Do you know anyone else who plays sports?

[Deleted]

Bigz is the inspiration for the topic and he mentioned playing semi pro football.

Anyway, I knew 3 from high school, 1 on Aberdeen's books (Greg Kelly), 1 in Scotland's 6th tier (Johnny Murdoch) and another in the South of Scotland league who originally hailed from Birmingham (Thomas "Tam" Coles)

2 I worked with, one played and won the Scottish Junior Cup with the goalie from 6th tier and then moved onto Queen's Park who played at Hampden, he ended up moving to Albion Rovers becoming their Captain. After that he joined Pollok, his name's Bryan Wharton. The other guy played for Shotts but not in the same season as the Junior Cup winning side as the latter guy and the 6th tier goalie, his name's Mark Duffy.

2 were teachers/lecturers. Ian Munro was a substitute teacher at high school after my regular one got hurt by a boulder


www.thefreelibrary.com/CLIMBER+FREED+AFTER+4hr+ROCK+FALL+TERROR%3B+Docs+save+teacher%27s+crushed...-a089134415

Ian I knew as Mr Munro, played for St Mirren and Rangers plus a few other Scottish clubs, he also had spells in England with Stoke City and Sunderland. He also had a few spells in management, including 4 years at Hamilton Accies. He now does coaching in America. The lecturer is Jim Griffin who taught me at College doing sports and fitness. He won the Scottish Cup with Motherwell back in 1991. We had a Crossbar Challenge at Hamilton Palace Sports Ground and I managed to get it 3 times in a row. He taught me well, same with Munro. 

[SamH]

I often think it would be so weird if you went to school with someone who went on to become really famous, like a top sportsperson. I used to know loads of basketball players back in the day as I worked with the Bears in a voluntary capacity and helped with their coaching clinics and so on. Nick Nurse even came to a scrimmaging session a load of us used to do every Sunday evening at a school sports hall - he just turned up there and played with us (destroyed us!) which was really cool. I wish now looking at what he's gone on to achieve, that I'd kept in touch with him.

I also know Barry Pinches, a snooker player but unless you're a die hard snooker fan you probably wouldn't know him! He has been on telly loads down the years but isn't a top player.

[Deleted]

I'm not as die hard now about snooker as I was many years ago, but yeah I remember Barry Pinches, he wore a yellow & green waistcoat in the colours of Norwich City.

[SamH]

That's him! Still plays on the main tour as well as the seniors tour, really nice chap.

[D44]

I used to play against Ian Graham, he was on Sunderlands books as an under 18 had a decent semi pro career mostly with Newcastle Benefield. But his main claim to fame was being in the 'Sunderland Shaggers' sex scandal video.
Craig MacFarlane was in my primary school and was a mainstay of the Whitley Bay teams that won the FA Vase three times.

[A tall man]

I know a few bbl level players from being a fan and what not.

Not sports related but I used to work with one of the dragons on dragons den until I sacked him.

My friends husband is a bjj champion too

[SamH]

Was that a joke or did you actually sack a dragon?!

[A tall man]

Actually sacked a dragon, he made a fake cast he would slip on and off his wrist to pretend it was broken

[stepback3]

Played youth football with a certain liverpool left back... he has done pretty well i suppose.

[sm11]

In my school year was a footballer called Ikechi Anya. The Scots on here may remember him for putting them 1-0 up against Germany the very game after following there world cup win in 2014. Club wise was mostly famous for playing for Watford.

A footballer called Matty Taylor, was a few year below me, his older brother Daniel was in my year. He plays for the local club Oxford United but any Bristol resident may remember him for becoming one of the few players to have ever signed from Rovers to City.

I played against Joel Freeland and Matt Guymon at the same tournament. I was playing for Oxfordshire, Freeland for Berkshire and Guymon for Hampshire. Stefan Gil used to play in the local league i played in despite playing in NBL1 for Manchester Magic at the time. Always felt it was a bit wrong that. He was way way way to good for anyone on court.

[SamH]

Jan 14, 2022 17:55:39 GMT A tall man said:

Actually sacked a dragon, he made a fake cast he would slip on and off his wrist to pretend it was broken

Haha that's great. I'm sensing you don't want to name names but I'm going for the new guy, Stephen Bartlett, or Piers Linney. The others just seem too old, even if it was a long time ago, they don't seem like the types to behave that way!

[A tall man]

It was bartlett yeah, his brother was a friend

[SamH]

Awesome! That's great. I have to say I've been impressed by him so far on the show, he seems to really know his stuff especially for his age.