The Labour leader is forced to choose: win the general election or the league title?
What was the first game that you ever attended?
My first ever game was in fact a Spurs game! I played for Boulthurst Athletic Under-11s, a local team to Hurst Green in Surrey where I grew up. Phil Beal was the local boy who played for Spurs at the time – for some reason, he adopted our club and would occasionally come along. Then one day, he got all of us in for a Tottenham evening game. It was brilliant, but quite funny for me – I was already an Arsenal fan.
What was your finest moment as a footballer?
I played for Homerton Academicals as an adult in a pan-London league. Every year we’d valiantly challenge for the cup, but not get far. One year, I think it was 1995, we had a breakthrough and finally won the title, which was a huge achievement for us. I remember us all going down to the stadium together just south of the river, and I’ve still got a few photographs. That was real glory, it felt like the greatest moment: when Accies won the cup.
What’s your matchday routine at the Emirates Stadium?
There’s a group of seven or eight of us who meet in the pub, have a drink and some pre-match banter. One of them I went to school with, one was a centre-forward in a team I played for, then there’s either my son or my daughter and a few pals from work – it’s a lovely mix of people. We walk to the ground together. I’m in the upper tier at the Emirates with one of my children, then everyone meets back at the pub afterwards for the debrief.
Who was your childhood hero and did you ever meet them?
Alan Ball [right], as someone born in 1962, then playing football a lot from 11 to 18. But I never got to meet him.
Which heroes have you met?
I’ve met Ian Wright a couple of times – he was in parliament recently. I’m not sure what he was doing there… I’ve met Michael Thomas, too – I wasn’t at the game at Anfield in 1989, but I saw it live on television and he’s a big hero. We met at parliament, as he’s doing some work on footballers with money problems – he said he was excited to meet the leader of the Labour party, and I couldn’t believe I was meeting him! Paul Merson was also here with our MP Carolyn Harris, as part of her campaign on gambling addiction, and he said he wanted a selfie with me. I said, “No, no, I’ve been watching you from the stands all this time – I’d like a selfie with you!”
How much has football changed for you since you were a child?
Massively, although I wouldn’t say since I was a child – living in Hurst Green, I didn’t go to many games until I was older. But going to Arsenal pre-Pre
