What professional footballers have forum members played against? Let's see who's played against the most famous player... I'll set the bar pretty low - I played with or against Richard Langley (QPR, L*ton, Jamaica), Scott Fitzgerald, Neil Kilkenny (Birmingham, Leeds, Australia), Oliver Squires (Watford but never made a first team assistance), Felipe Oliveira (Chelsea, never made a first team appearance), and Darren Bastow (Plymouth Argyle's youngest ever goalscorer I think)...
My bar is on the floor. I played with Cliff Powell who was a junior and 1st year pro at Watford. He played in the FA Youth Cup Final against Newcastle Utd who had some fella called Gascoigne in the team. Without making a senior appearance for WFC he signed for Sheffield Utd before being loaned to Doncaster Rovers and Cardiff. On his debut (coming on as a sub) for the Bluebirds both knees were knackered in a challenge about 20mins in and I'm not sure he played again at any kind of pro' level.
Randomly, I played against Christoper Wreh (ex-Arsenal) in 2004. He was playing for Buckingham Town and was still only about 30. I was 20 and played as CB directly against him...now I'm quite a tall and broad guy, always have been, and liked to mix it on the pitch and play the rough game. But Wreh absolutely destroyed me all game long. Think he ended with 5 goals and I spent more time on the floor than anywhere else.
I was on West Ham's books as a youngster and played in a reserve game against Tony Adams, Martin Hayes and David Rocastle. A few years after that, played against Martin Chivers who played for Brookmans Park as he owned a pub around there in the St Albans Review Sunday League Played in a charity tournament 20 years ago agianst Tony Hadley and Phil Daniels - not professionals but I got Phil Daniels Arsenal shirt.
Luther Blissett (twice). Once at SEJ's house in Old Windsor as part of the Junior Hornets' Christmas party (definitely a bygone era that....) and once at, god I can't even remember where...somewhere localish I think, after a pre-season friendly maybe. It was just a kick about but it had something to do with the old Watford internet team.
At half-time somebody said the opposition included Kenny Jackett's brother. It might have been true. Er..that's it.
Played for three years with ex Millwall and QPR midfielder Marc Bircham (currently coach alongside Gollum). Had an "average" playing career, but will admit he was pretty good at the younger levels. Just shows how good you have to be to make it in the game. And same as Hornetgags - played against Martin Chivers when he was at Brookmans Park. He didn't do a lot of running, but played as centreback, pinging accurate passes around and comfortably winning headers. His touch on the ball immediately suggested he'd played at a higher level if you weren't aware who he was. And once had a "surreal" kickabout with Tommy Smith in Berkhamsted, as I used to be close with his sister, Lucy.
Bradley Allen, Rufus Brevitt, Nigel Quasie played a summer league game with my team way back in the day. Quasie played in trainers and was way above everyone. The other 2 were bobbins.
I played on the pitch at an open day in 89 too. I think it was SirNigel Gibbs that headed my header off the line in the traditional 100 a side kick a bout.
Scored a free kick against Ray Clemence. Was also coached by Keegan and George Best for a TV show called Keegans Kids that was on LWT in about 1984.
Played a five a side against a team that included Alan Devonshire in 82 the day before he went back to training after the close season, played against Micky Walsh (Everton and Blackpool fame) scored goal of the season once in vets football!
I am another one who played against Martin Chivers in the Review league on a Sunday, I was a 14 year old ringer playing in goal, he was older enough to be my grand dad but still was decent playing at centre back. Alan Smith put 4 or 5 past me in a county game, he was so strong as a kid, knew he would make it. I was mates with Pat Morrisey's son so got to grace the same pitch as him in a father's v kid game. He still played almost 50 in the Spartan league for Colney Heath. I also played in FA Youth Cup against Jamie Carragher and a few others that made it. I seem to remember Michael Owen was due to play but called up for England under 16s, where he went on to score a great goal against Brazil youth. A couple of years ago was playing in Hitchen in a goals tournament and was meant to be playing Jack Wiltshire's brother team, Jack turned up and played as ringer. Surprisingly, he didn't get injured and no surprise, absolutely destroyed us despite obviously not tacking or running around that much!
Not quite on topic but topical today as I used to coach Luke Prosser,who score the second Colchester goal v Loon today! Lovely lad and a delightful family.
Jae Lee who was a Watford player in name only, but wasn't able to play competitively at any level because of a lack of work permit, jumped at the chance to join my six a side team. We were playing the league leaders and he destroyed them. It was like how it feels when I have a kick about with six year olds. I think he plays somewhere in France now
John Mousinho and used to play against Ian Holloway's sons lot at Abbotts Langley with him yelling about how to keep chickens or something.
