story about that. I was just going to sign for Millwall and I think I might have shook hands and Sam was going to sign for Millwall, but then Peter Storey, who was the ex-guy at West Ham, had gone up to Notts County and they were going to spend a load of money and do all this and whatever. He said, don't. So I knew Eric Hall, I was with Eric Hall at the time. what are you an agent well at that time he was so we went up Peter Story said whatever I think Harry Redknapp had rung Eric and said you get him a few more quid or what at the time so I'd left there gone up I'd been getting divorced at the time so I thought I could do an extra few quid so I went up and signed at Knott's Cantor time because they said they were going to like do all this they're getting this new American owner and do whatever and then about two months down the line we weren't getting paid so it didn't quite work out.

57:02Darren Caskey:It wasn't that funny, actually. See, all my stars, I say they're going to be funny, they're not, actually. They're pretty fucking terrible stories, aren't they?

57:11Parky:What would he like, Eddie Gall? Wasn't he not like the first super agent? Monster Monster.

57:16Darren Caskey:Yeah, Monster Monster. He used to be in music years ago, Eric, like, he used to be in music and that, but he would just go in, he was unreal, like, he used to think, oh my God, I'm pretty embarrassed, but he'll go, no, no chance. First thing he'll do is go, get me some salmon sandwiches, they were like well yeah I want some salmon sandwiches I ain't starting that would be like salmon cream cheese sandwiches or whatever he'd eat all them I'd tell Jimmy eat all them right we can start now then he'll just go and as long as he got his deal he'll just push and push and push and push and get you what you want like I mean he got me amazing at Knott's County I'm real that's a power move

57:48Parky:that I know that's what I'm thinking the salmon sandwiches basically just do it right I'm in charge it's not something you've got in the fridge either is it no go down to the shop and get me some salmon now I said to you before where did you come across Simon Ramsden but that was at Notts County yeah

58:04Darren Caskey:Notts County yeah I've got well no I'll tell one story about Simon he sent us three four he must know he must have told you this one so I used to live in the cul-de-sac and then the managers went and then Gary Brazil took over and Gary I think used to like me 50 % but hate me the other 50 % because obviously we were out with the lads and whatever and he knew I had the changing room on toast. Do you know what I mean? So anyway, Ramaz come and that. Ramaz love to drink and that. We're out. So they all come back to my house for a drink one night. So literally like everyone's Lego. And I've made the bad mistake of saying, you know Gary Brazil lives there?

58:43Darren Caskey:So there was like two houses there and then two there. Gary Brazil lived in one on the end of the thing, which is not ideal for me really. Do you know what I mean? So he's like, no way. So Ramaz took all his clothes off. Right. It must have been about God knows what time in the morning, three in the morning. Went up, started just dancing on his drive, whatever, knocking on his door, just doing all stuff on his thing. Kerry Brazil turned the light on, looked outside, and Rammers is there, bollico, just like break dancing, doing whatever, and I'm thinking, fucking, we're having a nightmare tomorrow when we get in for training, do you know what I mean?

59:13Darren Caskey:But he was a lunatic at the time, wasn't he, Rammers?

59:17Parky:Backpack full of vodka in Magaluf?

59:19Darren Caskey:Oh, yeah. Can you remember that one? Yeah, that was the one I told you. Well, that's when I couldn't see. Two days later, I couldn't see. Tell us the whole story. So we've gone to a trip to... Was it Megalove, did you say? Yeah, that's what he said. I thought it was Marbella, but anyway, it doesn't matter where we are. So anyway, we're going to... We're going away. Hence, this is a problem. I can't go away with the lads anymore because if I start, I'm fed up with it now. Do you know what I mean? It got to a point where she says, when you go away, lads, do not ring me. I'm like, okay. Definitely won't ring you.

59:50Darren Caskey:I know. So I knew this was going to be a bad thing, so we're flying at about three in the morning so someone come up to the stupid eye probably me come up to the stupid eye why don't we go out for the night and then just go to the airport and then just then we can crack on you know what I mean go back to the Nicky Fenton's place to get all our bags and that and for some reason I was going to rugby tackle him he moved out of the way and I hit my head on the side right on the crack of the wall split open and this missus was a nurse or something she says like you can't fly away with that one of course I can and the lads were like just put a load of Vaseline it'll be fine so put a vaseline it put me out on the way we flew she went don't whatever you do don't get in the pool or the sea or anything because it might might be bad so i'm like all right no problem so we'll come back to the backpack so we're about two days in backpacks on and whatever we get apps backpacks so i used to fill up all these backpacks up with

1:00:43Parky:all vodka we had the straw around oh so they're like the runner's bags yeah they've got the

1:00:48Darren Caskey:pouch and the yeah just pure vodka in so every now and again i don't know what it was there There was a signal when everyone done it, everyone had to go and take a sip of the vodka. So by the next day now, we're all like absolutely, I jumped in the pool, didn't I? So the following morning, I woke up. I'm like, Jeff, I was rooming with Jeff Whitley at them times. He was an absolute nightmare. Jeff was a lunatic. Now, like, he just goes library every day. But I went, Jeff, Jeff, I can't see. He's like, shut up. And I went, no, Jeff, seriously, I can't see. What's wrong? and he turned around and when he went, oh my God, he went, your head's about five times bigger than it used to be and your eyes are all swollen up.

1:01:27Darren Caskey:I couldn't open my eyes or anything. So then he took me down to reception like a blind man. No, he just guided me down to the thing, got me in a taxi, took me to the hospital and then dropped me off. They were all going home the next day. So they're gone. Then I was in hospital for about four days. So I had to room my brother. He had to come and get me out. So we'd done a run and I had all wires and that and my thing. But my brother come over, we just pulled them all out, got a fresh out and then just buggered up. So I think they were doing the wassacook keeping you in for the extra money for the insurance now.

1:01:57Darren Caskey:I felt all right by then. So we just pulled all the things out and just buggered up. When I got back to see the doctor at Knott's County, I had about 14 stitches on the inside. They pulled all that. You know when they pack your head with all the stuff to bring all the pus out? So he pulled all that out. He's like, oh my God, you should have been dead on the way home. Pulled it all out. Done about 14 stitches on the inside and about 16 on the outside. And I'm like, Jesus. So you've got a massive infection? Yeah, like bad. Yeah, that's why my head was like yours, basically. It was like, it wasn't a four head, it was like a seven head.

1:02:27Darren Caskey:It was like that. It was mad.

1:02:29Parky:But you know, you said you're missing not to ring her.

1:02:32Darren Caskey:Yeah. What about the time in, were you in Marbella? Yeah, I'm not sure if this was before or after, but we was in Marbella, yeah, up in the club. I can't remember what the club's called. When you go up all the stairs, which looks like a bit of a castle, a bit up top. We're absolutely like steamboats, do you know what I mean? I got to the point where I was just cuddling my beer, walking out, sort of can't really remember where everyone was, so they were out on the balcony and whatever, and it was about three in the morning, and these two guys walked in, and I swear down still now, like, they've got to be, like, come fancy dressed, do you know what I mean?

1:03:05Darren Caskey:Two guys, looked like police, grey old stuff on boots and that, with strong hats. For some reason, I don't know why, because I could hardly stand up myself, I think I'll flick his hat off, and I've done the best volley you've ever seen, sidewinder so I flicked his hat off sidewinder and his hat flew over the bar so I'm like that's funny so I'm just cuddling my beer half dropping it thinking it's really funny and then about 20 seconds later music's gone off lights are on I thought oh must have finished do you know what I mean and then boof my hands go up behind my back, pint everywhere I mean what's going on it's got like really pulling my hands and as I'm going down I must have met more footballers then in that day than I've ever known in my life Cass what's happening all the way I don't know I don't know so I'm going out I'm that pissed I don't know what's going on but obviously just remember I just kicked a guy like policeman's hat over the bar but I didn't think he was got me down the bottom but for some reason I was away with Knox County but Steve Sedge has joined we were in a big villa Sedge joined our party for some reason can I stay with you I'm like yeah so Sedge is such a wind up I still think it's like an absolute prank like you know what I mean so threw me in the back of the in this back of this um police thing so I'm trying to ring him I'm like it's going I'm like Sedg is this a wind-up or what do you know what I mean because we're going we're just going like out and out and out they got me out another police car come there give me like a bit of a kick never touched my face but give me a bit of a kick in went back to me um to the what's it call it knocked them all up got me passport back to the villa got me passport threw me into the into the cell and I'm thinking oh no not again So I'm like, right.

1:04:47Darren Caskey:So I kept coming round every hour going, sign this. A bit of paper like you've got, sign this. I'm like, no chance. Where's my phone call? They're like, no. Come back an hour later. Now it's come to the morning. I'm thinking, Jesus Christ, I'm desperate for a pint now. Do you know what I mean? Should I just sign it and get out? So I thought I'm going to have to. You don't even let me go here. Do you know what I mean? So anyway, I signed it, come out. And then as I was leaving, they says, as of three or four days' time, you go to this court and then you go to court and you've and i'm like no no no i can't go in three or four days time i'm going home in two days they went you know you're not got a passport you're not going anywhere so i thought here it comes in it got to ring the wife do you know how nervous you get when you have to do that oh i know horrible i know so i'm hi darling i thought i told you not to ring me what's that what's happened i thought shit do you know i mean but luckily she's got some friends that have up the road that have they've got a hotel up the road and he sent us the lawyer around and sorted out But he said, look, all the English people get pissed off.

1:05:44Darren Caskey:They do it. They get money. So I got done for about€2 ,500 and give your passport back and away you go. So I saw one. It cost me about€5 ,500. To get home? No, because I had two more extra days, didn't I?

1:06:01Darren Caskey:Every gold. Yeah, silver lining.

1:06:03Parky:Did you have to do the four days? Did you have to go to court? Yeah, we had to go to court. We had to go to court, yeah.

1:06:09Darren Caskey:But they just, I mean, I didn't even know what they were saying. but apparently the guy was saying that the lawyer go because obviously it's all in Spanish and that he was going apparently he kicked him in the balls but I didn't do anything I just flicked his head and volleyed it do you know what I mean but that's what they write stuff down so you're going to get told off you know what I mean

1:06:25Parky:and at any point in them between you getting arrested and the court case are you shitting your pants at any point

1:06:35Darren Caskey:when I sort of sobered up every now and again I was shit but not only because of my missus I thought I won't shit myself about anything else but you know what it's like you got go home you got oh do you know what i mean that's what i was more scared about i didn't give a fuck about anything else but i think oh my god she's gonna kill me when you get back but to be fair she was good as gold again your first thought was fuck me i'm desperate for a pint oh yeah to be fair i was like you know i mean i actually went out the next day i had the same shirt on it was all ripped and i thought fuck it just stay in the

1:07:03Parky:same shirt well were you one of the first to go to america well i don't know if i was a first but

1:07:09Darren Caskey:But yeah, when I went over.

1:07:11Parky:Christopher Columbus here.

1:07:12Darren Caskey:I think back in the 50s, someone might have gone to America.

1:07:16Parky:For a footballing purpose.

1:07:18Darren Caskey:Yeah, it weren't as great. When I went there, I went from, when I left Notts County, I went to Bristol City for a bit with Danny Wilson. But I didn't play. They got to the playoff final. I think got beat again, didn't we? Have you got it on your sheet? Got beat by Brighton, I think, 1-0. But I didn't play at Bristol. so I left Notts County they wanted to get rid of me you know who got rid of me didn't you? Millsy fuck off Millsy got rid of me at Notts County so he's got to get rid of you lad or whatever never told me he said nah get rid of you whatever are you fucking joking I'm on fire here aren't you he's like yeah need to go in so I've dug Mills in I want you to give me all the money and I'll go like you know what I mean he's like no got to get rid of you but then obviously years later when we met and whatever he'd come round there he was having to get rid of like anyone that had a few quid because they tried that bit where to pay everyone a load of money.

1:08:09Darren Caskey:So they had to get rid of a load of people and bring some smaller wages in. But yeah, Millsy got rid of me at Notts County. So I went to Bristol City for a bit with Danny, but never really played. Then I went to Peterborough, Barry Fry. Then I thought, I'm just going to give football up and just come up the black horse every day. You know what I mean? Because it was a nightmare that was. What age were you now? Don't ask me your tough questions, John Boy. I was probably around sort of 30-ish, 31 or whatever. And we played, but yeah, no, I might have been a bit older. Maybe, yeah, 31, 32. We played Swindon and Ian Wohm was, he was working at Swindon at the time.

1:08:50Darren Caskey:He was like, what are you, I played first half. Barry Fry hadn't been in all week. We're doing 4-4-2. Barry Fry coming on a Saturday. Right, okay, well, yeah, everything great. Yeah, half time. you lot are a joke you get off you can't run get off you can't run free four three three get it forward and the training used to be a nightmare i mean getting at half nine all the lads will come up from london you start about half 11 12 i'm thinking i'm fed up with this you know i mean i know i'm joking about all the all the beers and that's fine and whatever but i was actually professional you know i mean i did actually like i never missed a day's training so i i even when and I was pissed up, I'd always go in.

1:09:31Darren Caskey:Do you know what I mean? But I'm like, pfft. So I went to see Barry after, Woney said, because obviously Woney played over in America. He might have been the first. Christopher Warren? Yeah. So he said, have you ever thought about going there? And actually I went over there and had a great year with my wife over there and stuff and whatever. It actually regenerated me with the football actually when I went over because I was ready to just knock it on the head. Was it common amongst all the players

1:09:55Parky:about being a nightmare under Frye?

1:09:58Darren Caskey:it's the weirdest thing in the world because barry's such a lovely bloke and brilliant but it's just a shambles do you know i mean that's that's the thing it's the difference between being organized and doing it all and having a partner whatever but it was a it was a shambles like you know i mean but everyone loved him that was the thing so it's a strange it's a strange scenario do you know i mean i'd run for a brick wall for barry but absolute shit show you know what i mean what club did you go to in america virginia beach sounds virginia beach virginia beach yeah it was lovely as well in the summer in the summer months as well it was so hot we'd train see i kept going back to having a pint then we would train really early so by the time like we'd finished we had the whole day so you just go walk straight down onto the beach and it was like beautiful a few pints and sit around it's lovely beautiful

1:10:51Parky:did the family come over

1:10:53Darren Caskey:yeah my wife did I didn't have I didn't have my older children obviously were back in London they come over for the six weeks holiday we brought them over and my wife come back and brought the kids the older kids over for a bit but I didn't have my children that I've got with her now

1:11:08Parky:right

1:11:09Darren Caskey:but they come over six weeks so you know what I mean it was nice it actually regenerated me back there because I'd sort of I wouldn't say I've fallen out of love with football but I just thought, you know what I mean, coming to the end. Do you know when you go round every club like that near you for the odd few quid and that? I wasn't really enjoying it, you know what I mean? And it had been a rough old ride up to that point, hasn't it,

1:11:27Parky:since joining Bristol, not playing, and then Ornchurch, Peterborough, Bath, there's only a handful of performances there. Went to Ornchurch.

1:11:35Darren Caskey:What's, oh God, what's his name, the manager that was there? That was a cracker. So he went there, come down to Ornchurch. Where's that? Where is it? In the country? Ornchurch is like down south. my son lives just around the corner from it now so I went down he ran a few non-league teams to be fair give him his fucking big ass right next to the ground missus come down and ate it so we were playing like poker on a Thursday night till like four in the morning and whatever she didn't really like it it's a lot of the players you're still like she's like I'm not staying here for much longer but luckily because I mean if it had carried on I actually probably left me but luckily well not luckily but the chairman went bust but this is a story I'm coming to so the chairman went bust I think he used to run like Cold Seal or Ron Seal or whatever.

1:12:18Darren Caskey:Went bust for about like nine and a half million pounds worth of fraud where he was saying, I'm going to put your windows in and all that. Never done it and just took all the money and put it to his wife's name. But he ended up getting done. He went to prison. But Gary Hill, I don't know if you remember Gary Hill. Do you remember him? He'd done non-league. You wouldn't know. Well, you do know non-league when I got you. But he comes to me. It's funny. So Gary come to me and went, club's going to go bust. I'm like oh you're joking aren't you so he went no he went but you know what though it's a cloud of silver line he went why don't we put some money because the only other team that was paying a load of money then was Grey's Athletic he went they're definitely going to win the league well he was about 18 points clear at the time but he said we're going to they're going to have to play the youth team he said so let's get on the what you call it and start betting and we can get all our money back on the betting so I'm like oh perfect he said but don't do it in your name so I thought okay no great so I spoke to my wife's dad because he loved to bet on that because I had horses and all that so we put in bets round left, right and centre for Graves to win the league got to a point where he pulled me one day my father-in-law went the blokes rung me and said I can have one more bet on but you've got to tell me what's going on so he put one more bet on and told him and then it all got cancelled all the betting got cancelled and then I don't know how it worked out how they found out it was me but I had a little picture of me in the Sun newspaper saying all betting cancelled on the non-league football and a picture of me saying as if I've done it.

1:13:44Darren Caskey:Well, I did do it. I did do it, but in roundabout ways. Do you know what I mean? But I weren't playing at the time because I'd been sacked, haven't we? Because I'd go, well, we didn't have a team. Do you know what I mean? Did they pay out? Yeah. Yeah, they paid out. Yeah. Paid out. We got a good few quid for it. Got my contract paid up in different ways. First time I got my contract paid up in them different ways, but if it works, it works, doesn't it? I wonder if it worked out

1:14:09Parky:it was you. I wonder who's told them it was you.

1:14:11Darren Caskey:yeah but clever aren't they no they could look probably look through linked with Wasco and then got me wife's name or whatever and then worked it all out probably I don't know looking like a fucking slammer can't get how can you get done when you're not playing can only not bet when you're playing can't you I didn't have a team somewhere right aren't I well it started trading hey technicals and all that if you're going to split it I spoke to me lawyer from Spain

1:14:41Parky:make sure it's all right so how's it gone from i wouldn't say did you fall out with mills at

1:14:47Darren Caskey:nottie county at the time no but at the time i never i never realized that he was getting rid of me for that he was just being he was just being professional and got rid of me and then i met gary again um coaching at the what's he call it doing me doing my a license first night I had a few beers. We were great, and he told me all about it. Now we're best friends. And then he, what's he call it? He rung me. I was working for Ilkeston, a non-league team, just around the corner for me in Nottingham. But I'd sort of got fed up with that a little bit, with Kev Wilson. Got fed up that. And I decided, because my daughter at the time, my 15-year-old daughter now, at the time is having a big operation or whatever.

1:15:26Darren Caskey:She's got cerebral palsy and stuff. So we decided, because in Nottingham, where you are, you have to put it to a private school really because schools were horrendous do you know what i mean so but if you put them in private school then you lose all your funding with all the with all the stuff and whatever so we decided to move up here then i get a phone call cask how you doing it's milsey like yeah how you doing he went i've just got just got a job you don't want to come with me do you i was like yeah defo like you know i mean he went oh before you jump the gun he went before you don't jump the gun he went it's fucking miles away i went how far miles away he went gate said I went fucking perfect right I see you up there I walk up there do you know what I mean so then he got that job and then I moved up with him and my wife moved up a little bit later because my daughter was having a big operation so she came up after me so I moved here but I meant to be fair we had a flap in Newcastle so we we I lived up there for a bit until my wife and the kids moved up is that when the snows incident happened well the snows had happened before for me when I got the bit but obviously the chairman there Graham Woody's top man he used to be Sunderland Graham so he knew that I'd Millsy know obviously the snooze and whatever so we'd done training one day he says oh chairman's coming around pick us up back two o 'clock my friend our flat used to which is probably the bad place for the chairman to put our flat used to look straight over the millennium bridge straight to um what's the pub pitching piano no it's not pitching piano is it you must know it might be yeah pitching I think it might be pitching piano so when we come back from training we'll have a shower or one of being what's a pitching piano looking like looking great there get ready like we're straight over do you know i mean he says right the chairman's coming around about two o 'clock pick us up we've got to talk about all like all all this other stuff i'm like oh gaffer i don't want to come and speak about like budgets and all you know you come i'm like all right no worries so it's my turn to get in the shower so like he went why don't you give me one of them them things you put Let me just try it one time.

1:17:28Darren Caskey:I went, okay, no problem. So he took it, went in the shower of it, so it all got wet and went down his throat, didn't it? So he's in there. So I'm like, hi, Chairman. He's at the bottom, isn't he? The things you have to buzz them in, and it's whizzing a big box of flats. It's called the Baltic. Is it called the Baltic? Yeah. Yeah, the Baltic looking out. You all right, Chairman? And I could hear him going, ah, in the back. And I'm thinking, what's going on? So Chairman, just wait there a minute. So I went round into the shower bit. He's sitting on the floor. He's going, no, I can't speak to the chairman.

1:17:58Darren Caskey:You're going to have to do something. I said, what do you mean? He's at the bottom of the stairs. What can I do with him? I think he's coming up. You can't come up. He went, I'm going to be sick. I'm going to puke up. And I'm like, no, you go, say something, and I'll come and meet you. So I'm like, are you sure you're going to be all right? He's like, yeah. He went, but I'm all dizzy. I'm going to be sick and stuff. So he's literally sitting on the floor in the shower. So I have now go out and go, oh, coming down, chairman. So I'm coming down. He said, where's Gareth? I says, oh, no, you know what he's like with his hair and doing everything, just making a load of shit up.

1:18:28Darren Caskey:He ain't ready. He'd come back in later on. He's honest. His pupils are out and everything. Chairman went for a time. Went, was you sick? He went, yeah, terrible. He went, I'm never having one of them ever again. They're bad for you, no, then. Shouldn't have had. Have you got another one?

1:18:45Darren Caskey:But you're doing really well at Gateshead. Yeah, that's good to say. Yeah, we do really well, yeah. Done really well. I mean, to be fair, I know this is... Probably not well put. But you know Graham Wood? So Graham Wood is from Gateshead. And he's, I think, I mean, we went to his 80th a couple of years back. I'm the loveliest man, honestly. That's the nicest thing up there. The people are good, aren't they? You know what I mean? And we've got really good friends with him. He was back there as a Gateshead supporter when they got relegated out of the league. When they didn't get relegated, it's just because there was the furthest Norvus Club and the furthest South Club.

1:19:18Darren Caskey:They got dropped out of the league for no reason. so to get them back up again was going to be huge for him and we went to the final against I can't remember it was Cambridge got them to the final that year when we took over they had not won a game for seven games took them to the final and like me and Millsy just really wanted to win for him because it would have been amazing he wanted to like do like a new stadium and everything and that and we got beat like

1:19:42Parky:Did you have Clarkie there? Ben Clark

1:19:44Darren Caskey:Ben Clark he was brilliant we turned up we had Ben Clark and Curtis Big Ginger Curtis Who was hilarious Oh aye

1:19:51Parky:Who went to Spennymore Spennymore A fucking good lad Drop dead ugly Yeah

1:19:57Darren Caskey:Oh he ain't that good Do you know me? No but what a man though Honestly Absolutely brilliant The first time we turned out I can't remember who the coach was before I went Oh them two can't play football They used to pass out the back Like unbelievable You know what I mean Just give them the time They were brilliant I mean Ben couldn't Ben couldn't really run I've knocked a Curtis really But they were brilliant for us

1:20:20Parky:we're only stopping for a second gents but it is for a good bloody reason look at that that you holding that up has just taken over from that jacket thing as the best garment on display yeah it looks it feels superb we've got to say a massive thank you to one hill sportswear for once again support supporting the entire series and producing those beautiful garments if you haven't got one already or you wouldn't mind one for christmas i'd put it on the list more gift ideas for loved ones yes yeah well the link's in the description if you want to get yourself involved with uh the under the cost shirts or if you want to sort your own team out because the quality of kits that you can sort your own team out?

1:21:09Parky:Four to six weeks from design to delivery. And that's designing your own as well? Yeah, so you design your own kit, they put it together, Bosh, four to six weeks. Is there a maximum order? No maximum. There is a minimum, seven I believe. But no maximum, so you can go from your under five teams right through to your first team. Kick the club out. You're going to be coming out looking smart on that field. Would you say, Chris, that you were 1-0 up before the whistle's even being blown with them yeah two two two nil two nil up their heads have gone that is an excel and i would recommend we've had a few messages to size up on this new style right okay so i've tried large in both and the new style was a little bit tighter so is it not just that you popped us that's the same as well christmas book well the link's in the description if you want to cite your own team out i'll get yourself an under the cost shirt just clickety click on a click thank you very much again O 'Neill sportswear you know what we were saying before about York with the ball but more about having the lads relaxed and did you bring that in straight away at Gateshead was that something that just come natural or was it something that you learned over the time

1:22:22Darren Caskey:yeah and I think Mills he's got a knack where he's because he's like a sort of man manager and he's got all that stuff from Cluffy you'll get that when you speak to him but he was very clever and I don't even really know how he'd done it but he was very clever at letting everyone be chilled do you know what I mean and somehow that gave the belief to him you know what I mean where I mean to be fair I don't think I ever really heard Millsy although Millsy everyone says oh he's back dating he never used to shout at anyone or do anything

1:22:50Parky:was that his first job Geerted where was he before

1:22:53Darren Caskey:no Dan Waska I mean Millsy when you get Millsy on you'll see his actual non-league things an absolute joke he like I think he took Tamworth up he took York up He won the FA Trophy with York and then won it again with us. He took Gates there from the bottom up. He's non-league things, I'm real.

1:23:13Parky:I'd say the thing that will typify him is he'd say, right, we're playing Saturday, so it's the start of December. We're playing Saturday, I'll see you all Thursday. Go and do your Christmas shopping. Take your kids to pantomimes. right you've got you play Saturday you're off till Thursday but after that we fucking boxed in for Christmas results irrelevant results are relevant totally irrelevant I'm gonna cut across you there just for one second which is which he

1:23:46Darren Caskey:was very clever and you have to be really strong to do this and which is why he was really strong because I was sort of getting to know him really at the start you know I mean when I was at gateshead he says me Cass when we're winning we'll come in loads i said what do you mean we'll come in loads he went we'll train a lot when we're winning so when we're losing don't be surprised if i've given four days off i said well why would why would you do that no he said because you know what he said the last thing you want after you've played shit on a saturday is come in and us go over and over and over all the crap stuff and whatever he said when you're winning you can bring him in bring them all in 24 hours a day and they're all buzzing training grounds buzzing me do we do we want monday tuesday wednesday of them all thinking about the shit saturday from before give them the give them the time off okay he said we can have a break we can refuel and then we come back in and then we'll be going again which but to do that though you've got to

1:24:40Parky:be strong you normally do the way around and if you get a result you're off till i think he got

1:24:44Darren Caskey:all that from cluffy i think we think he got all that from cluffy i would say it's just some small

1:24:49Parky:Do you think within the lads, they wanted to win, even though you're having that time off, you're appreciative of that and you want to win for it? 100%. Mate, we got relegated, right? And Mills, I felt a bit sorry for him because he phoned me. Because I'd been promised a contract if we stayed up. Obviously, we got relegated last minute or whatever. And he phoned me. And he went, John, I'm really sorry. I want to offer you a contract, but it's going to be this. And it was fucking crap. you sure he didn't offer you my one last year and I was like he says but we're going to a lot of the lads are going to stay who's been here last season I think we've got a great good chance of going back up what do you want to do and they offered me the contract I was like tell you what I'm 36 36 and a half fuck it I'll sign it for him for him and Kath basically probably like 25 grand a year less than what I could have got anywhere else yeah but

1:25:45Darren Caskey:it was because of Millsy and he's a real principal guy I mean halfway through when we was at Gateshead I don't know where I went halfway through but anyway we were flying like we got on the thing we were flying and Forrest Green come in and uh I mean Millsy will tell this story better because I wasn't in the actual meeting at the time they come in to speak to us and the chairman was like really don't want you to go and speak to him Gary and Gary's like well I sort of do just to out of curiosity but I promise you I mean you give me a job he'll tell you he said you give me a job when I was out of work so but I do want to speak to him and I'll see well we went to speak to Forrest Green they offered us about three times more that we was on at Gateshead so we're driving back so what do you think he went I can't do it I went what do you mean you can't do it because I was like from your perspective how many more beers do you think we can afford now no but he went I can't do it to him he went we need to get these promoted he went like and he gave me a job when i didn't have work and he's given me a job he went i can't do it so they sat in a room and graham wood literally was nearly in tears because he went now this they've offered me this whatever and i told you my word when i went down i weren't just going to jump into it but he said i want to stay here and finish it you know what i mean that's why we was even more gutted when we went when being lost it was a it was an absolute killer that was that day it's probably that that's probably the worst day in my life in football that was when we come off because we wanted it so much for the chairman do you know what I mean but and it had gone it had gone tits up like but and after that as well the club just went do you know what I mean went a little bit downhill after that but what was it

1:27:22Parky:like when you went to Wrexham because wasn't there other compensation agreements there no because

1:27:29Darren Caskey:what happened then the chairman then had decided because we because Graham Wood because um he didn't get up and whatever you know what it's like when you go and do all the bit everything's like massive when it went i think we had something crazy like but i don't even know an old 18 might be 13 000 or something whatever at gates they're ground never they can't get 1300 can they we had about like about 13 000 against grimsby in the semi-final it was absolutely massive and you get all that hype and then when you lose that's the hardest thing to come back next year because you get that massive down you know what i mean get that massive down bit and the chairman i think lost his little bit of it and he come and pulled us we went it took us out for a meal which he always does said like i'm going to be pulling my money out um you've got tram here and rexham want you he says don't want the money for you whatever you go i'll advise you to go so i'm like okay

1:28:18Parky:well if that's what he thinks that's a backlash of the fact that milsey and yourself had said we're not going to forest green when he said i don't want money he probably gave the bit

1:28:27Darren Caskey:probably give it back like you know what i mean probably did give it back like you know i mean And we went to see, went and spoke to Tranmere, went and spoke to Wrexham. And then Millsy decided that Wrexham was the one and whatever, went and done it all. Well, I mean, we nearly left there after two days. No bullshit. So we'd gone there. They'd done all the things, whatever. Got all the numbers. We'd wrote it all down. It's all done and whatever. He rung me back up. He went, Cash, you're not going to believe this. Where are you? It was like, because it was in the summer. I went, I'm just at home.

1:28:57Darren Caskey:He went, can you come down to Wrexham again tomorrow? I went yeah he went they've took 100 grand off our budget and they've just sold have you seen have you seen they've just sold our centre forward I went how much for he went 50 grand he went somewhere in Scotland so I'm like he went I'm not having it he went I'll just go and tell him I'm fucking resigning he went in there Mills and went that's it sack me then if that's the case you said it was this it's all here and look here's the things and we stayed there because that's what he's like you know what I mean he wanted to I think sometimes he wanted to prove you know when it's backs against the wall sort of thing in spite of yeah do you know what I mean but when we were signing players there for like £210 from like three leagues below and stuff do you know what I mean I mean how you're supposed to get promoted out of there in this league no in the well it's a conference I don't know the league two conference in conference in conference we took what's it called we got remember Curtis Tilt you probably won't remember yeah right back no big tall oh sorry Tilt-y I always say right back

1:29:55Parky:it's a bit of an in joke yeah

1:29:56Darren Caskey:just on the opposite side John that might be why we got relegated at York he ended up one of college green he went to yeah he went to Blackpool and whatever we got him from Telford he was like two divisions below Telford I mean he won't mind over me telling you he was on 200 quid a week full time full time 200 quid a week yeah he got put up in the shittiest house you've ever seen in your life and we went round to the house honestly this is what this is what I'll tell you what mills is like we went round this house we had four four lads that we signed all from lower divisions and they said, oh right, they're going to put them in this house.

1:30:32Darren Caskey:We went around. I'm like, Millsy, are you fucking joking? I said, there must have been about 400 rats in there. It was an absolute disgrace. I went, you can't put players in here. So we ended up clearing it ourselves for a whole day, cleared it all up to get the players in because it was a joke. Do you know what I mean? But we were signing players for like 200 quid. Do you know what I mean? And the crowd were going nuts because I think we finished, I think we finished seventh that year, the first year, but that would have, now that would have got you win the playoffs. Yeah. Do you know what I mean?

1:30:59Darren Caskey:But I mean, we've done amazing to get them where it wasn't.

1:31:01Parky:That's still a good finish, isn't it? Yeah. Did you have any aspirations for your manager back then?

1:31:06Darren Caskey:I thought I did, but then I also thought, you know, I'll be like Millsy and that and he'll go, chairman's ringing again. But I didn't like that side of it. Yeah. Do you know what I mean? And I knew I didn't like that side of it. Do you know what I mean? And what you're up to now? Me, I don't really do nothing really. I come up here most days, but I don't really do. Obviously, my family we've got the place down there that sort of help out and that but I don't really do much really and what is fishing lakes and yeah we've got fishing lakes and there's a plug here Cass a what a plug for people's come fucking fishing oh I was going to put my phone in I thought my phone was down no no yeah the fishing's good though fishing's good um got caravan site and lakes and glamping and whatever and so I help out a little bit there but when I can I'd like to think

1:31:55Parky:you've got a little corner for dog in, have you?

1:32:00Darren Caskey:Listen, we're not back at York now.

1:32:05Parky:A little corner for dog in. Every glamp inside has got a dog in a bit, hasn't it? I'd like to book a weekend.

1:32:10Darren Caskey:Do you know when I think that John actually knew that I was all right? So I walk in, you know, obviously nowadays everything's politically correct and you're doing your thing and whatever. So I always used to get in first at York, set all the training stuff up. So it goes from that to that to that. So it's all organised and whatever. So I walk in. Fucking, there's parking. I thought, he's got no clothes on. And when I got a bit closer, he did have his pants on. But he's standing there. And he's a youth team player who's shaving his back, right? So I walked past. I thought, I ain't going to say nothing.

1:32:46Darren Caskey:So I walked past. He's gone, morning, Cass. Morning, John. So I went past. I turned back and went, do you want a coffee or anything? And I thought, he knows I'm all right. I mean, you weren't even allowed to clean boots or anything then, you know what I mean? He's got this youth tingle like, get all the hairs off. He's like shaving all his back and everything. Do you remember that?

1:33:05Parky:There was somebody having an interview just in front and the interviewer turned the camera and was like, young pup, bless him, just shaving me back. But to be fair, you and Millsy got another two years out of me,

1:33:21Darren Caskey:my career. Yeah, but I thought you was great though. The thing with me, I've got to be honest, I spoke to a couple of people and they're like, nah, he's lazy. He's this, that, and I thought, fuck. And do you know what? Millsy said to me, he spoke to a couple of people, yeah, he went, Millsy said to me, I actually don't give a give a shit what anyone else says. I'm getting him because I think he'll be all right. And when you come in, you was great. You worked hard every day, didn't you? But the thing is what we didn't do, though, we didn't bore you. We didn't go, right, you've got two hours of stretching.

1:33:48Darren Caskey:You've got like two hours of thing. And then we're going to have a break for an hour. and then you come back to the gym. We worked hard for an hour and a half or whatever. Really, I like... And I'll say to you, listen, you're a big lad. You ain't going to go and do a 12-minute run. Let's just do a few sprints after, get you sharp and whatever. And you go, yeah, great. We've in with everyone else. Do you know what I mean? But you was probably like... You were sharp as when you was with us, weren't you?

1:34:10Parky:Play Saturday, gym Monday. Well, I said gym. Sauna, swimming Monday. If you've got a game Tuesday night, or I'd train Tuesday. off Wednesday

1:34:22Darren Caskey:train Thursday Friday you know Mills will say to me like well I don't think John needs to train on Monday or whatever because you know what I mean he's played we've had a game on last Tuesday game Saturday not him train let him have a day off or whatever and just say well just tell him have a day off or don't come in I mean I hope you enjoyed it and whatever I did and you know the one time I ever had off one day I never ever went to work I was suspended on a Saturday at Notts County Billy Dearden as a manager, I love Bill. My wife had a horse at the time called Hidden Dragon, a fucking great horse.

1:34:56Darren Caskey:Oh, a proper horse, like a racing horse. Yeah, a racer. Yeah. So she says, why don't you have Friday off because you're not playing on Saturday. I was like, why don't I just come to the races? She went, oh, it'd be all finished by then. So I'm like, oh, fucking hell. I really feel awkward about it, to be fair. So I said, right, fuck it, I'll ring it. On the Thursday night, I end up going out with Jeff, with Jeff Whitley. I mean, Mrs. was around Christmas time. Went out with Jeff. I don't know why Jeff wanted to buy this massive monkey thing, this massive monkey out of the shop. I don't know. Because we were meeting Mrs.

1:35:31Darren Caskey:He was on her Christmas do. And I'm like, Jeff, why are you doing that? Put all clothes and everything. So we were carrying this big monkey around. We barge into her Christmas do. They were having a quiz, weren't they? It was dead quiet. She looked up, mate. Oh, my God. I just thought, oh, no. Right. So we're there. I'm like, Jeff, this is not a good move. Jeff's like, fuck it, come on, in we go. So we stand at the bar, get the monkey a drink, me and Jeff. So away we go, right? And so we had a great night. Next day, I didn't know, but Jeff had rung in sick. So I'm ringing in sick as well. And the doctors were in the middle of town.

1:36:04Darren Caskey:So Billy Dearden's obviously thought, these two are out. There's no way them two are going sick on the thing. So I'm there, collar and tie, in the car, driving. This is the worst car you've ever seen as well. It was a big, bright, yellow, chinky-chenko thing. like no power steering. So I'm at the lights like this. She'll go around not on this move now, but you get like one way system. So I'm there like this. So I'm like, yeah, look. And she's staring at me and I thought, I know something's wrong. She went, don't look now. But see, when someone says don't look now, what do you do? So I look, look back and I'm like, oh my God.

1:36:36Darren Caskey:She went, yeah, that's your manager, isn't it? So we had come from the ground to go to the doctors. Billy Dearden's in the car next to me, right? So I've done the take. Then I just look. I don't know I thought I was going to get away with it the size of my ears you know who it was you know what I mean the car even though I was in a stupid yellow chenco so anyway we go off we were playing on the next Tuesday we were playing I think we were playing Middlesbrough or something in the we got through we had a good run in the cup so we were playing Middlesbrough on the Wednesday night so on the Wednesday so on the Monday he used to take us up to Chesterfield have a walk go to a pub have a pint that's what Bill used to do as well have a sandwich and whatever so on the walk he walked up to me and went you owe me a good performance on Wednesday.

1:37:18Darren Caskey:I said, you're fucking joking on you, Bill. I'm on fire in a minute. He went, don't you think I didn't see at them fucking traffic lights the other day on Friday? And I thought, do you know what, top man? Never said anything. And I thought, now I will run through a brick wall for you. It was brilliant. I thought, oh, I loved him anyway, but I thought, Bill, that's class. And that's my management, you know what I mean, from the bit. And I literally would do anything for him, you know what I mean? Not just because of that, because he was a great guy anyway, but did the horse win? Don't go there.

1:37:50Darren Caskey:It was a bad day. Got beat in the photo and we'd had a few quid on. Well,

1:37:57Parky:thanks for the top man, mate. Thank you very much.

1:37:59Darren Caskey:Brilliant, that. Fucking hell, I'm about, I need another five beers before you go. About that. I want to be,

1:38:06Parky:that's sound, no bother.

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