FOCUS ON...
In the 1970s, 'Shoot!' was the go to publication for any young football fan. The weekly magazine had many great articles and features. One of the most popular of these was 'Focus On...' where top players of the time would reveal insights into their private lives, long before the grubby gutter press started to hound them. So, with all due reverence to that august journal, I've brought the item up to date with this quick Q&A as part of my pre match build up for the Chonburi v Samut Prakan City match on Wednesday.
FOCUS ON...
Phil Williams
(Samut Prakan City)
Name: Phil Williams
Birth place: Bordesley Green East, Birmingham (the rough side of town)
Birth date: 27th April 1964
Height: 6 foot (I can never remember what that is in centimetres)
Weight: It fluctuates between 73 and 75 kilos. If my weight goes over 75, my gym trainer makes me get on the treadmill so I try to keep it below.
Previous Clubs: Saltley School. I sadly never played competitively after leaving school.
Married: Yes, very happily.
Children: No (and a decision I never regret for a second)
Car: I haven't driven since I moved to Thailand but in my younger days, I pushed various Minis all over Birmingham.
Favourite player: I love players who would run through a brick wall for the team so I'm going to choose Roy Keane (Man United) and Roy McDonough (player/manager at Colchester in the early 90s)
Favourite other team: Samut Prakan, Man United and Colchester (in that order)
Most difficult opponent: Any player who showboats because I get the red mist and want to kick them into the stand.
Most memorable match: Colchester 3 Witton Albion 1 in the 1992 FA Trophy Final. To see the U's run out at the old Wembley was something special.
Biggest thrill: Being a part of the Samut Prakan success story and being able to embrace regular live football again (something I thought was in the past)
Biggest disappointment: 1979 FA Cup Final between Arsenal and Man United. I had a perfect view of Alan Sunderland's last minute winner.
Best country visited: New Zealand. Incredible place.
Favourite food: Chicken Dopiaza but I'll take most things off the menu at a good flock wallpaper Indian.
Miscellaneous likes: Dogs and mod clothing
Miscellaneous dislikes: Unwanted advice, schedules and unpunctuality
Favourite TV show: Hancock's Half Hour, The League of Gentlemen, Extras (anything that falls into the category of great comedy)
Favourite singer: Michael Stipe
Favourite actor: Frances McDormand and Timothy Spall
Best friend: I don't really have one. I used to have a best friend who was a parachutist and suffered from IBS.....until he shit on me from a great height.
Biggest influence on career: Mr Shakespeare the games teacher at Saltley School. Everyone hated and feared him, but he chose me to be captain of the cricket team.
Biggest drag in football: Players feigning injuries to run down the clock.
International honours: For a fleeting moment I thought I was good enough to play cricket for England one day. I was 15. You know how it is at that age.
Personal ambition: I'd love to do a road trip across America.
Professional ambition: To play in the Asia Champions League. Just to get the chance to see Samut Prakan run out against another team on foreign soil would be incredible.
If you were not a footballer what do you think you would be: I've always been in love with the idea of being a postman in the Lake District and driving a little red van from village to village.
Which person in the world would you most like to meet: Right now it's my brother Paul. I'm really missing our annual hikes across England's green and pleasant land.
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