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Premiership Football News: Legend For a Day

Andy Greeves

Coming to terms with the fact you are never going to make it as a professional footballer is a reality 99.9% of fans have to resign themselves to at one stage in their life.

I was in the second year of comprehensive school, playing as a goalkeeper when that unpleasant penny dropped for me. I summed up that I probably wasn't going to replace Erik Thorstvedt in the Tottenham goal anytime soon, as I'd just conceded four goals in one match, got lobbed twice and been substituted after an hour. I can still think back to the moment I was driving away from the local recreation ground with my parents, thinking, 'that's it, I'll never play for Spurs'. And yes, there was certainly a tear or two trickling down my face at the time.

There's still moments today when I kick a rolled up pair of socks through a doorway, dribble past my mates in the park or volley in a goal from 30 yards on the PlayStation that I actually think, just for a second, I'm playing professionally. I also like to indulge in clichéd football dreams now and again. The ones where you net the winner in the FA Cup Final or captain your side to win the league title. My own personal favourite is coming off the bench to get a hat-trick against Arsenal and running into the Park Lane end at Spurs to celebrate a 3-2 victory in the derby.

On Sunday, I managed to satisfy a good number of my lifelong football fantasies when I turned out for a Tottenham Hotspur Legends team against Exeter City Legends at St James' Park, Exeter. I was one of four supporters chosen from hundreds of people responding to an internet advert, offering a chance to play for one of the two sides. I had only received the call letting me know I'd be playing a few days before the game. Probably a good thing as I struggled to sleep in the days leading up to the match, such was my excitement.

I'd get to play alongside members of the 1984 UEFA Cup winning side, such as Graham Roberts and Gary Stevens and with players from the 1991 FA Cup Final line-up, including Paul Allen and Steve Sedgley. I would also get to play with Steve Perryman, Director of Football at Exeter City - the man who has played more professional games for Tottenham Hotspur Football Club than any other footballer in the club's history.

I've always been fascinated with the routine footballers undertake on the day of a match and for me it all began with eggs and beans on toast with my girlfriend in our apartment in Bournemouth. Despite the nerves, the warm breakfast went down very nicely and was certainly a nice change from cereal. My new boots along with a towel, shower gel etc had all been packed the night before so we could set off early across the A35 towards Exeter.

On arrival at the ground, I made my way to the Chairman's Suite to be greeted by a grinning Micky Hazard, with his iPod blaring away. With no music on the stadium announcer before the game, the Sunderland-born midfielder was doing his best to provide pre-match entertainment, singing and dancing to the bewilderment of Graham Roberts and other guests. Steve Perryman entered the suite about 15 minutes later at which point Micky sat down and turned off the iPod. Captains' orders anyone?!

After a brief meet and greet session and the chance to get a few shirts signed, it was time to walk over the St James' Park pitch to the changing rooms on the other side of the ground. Despite being the visitors, Spurs were situated in the home dressing rooms. It's fair to say they were pretty basic, with just one toilet with a door which jams if you close it too firmly. The tactics board still had the line-ups and instructions laid out from Exeter's first team friendly against Tottenham earlier in the week.

Around half an hour before the game kicked off, a fresh Spurs kit was given to every member of the squad. I was given the number nine shirt, but told by Steve Perryman that I'd start on the bench. In a way I was quite relieved, my fitness isn't what it should be at the moment and it would be nice to get a feel for the game from the touchline. Steve Sedgley and Paul Allen arrived fairly late to the ground and as a result, the 2pm kick-off was delayed by ten minutes. By now the butterflies were rife in my stomach and I just couldn't wait to get out there.

Come 2:05pm, the players bell rang, informing everyone to make their way to the tunnel. We walked out to music that I can't even remember what it was, such were my nerves. I lined up on the halfway line with all the legends for some team photographs and the customary hand shaking line. From there, to the bench and twenty minutes of watching past heroes rolling back the years. Micky Hazard's passing ability was still as good as it used to be and Paul Allen scampered around the pitch winning tackles and making runs just like he did throughout his career.

I got my big moment on 20 minutes, coming on the field to replace Mark Falco upfront. I managed to get some good touches early on, including playing a one-two with Steve Sedgley. But as the game went on I struggled with my positioning and fitness levels and enjoyed the half-time break. With rolling substitutions in place, I was briefly taken off in the second-half, with Spurs leading 1-0. But with 20 minutes remaining, Steve Perryman gave me the nod to come back on and, almost instantly, my big moment arrived.

Spurs broke away from a corner and I was positioned in space on the right hand side of the pitch. Graham Roberts saw my run and neatly threaded the ball through the Exeter defence. I latched on to the end of the pass and ran towards the Grecians goal. If anything I had too much time to pick my spot, but luckily got good connection and sent the ball into the keeper's bottom right-hand corner. I ran back to the halfway line with barely a smile or celebration – though inside I was overcome with joy. The announcement came over the tannoy – 'the goal-scorer for Tottenham Hotspur, number nine, Andy Greeves', rubber-stamping my achievement.

The rest of the game was a blur, all I could think about was getting off the pitch and telling my family and friends about my goal scoring exploits for Spurs. I had a few more touches of the ball before the final whistle sounded, greeted with applause from the 2,000 strong crowd and handshakes for all the players. Back in the changing room, myself and the other supporter players were all too shy to get in the showers with the legends. There's one thing playing in front of your former heroes, it's a completely thing getting naked in front of them we agreed.

The day ended with lots of thank you's, good luck messages and some more signatures on my match shirt. With that, my day as an adopted 'Spurs legend' was over and many football fantasies had been fulfilled.

It's fair to say the goal video has been played back a few times since though and probably will be for sometime to come.

Andy Greeves

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