Rob Kozluk, former Sheffield United and Derby County defender, talks us through his football memories
First game you watched live? I grew up in the Mansfield area, so my Dad and rest of the family used to go to Field Mill on a regular basis. My first game as a fan would have been standing on the north terrace there. George Foster was the star of that team. He became a scout after stopping playing and worked with me at Derby for a time, so I was rubbing shoulders with one of my heroes from my early years. The day that sticks in the memory is the day Mansfield won at Wembley in the Freight Rover Trophy final, beating Bristol City on penalties. I’d have called myself a Mansfield fan growing up, but my whole family were Manchester United mad, so I ended up following them. Footballing hero? Bryan Robson. I remember the teams and the FA Cup finals they used to get into, particularly Norman Whiteside scoring in the 1985 final. They were the greats of the day. Robson always had a desire to win. His engine was incredible and he had that ability to get up and down the field. First boots? A pair of Dunlops. Plain black leather from a shop in Sutton-in-Ashfield. They were lovely at the time but the kids these days would laugh. I bought a pair of boots for my son the other week that cost nearly £200 – those Dunlops set us back 99 pence! First kit? A Manchester United kit. My parents always made sure we got the kit on the day it came into the sports shop in Kirkby-in-Ashfield. It had Sharp Electronics around the front and the blue flecks. An iconic kit. First game? My debut as a professional player was for Derby at Southend, a 1-0 League Cup win at Roots Hall in 1997. But my first league game was at Anfield in the Premier League. Jim Smith called me into his office at the old training ground, the Ram Arena, to tell me I was getting a start at Liverpool. Jim’s office was filled with cigar smoke, you couldn’t see a thing on your way in or on the way out! I caught every word of what he said though. It was a day I’d dreamed of all my life – then we went four-nil down! It was a tough afternoon, chasing the shadows of the likes of Steve McManaman and Robbie Fowler, who scored two. As an 18-yearold, you have to grow up quickly and I did lots of learning that day! First goal? I didn’t score many! My first was at Grimsby for Sheffield United in 2003, six years after my debut. Under Neil Warnock, I was fined if I crossed the halfway line! It was probably about 20 yards out and I thought ‘why not, I’ll have a go’ and it trickled in. I had no idea what to do and wheeled away, but ended up celebrating in front of an empty stand! First red card? I got sent off twice in my first six games for Sheffield United under Steve Bruce. Goodness knows what the fans must have thought. The first one was at Tranmere. Brucie told me the tackle was late and, not for the first time, he was probably right.