Gillingham goalkeeper Stuart Nelson talks us through his football memories
First live game? Liverpool v West Ham at Anfield. It was 0-0. We went in the car, travelling a long way, and I wasn’t told where we were going. I got to Anfield for the first time and it was an amazing experience. The players who were playing for Liverpool at the time were great players, like Ian Rush, Steve McManaman, John Barnes. We waited around afterwards and I got autographs. It was a great surprise. First football hero? Bruce Grobbelaar. He was the sort of goalkeeper I wanted to be. When I was young, my mum and dad used to say to me: “play like Grobbelaar” – that would inspire me. If I wasn’t feeling 100 per cent, that would always help me give everything and improve. I used to have a VHS of the Bruce Grobbelaar story and I used to watch it before games to inspire me. After that, it went on to Peter Schmeichel – I think he was the best ever. If he played, Manchester United never lost. That’s how good he was. First boots? They were these black plastic Celtic boots. You had the old school six studs because in those days, there were no moulded boots – they were just screw-in studs. I would never wear black boots now but back then, there was no alternative. First kit? The Liverpool kit with ‘Candy’ as the sponsor – it’s the only one I don’t still have because my mum took it to a car boot sale. I have never let her forget it. She does feel bad. I am gutted I haven’t got it. It isn’t her fault, she didn’t know how much I was going to love football! Pro debut? I signed for Brentford from Hucknall for 10k. I sat on the bench for a month, then I got my go. We weren’t on a great run and we were near the bottom. It was a dream come true. My sole life ambition was just to play one pro game – I didn’t turn pro until I was 22. If I could get that one game, that was all I wanted. I realised my life ambition that day, it was bittersweet – I will get to that next... First red card? We were in relegation trouble and we were 1-0 down at Brighton on a wet Tuesday night in March on a very muddy pitch. It was late in the game. They played this ball over the top and if the kid gets it and runs around me and scores, the game is dead. As the ball came over, it bounced straight up. I don’t know who I thought I was – Michael Jordan or something – but I thought that I will just dive over his shoulder and head the ball. I don’t have that sort of spring in me. I ended up spearing him. First goal scored? I played against Swindon in the League Cup and actually scored the winning penalty. It went straight to penalties after a 2-2 draw and I saved two, and then scored the winner. I was doing press after the game on the halfway line and I saw through the corner of the ground a coach leave. I stopped the interview and said: “I swear that is our coach that has just left” and all the press laughed. I had a panic. I tried to find someone from Brentford, and the media guys were still packing up, so I jumped in
one of their cars!