A Tale of One Citizen: Paul Lake
In a saturated market of largely uninspiring and clichéd football autobiographies, Paul Lake's 2011 effort I'm Not Really Here stood out as one of the most original of its kind. And as Andy Greeves discovers, Lake's story is now set to be told on the big screen.
As I write this article in December 2014, former Manchester City player Paul Lake is recovering from yet another operation. The midfielder's career was effectively over aged just 21 when he ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament in a match against Aston Villa on September 5, 1990. He played only four more matches for the club thereafter, suffering the same injury on two more occasions before announcing his retirement in January 1996.
"I hated the 1990s," Lake once told The Independent newspaper. "Aside of my eldest son being born, and seeing Oasis's second-ever gig, all of the 1990s, ten years of my life, was a complete washout."
Lake has had over 15 operations on his knee to date and despite once lamenting the decade that saw his football career end before it had really got started, the former England U21 man actually comes across as a glass half-full individual.
"I grew up as a Manchester City player, so to be spotted by the club, signed by them… to actually play in the first-team… I'd have taken any of that as a kid," he smiles. "And to wear the captain's armband, albeit briefly, has to mean everything to me as a supporter of the club."
Growing up Denton, a Manchester City supporting stronghold just a stone's throw away from where the Ethiad Stadium can now be found, Lake was spotted by the club's then-Chief Scout Ted Davies. City's Head of Recruitment Ken Barnes then watched the younger in action, who was promptly invited to train with them.
"I trained with lads a year older than me when I first came to Manchester City. There was no academy at the time, so it was all about playing for nursery sides and associated teams. We had youth teams like Blue Star, that later became known as Midas and then Pegasus that all the potential City players represented. So in the same Blue Star team as me were the likes of Steve Redmond, Andy Hinchcliffe, Ian Brightwell and Jason Beckford.
"When we got the age of 15, we were playing against the likes of David White, Paul Moulden and Dean Scott and we all came together in 1985-86 in the Manchester City youth team. We went on to beat Manchester United in the FA Youth Cup Final, which was incredible feeling. During the 1987-88 season, we had some eight home grown players representing Manchester City's first team in a match we won 2-1 at Sheffield United (March 8, 1988). That was a record number of home grown players starting for Manchester City in their history I believe."
Lake's first-team debut for Manchester City came away to Wimbledon - John Fashanu, Vinnie Jones et al - on January 24, 1987 in a 0-0 draw.
"While they had a reputation of being a physical team, there were numerous players that went on to play for bigger teams and were recognised then for their ability on the ball," says Lake. "John Scales is one such player, Terry Gibson is another. So they were a better footballing side than people gave them credit for, though I do remember my debut being a very tough physical encounter too.
"I had a good debut in that I was consistent and didn't really put a foot wrong. I didn't exactly set the world alight either though, but for me it was all about controlling the nerves and wanting to do all the basics right. I felt the same going into my home debut against Luton Town (February 21, 1987), in which I managed to get on a score sheet in a 1-1 draw."
A regular fixture in City's line-up throughout the 1987-88 season, there were some early set-backs for Lake, including a knock to his knee which saw him miss the final three games of that campaign. More worryingly was a collision against Leicester City on March 11, 1989 that saw him knocked unconscious and suffered with a blocked airway. Despite that, he went on to pick-up a runners-up medal in the old Division Two as City were promoted to the top flight come the end of the 1988-89 season. Lake made the first of his five appearances for England's U21 team shortly after and he would also play for England's B team in 1990.
"That promotion was a huge thing to be a part of," says Lake. "I played pretty much every outfield position for the club that season and it was great to have such a regular place in the team.
"There were numerous highlights for me at Manchester City - the biggest has to be the simple fact I played numerous games for the club I grew up supporting. Winning the FA Youth Cup (in 1986) will all of my friends was very special and the perfect start to life at the club really. The 5-1 win over Manchester United (September 23, 1989) was hugely significant as it came during a time our rivals had been hugely dominant in the derby and it was an even bigger win than in most Manchester derbies."
But for the injuries, Lake would have played dozens more matches than the 110 league games for Manchester City he managed between 1986 and 1996, in which time he scored seven goals. After retiring from playing aged just 27, he embarked on a career as a physiotherapist.
"I studied to become a chartered physiotherapist and worked with Altrincham, Oldham Athletic, Macclesfield Town, Burnley and Bolton Wanderers in that role for over a decade," he says. "I then got the opportunity to work as a full-time ambassador for Manchester City for three years, which was fantastic."
Now working for the Premier League as a Club Support Manager, Lake overseas the operations of youth academies at Everton, Hull City, Sunderland and of course Manchester City. Still idolised in the Blue half of Manchester, Lake is a rare example of a true fan of the club that got to live the dream of the masses by turning out for them. Inducted into City Hall of Fame in 2004, he'll never be forgotten by the supporters despite the multi-millionaire superstar players that turn out for the Citizens today.
Those fans will be especially excited by the next big project on Lake's horizon.
"I wrote a book which that has sold particularly well called I'm Not Really Here," comments Lake. "The title is obviously a play on the experiences I went through with my injuries and of course the popular City chant. We've sold nearly 40,000 copies and I'm very proud of that. The book is actually being made into a film, which is set for release in 2016. I feel very honoured that producers wanted to take on my story and turn it into a film."
The story of the rise and rise of Manchester City since their takeover by the Abu Dhabi United Group in 2008 could in itself be made into feature film. Since that date, the club are unrecognisable from the one Lake would have known growing up and have won four major trophies in that time. Like every other supporter, Lake says he has to "pinch himself" at the good fortunes his beloved club have enjoyed in recent times.
"The takeover at Manchester City came quite out of the blue," he reflects. "There was a little bit of talk of potential investors around the club for a few weeks beforehand, but nothing in the media really. It was the same day we announced the signing of Robinho (September 1, 2008) that the club was bought by the Abu Dhabi United Group. I think such a big transfer sent out for a statement of intent for how they were going to transform the club.
"When investment first comes into a club, I guess you always worry it could be 'too good to be true'. What the owners have shown throughout though is that they are credible and honest people who not only have the best interests of the club at heart but also the wider community around east Manchester. The face lift they are giving the area currently and the new facilities is just incredible. They've invested in a college, a leisure centre for the community and are offering up the use of some of their training pitches for locals."
I'm Not Really Here: A Life of Two Halves by Paul Lake is available to purchase at Amazon UK
© Andy Greeves & Soccerphile.com
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