WEALDSTONE v TRURO CITY ALAN O’BRIEN INTERVIEW I was excited to come to Wealdstone..good crowds, lovely pitch.. it’s like being back in the League again LAN O’BRIEN is not one to drop names into the conversation. ABut in Wealdstone terms he can probably out-Little Glenn Little with some stand-out memo- ries from his time playing with the ‘big boys’ at Newcastle in the , and internationally for the . TIM PARKS on the man who’s played on a bigger stage Our left-winger was happy to chat for an hour while driving north to Manchester last the travelling... I still think I can are horrible to watch, because week, the sort of trip that is pretty affect games, get past people, teams will come to spoil and much commonplace for a man get crosses into the box. I think I upset our rhythm, so you have to who now buys and sells cars for can play a decent part in getting be able to mix it up a bit. Find a a living. Wealdstone into the National way to win those games. ‘Yes, I’m used to spending a lot League. “He’s the most passionate, of time on the motorway now - not ‘Bobby (Wilkinson) has been most committed person I’ve ever ideal if you’ve just got a back inju- great for me, as much a friend met in football and his quest is to ry!’ said the 32-year-old Dubliner. as a manager. I was excited get that passion into the hearts He laughed off my suggestion when he asked me over to play of the players.” of a beady seat cover (“ideal for for Wealdstone - I came off the Alan has clearly not lost his restoring circulation” according to bench for Hungerford here last own love of the game. So where the advertising blurb) that might season and I really liked the did it all start and what is the hasten his return after the knock place. The atmosphere is very story of his life in football? he received in the early stages good, the fans are really pas- ‘Wow, how far back do you against Whitehawk last week. sionate and the pitch is lovely. want to go?! Well, it started “Injuries seem to be part and It’s a bit like playing for a League for me at the age of 11 or 12... parcel of my life as a footballer” club again. I didn’t really play the game he reflected. “I can’t deny that that “And to be honest the squad before that, I was more into I’ve thought more than once in the here is impressive - technically Gaelic Football but then I was last couple of years about hang- as good as any I’ve seen since out having a kick-around with my ing up my boots, but I just love my days in the League. Bobby mates in and somebody the game so much. The craic, is right though: Sometimes from Cabinteely FC asked to me the training, the matches, even you’re going to have games that to go and train with them. From WEALDSTONE v TRURO CITY ALAN O’BRIEN INTERVIEW

there it was on to St Josephs who are a youth football club with great links to the English game. A feeder club really. “I played for the Republic at un- der 14s, under-15, under-16s and under-19s level, and Newcastle came in for me at the age of 16 when I moved away from my family in Dublin to live in the North East. A very young age to be away from home - it wasn’t easy. “After a couple of years of youth and reserve football I was sent out on loan to Carlisle Unit- ed. I didn’t want to go, I was only a boy but it helped me enormous- ly - really toughened me up. I was in a men’s environment and one where the results really mattered. I scored within ten minutes of my debut for Carlisle and that helped endear me to the fans but in truth I’ve not scored nearly as many goals as I should have done.. I’ve got a shocking record. Just five goals in all my appearances in the league and non-League! “One great memory of nearly scoring was on my full interna- tional debut for the Republic of Ireland against Holland in August 2006. It was a friendly and I came off the bench in the second half Alan in the colours of Newcastle, Hibernian (where he appeared as against a fantastic Dutch side a Scottish Prem Panini sticker!), Swindon Town and Yeovil Town (van Persie, Huntelaar, Arjen times that first season (2005-6) but we had a lot of injuries and Robben, van der Vaart etc etc) in the Premier League but my I was down to wear the No.3 who were stuffing us 4-0. I got only full 90 minutes was against shirt against probably the best away on the left and hit a low shot West Ham the following season player in the world at that time. that was saved by Edwin van der when we won 1-0. But commonsense won the day Saar, though was got the winner close to the end”. - Souey decided that to make in the middle complaining that (I Googled this game and my debut, out of position, at I should have squared it. That it was in fact Alan Shearer’s Old Trafford would have been would have been a notable addi- record-equalling 200th goal for a bit much. He drafted in David tion to my goals tally. But we drew Newcastle in front of a 50,000+ Edgar, a centre back, to play 0-0 while I was on the pitch! crowd. He broke Jackie Mil- there and he did really well to “ But yes, after I came back burn’s Toon goalscoring record keep Ronaldo quiet for the 90 from that loan spell at Carlisle in the next game) minutes. Probably more than I the Newcastle manager Graeme lan has an even better would have done!” Souness put me straight into the memory of his ac- In the summer of 2007, with first team squad. I thought he was tual debut for Newcastle Glenn Roeder now in charge at a great manager, very straight Ahowever. He was expecting to Newcastle, Alan was the subject and you were either good enough make his bow at left-back for of a bid by Hibernian (reportedly or you weren’t. No messing the club at Old Trafford, marking costing them £300,000 com- about. Cristiano Ronaldo! pensation). Roeder, with a small “I came off the bench a few “Thankfully it didn’t happen, squad, didn’t want him to go but WEALDSTONE v TRURO CITY ALAN O’BRIEN INTERVIEW

wingers and Alberto Luque were ahead of him in the St James’ Park pecking order and Alan just wanted to be playing matches. “Was it a mistake to leave Newcastle? No, not a mistake as it was financially a good move for me and I knew I would be in the starting XI. But I was progressing at Newcastle and as it turned out Lookalike corner Duff got injured that next season, HERE’S proof that our winger Alan which would have given me a O’Brien has been leading a secret chance to break through. double life as Belgian international “But Hibs were a good club centre forward Laurent Depoitre and to play at Parkhead against (above). When allegedly unavail- Celtic, and at Ibrox against Rang- able through injury, O’Brien has ers are the sort of games you been zooming up the M1 and stepping into his customised never forget.” platform boots, adding four inches to his height and turning out for Huddersfield in the Premier League. lan had started his first full game for the Republic only “I suppose it had to come out sooner or later” said the a few months earlier - and Irishman, who admits he has struggled speaking Flemish in Ait turned out to be his last. his other life. “Apart from the money there have been some benefits” said O’Brien. Have you met Depoitre’s girlfriend “Yeah, it was a real shame as Shana (above right)?” I had played four times as substi- tute the previous season, coming on in European Championship ing injury, this time a hamstring, asked him. qualifiers against Germany (lost saw him make just 30 appear- “Well, I can’t deny it’s tough. 0-1 to a Podolski goal), Cyprus ances in his two years at the I work with Gordon Greer, who (lost 5-2) and the Czech Republic County Ground. plays for Kilmarnock and was (drew 1-1 with a Then it was off to League Two my captain at Swindon, in our equaliser) as well as the Holland Yeovil - and then Gateshead in own business selling new and game. the Conference National. Not used cars. I was working for “Then we had a friendly in Bos- the most convenient of moves? Mercedes and managed to sell ton, Massachussetts against Bo- I asked. lots of cars to friends in the livia at the Foxborough Stadium. I “Definitely not - especially as game, just passing on Mer- was in the starting XI and Shane my ex-girlfriend had just had cedes’ number, and Gordon Long headed us in front from my a baby girl and I was spend- and I just thought: Why don’t we left-wing cross (it’s there on You ing most of the week travelling work in the same business for Tube) after just 12 minutes.. it from Swindon up to the North ourselves? ended 1-1 and Bolivia used it as East! “Gateshead had made “It’s going well. We can get a warm-up for their Copa America me a decent offer but it wasn’t our customers better deals than match against Brazil the following ideal. Before long I was back in the dealerships and it’s also a week. Wiltshire and joining Bobby at lot of fun. I live in Swindon, but “So not a bad result. But it was Hungerford. I’ve got friends in and my last involvement with the na- “I was there for five years my family in Dublin so I organise tional team and possibly my move and we had some good times, my time around training, and to Hibs at that time didn’t help”. including three promotions. matches, and seeing my daugh- Alan suffered a bad knee injury Then I signed for Chippenham ter who’s now five. I pick her in his first season at Easter Road, last summer, just because I up from school on Fridays and but played pretty much the whole fancied a change. And now I also have Sundays with her, of the 2008-9 season. He then Wealdstone... Bobby is very which is great. asked to be released early from persuasive!” “Injuries are a pain, but I won’t his contract to sign for Danny How have you found it adjust- give up football just yet. Not Wilson at League One Swindon ing to being part-time after so while I’ve still got the passion”. Town - only for another aggravat- many years in the pro game? I