Part 7 (2/2)

As I was driving hoa to play in the Preue or lower league football, or heading up to Scotland, but I didn't want to be in that situation again I felt I'd upset Kevin and betrayed the Newcastle supporters

I didn't regret a h, and the club and the fans have been brilliant to ainst Newcastle About a year later, when I was playing for Queen of the South, I got hohter Katie, as 14 at the time, came up to me and asked me if I still had any contacts at Manchester City 'Why, what for?' I asked, like any suspicious parent would She explained that she wanted tickets for Oasis at Maine Road, and asked old dust I hadn't even heard of Oasis back then But I did remember a conversation I had had with Francis Lee on the bus back froaie, we can't sign you We owe you for helping us not go down, but we can't offer you a contract But anything we can help you with in the future, don't hesitate to pick up the phone'

I thought Katiefor two or three tickets, but she asked for 14! 'bloody hell,' I thought, but I didn't want to let : 'nothing ventured, nothing gained' Francis was out of the country, but his secretary proet back to me True to her word, she called me back the next day, but she said she was sorry, but I couldn't have the tickets because it was all sold out I felt irls down to the main entrance at the stadium and ask for Francis

I hired a irls, with Oasis playing on the stereo the whole way froround, it was about five in the afternoon and I'd never seen soasked to show my tickets by soot to the main entrance I saw one of the City officials that I knew and he told irls to come in

Francis caave the girls soht; the whole of Maine Road was full, including the pitch there must have been 80,000 people in there Oasis were due on at 9, and at 730 Francis cairls to follow hi us, and it soon beca rooher I couldn't fault theirls T-shi+rts, signed everything, and ittreated like royalty The exciteot to 9 o'clock, Liairls to corateful I'd helped play a part in saving City fro: 'This is the daughter of the boy that helped save us fro 'Wonderwall', and it was brilliant

After the shoere taken to one of the lounges and Ryan Giggs and a few of the Manchester United players had come in Unbeknown to her and Ryan Giggs A few years before Oasis had becosy had driven into the car wash, and when Lia row had broken out between thesy walked in, Liam who had knocked back a few drinks by this point started screa 'Get that arsehole out of here!' I didn't know there was bad blood between theht it was just because he was a Man Utd player, but the other United players didn't have to leave, just Giggsy Noel didn't like Giggsy ainst City on his debut The whole night was brilliant though and whenever I went back to Manchester City I was always treated like a king They never forget you there Maybe I couldn't do the somersaults any more at 43, but I did er player because it was one of the best clubs I ever played for

CHAPTER 22

THE BOSS

'It is exactly the sa Blyth Spartans as it is hts at the end of cheques'

I knew froe of 15 when I first went into football as a professional that one day I would be a er or a coach I also knew I'd be in football until the day I died I really hope I die on the football field or the training ground although not just yet! I'ame Football makes me what I am; I'm not a person who's introvert and keeps myself to myself, football makes me happy I like to see people play football with a so on to a football field all serious and nervous I knew I could take that enjoy and I'd always knoanted to be in football until the day they put ame for Man City I was inundated with calls froue, all wanting me to play on it was incredible I turned most of them down, but when I was approached by Blyth Spartans it was hard to resist they were only about 20 minutes' drive away froue and were e at Newcastle, and by that ti the goalkeepers at Leeds United for a couple of days a week

I didn't want to go back into league football, so the arrangement was perfect I couldn't deny that I still wanted to play, because even though I was 47 I was as fit as a fiddle I played a year with Blyth before they sacked Peter Harrison in March 1997 I was viewed as a big naes, so I was approached by their chair over fro commitments at Newcastle and Leeds, but he was happy to accommodate them At the back of h, but I couldn't resist the idea and said I would have a go at it I'd had 30-odd years of being on the receiving end of ht I'd try the boot on the other foot But when you are a part-ti a full-time boss My workload was already unbelievable at Newcastle, and that wasdown to Leeds twice a week to train the future England keepers Nigel Martyn and Paul Robinson, and then playing for Blyth on a Saturday

In ean had always told me that was the case It is exactly the sa Blyth Spartans as it is hts at the end of cheques Kevin and Arthur warnedinto ht The phone never stops, even at non-league level You're constantly thinking about what you are going to do for training I used to finish training at Leeds, drive all the way back up to Newcastle, then head straight to Blyth

I used tosalary at the tiue for part-ti their boys 50 a week But it wasn't just a case of turning up and collecting a pay packet they had to work hard for it, and harder than anyone else in the league I insisted that they had to train Monday, Tuesday and Thursday to earn their imes they had expected to just coaie, being the stickler that I am We used to play on a Saturday, then ould all be back in on a Monday in the gym at Gateshead Sports Centre I'd make they with them, then ould head outside for a bit of cross-country to build up stao onto the track and do so They'd be knackered and moaned their heads off about it, but I'd quickly reo and play for someone else for 50 a week I was also quick to point out that it wasprofessional in ue by far I'd had ripes about Ron Saunders and Alex Miller, but both were sticklers for players working hard at training and they taught hts ould work on tactics defensive duties then a gahts the e, then another five-a-side It was a full-time job really, but I made it that way for myself The self-imposed workload was too much and it wore me out I did two years of that and it started to take its toll I was knackered at the end of each week I was getting older, even if I wouldn't adement is a business and, like any other business, you are called into boardrooie, we're 30,000 in debt, we've got VAT bills to pay what are we going to do about it?' Some people are oblivious to all that side of football they think it's just a case of turning up on a Saturday and playing, but when you beco is heaped upon your shoulders To sort out our financial proble their full team to Croft Park for a pre-season fund-raiser Shearer, Ginola, Fox, Lee, Bracewell, Albert they all came and helped to pack the place out We had 8,000 people in Croft Park and we raked in about 25,000 in gate receipts With one gate, I'd paid off the VAT bill I also asked Howard Wilkinson to bring Leeds United for another friendly, and they brought a team that included Viduka, Kewell, Hasselbaink, Martyn, and all their stars We pulled in another full house and another thirty grand, so I'd paid the wage bill and put money in the bank for the club I was told in the boardrooie, you're a miracle worker, well done' But I responded with: 'Yeah, thanks, but don't forget I ht want a player out of that money'

You were never able to switch off froa future opponents and trying to get a tactical edge over theo to watch pub teams on a Sunday just to see if there were quality players who had slipped the net and not come to anyone's attention I would constantly be on the phone to Middlesbrough or Sunderland pestering thesters on the radar, or a club like Darlington and Hartlepool trying to get players to Blyth on loan Bryan Robson would call me and tell me there was a player at Boro I should watch, and I would say: 'Put hiht' Before I knew it I'd be in the car driving to Manchester to watch a reserves gaetting back late at night It was an unbelievable workload, but you beco You beco to make the teaer I found it ame when I had the rest of the team to worry about, as well as tactics and substitutions as the game unfolded

After two years, I went to the Blyth chairman and said: 'I can't do this anyjobs I really enjoy theat Newcastle and Leeds but it felt like I was doing 20 times the work at Blyth It was a part-tier is a full-ti characters like Kevin Keegan ground down by footballevery day and with a smile on his face, and then I saw hi like he was carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders

It was gruelling work, but I had a fantastic ti rounds for the FA Cup, and as ere listening to the draw on the teaame, fate played its hand and drew my old club Blackpool out of the hat I was a household na as it could get for me my old club at Bloomfield Road

Because of my connection with Blackpool, the newspapers were really talking up the ga like hot cakes and in the build-up to the round The Duke of York, Prince Andrew The Journal newspaper reported: 'Self-confessed royalist ”Budgie” Burridge said: ”The Duke's knowledge of the game is fantastic, and he was very interested in the finances of the club He wished us all the best for Saturday and his visit has certainly helped our confidence”'

On the day of the enerating unbelievable interest Part of the broadcasting deal we had signed to generate soave the TV ca room and let them film all of our behind-the-scenes preparations That created a lot of extra exposure for us and took us way out of our regular routine I was a firer I found it all a bit irritating I didn't like that a lot of the focus was on me I wanted it to be all about Blyth Spartans' day out, not me I knoas unavoidable because I was a former Blackpool player, but this was one day that I could have done without being in the spotlight so et up much earlier than usual to do all the press and TV interviews, and by the time I went out to play I was totally and utterly drained, mentally and physically I could really have done without all the added hassle, but I had to do right by the club because every penny counted It was helluva cup tie, and we didn't let anyone doith the perforaer We were 1-0 doithin foura little difference of opinion with nificent and ent in 2-1 ahead at half-tie upset on the cards I kept the boys cal the interval, cracked a few jokes and told theahten them, no matter how much pressure they applied As expected, Blackpool threw everything at us in the second half and clawed their way into a 3-2 lead, before we got a late equaliser It looked like we'd snatched a replay, and with it a good few thousand poundsin the tail for us, and they scored again in the last h we lost I was so proud of the lads and told every one of the rooer, but the day-to-day stuff was hard going and you soon find that you can't be everyone's pal when you're the boss Part-ti out for a couple of bevvies on a Friday night and I had to stop all that and threaten to sack people if they broke the code of discipline

We had a lad called Keith Fletcher, a brilliant player who had international caps with Grenada in the Caribbean, but he was a laid-back character and a bugger for going out clubbing on a Friday night I was paying hi out on the razz before gaot sick of it and decided I couldn't just turn a blind eye to it I asked the board if I could start putting theame where I could keep an eye on them, but the club didn't have that kind of money to splash around, so I had to think of other ways to put a stop to the drinking culture I used to have these little breathalyser bags on the coach and on Saturday y, I'd pull the If they'd had anything to drink on the Friday night it would show up straight away I would fine theh I wouldn't play the part-ti hard in their day jobs all week I suppose that's why a lot of them are part-time players and not professionals Certainly, a lot of theer to push theet co too harsh on the players But the way I saw it, they were getting paid three ti theht of the week and rest up for the game; then post-match on a Saturday they could do whatever they wanted

Football was already heading into a new era of professionalisether and drinking together was coet a few bevvies on the coach, especially if ay fro on professional coaches, and getting stuck into the drink was no longer the done thing When I first arrived at Blyth ould stop at the first off-licence , everybody would stick a tenner in and they'd have half-a-dozen beers on the way hos exactly the sa The chair to fork out 100 to buy five or six cases of beer, but being the professional I was, I stopped it I would have blazing arguments with the chairman, ould always side with the players He'd say: 'C'ie they've worked all week, they've stayed in on a Friday like you've asked theuns, and say that once they were out of ht they could do whatever they liked

It was a sure-fire way to create bad feeling, I can see that now The lads were pissed off withback on it, I realise that I should have cut them a bit of slack and I was too harsh They weren't professionals earning thousands of pounds a week, they were guys earning 150 a week on top of their weekly wage for their day job, and I took the discipline a bit too far by not allowing them to have a drink on the way home I should have realised that, but at the time I wanted them to think like me My strictness was more suited to a professional club than Blyth Spartans My discipline and training regih on them, no doubt about it If I'd been at a professional club I'd have been even harsher though I'd have had players training twice a day, especially with the money they were on I was prepared to put that level of dedication in myself so I suppose I expected it back from others who I worked with With my outlook I probably shouldn't have operated at part-time level, because I asked too much of them, which wasn't fair But you have to start soh, and I was a good organiser and good tactically But the days of a player-h forto juggle the two roles When I was in the ame, but if there was an injury or we needed a tactical reshuffle, ain and I had to think quickly It was difficult But I loved the experience of ood people at Blyth The fans we took to Blackpool were treue clubs is just the saue club especially in the boardroom If there are backers who have put hundreds of pounds into clubs then they want a say just the saues Like I say, it's only the noughts at the end of the cheques that separates the with the board aboutthe boys, so I thought 'I've had enough of this' It eventually got under , especially when I orking so hard et out of it

CHAPTER 23

STRESSED AND DEPRESSED

'I had another ht out of the blue I was arrested'

As the strain ofnarky and I wasn'tpaid twice asfive times less I won't name namesno, sod it, this is an's assistant Terry McDerer all I didn't really see what Arthur cox and the reserve coach Jeff Clarke did a lot of the time either I respected Arthur a lot for his dedication to football, even though our fall-out saw ht they were just there because they were Kevin's friends You would see the up cones on the training ground while I was busy working my bollocks off The first team coach, Derek Fazackerley, used to take all the serious training, while Kevin did all the organising, so I never knehat Terry actually did I'd go out on to the training ground in the pissing rain, and I would see Terry and a couple of the others just sitting round drinking tea They would then go out, have a laugh and pick up a few cones and balls, then go back inside and have their dinner after training They were getting big salaries and I felt they were hangers-on

Football clubs always have people like Terry McDer my career Sometimes it would make me mad, because I felt that certain coaches e and dedication as ely because of their friends and connections I think in htened of er to friction and arguht my corner, and sometimes it would cost me my job But I would rather stand up for my principles than become an arse-kisser There were Yes Men at Newcastle ould just say: 'Yes Kevin, that's right Kevin, anything you say Kevin' Toan important job within the football club, because on the odd occasion Kevin's judg second opinion

There was at least one occasion when I got a serious telling-off froot the sack over it Our first-choice keeper, Pavel Srnicek, was not the bravest goalie in the world he was a fantastic shot-stopper and you couldn't get the ball past hi, but when he had to come for crosses he had a tendency to shut his eyes and hope for the best I' Pav's ability, he was a cracking keeper for Newcastle, but infully coes I told hiot his teeth knocked out, it wouldn't be the end of the world At least he would have stopped a goal and earned the respect of his tea him to take one for the tea Kevin would say: 'Budgie, cal like a coward' It definitely led to a bit of unease between us

It came to a head ere away in Eastern Europe for a Uefa Cup tie It was a horrible wet and windy night Someone sent a cross in and I could see that Pavel was in two minds about whether to come for it The ball held up in the wind and, as Pav stayed rooted to his line, I saw the centre-foras hell-bent on getting on the end of it Pav hesitated and the forward got to it first and headed it in Newcastle got a 1-1 drahich wasn't a bad result, but ere in the dressing room afterwards I just couldn't bite oal we had lost Kevin was going round telling the lads 'well done' and then he asked if anyone had anything to say I couldn't helphell, Pav, you should have punched the forward's head off there' Kevin wasn't happy with ot upset and went to see him about it later Kevin hauled ie, you shouldn't have said that in public' But I wasn't in thedown and I pleaded: 'But Kev, I was only telling the truth he should have gone right through hiave me a yellow card, and toldrooainst Pavel I'd be sacked I just had to take ht toable to say it is as it is, as long as it's constructive, were over I prefer a bit of honesty That's when I knew political correctness was starting to creep into football, which I hate

My life was starting to unravel a bit, and it took a turn for the worse when I had my post at Leeds taken away from ht Nigel Martyn frolish football to be sold for 1 el since he was a kid, so Howard Wilkinson called me up and asked if I could co with hi keeper Paul Robinson I had to ask Kevin first, but he was great about it and said it would be no problem We always had Monday off at Newcastle anyway and Wednesday was usually my day with the reserves, so I could just hook up with the or afternoon down at Leeds' training ground The arrangele my Leeds commitments with my main job at Newcastle But when Howard Wilkinson was sacked towards the end of 1996, I was left high and dry when they brought in George Graham

He had done absolutely brilliant at arsenal, but he'd been out of football since he was sacked and banned for accepting a back-hander fro time at Leeds, but there was bad blood between us froether at Crystal Palace, when I had booted hih That incident was just one of those dressing roootten about within a day or two, but I never really didto the end of his career when he played for Palace, and I had gone for hi around and spraying passes when it took his fancy, rather than getting stuck in We'd been losing at half-ti around He took exception to it, and the next thing we're rolling around on the dressing roo to knock hell out of each other He'd been used to being the big cheese at arsenal and Manchester United and when he caely full of kids, I think he probably thought he could prettyhiht soht as I did that day then I wasn't going to just sit there and say nothing, especially if I'd been sweating bloodas soon as he walked through the door at Elland Road, because I ell aware that he didn't likepersonality, like me, and ere in the same company we collided You can't have two personalities like that at the saoalkeeping coach, so there was only going to be one winner at Leeds United and it wasn't going to be ht I would have battered him, but this was different, this was politics within a football club, and he used his power and didn't wasteel Martyn to do his dirty work He told poor Nigel: 'Either you tell Budgie that he's finished here or I will' Nigel thought it would be a hundred tiarded him as a friend, and was probably well aware that I would have se on the chin, so he cae says he doesn't want you here I want you here, but it's not el was a nice lad, so I slapped him on the back and told him not to worry about it I wished him well in his career and promised to stay in touch, which I have done to this day He had a good career too, and would have won land if he'd stayed injury free It was a pleasure to ith hione, then the Newcastle job went, and then I had another ht out of the blue I was arrested

It all cah my involvement with a couple of sports shops I ran with Janet in the North East I had opened the the shops, Janet and I would set up market stalls and sell the stuff We would sell all the usual branded sportswear and football shi+rts, plus a bit of designer gear too Most of it was bankrupt stock or rejects that had slight i them on at knock-down prices We used to buy in lots from a warehouse in Manchester, and I would take carloads down to Leeds and sell a few things down there We did okay out of it, and it gave us a nice boost to our incoot the dreaded knock at the door and the police caoods It was a horrible experience, and it knockedon so standards officers had been tailinge of all the lads at Blyth kitted out in ear ent to play Blackpool in the FA Cup, so the tabloids were lapping it all up!

It was an honest ht was legitioods actually turned out to be fakes The trading standards folk wanted to throw the book at istrates Court I was really bitter about it at the ti superht 10 tiot was a slap on the wrist It was only 20 grand's worth of stuff, which may sound a lot of money but it wasn't in terht a whole warehouse-worth and prettytreated like a criminal