My Claim To Football Fame

[Wheelbarrow repair man]

I'm not sure if this story would be of any interest. But the Wife said  I should tell it anyway. So here goes.

After clinching promotion to the Old First Division a Friend and I along with his Dad went along to the Old Baseball Ground to watch Derby play Newcastle. It was a hell of a job finding a place to park and eventually my Friend Dave's Dad had to park well away from the ground it's self. After the match which Derby lost 1-0, to I think a Malcom McDonald goal. Dave's Dad told us to stand next to a section of high fencing which ran down one side and protected a car park.. Stay there and don't move, while I go and find the car we were told. Anyway we were there for quite awhile when a voice from behind us asked.

Are you two Yong Men alright?

We turned and the Derby Manager Brian Clough stood there. My mate stood there opened mouthed and I managed to blurt out

Yes thankyou Mr Clough we're just waiting for his Dad to bring his car round..

Are you Derby Fans?

We both nodded.

My team didn't play well at all today. But I'll get it put right for next Saturday.

We stood there for a good five minutes under Cloughie's watchful eye chatting away as Kids do.

Here's my Dad shouted Dave. His Dad had pulled up in his car on the other side of the road..

Right you young men off you go, and mind the road.

We ran over to Dave's Dad's Car and I turned to wave. But the Great Man had Gone.

[CliftonMagpie]

That's a great story. I don't have a claim to fame. I haven't met anyone very famous, butI once spoke to Alan Smith, I was much younger, and it's not a big deal.

[Fan of Big Tone]

What a great story @Wheelbarrow repair man your wife was right definitely worth telling I love it.

How nice of Cloughie to make sure you two lads were ok, nice bloke by all accounts.

[Robbie]

Great Story @Wheelbarrow repair man pity you didn't think to ask for his autograph, although I wouldn't have thought about it either.

I'm sure that meeting Clough is not your only claim to fame

[Wheelbarrow repair man]

@Robbie

It's not my only Brian Clough story. Not long after he passed away I was chatting to a Guy Jeff who I used to work with, Jeff was a Big Forest Fan and as a side hustle (that's what they're called now days) being a keen photographer Jeff used to take photo's of Famous People and events etc and sell them to Papers and Magazines. Anyway not long after Cloghie had been appointed the Forest manager Jeff turned up with his camera.

And what do you want young man? 

I've come to take your photo Mr Clough.

Not dressed like that, come back wearing a collar and tie a jacket and a decent pair of trousers and I'll consider it.

There was a group of us listening to Jeff's story, and we all burst out laughing. That was Typical Brian Clough. We never did find out if Jeff got his photo has the knocking off buzzer sounded.

[Wheelbarrow repair man]

@Fan of Big Tone

Aye the wife was right (as always). I wasn't sure this being a Notts County site. If there would be much interest. I'm glad you enjoyed it. It was an encounter I will remember for the Rest Of My Life. He truly was a remarkable and wonderful Man.

[Fan of Big Tone]

It’s mainly a Notts County site but we talk about all football plus lots of other non football topics so don’t be afraid to post anything that’s suitable for all ages.

[menzinho]

Clearly this is not a story to rival meeting Brian Clough, but the first well-known player I met was Dean Ashton in Zante airport when I was about 11... He was playing for West Ham and it was during the season break. I guess he had been on a bit of lads holiday and unbeknown to me he was very hung-over and struggling as it was 6 in the morning. I think the last thing he wanted was to be greeted by me, an overenthusiastic, football mad child!

He was very polite though and answered all my questions, I think my dad was able to eventually usher me away. He then spent the rest of the morning lying on the seats with his cap covering his face... 

[Chris]

I really don't want to seem like I am boasting, but in my earlier working years, I have met a lot of famous people.

The Austrialian cricket team once stayed at a hotel I worked at due to how quiet it was - my manager (very lazy) assigned only me to breakfast shift. I had to open up, setup every table (even those not in use), get the breakfast area ready, so we were talking fruit, cereals, yoghurts and milk etc. There were 13 covers expected for breakfast, with the food already being sent to the kitchen the night before. Guests had a time whereby they were supposed to arrive.

It was a very slow shift at first; none of the 13 people were to do with the cricket team. A handful were builders who were staying, they were very respectful and despite the common association with them being 'difficult'. They never once did anything out of line, plus seemed to appreciate I was alone.

Around 11am, you start to turn the tables around for launch. I cleared one side of the restaurant so that this made my life easier. Living a an area where the daylight shined through was commonly the better area.

Sometime after, the Australian cricket team came down, and I spoke to one of them about breakfast almost being over.

I explained that they could still use the breakfast options, but that it was down to the chef if he would cook any meals outside of pre-orders. I spoke with the chef who wasn't happy, but agreed to cook fry ups for any of the players/staff that wanted it. I was encouraged against allowing them all to request meals, so I tried my best to assist them in a way that wouldn't make the chef want to kill me.

Most were happy with having toast, and items from the breakfast area, but some did want cook food.

Part of my job was to make sure guests had drinks, so I would have to go to the bar and do their order myself. Between fetching the drinks, I had to do the toast by myself. So, I focused on doing a handful of tables at a time. I explained this to the cricketers and apologised, so they understood I was by myself.

I had managed to get half of the remaining sorted, when I went to make more toast (you have to keep it warm) and when I went back into the restaurant. They were having a food fight and being very rowdy. Not just food was being thrown, but cutlery, salt and pepper containers. and anything you could imagine. They made a right mess of the area, which felt like a nightmare because I had gone out of my way to cater for them.

So, they end up leaving the room like a tip as I am trying to tidy up after them. Stretching over time and whereby my manager turned up, he wasn't happy and gave me an instant dismissal warning. That p***ed me off even more, as how can I stop grown adults from having a food fight when I'm the only person on duty? I had called to reception to ask the general manager of the hotel to come up, but he just sat on his arse.

I had woken up at 5:30am, caught a bus at 6am and got into work about half an hour later. I had been working the night before on a function which ended at 3am. So, I was speechless. I actually felt like just walking out, but I didn't. I tidied up by myself - as other staff started to arrive for the launch shifts. My manager had them watch me, without any help, as I cleaned up. I would have been finished by 12:30 and then back at 5pm. However, cleaning up took over an hour and a half. This gave me a chip on my shoulder, so when I later on at night bumped into three of the cricket players. I ignored them, but sarcastically thanked them for getting me my first dismissal warning.

The following day, my manager decided to put 3 people on duty but for further punishment for the mess. I was assigned to clean the function room from the prior night before which I had worked. So, I know the mess that had been created wasn't there when I had finished. I also got tasked with restocking the kitchen and breakfast (which involved a lot of carrying items up 4 floors).

By late 10am, I had finished with all the 'punishment' and walked into the restaurant to see what needed doing in there. I immediately noticed my manager, standing talking to two of the cricketers. I went to check the list for when we expected people down, to see that we only had 5 guests left to serve and then any potential late arrivals (which usually didn't happen). As I started to clear some of the tables, one of the crickets said 'excuse me'. Still annoyed, I ignored it. He then said, 'Hey, look. We feel awful about yesterday mate'.

He then stood up and walked over with a signed cricket bat and all.

My manager quickly intercepted him and said that he would leave the items for me in the staff's cloakroom. I never saw those items again, but I did speak with some of the players before they left. I accepted the apology, but I still felt like they were the worst people I have ever served.

[Wheelbarrow repair man]

@Chris

Now Me , I 'd told the Aussies to B******S and stick their signed Bat where the Sun Don't Shine. I would have given the Manager a round of F**** and the Truth about him being a Lazy B****** and Quit on the Spot.  And Believe me it wouldn't have been the First time.

[Fan of Big Tone]

@Chris what a horrible place to work for and what a load of tossers those Aussies were. 

[Chris]

I remember @GrannyPie threatening to call up my work place, so that she could give them a piece of her mind, but I was young - I just wanted to work and get on with things. It wasn't a great place to work, and the experience above wasn't the worst thing I experienced there. It made me more determined though. At the last restaurant/hotel that I worked, regular Championship and some League One/Two (depending on Notts) teams would stay. They were far more professional than the Australian Cricket team.

@Fan of Big Tone The manager, he was off work for 8 months prior to me leaving. Allegedly, he used a chair to change a light bulb and fell.

[Wheelbarrow repair man]

@Chris

Regarding your Manager Falling of a Chair, in the Words of BSM Williams.

OH DEAR HOW SAD. NEVER MIND.

[liampie]

i hope the manager was a forest fans, as that time old question of how many forest fans does it take to change a light bulb would be valid.