football firsts
Former Sheffield Wednesday and Doncaster defender Rob Jones reminisces about his first footballing forays
First match? It would’ve been a Sheffield Wednesday match as a young boy in the late 80s or early 90s, with the likes of David Hirst and Carlton Palmer playing for the Owls. It was a home match, though I can’t remember the exact one. I used to stand at the Kop End behind the goal. First hero? David Hirst. I was a centre-forward when I was a kid and the players didn’t have names on the back of the shirts when I was growing up. It was just numbers one to 11. He always wore number nine and was my favourite player, so nine was my number, too. First boots? They were Nike. All football boots in those days were black, so it was a black pair. Nike then went a bit lime green or orangey, but black ones were my very first pair. Black is making a return. It’s becoming fashionable again, along with all the other interesting colours you get. I’m a traditionalist when it comes to football boots! First kit? It was a Sheffield Wednesday away kit – a yellow shirt with a blue collar and, of course, I had number nine on the back. I never took it off. I think my parents had to take it and wash it when I was asleep at night. That’s how long I had it on for! First game? My professional debut was away against Wycombe Wanderers for Stockport County back in August 2003. We lost the game 1-0 on a baking hot afternoon and they got the only goal in the first half. So, even though it was magnificent for me to make my debut, it was dampened somewhat by the result. I was a bit nervous and making my league debut was a big thing for me. I’d been at the club since joining in March but wasn’t allowed to play. I had a good pre-season and managed to get a starting berth in the first game. Carlton Palmer was the manager at that time and he was really good with me. He spoke to me before the game about how he believed I was able to play at that level at that time, that he was going to put me in and gave me confidence and assurance, which was great. I just grew into the game as it went on. Once you’ve had a few touches and have made some good passes, you grow into the game. As it’s your debut game, it stays in your memory and you become engrossed in what’s happening on the pitch. First goal? It was the first home game of the season against Luton later that month. We lost that game 2-1, but I scored a header when it was 2-0. It was a set-piece from a corner. I went a bit mental is how I would describe it! The feeling of: a) making your home debut, b) scoring on your home debut and c) scoring as a professional footballer does certain things to you that you don’t envisage, really. I went a bit crazy! First red card? I was a professional for almost 15 years and I never had one! I had a few yellow cards over the years but managed to avoid being sent off.