Random Times you’ve bumped into a Footballer

[swannymere]

Kevin Davies in a bar on a Saturday during the Rugby World, Paul Jones and Danny Higginbotham a few times each when they lived locally.

[Patrick Bateman]

I've a few random but unexciting ones;

James Beattie in a petrol station somewhere, think it was one at the bottom of the M3 and also bumped into him out running in the New Forest

Sol Cambell at Southampton Airport

Luis Boa Morte in Chandlers Ford Asda

John Arne Rise in Mauritius 

Matt le Tissier at Marwell (mid 90s)

George Burley at the Grand Harbour hotel, morning of the play off match

Edited 6 hours ago by Patrick Bateman

[Farmer Saint]

15 hours ago, Oh no Mick Mills said:

Bumped into Ken Monkou at a cheese tasting weekend in Brighton..lovely guy. 

Used to see him all the time - lived in Hythe Marina for a fair amount of time.

[Farmer Saint]

Oh, Andy Townsend at Prague airport after a CL tie in 2004 I think.

Edited 6 hours ago by Farmer Saint

[Wilf]

When I was a nipper Terry Paine stopped my mate and me outside the Dell after a game and asked if we enjoyed the match.

Charlie George gave me a lift when I was a teenager hitching down the A303

Bumped into Kevin Davies outside the Millenium Stadium after the cup final; he was shocked not to be in the squad and said Strachen "didn't fancy him"

[santolijador]

Jos Hooiveld on the streets of Norwich during his loan spell there. 

He mentioned that he was very keen on returning to Southampton and playing in the Prem, despite it being clear to all of us he wasn't quite up to scratch, and wasn't too happy at Norwich. 

Very complimentary about Southampton though. 

[miserableoldgit]

I have had "brushes" with three Saints Legends. Up until recently my old mate from school who I have known for over 60 years, and myself had a tradition of going into Southampton on Christmas Eve every year, to catch up and buy a few last minute bits and peices. We would go into the Cafe in one of the stores for coffee and a sticky bun before poodling off home for Christmas with our families. This particular year we went in to the late lamented Debenhams for this. We waiked in and it was pretty empty apart from one table with a small familly at. We got our stuff and sat down. I suddenly realised that the aforementioned was Matt Le Tiss, his wife and child! Had a quick chat beoreSeemed incredible to me that a then current Premier League would be seen eating in Debenhams.......but maybe that is one of the things that made him different to the other

s?

Next, I spent my career in Site Mnagement in House Building. One day I went to a meeting/course invoving SM's from other companies. In walks David Peach! Turns out that when he retired from football he took up Site Management, working for larger Housebuilders. If I am honest in my my little "brush" with him, he didn't particularly come across as a nice bloke.......on the other hand.....

My third waffle is also House building related. At two of the companies that I worked for the Sales Director/Manager was Nicki Dennis.....who was the wife of....Mark Dennis. Because of this I used to meet him at Company do's etc. He was a bit of a "lad" but a top bloke...in fact my current Saints mug was bought by Mark after Nicki knocked my original one of my site office desk and broke it! I was also once interviewed by Mark on "Saints Radio"......if anyone remebers that!

[Turkish]

Nick Holmes once referred a school match i was playing in v St Marys College where his son went.

[Broccoli Man]

Ted McMinn when he came to Perth and played for the same club i played for in 1997.

i played amateurs though so never trained with him however one night the amateur team played the pro team and i was on Ted. He was 35 and i was 25 so every time he tried to kick the ball past me and then sprint around me I was too quick and just booted the ball. Finally he did it again and just pushed me out the way. Anyway kicked his arse. 😂

Also Charlie George in 2019. My son supports Arsenal so paid for a private tour, and was assigned Charlie. I have to say Charlie George was an absolute legend. Really really loved talking to my son, really loved his time at saints so he says, hates spurs so much he refers to them as the ********* mob up the road, and seriously proud of the fact that his birthplace is the closest to Emirates Stadium than anyone that has ever played for Arsenal. I loved how when we were walking around the stadium, everyone who saw him, no matter how young or old greeted him with a hello Charlie……

[karlb79]

Nick Holmes when he was running the village shop in Winterslow near Salisbury sometime in the early 90s. I walked in as a teenager wearing my Saints top and after serving me, he said "good choice of shirt" or similar. Seemed a genuinely nice bloke.

[LGTL]

I shared a ring ride on a flume with David Nugent at the Atlantis water park in Dubai. Called him a skate as we left and he saw the funny side. 

[New Forest Pony]

I once sold Alan Ball an ice cream one Sunday back in the late 70s when I worked in the Riverside Stores in Lymington as a teenager 

[Lighthouse]

13 minutes ago, LGTL said:

I shared a ring ride on a flume with David Nugent at the Atlantis water park in Dubai. Called him a skate as we left and he saw the funny side. 

Careful, that's actually illegal in Dubai.

[Stu Man Do]

Met Tahar El Khalej in sports soccer buying the new boots he used to kick Nathan Dyer.

Probably everyone of a certain vintage met Le Tissier, Fernandes, Lundekvam and Tessem in Jumping jaks! 😜 

[ant]

Ooh, remembered another one from 2014.

I'd popped into the Chilworth Arms after work and was sat in the garden. Then Pochettino arrived and sat a few tables away (with a woman I've forgotten the name of - believe she was the Saints club secretary at the time?)

I posted a 'covert' photo on Twitter back in the day and there was a bit of discussion about why he was there, as it was a few weeks after he'd defected to Spurs.

For all I know he was just back to sort out selling his house, or something similarly innocuous.

[dsrdorset]

Gordon Watson, pissed out of his head, Bournemouth. Mid 90's (when he was still playing for us) Not a mobile phone in sight thankfully! He was all over the place!!!

[Badger]

6 hours ago, leesaint88 said:

 

I used to live dangerously close to Linvoy Primus, and to be honest was a pretty nice bloke too. 

 

7 hours ago, CheshireSaint said:

 

Steve Claridge - Pub in Chester. I showed him my Saints tattoo and one of his goons came swiftly over but he quickly told him to stand down and then had a good 30 minute chat and bought me a pint. Really nice chap

 

I’ve not met either of them but from what I’ve read and heard from people who have, both are really decent blokes and likeable (despite their connection down the road).

Primus I think was head of Christians in Football (may have been wider .. in Sport ) and was always very dignified when discussing his faith etc or representing them.

Claridge was a decent summariser on radio, and again given his roots I thought quite fair in commenting on Saints. 

[Convict Colony]

Rio Ferdinand in a nightclub in cardiff just after he got banned for missing his drug test.

Drank with Paul Telfer for an evening in a pub in Leamington Spa

Edited 27 minutes ago by Convict Colony

[Badger]

7 hours ago, CheshireSaint said:

 

Donna Hartley (Olympian Athlete from Southampton)- Came to our school in Chester and was delighted and somewhat surprised when I rocked up in my early 80's Saints home kit in about '83/84

Frank Worthington - A charity event in Birkenhead in the late 90's. Compared Lawrie Mac to Saddam Hussein. No love lost there

Paul Jones, Chris Coleman & Kit Symonds - in another pub in Chester (they were staying just over the border pre Wales game). The former two laughed when I asked who Symonds was. I knew of course but didn't want to give him the honour

Barry Horne - in my local in Chester about 2010. Was a bit up his own arse

Robbie Savage - Chester Races on the course with the normal folk

Ian Rush - Around Chester. Sick off seeing him to be honest

Micky Adams - In a bar in Coral Bay, Cyprus in about 2008. He was on his own and I think delighted anyone recognised him. Signed a beer mat for me, which I again promptly lost (beer involved again)

John Barnes - On a flight from Manchester to Southampton in about 2012. He was on his way to the same Saints match as I was, to do some commentary work. He was decent enough

Michael Owen and Dieter Hamann in my regular recently. Owen is one of those annoying blokes seems to just be good at anything. Challenged me to a game of Bagatelle (a Chester table game - google it). I accepted and he then started acting the big man saying £100 a game. I agreed to £20 and then beat him. He wanted to carry on but I declined, much to his chagrin. Hamann though was really sound 

Special mention to a former Chester player, Eddie Bishop (John Bishop's brother). Hardly 'famous' but one of the funniest people I have ever met (far funnier than John btw). Absolutely side splittingly crackers. 

 

Some good names there. Donna Hartley was a bit of a local ‘pin up’ as I recall.

Interesting snippet about Frank Worthington. He certainly fell out of favour rapidly in 1984 ( story due to his off field antics). 

[Gloucester Saint]

On 15/06/2025 at 18:51, Badger said:

Interesting observation from his time with us. Relatives in Wolverhampton liked him as  player when he first arrived there but didn't have a good word to say about him, and his off field conduct. They believe that was the reason behind his departure from Molineux.

Did someone on here post a few years back that at the time CM played for us that he’d had an affair with their wife?

It wasn’t me as I was single in the early 00s!

[Convict Colony]

7 hours ago, CheshireSaint said:

Ok, not all footballers but -

Ray Clemence - Came to the local pub in Chester on some publicity thing in later 70's

Bob Willis - Walking on the City Walls in Chester. It was about 1980 and I was about 9. We exchanged pleasantries, friendly enough but very reserved

Donna Hartley (Olympian Athlete from Southampton)- Came to our school in Chester and was delighted and somewhat surprised when I rocked up in my early 80's Saints home kit in about '83/84

Steve Davis (Snooker) - He was staying at a Hotel I was working at in 1989 ish. It was after hours and he was hungry. I took him to the kitchen and made him a ham sandwich with English mustard. Actually a very witty bloke

Gianfranco Zola - Outside Mcdonald's in Chester during Euro 96. Got his autograph and promptly lost it (beer involved)

Steve Claridge - Pub in Chester. I showed him my Saints tattoo and one of his goons came swiftly over but he quickly told him to stand down and then had a good 30 minute chat and bought me a pint. Really nice chap

Nicky Banger - Used to go out with my cousin in Lordswood. Came to a family barbecue but was a bit aloof even before he made his debut

Frank Worthington - A charity event in Birkenhead in the late 90's. Compared Lawrie Mac to Saddam Hussein. No love lost there

Paul Jones, Chris Coleman & Kit Symonds - in another pub in Chester (they were staying just over the border pre Wales game). The former two laughed when I asked who Symonds was. I knew of course but didn't want to give him the honour

Barry Horne - in my local in Chester about 2010. Was a bit up his own arse

Robbie Savage - Chester Races on the course with the normal folk

Ian Rush - Around Chester. Sick off seeing him to be honest

Micky Adams - In a bar in Coral Bay, Cyprus in about 2008. He was on his own and I think delighted anyone recognised him. Signed a beer mat for me, which I again promptly lost (beer involved again)

John Barnes - On a flight from Manchester to Southampton in about 2012. He was on his way to the same Saints match as I was, to do some commentary work. He was decent enough

Michael Owen and Dieter Hamann in my regular recently. Owen is one of those annoying blokes seems to just be good at anything. Challenged me to a game of Bagatelle (a Chester table game - google it). I accepted and he then started acting the big man saying £100 a game. I agreed to £20 and then beat him. He wanted to carry on but I declined, much to his chagrin. Hamann though was really sound 

Special mention to a former Chester player, Eddie Bishop (John Bishop's brother). Hardly 'famous' but one of the funniest people I have ever met (far funnier than John btw). Absolutely side splittingly crackers. 

 

Username to location sightings check out

[Crab Lungs]

3 minutes ago, Gloucester Saint said:

Did someone on here post a few years back that at the time CM played for us that he’d had an affair with their wife?

It wasn’t me as I was single in the early 00s!

I’d heard a story about someone walking in on him in a garage in Totton, completely off his face. Not sure if true though 😂

[Badger]

Not football, but rugby, Jeremy Guscott (  Bath and England).

Towards the end of his rugby career (late 90’s, probably early 2000’s ) he worked with a construction company in Bristol. They would use him for marketing and PR.

They came into our office in for an appointment, we were expecting two of their team, but they brought Guscott as well for full PR overload. 
 

This move rebounded on them a bit as after leaving our Director commented “If I’d known that …was coming I’d have sent a memo last week for us all to wear our Gloucester ties).

In the interest of balance though, I’ve since heard a couple of stories about Guscott’s involvement, and he comes out of it with credit and as a decent bloke. Reputation intact*
 

*(apart from having played for Bath,  which is seen on par with how Saints view PO postcodes, in these parts). 

 

 

Edited 6 minutes ago by Badger