Welcome to the Gavin Strachan blog
Hi, my name is Gavin Strachan. I'm a 29-year-old married father-of-three and I have been a professional footballer for nearly 13 years.
I started my career at Coventry City and spent roughly eight years there, which included two spells on loan north of the border at Dundee and Motherwell. I then had a short stint at Southend United preceding a three-and-a-half-season spell at Hartlepool United, with a few loan appearances at Stockport. My next port of call was a season at Peterborough United before ending up at my current club, Notts County. Oh, I nearly forgot, I have eight Scotland under-21 caps (seems such a long time ago).
Phew! Glad to get that introduction out of the way. In short, I am a journeyman footballer who thoroughly enjoys the job he has. I would like to say it has been a rollercoaster ride but in all honesty it has been more of a steady decline!
I have been lucky enough to play at every level of the game albeit only a couple of substitute appearances in the Championship for the statisticians of you out there.
Hopefully this experience in the game will help me to produce an entertaining blog over the weeks and months ahead.
The aim of the blog will be to give you a slightly different view of the life a footballer leads; a more intimate view if you like.
I feel sorry at times for the Premier League players who try to write columns and blogs. Through no real fault of their own the end product is often a somewhat bland, tepid affair which only barely scratches the surface of the issues that you - as the fan - want to find out about.
The problem they have is the fear that anything they say could be taken out of context. Anything they write is closely scrutinised by the ever-increasing number of media people that a top club employs or they are simply not allowed to do the piece in the first place.
So how have I ended up writing this blog? Well, I'd come to that time in my career that every lower league footballer dreads. The time when you realise that the plan of earning enough money from football to never work again has gone completely wrong and that at some time in the not so distant future you are going to have to go out into the big bad world in order to put food on the table.
Joking aside, it is a pretty scary thought. So I decided to enrol for a degree in professional sports writing and broadcasting at Stafford University which is run by Lawrie Madden (formerly of Sheffield Wednesday). It is a two-year course and I am currently halfway through it. The most high profile of the players to have come through the course is Scott Minto who has been appearing on a lot of media outlets.
It's been pretty daunting to be honest. I have not been in a classroom since I was 16 so to get back into it and then be studying for a law exam (so I don't libel anybody) within two weeks of the start of the course was a shock to the system and as for the shorthand...wow!
The good thing is that I am not alone in my predicament. It is a course specifically run for sports people and primarily footballers. In my year there are Jason Lee, Ben Burgess, Paul Hall, Barry Roche, Felix Bastians and Will Smith, the cricketer who plays for Durham.
There were quite a lot more who initially started the course but the demands in terms of workload and actually attending the University are high (especially for us footballers) so some boys dropped out quite early on.
To give you an idea, it is 3pm to 9pm on a Monday and Thursday. So on some days I leave my house at 7.30am and don't get home till 10pm to a rather irate wife who has been dealing with the kids all day. Living the dream!
I know, I can hear the violins playing. It's not meant to be a sob story. I enjoy it and it needs to be done but maybe I can go some way to dispel the generalisation that all of us footballers are showered and home by mid-day.
So hopefully you know me a bit better now. In the next few weeks we will be trying to set something up whereby you can get in touch with me with any questions or topics for discussion.
Gavin.
Hello, I'm Gavin Strachan. I describe myself as a "journeyman" player after 13 years in the game as a professional. I'm currently between clubs, having been released by Notts County. I'm also studying journalism and the aim of my blog is to provide an insight into the life of a footballer.
Here are some 
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Comments
Gavin
Your Dad's the current manager of Celtic so, is he ever on your case about how you can improve as a player, or does he leave you alone and let you do your own thing?
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GEE UP STRACH!!!
Hartlepool fan here! You were a favourite of the town end back in the day. Good to see you land a job at the BBC - Hartlepool will always be home to you my man!
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Haha, i like how you said it's been a 'steady decline', which should mean your best days were at my hometown club, Coventry City.
We need someone to come in and do a job at right-back if you're interested?
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Very good start. Did anybody do your editing? If not then very well written and all the best.
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Hi,
Really good article, I am also interested in getting into sports journalism (ideally football), is there any advice you can give me?
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Nice blog Gavin i look forward to the insights you will provide in future. BTW i think your dad is a champion :)
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Finally, a BBC blog by a footballer that most people want to read.
A small proportion of park players reach the dizzy heights and it will be refreshing to hear about someone who has made a very good career for themselves despite not achieving the accolades.
I'm fed up of news stories about Lampards multi-million deal and Ronaldo the slave.
Thankfully, we have a different view. All we need now is Olly back and the Beeb will have more stuff worth reading!
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Does it bring back all the bad memories from Boston Comp been back in the exam room?
Nice start and definately going to be reading, good to get a real footballers view not some fancy dan PR machine.
Keep up the good work
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Gavin,
It was interesting to read your blog and I hope you really enjoy your course and I wish you all the best on your course.
Just to add on a personal note as a mad Notts Conty fan; It was great to hear that you made your comeback on Saturday at Exeter. I think hopefully you will get a chance to prove to all Notts fans and the rest of Division 2 that you will be back with a bang.
Good luck with the course and good luck again in your comeback to full fitness with the Mighty Pies.
Stuart
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Brilliant.
Everybody enjoying this blog should try reading 'Left Foot Forward' and 'Left Foot in the Grave' by Garry Nelson and 'Only a Game' by Eamonn Dunphy, two footballers who've made successful careers as authors and journalists.
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Gavin
Sounds interesting and long overdue. I will follow your blogs with interest as one who never thought he would ever have to develop an interest in the lower leagues. How times change. Must be hard attracting all the references to your illustrious father...Leeds fan here!... but I think you could be on to a winner here if you tell us what really goes on inside the game.
Were you brought up on bananas and if so have they been a help or hindrance to the career you aspired to?
Expat footie fan, now living in Sweden where they still revere Tomas Brolins name!
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Gavin,
It's great for you and great for Notts that you have this blog. Lower league fans are often starved of quality comment and news about their clubs. Therefore I hope you give us plenty of insight into other League Two player and clubs, not just Notts.
Good for you that you have gone back to Uni, it's stuff like this can that can really inspire kids and I wish you every success. Notts are the intellectual hub of the nation especially after Countdown! :)
Notts are a great club especially as they are run by the fans. We need success though and despite all the draws recently, I really hope this year could be our year - a trip to Wembley please! If not, maybe next year.
All the best and good luck to you and the team...
JamieB
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Hi gavin, its nice to actually see an article worth reading by a footballer, im interested in football journalism, so how would i go about getting involved?
Will
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Tewkesbury addick, i agree with you, read those books in my summer holidays, absolutely brilliant, as is this blog, keep it up!
And think about writing a book about your career at some point, i know i'd read it!
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Gavin
I enjoyed watching you play at London road, I always thought you deserved more of a chance than you got.
I remember you started writing an interesting column in the Posh programme and your are continuing to entertain in your blog. Good luck with your studies.
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You're always welcome to come and play for my local non-league team, Gateshead FC, you know :-)
Joking aside, it's always nice to see how 'the other half lives' when it comes to professional footballers: yes, you're still making a living doing something most of us would have loved the chance to do, but it's not all jets, champagne and the champions league...
As a blogger, I'd suggest that if you're blogging to get practice for being a professional writer of some description, blog regularly. Or at least WRITE regularly, as often as you can; if it's not about football, if it's not suitable for here, then either don't publish it at all, or set up a non-sporting blog for your other thoughts. But keep the writing coming, so that you can get trained into writing. It's the writing equivalent of those pre-season runs on sandy slopes that all us non-footballers hope you footballers still have to do...
Oh, and nice start! The boy done good, Brian.
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Good blog. Interesting to get someone who is currently playing football writing a blog as well. I was wondering if you would do a blog on British footy managers, and what seems to be a struggle to succeed against foreigners. Also how you think Paul Ince will do at Blackburn?
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Hi Gavin,
Good first blog, made enjoyable reading. As a fellow pro coming to the end of my career, I find it interesting to see the direction that you are taking.....best of luck with your course.
It seems that you are quite an intelligent lad, what are the chances of you having a word with your old boy and telling him that Steven McManus is never a captain.
Cheers,
Carl
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Hey Gavin,
I am a football fan from India and I must say that your debut on BBC is heart warming, I do hope that you connect with the fans and respond to our questions.
We shall always be insatiable, so I hope that you will be patient.
Wish you all the best with your career in journalism and going by your first article, there is only one way for you ---> Forward
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Good luck Gavin with your new career. As for Carl, to say that McManus is not a celtic captain is harsh. I saw your debut for Celtic and as someone who has a Stoke City fan for a brother in law, we both agree you were never Peter Shilton.
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Hiya Gavin
another Poolie fan here albeit from a distance.
Was sad when you left us, thought you added bite to middle and had a cracking free kick.
Enjoyed your blog and look forward to reading more.
Best wishes for the future in both your footie career and your writing.
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Good Luck Gavin,
your dad is doing a great job for us,and so is Stephen McManus(don`t listen to Carl Muggleton,I saw him play!)
Hope your new career goes well.
Hail Hail.
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Good start Gavin - let's hope you can emulate Steak Diana Ross!!! Now then, what will you be doing on Monday Oct 13th? I bet you wont want to be at college that night. As for Mr Muggleton.....thought his career ended years ago lol.
Get that hamstring sorted and get a run of games under your belt.
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I hope you enjoy the sports journalism course Gav, I did the course myself at Staffs Uni and although I didn't make the best job of it I did enjoy working with Lawrie Madden and the other journalism lecturers. Good luck.
Great first blog by the way, I'll be reading any you do in the future with interest.
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Hey Gavin
Nice to see a supportive wife. I guess she'd not complain if you'd made the scenario whereby you didn't have to work after football!
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At least you've got to play football for a career, i'd kill to do that, but at 20 I think it's too late and that's a sad thought, I still play all the time though. Good luck with your course and I look forward to reading your blog :)
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You well helped me get Peterborough promoted on Football Manager 2008.
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Gavin, As a fan who watched you for hartlepool its great to see you on here. Nice to hear about real people not prima donnas! Tell me, how did you like your time at Hartlepool?
And good luck
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Good luck. Did you play professional football at the same time as your father ? It seems
only yesterday that he was playing.
I find it fascinating that Jason Lee is on the same course. He can now get down to getting his revenge on Baddiel and Skinner, writing vicious and vitriolic revues of their shows, and satirising their haircuts . Footballers could sit on a sofa in a lounge mocking comedians. Good luck to him as well.
Your column makes a change from the awful blogs footballers and cricketers have produced for the BBC .
Talking of second careers, ex- Newcastle player Malcolm Allen is now a commentator on Welsh language radio. He's the most original one there, with real wit and a great turn of phrase. Real enthusiast , and great insight.
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Really well written piece (sorry dont want to sound patronising)
Looking forward to the next installment
All the best
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Alright Gavin, remember being goalkeeper for Wilmslow Sports as a kid?! I was your right back!!
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Gavin, can you take over from Chic Young? I think an HND in green keeping would be enough, but with two loan spells north of the border and eight u21 caps, you're a shoe in.
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It's about time a footballer wrote a decent column. Bless Micah Richards, his column's probably pretty exciting to a five year old but is really not anything worth reading. Have always thought it must be tough for lower league footballers with the difference in lifestyle but still tarnished by the wags and slags reputation. Looking forward to reading what you've got to say.
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Gavin,
Super blog and the best of luck in the future. Coming from Scottish parents you will know that 'education is never wasted'.
However now when you come in to your long suffering wife at 10pm, you will have to spend the next two hours on your pc answering all of your emails - she might not be too pleased!
You suggest in your blog that you never reached the 'dizzy hights' why do you think that was. Did you think you were not as good as the guys who reached the 'top' or did luck play a part.
Regards,
DavidC
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How do Strach.
Who is your best mate in football (don't say your Dad!)?
Dan
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Hi Gavin, great blog. Just to ask, do you ever come down to the golf club your brother works at ? Because that's where I often play, or at least try. If you do then warn us !
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GREAT BLOG. Good luck in the shorthand. I got to 100 wpm teeline. The trick is that it is phonetic. fonetic!
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Gavin,
Fine effort for a first blog. It will be nice to see something from a football player related to the actual day-to-day trials, tribulations and stress on the home life.
I wouldn't expect to see much if anything related on your Dad. He seems pretty dismissive of the press. My guess is that he would include blogs as part of the press too.
Tom (Chicago)
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Good first blog mate. Couple of things though;
Do you die your hair or were you lucky enough to have that gene skip you?
You Scottish or English and what do you class yourself as if not same answer? (Yes people I know he played for our under 21's but hardly means he has to be Scottish nowadays eh?)
Can you answer comment 34 please?
Can your dad still skin ya? =>
Keep up the good work
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Nice start Strach, good luck mate hope it all goes well. I'll be interested to hear your progress.
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congrats on your efforts to train as a journalist. I was a trainee as a youngster and gave up, which I should never have done. Thirty years on and Ive given up my job as a commercials producer to be a writer. Its never too late.
http://footballfather.blogspot.com/
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At first glance I though this was a blog by Gordon Strachan, now that would be worth reading.
Anyway I have a question, by studying for a degree does that mean you aren't going to carry on in football after your playing days are finished?
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Gavin,
Good start and well written.
Remember to keep your sentences short and to the point.
Ignore journalists for inspiration.
Read Jack Kerouac and Scott Fiztgerald.
Hope to read more from you. Would be
good to see real life beyond the Premiership.
Ron.
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Nice Start Gavin, your old man is doing a good job at the tic. How did you feel as a young man trying to make your own way in the game with such a famous dad?
Carl muggleton...disagree with your mcmanus comment, he's still a young man and he's learning. He is the most deserving of the captaincy considering the way he stuck it out for a long time in the reserves.
I also remember you playing for celtic carl...
I won't say anymore mate!
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Gavin,
Just want to wish you luck with the course and whatever you decide to do in the future. From reading your first blog it seems to be going well and you're heading in the right direction.
Its not often it can be said about professional footballers but you seem to have your head screwed on.
Good Luck with the rest of your season with Notts County and heres hoping your Dad can deliver the 4 in a row too for the Celts.
Hail Hail
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I admire your endeavour and hope this works out well for you.
If you can capture the honesty of Eamon Dunphy without the bitterness then, I am sure there will be a lot interested readers.
Good luck.
As for Carl Muggleton - a decent debut v Dundee utd? but all down hill from there. McManus may not be the complete player but he would have been a standout in Macari's team.
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This has loads of promise. An unabashed look at the life of a professional footballer, with nothing held back, similar to Paul Shirley's North Basketball blog. (If you don't know, Paul Shirley was a basketball player with the Phoenix suns and talked about what it was like to be a bench player watching Steve Nash and Amare destroy other teams). I'm fantastically upbeat about the possible insight this could bring.
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Hi Gavin - great blog, very enjoyable to read, gives a different perspective of the life of a professional footballer.
I am interested in your journey and how you feel as you move into the end of your career in football? Do you feel any regret or are you happy with what you achieved to date? Are you nervous about life after football or are you excited about the road ahead?
Keep us up to date on how you are balancing work and study. I am studying for my masters degree in business currently - this is done in the evenings following work, it makes for a long day! My fiancee is really positive about it, but I do get pangs of guilt as I sit and study, thinking we could be spending time together doing something more enjoyable!
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Wow, I feel so sorry for you! 7:30 - 10pm. As a chef I do that every day, 6 days a week, for probably a 1/4 of what you get, if that!
Get real, you are a footballer doing something you love, but you must have known before you got into that business that it is a short career, it's not something new. You should have planned better!
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Your article does have a personal touch... keep up the good work... and 7:30 to 10 pm. i do more than that... :)
i live my dormitory at 9 am and get back to sleep at 3:00 pm after the midnight, although its only 5 mins from my lab, but then i am just a normal university student
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sorry that was leave not "live"
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Parag,
You made me smile....
I thought most students were back in bed by 3pm, especially when they were up so early. 9am, wow.
Then I realised you meant 3am. Oh well, hope you love the work/study.
Gavin,
Really enjoyed the blog. The first one must have been daunting. Now I am really looking forward to reading a different perspective of a footballers life.
Good luck with the course. Brave move, and I wish you every success. A blog on the beeb is not a bad start....
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and I didn't even mention your Dad lol....
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gavin
it will be intresting to read about a players perspective on league two.good luck with the course and the blog
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Gavin, at the risk of sounding disrespectful, I've never heard of you before (although a quick check on wikipedia has remedied that). That's probably because I'm a typical armchair football fan who rarely ventures outside the premiership/champions league.
But I'll be keeping an eye on your blog, because it's honest and well written, and promises to have insightful content from a normal guy who is a 'real' footballer. Also, from what I've read so far, the comments seem to be of a high standard - the idiots who regularly comment on Mc Nulty/Mihir/Robbo etc. don't seem to be here. How refreshing...
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oops - not that everyone who comments on Mc Nulty/Mihir/Robbo is an idiot...
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Good Luck with the course. Ps you forgot to mention the loan spell you had at the posh before u joined hartlepool.
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Really good blog, talking sense compaired to these jumped up nancy boys in the prem.
We're you dissapointed that Berti Vogts never called you up for the senior team, considering he called up anyone that sounded remotely Scottish?
And who do you support, bearing in mind your dad (was) a good Hibee in days long a go
JOrdan
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Gavin , posh fan here.
Always rated you highly and think you were let go far to early.
Our current problem in the middle of the park could have been resolved if you were still at the club.
All the best mate.
UP THE POSH
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Are you a Left Back?
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Good on you Gavin, it's nice to hear someone being honest about football. I think a lot of younger fans think once you make it in football that you never have to work again. I still find it incredible that some of the 'big stars' from the 60s and 70s ended up in normal everyday jobs compared to the ridiculous amount of money and publicity Premiership players get today.
As a Southampton fan I was surprised to meet Pete Rodrigues one day in River Island where I once worked as a teenager moaning about the price of things.
Good luck with the course, I am doing the MA in Journalism at the same uni (albeit in Stoke), I know exactly what you mean about the law and the shorthand. I have two hours of the latter subject this afternoon!
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Don't see how this is really a look at a normal footballer as it's quite obvious being the son of Gordan Strachan I'm sure he's had a few helpful hands getting jobs. Not heard of him myself and before you lower league supporters start harping on about not being a real follower of the game has he done anything of any interest or notouriety? Good luck in the course hopefully you won't chop and change like the rest of your career, can't see that going to well on the CV!!
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Gavin,
I spend all my spare time involved in football. I coach, referee, play, and watch. How about we share a blog! I can give you an insight in to the world of working 9-5 in an office and then spending every spare moment involved in football as a hobby!
What a dream team.
Let me know what you think!
Cheers.
PS I will look out for you when you visit Chesterfield (one of my teams) next month.
How are Paul, Barry and Felix? Especially liked Paul - always said hello to me when we bumped into each other in Tesco!
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Hello Gavin.
It'll be interesting to see how the rest of your career pans out.
We'd welcome you back with open arms at London Road as our current midfield players are finding it hard to adjust to the pace of the game in a higher league.
Don't worry too much about upsetting your wife over your long hours - she'll soon adjust to the bigger pay packet!
You have a nice, easy writing style and I look forward to reading your future contributions.
Good luck and best wishes from all at Peterborough United.
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Hi Gav,
I think your next blog should be a full report of what went on at Richie Humphreys' stag do in the summer, plus pictures.
All the best,
from a Pools fan
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Well if the commute to Stafford is taking time out of your day then I would heartily recommend signing for the mighty Stafford Rangers. We've just been relegated from the conference (or Blue Sq Premier) and am sure you could do a decent job for us!.
Nice Blog, enjoyable read.
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I wondered about being the son of a famous manager and whether or not you saw yourself as the next Nigel Clough or Darren Ferguson?
If you have already decided that management is not for you what factors influenced your decision not to have a go at it?
I would have imagined that opportunities would have presented themselves to you; is this the case?
Good luck for the future - you have already proved to be more of an extrovert than that miserable s.o.a.b. - your dad!
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Hello Gavin, Hartlepool fan here. What was it like to play under Neale Cooper and of the 4 managers at Harltpeool you played under who was your favourite?
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Hi Gavin, good luck with the college course nice to see the Strachan's work ethic continue down the generations!
I briefly dated your younger sister when we were attending Barton Peveril college, do send my regards!! We potentially could have been brother in laws!
On a serious note though, best of luck!
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Great 1st blog Gavin.
Looking forward to hearing what it's like to be a footballer in the lower leagues and not an off-shoot from a PR machine pandering to customers of a brand.
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This could be a very interesting coloumn, a bit like that book "left foot forward" by that Charlton player a few years ago.
Look forward to reading future articles.
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Congratulations on developing skills which should stand you in good stead after your footballing career is over.
Your father was a great player and now a very good manager. What was it like to be brought up having such a famous Dad? You are a very useful player but how do you feel that you have not been able to attain the heights of his career?
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Nice intro, I watch non-league so I see a perspective different from Prem footballers and Strach.
Be careful putting what times you're out of the house tho, some pond life could do a 'Liverpool in Europe' on you, ie tax your joint.
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What is a 'normal' journeyman footballer. He's the son of Gordon Strachan and that's bound to open some doors or perhaps be a hindrance? Talking about this would be more interesting than reading about a busy schedule (yawn).
This is probably a good blog to read for kids too busy playing football, thinking they're the next Rooney, rather than doing their schoolwork.
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I should probably add that its a good read for the parents of children who spend more time dreaming about their child's potential as a footballer.
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bluetrimmtrab, good point, and cool way of putting it...
(I'm 40, so am expected to do embarrassing things such as describing things as 'cool')
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Gavin,
great blog, good luck for the future,
You always had time for the fans and during your time at Posh you gave my 2 boys a signed shirt,many thanks.
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Good blog mate.
Dont you fancy going into managment or has the misses ruled that one right out?
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Very good blog, although I'm sure you will not have to worry about rising gas bills, petrol, mortgage availability, Xmas presents et al with the amount of money your old man must have?
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Will be interested to read your blog over the weeks and wish you well with your studies.
I should imagine, for obvious reasons, you will want to avoid Scottish Football topics and keep out of the Rangers / Celtic debate!
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Hi Gavin, As a Leyton Orient supporter, i've watched you many times playing for the opposition(s), and always thought you were a good player who should have been playing at a higher level. I love this opportunity you are giving us to be able to ask questions all supporters, particularly from the "lower levels" would love to ask. You always gave/give 100% when ever i saw you, but when you hear comments from supporters about players "not fit to wear the shirt" does it truthfully really mean anything? To us supporters to wear the shirt and play for our club for would be our dream, or is it just us supporters kidding ourselves and wishing that the players care as passionately about the Club, as we do. After all, at the end of the day it is just a job, or is it??
Good luck with your studying.
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Gavin a QUALITY start mate, keep on keepin on and am sure you will do well.
take it easy.
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Hi Gavin,
With you studying in Stafford, would it be easier for you to play on loan for Stafford Rangers, worth giving Steve Bull a ring.
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Wow - it sounds like you've written this yourself, which is a nice change from some of the footballers' blogs...very promising.
You may wish to change your byline pic though, as it makes you look very like Shane McGowan...
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Surely that isn't the real Carl Muggleton?!
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This should be really interesting. I'm looking forward to hearing more.
I am particularly interested to hear the impact on family life when you transfer clubs with any regularity. Do you sell up and move each time or do you commute? How does your family deal with this?
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excellent blog which was a refreshing read. Good to hear that the real side of footy still exists outside the big league.
Have you any thoughts on who will get promotion from the Championship this year?
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God! Not again! That's the second mention of Shane McGowan on here this week. My stomach can't take much more of this...
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Good Luck!
(From someone who writes and writes and writes!) Hopefully a lot of the Gavin Strachan blog and contributions will be concise and entertaining.
Recently, I suggested to the BBC when a Blog posers a question (such as, 'do you agree ......) contributors - against their entry are given a facility to enter a quick 'Yes', 'No' or 'Not sure' (or leave them all blank) and then expand their side of the debate. The numbers and percentages will be worked out.
Numbers - like goal - are very important! Also, sometimes when reading and responding to a blog you do not know which side of the argument many contributors are on and even if you read all the entries, you don't know which side of the debate is supported or not.
Good Luck!
Ivan Mark Radhakrishnan
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In response to post 84 .I have had worse than Shane Mcgowan so I can handle that.
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post 62 . Thats right it was my choice to chop and change nothing to do with the clubs wanting rid of me and thats fine you have not heard of me because I have not heard of you so we are even.
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post 87 . Thats a tricky one who would have predicted Hull last year . Neck on the line I would go for Birmingham and reading .
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Hi Gavin
Great to see you are still active on and off the pitch.
First time I saw you play was at Blundell Park, Grimsby - in a reserve match, playing along side your brother - I was sitting near your proud parents.
( Craig was a bit easier to spot with his Strachanesque red hair )
CCFC won if my memory serves me right - was it you or your lookalike Willie Boland who scored that wet and windy evening ?
Keep up the good work on and off the pitch.
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Post 34. good question . In all honesty I think it was because I was not good enough . The modern Premiership player has to be strong ,fast and have great ability. Unfortunately I could not tick all those boxes.
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point 69 . Did not see that one coming .I will have to have a word with her!.
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Ah, you're there Gavin.
You must be feeling pretty pleased with yourself? I don't think I've ever seen so many positive responses to a blog before. Indeed, are there any serious negative remarks?
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Great to hear from a footballer who wants to branch out and do something that so few of them do: talk sense in a public place. But if you're to lose the clichés, then start by dropping 'to be honest' from sentences. The reader is going to assume (or hope?) that you're being honest all the time, so it should be redundant! Sorry. One of my pet peeves, there.
Actually, hearing what footballers feel about the decline into obscurity that accompanies growing older and dropping down the leagues would be a fascinating story. There have been some great players who've lost their pace or for whatever other reason can't perform at the highest level any more. I've always found it interesting that some players continue to play even for League One or Two sides into their mid 30s rather than retire, whereas others retire as soon as they can't play Premier League football any more. Is it really as simple a story as wanting to pay the bills? Or is it pride? Love of the game?
Tell us more!
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As a Dandy Don now living in Canada - reading about the life of a legends son is very interesting.
Would be interesting to hear about the challenges faced by the son of a very famous player. The list of guys who seem to struggle is quite long, from Jordi Cruyff to Paul Dalglish. Is it a help or a hindrance being in that position?
Also to EuroPaddy - why would there be negative remarks to a polite, eloquent introduction from a guy not out to slur anyone or upset anyone.
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Biscoback....
Previous experience of unnecessary comments made on other blogs. I think I pretty much answer your question in post 55
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Once as kids I had to lend Gavin a pair of shin pads otherwise the ref wouldnt let him play. I got a kick out of seeing him wearing a pair of liverpool shinnies with a huge liverbird on each shin, and an even bigger kick that he forgot to give them back and got a rollocking of his dad when he saw them later that night :)
Hope the career transition goes well
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Nice one.
Thought this said Gordon Strachan's blog so I ignored it for a while.
I have much respect for the lower league journeyman such as yourself, touring the country, seeing the sites, playing on a cold and wet Tuesday night at places like Hereford, etc. etc.
Good luck in your future career, you've already surpassed the normal BBC blog standard.
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Gavin,
Excellent blog and really admire the way you are actively looking for something outside of football. The last time i saw you was when i was chosing a photographer for our wedding. The one we chose did your wedding too, as he had a photo of you and your family on his wall. As a Coventry fan I thought if he was good enough for Wee Gordon's son then he's good enough for me. He turned up at our wedding as my wife was walking up the aisle!!! Nevermind.
Good luck with your blogs and good luck with the course.
Paul
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Gavin,
I remember playing a schools game against you. You were at Boston Spa and I was at Royds near Leeds. Your Dad and at least 1 brother were there encouraging you.
We drew 1 - 1 at home and we missed a penalty that would have broken a ridiculous unbeaten run your team were on. Congratulations on what you have done since.
The 1 thing that stands out was that your team were all much bigger atheletes than us (with a couple of exceptions). We had some very talented guys in our team on the books of various clubs and with county caps, but none made it.
What do you feel is the single biggest factor that separates someone like you, who has made a career from professional sport, and the many who try but don't make the grade?
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Sorry to disgaree with you all but this is simply boring. To be honest, I wasn't sure what to expect but this was definitely not as I envisaged. I saw a recommendation on another page and thought I should look. How disappointing. Now I know why I don't watch Big Brother, etc.
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quite enjoyed reading that, well done. Look forward to the next instalment. You seem to have a bot more between the ears than most footballers (granted we don't really get an much of an insight genreally)
More and more fans are becoming disgruntled with the way football is changing (ie the big teams getting richer while the rest are left behind)
how do you (and other players in your team/
league) feel about the growing gulf?
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Oops, should have been disagree!!!
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mate excellent article good luck with developing a media career. Good start with a blog on the Beeb! U going to do your coaching badges? Few league players drop down to non-league get paid a pretty packet for 2 training and saturday and the do some academy coaching and then media on the side I should be careers advisor! Anyway mate again great article and good luck! Pete
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Nice, for anyone looking to get into writing about football I have just started editing a football website. Essentially it's an oppurtunity for fans of the game to interact with each other talking about everything from grassroots to the Premiership. We're also looking for keen football bloggers to get invovled and post their opinions - you don't have to be a great writer, you just need to have a passion for the game. Have a look www.webjam.com/football_channel - get in contact there if you want to get invovled.
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Good luck with your ambitions. You always played with integrity and honesty. It was a pleasure to have you at the Posh, if only for a season.
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As sky blue fan I remember you well. Glad you are now considering working for living. best of luck
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Gavin,
Very interesting article and a very good beginning to your football blogging with the BBC which I wish you all the best for. It's good to hear that you are chasing a new career for after you finish playing and that money hasn't influenced you in anyway as it has with many of the so called 'superstars' in the game. It's all about enjoying life in the end and it sounds like you have the right frame of mind. I, myself would love to get into football journalism but it is such a competitive area and although I have so much passion for the sport I don't think I have the writing ability/technique. But anyway that is something I will have to look at and maybe you could offer us some tips you have picked up? Once again though congratulations on landing the post on the website and lets hope for many more interesting posts over the next few months from a down-to-earth footballer - which is a very pleasant change!
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I was a police man, during my innitial training I met a chap similar to yourself who was looking for a way to earn money after being a professional footballer. He had a nice house and no mortgage but was unable to retire full time and as a result joined the police.
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Wow! Gavin,
judging by the comments you'll get more fans on here than at most County home games.
Joking aside, good luck with the blog and your new choice of career. You've produced a well written article to begin with.
cheers
h
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Al right Gavin, you probably won't remember me cause it was over 20 years ago now but i went to primary school with you. My name is scott Benzie and we were at ferryhill together. All i can really remember about you is when you came into school with the giant red foam hand after aberdeen won the cup winners cup. I go to all of the celtic games and i know some of your family, laura davie kayleigh and ellis.
Just saw your blog posted on a Celtic fans website and thought i would give you a wee message.
All the best mate.
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Very good beginning to your new career! I remember watching you at Dens all those years ago when you came on loan to Dundee. Never did understand why we never tried to sign you.
Good luck with your further blogs!
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Posh away supporter here, Gavin (North of England). I was sorry that you left. I saw you play for us at Bury and I thought you gave us some real grit in midfield.
I will be very interested to know what really goes on in the mind of a professional footballer, especially in the lower divisions. I don't think it can be as it appears. How do guys feel who "don't fit into the manager's plans". I am thinking for example of Josh Low at Peterborough, a very good right winger who that happened to. Now I read that he has been put on the transfer list at Cheltenham for the same reason, after a few games. How can a guy have loyalty when that happens to him? How can he priduce good form?
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Gavin,
How would you say referees are generally regarded in the lower echelons of professional football? And have you given any thoughts to refereeing, once your playing days are over?
NB/ Your university is 'Staffordshire' - not Stafford. Stafford is one of the campus towns.
Wishing you well with the playing and writing.
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another 'Artlepool fan here, you were a top servent to the club over the years and i was sad to see you leave!
Well done on the blog. good start and i think it'd be good to have a player that normal folk can relate too unlike the blogs of a 19 year old premierleague star struggling with which car to drive to work the ferrari or the Hummer.
A few ex pros have went into being media representatives for past clubs, think you'd fancy a go back in the north east with pools in the future (of course i'm certain you've got a good few playing years to go)?
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When is your dad going to take the managers job at theteam he supports.I remember when hibs gave Celtic a lesson at the beginning of last season and your dad kept talking about Hibs when the reporters were asking him about celtic and Rangers.Are you a Hibby Gavin?
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Hi Gav
Remember all those years back playing cub football in Wilmslow?
Bill
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Gavin fair play i'll keep an eye on this blog
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i hope you can blog frequently to make it interesting for us and let us in on the inside details that we do not know about life as a professional footballer.
For instance, 2 questions have always intrigued me :
1) when a substitute is about to join the team we often see a coach or assistant coach show him some pages of a large clip-board.
I have always wondered what the pages say eg " we are the time in white - don't forget " !!!
2) which company (ies) actually is/are in charge of producing the film of football matches which is shown on tv ? I believe the different channels are provided with the same film but dub their own commentary - is this correct ?
It would be great if you can take us behind the scenes by letting us know about stuff only those in the football industry know.
By the way, good luck with your studies and the football !!
Will be keeping an eye on Notts County results in the coming weeks !!
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Hi Gavin
interested to hear that with you and Jason, County are playing the classic big man/little man Feature Writer combination.
And both ex-Poshies too.
Seriously, I'm a journalist myself, and i'm sure that if you and Big Jason show the same willingness to battle in your new careers as you did in your Posh spells you'll be successful. As a long term Posh fan, I'm certainly interested in hearing what it's really like to be a 1st Div footballer. And what you think of the Posh's prospects of course.
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Nice One Gav. Like the honest approach and looking forward to your stuff.
Good luck on the weekend and in your next piece.
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Enjoyed reading the interesting and lively Gavin Strachan blog !
Eagerly looking forward to see more from him.
Best wishes to the footballer in his career and in life.
Dr. Cajetan Coelho
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Great blog, i couldn't even get through the 1st few lines of Micah Richard's sometimes, he doesn't even know he's born! I look forward to reading the next one.
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How refreshing to read something from the heart of a 'real' footballer. As a Luton fan I can assure you that although your career may be in"steady decline" it has not reached the bottom of the pile yet as your name has not been connected with us !
I look forward to the next episode.
Richard
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Good to see somebody trying to make things better for themselves. Very much enjoy your blog. Thanks and good luck.
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Nice one!
This is what blogging is supposed to be about.
Looking forward to your next post. If, as a writer you are half-as-good value for money as your Dad is a talker then your success is guaranteed!
Good luck!
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112. At 6:19pm on 24 Sep 2008, chasevillan wrote:
I was a police man, during my innitial training I met a chap similar to yourself who was looking for a way to earn money after being a professional footballer. He had a nice house and no mortgage but was unable to retire full time and as a result joined the police.
============================
Yeah! Book 'em Gavvo!
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>Through no real fault of their own the end
>product is often a somewhat bland, tepid
>affair which only barely scratches the
>surface of the issues that you - as the fan -
>want to find out about.
so, where's the interesting, no-holds barred detail in your blog?!
i find it slightly weird that you think you can carve a career out of talking about your dull life post-football!
people could read about anyone in the country and get stuff just as interesting.
in fact, i'd much rather read about a wanna-be sports 'journalist' who wasn't a professional footballer as that would be unique...
good luck with it, but don't expect too much as the general public are pretty hard to please when it comes to reading stuff about football.
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Hi Gavin,
This is pretty late in the question list so doubt you'll read it. Here's the question:
All footballers go on loan and get placements, I read about Lampard going on loan to Swansea City before setting off on his megastar journey.
Do players remember all their loans and ever reminisce about them?
Also, do you ever stay in touch with people from these loans?
Because you are entering a team for a short period of time, it must be hard.
Keep up the good work Gavin.
Mat
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I can cuncur with Gavin in terms of the misconception people have about footballers - ALL footballers living a charned life. I was a YTS player many moons ago and by the time I was offered a contract (I was one of the fortunate ones!) I'd already decided that I wouldn't persue the sport due to not being good enough to break into the top two divisions at that time, and not wanting to have to work after erm, work. Most of the senior pros at my then 4th division club owned or worked part time in a sportwear shop. Glamourous it was not. Now, I'm a finance officer wishing he'd stuck it out as a footballer!
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Nice work Gavin, but this is the honeymoon. I hope you have something meaty, insightful, enlightening, educational and a tad scandalous for us the next time round. You do say: "In the next few weeks we will be trying to set something up whereby you can get in touch with me with any questions or topics for discussion."
Ehm... That's what the comments forum is for. Answering the questions here should give you enough food for thought. What you shouldn't do it be bland and innocuous (see Chick Young's embarrassing jottings for reference).
Like a lot of posters here, I am a refugee from Chick's horrible disaster of a blog looking for nourishment. With your experiences both side of the border you seem a well-chosen journeyman to write for the BBC. Make brave choices, be honest, and we'll love you for it
Some questions:
1. Has a manager's half-time talk every really made a difference?
2. Withhold names if you have to, but who have been the best and worst 'model' professionals you have played with?
3. Watching guys like Henrik Larsson and Thierry Henry come to the UK game and be articulate, multilingual, intelligent and well-mannered, why do UK professionals come across as so uneducated and oafish? Are clubs doing enough to educate young professionals? (I know you can't mention Beckham, Rooney, Barton, Barry Ferguson - so I will).
4. Related to the first question, does a manager's shouted instructions during a game really affect you in any way?
5. Do you like it when supporters talk to you in the street, or do you prefer to be left alone?
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Post 117 . My apologies you are right it is Staffordshire University in Stoke.
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post 123 . I had a great time at the Posh and I think they have a great manager in Darren Ferguson who they should try to hold on to.
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post 107 . I am trying do my coaching badges .I have got my level 2 and hope to complete my level 3 next year . A lot of the players I know are quite advanced on their coaching badges. Richie Humphries , Joel Porter, Mathew Hamshaw and Jamie Forrester to name but a few .
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Post 105 . It is something we talk about quite a lot in that is a "different world" even though it is the same sport . That said the general feeling is that we dont really begrudge them because we are fully aware of the talent they have and the level they have achieved.
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Blimey
You've created some interest, and your blog was interesting.
Just one question from me:
How do you choose which questions to answer and which ones to ignore?
Look forward to your next instalment.....
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Hi Gavin,
Great to have the perspective of a League Two player on here!
What would you say about the standard of league two football this season, compared to last? Interested to know as a Wycombe fan.
I studied Journalism at Staffs Uni. Wish you all the best with that.
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Like the blog Gavin,
You wont remember (I dont remember much about it...) but we were in the same class at Ferryhill in Aberdeen before your dad followed Fergie down south. Interesting to read about who you ended up playing for and good luck with the studying and plans for the future.
Dont know if you could have a word with chick young to sort himself out but anyway, all the best and look forward to future blogs.
Andy
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on behalf of the players of Notts County I would like to offer our respects to the family of Jimmy Sirrel . A true Notts county legend.
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Should be an interesting read. I've always wondered how families cope with footballers moving up and down the country, perhaps every couple of years.
And then, what do those lower league footballers do when the career ends.
Looking forward to the week to week reporting.
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Hi Gavin
Interesting read, lets hope there,s more to come. An insight into your days as a sky blue premier league player would be most welcome. I had heard you had turned to golf and were the pro over at stonebridge manor, or is that your brother
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As a lad born in Hartlepool and brought up in Coventry, you and your Dad feel like old friends..although your Dad once told me to P*** Off when I asked for his autograph at St Mary's in Southampton. Glad to see your putting the brain to good use and I'll look forward to reading your articles in The Sunday Telegraph.
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Hi,
My name is Matias, I am a student.
The blog is great!!
It was a good start.
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andystev99, i was at ferryhill aswell. Scott Benzie. Reveal yersel.
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what are you thinking about, or is it just my forty quid every three months licence fee
muppet
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That's fine Gavin but are you a Hibby like your auld fellae?
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Well done Gavin, nice to see that you are thinking of a career outside football. Welcome to the real world; leaving our houses at 7:30AM and not getting back until 10PM is the norm for lots of people. That happens to me on regular basis. Going through college is a lot like that. You are part of a very privileged section of society, I am glad to see that you have not abused that status. Good Luck; I sincerely hope that it works out for you.
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Excellent to hear from a stylish pie!
Pleased to see the lower league clubs getting the cover they deserve. Excellent result on Saturday against Exeter...any news on a multi-trillionaire Sheik taking us over?!
Good luck with the course,
Lauren
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Q Why didn't the FA deduct points from the Tevez tfr instead of passing the buck to an independent tribunal ( picked by whom ??)
Answers on a postcard
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Hi Gavin,
it's been a long time but we used to live next door to each other when your Dad was at leeds.
You'll probably remember the dalmatian quite clearly.
Anyway, congratulations on your career and your family, my brother (Phill, he was tiny in those days) and i have always looked out for your name on the vidiprinter whilst continuing to watch Leeds descend down the leagues.
I think the course is a great idea and your blog makes genuinely interesting reading.
Good luck with everything and i hope all the family are well.
Peter Landers
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Hi Gav, Benn Gallagher, sounds like a rollercoaster mate! hold on tight!
Seems many years ago since our playing days at school etc but I am glad you are still in the game and sometimes scoring.
My Mum & Dad spend many Saturday's looking out for lads scoring who I have played with and we also keep a close eye on your Dad.
I have just become a father again to another baby boy and maybe it will be my turn soon at freezing on the touchline watching the kids grow up!
Please pass on my regards to the rest of Strachan family and if you ever fancy a break in Scotland check out our holiday home www.turret-house.com
I wish you all the best in football and the next avenue and adventure that you decide upon! Benn
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As an experienced sports journalist, tv producer and writer - i wish you well Gavin with the new career path. I must though remind you that when you were a good deal younger you once (in the then Manchester home of Chris Turner)informed me that (and i quote) "all journalists are the sucm of the earth"! I had to tell a young boy that actually his dad wrote a column for a newspaper. The boy (called Gavin) did not believe me and ran to ask his mum if that was true. Never mind. I enjoyed the penalty shoot out in the back garden which saw me compete against you and Turner junior. Especially the bit where you insisted the keeper moved too early after you missed the penalty!
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Many years after that "scum" (do remember to spell check Gavin!) comment, i saw you play against my boys (the Owls) at Cardiff. Not sure your dad appreicated my celebrations that day. Well done with the blog. Well written and no flannel.
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