WE’RE BIN IT TO WIN IT
Refuse collector Barrigan says Mourinho’s stars are in for a rough ride and minnows Marine have ‘mindset to create an upset’
MARINE’S James Barrigan missed out on his Christmas tips as a local council binman – but is now aiming to deliver a footballing miracle against Spurs.
As he watched Tottenham’s Carabao Cup semi-final victory over Brentford in midweek on TV after another hard day’s graft helping clear up some of the rubbish on Merseyside, the 22- year- old had to pinch himself.
“I could hardly believe it that a few days later that would be us, Marine, up against Tottenham with everyone watching the telly,” he said.
“It’s ridiculous when you start to compare Marine with Tottenham – sheer lunacy.
“It’s just surreal when you look at the gap in status – it’s supposedly the biggest in the history of the FA Cup. I know this will sound crazy, but we will be going out there to win.
“There’s no other way to approach a football match, no matter who you are playing. It’s that mindset which has seen us create big upsets already.
“We’re not going to just turn up, sit back and let them have a nice easy comfortable night. It’s not what we’re about.”
After all, Barrigan has seen at first hand that huge upsets can occur in the FA Cup.
He was at Wigan as a promising schoolboy when Roberto Martinez’s side beat odds-on favourites Manchester City in the 2013 final.
“I didn’t go to Wembley, but a couple of the other lads I played with did,” he recalled. “It was a fantastic day for the club and just shows what can happen.” Barrigan also faced Spurs boss Jose Mourinho ( below) on a couple of occasions before being released by the Latics. “I played against Manchester United in a pre-season friendly at the DW Stadium when Jos Jose Mourinho was t the manager,” he s said. “I was also in the squad for the FA Cup game a against them at Old Tr Trafford which was sho shown live on BBC One. Id I didn’t get on... but it was still a great experience.” A spell at Colwyn Bay under current Marine assistant manager Alan Morgan followed before joining Marine. Being part time, he needed an outside job to help pay the bills. “I think you have to call me a refuse collector or some fancy title like that,” he grinned. “I really enjoy it. I’ve been doing it for nearly a year now.
“I love it because there’s no pressure and you know your hours, so it doesn’t interfere with my training.
“I’ve been told that Neville Southall, the Everton and Wales goalkeeper, was once a binman and look what he went on to achieve – so you never know! I might give him a ring for some advice.
“We’ve just had Christmas and that’s a great time to receive tips, but I missed out because I was off.
“Did my mates save any for me? What do you think?
“But, to be honest, I believe there was more chocolate handed out than cash.
“This game has captured everyone’s imagination.
“Everyone is talking about it here. At work, they can’t wait for the game. I’ve been on BBC TV Breakfast. ITV News, Granada News. I think a lot of it has been to do with my job because my mates have grassed me up, telling everyone that I’m a binman.”
And yet it was just three minutes away from never happening. Down to 10 men, the Northern Premier League Division One North West side trailed 1-0 in the preliminary round to Barnoldswick from the North West Counties League.
Barrigan recalled: “It’s amazing to think that we almost went out in the first game. I came off the bench and, thankfully, we scored two late goals to send us through.
“We were all buzzing to win that game because it was a real grind... and now we’ve ended up with Spurs.
“It’s madness!”
3,185. Along one side of it is a row of houses whose gardens back on to the pitch.
Alderweireld added: “It was a long time ago that I last went into someone’s garden to get a football back.
“When I was younger, I played a lot of those games in Belgium and my brothers did as well.
“It’s different, but that’s the beauty of football and it’s very nice to go back and realise how fortunate we are to play in big stadiums. The charm of the smaller leagues is unbelievable.
“When my older brother played for an amateur club in Antwerp, I loved to go and watch him. It was a different environment and they are very passionate about it.
“It’s never that you go lower and they are not so passionate, they are sometimes even more passionate about it.” In normal times,
Marine’s players enjoy a pizza and a pint with their supporters post-match, but the bar will be Spurs’ changing room today.
Alderweireld said: “Sometimes we’re outside in some sort of tent, even in the Premier League, because they don’t allow us to go in the normal dressing room because of the distances and stuff.
“So if there is a moment to do it, it’s now, as we are used to different environments.”