UPFROnT
> <February 2016 FourFouUPFROnT
36 September 2019 FourFouFRANK SKINNER
WESTBROMWICHALBION
Favourite car?
I have almost zero interest in cars.
I was putting petrol in once and a bloke
stopped me and asked, “What size
of engine is in that?” I didn’t know,
and I was quite affronted that he
thought I might know such a thing.
Favourite singer?
Bob Dylan.
Favourite food?
Taramasalata. I have it at least once
a day. If you ever read anything about
taramasalata being dangerous, you’ll
know my days are numbered – I eat
more of it than anyone else in Britain.
Someone tried to put it into Room 101
once, but they had no chance.
First game you ever attended?
West Brom vs Southampton, December- It was 0-0, I sat on the wall at
the front and it rained so much that the
colour from my T-shirt ran into my
underpants. But I was hooked.
Who was your childhood hero?
Jeff Astle. I ended up not only meeting
him, but working with him on Fantasy
Football and being godfather to his
granddaughter. That thing about ‘don’t
meet your heroes’ isn’t always true.
Finest moment as a player?
I was very, very bad at football,whichis
one of the great tragedies ofmylife.
But I once took a penalty at VillaP
for £1,000 for Comic Relief. Iwas
because of the rivalry with WestB
so I really milked it. Anyway,it we
just inside the post. I ran up tothe
Holte End and did an Ian Wrightp
standing like a Greek god as they
screamed abuse at me.
What do you love most aboutgo
to a match?
That I don’t think about anything
You look round and 100 peoplear
their phones. I like to completely
the game. I wish I knew moreab
God knows how many goalsI’ve
West Brom concede, and I could
probably explain about eightoft
How’s watching football chang
for you since you were a kid?
I can see now. As a kid, I missed
MY FOOTBALL
The BaggiesfanandFantasyFootballlegendtalksLaurieCunningham,taramasalataandMickMcCarthy’surinal
FRAnK SKInnER
70 per cent of the goals that happened
at the Albion. I spent all game on my
tiptoes, looking over blokes’ shoulders.
Who from your club’s past would you
bring back for your current side?
Laurie Cunningham. He was the most
remarkable player I’ve ever seen in an
Albion shirt; an athlete who could do
everything. He ran like Thierry Henry –
as if the ball was part of him. He was
almost in liquid form. He should be one
of those people talk about more when
they think of great players.
Who had the hardest shot you’ve
ever seen?
When we did the video for Three Lions,
we recreated Bobby Charlton’s goal
against Mexico with Teddy Sheringham.
I was in goal and suddenly I heard this
noise behind me – it sounded like
gunfire. It was Teddy hitting the
crossbar. I hadn’t even seen the backlift.
If it had hit me, it would have killed me.
Which player do you like even though
they never played for your club?
As a kid, I loved Jimmy Johnstone. My
brother used to get the coach up to
Glasgow for Celtic games and he
brought me back a little Jimmy
Johnstone keyring. He was amazing.
Where’s the best place you’ve ever
watched a game?
My son supports Tottenham, so I took
him to a couple of games at their new
stadium. The seats had a button to
turn a heater on – that was incredible.
Favourite football book?
The Miracle Of Castel Di Sangro.
It’s about a bloke who spends
a season with an Italian team.
It’s brilliant.
What’s the funniest thing
you’ve seen or heard at a game?
We lost 2-0 to Nottingham Forest
when Stan Collymore was in his
pomp; we were outplayed, it was
a grim day, and as we were leaving
theground an announcement over the
loudspeaker said, “Mr Blah-Blah, your
wife has given birth to a baby boy at
Sandwell Hospital.” There was a round
of applause, and this old bloke next toPark,
booed
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nFRANK SKINNER
Interview
Chris Sweeney