football firsts
Tranmere Rovers midfielder Neil Danns talks us through his football memories
First game you watched live?
I think the first match I ever went to was Liverpool v Newcastle, the 4-3 one where Stan Collymore got the winner in stoppage time! I was at the Liverpool academy at the time and they got me free tickets to go.
First football hero?
Back then it was Robbie Fowler and John Barnes. Robbie because he was from the same area as me (Toxteth) and we went to the same senior school, but obviously he was a lot older than me. John Barnes because, being black, I could relate to him. That was one of the main things for me.
First kit?
I can’t remember what year it was exactly but the first full kit I had was the yellow Liverpool one with Carlsberg on the front, after they changed from the Candy sponsor.
When I was young, there used to be a shop in Liverpool that sold old kits, so you’d just go there and there’d be a basket full of old kits with numbers on and they would only be like £3.
Literally every time I got some money I used to go there and buy kits from leagues that I’d never even heard of – I remember teams like Lokomotiv Moscow. I’m actually gutted I haven’t still got those kits because they were some really good memories.
First football boots?
My first boots were a pair of Hi-Tec.
I remember them clearly. I was just getting into football, so they were the cheap ones. I remember putting them on and thinking ‘oh my god, I can turn so sharp’.
It was more of just making sure football wasn’t just a phase for me at that point and to see if I stuck at it. Later, the more I got into it, I started getting the Predators boots and all that sort of stuff.
First professional game?
My first professional game was for Blackburn against CSKA Sofia in the Champions League (in a 1-1 draw). Graeme Souness was the manager and I started the game, having never been involved in the squad or anything.
I was always captain for the reserves and then Dean Saunders told me that I was going to be involved in the first team. Then, on the day I got told I was going to be starting.
First professional goal?
My first professional goal was for Blackpool when I went on loan from Blackburn when I was 19.
It was away at Oldham, but, to be honest, I can’t remember too much else about it with all the other goals I scored after that!
The goal that sticks out for me most over my whole career was the one I scored in the summer for Guyana at the Gold Cup, because it was the first ever goal for the country at any tournament. I didn’t know at the time but to score that and then find out it was the first goal in history for a nation – that was special.
First red card?
It was for Blackpool at home against Wycombe. I remember
I’d just gone on loan and it was only my third game for them, and then just a few games later I got sent off again for two bookings away at Stockport. I was only there a few months and ended up missing a lot of games...