A few years back I was friends with a successful local businessman who decided to sponsor a match featuring an International All Stars XI versus an XI from the local non league clubs, all in aid of charity. Somehow I ended up with the job of fronting the event on the day as my friend was a shy type and wasn't really into footie. My duties on the day included meeting and greeting these football "greats" of the past which included Dave Watson, Mick Mills, Archie Gemmill, Don Masson, John Robertson, Phil Parkes and most significantly to me, Phil Neal ...oh there was also a couple of United lads there who's names I can't remember...
I remember being really nervous at how to handle proceedings, not having had any experience of this sort of thing, and bearing in mind some of these players were still relatively big names at the time I was terrified of screwing it up somehow.
Anyway as it worked out I shouldn't have worried as when the big names arrived they were totally normal guys, laughing and joking, taking the p*ss out of each other, and obviously enjoying the get together with old mates.
That worked for me so I left them to it and just made sure tea and coffee was on hand while I generally soaked up the atmosphere.
After a while they split into little groups and sat chatting away at various tables, I recall there was a cloud of ciggy smoke over the Scots lads table, with John Robertson chain smoking Silk Cut.... funny the things you remember.
Anyhow I noticed Phil Neal and Phil Parkes sitting together and I couldn't resist wandering over to try and grab a few words with Neal. After introducing myself I wasn't slow in telling him that I was a rabid red and we ended up talking about some of the big LFC moments, mostly involving him funnily enough.
So we sat chatting away and he was quite funny as well which for some reason I found really surprising as I had always got the impression that he was a bit of a serious sort.
Feeling more confident I got a bit bolder and asked why he had really gone from the club.
Now he had not long left LFC to go to Bolton after Kenny had taken over and I said that it was a surprise that he had left the clubs coaching team to take the job and it must have been tough to leave after so many years.
I will freely admit I was being naughty with the question because it was widely rumoured at the time that something had happened behind the scenes and he had left in a strop.
The mood changed instantly and he made a comment that there were things that had gone on that had made him leave and it would all come out in the future that he had been stitched up and promises had been broken, or words to that effect.
I felt a bit awkward and sort of wished I hadn't brought it up so I turned to Phil Parkes and said "Do you miss playing for The Hammers lad?", and he just looked at me and went "well I didn't yesterday when we played against....." (
? can't remember the team he said). It transpired that he had retired, which I knew, but West Ham had persuaded him to come back and play some weeks previously, which I clearly didn't know, and he had played the day before in a league match and they had been stuffed!!
Suffice to say I got mildly ripped into and I felt a total divvy but at least it lightened the mood. Parkes as well was an absolute cracker of a big fella.
In later times I read that Neal resented Dalglish getting the job that he thought he was down for and insisted on calling him Kenny when everybody else called him Boss, just to wind him up and make some sort of point. I understand that he ended up becoming a bit of a pain about it all and was eased out of the club. His comments made sense when I read that but it was a sad end really for all concerned.
Anyway I was made up with with the chance to speak to one of my heroes and I have to say he was a top guy for the way he behaved for the whole day, as they all were to be fair.
