I went from Anelka’s Bolton to playing with painters and decorators ... a great learning curve!
CHRIS BASHAM used to play football with a bunch of painters and decorators.
But the Sheffield United star has come a long way since his Stafford Rangers days, having painted a perfect Premier League picture for himself.
Basham was one of the Blades’ outstanding performers in their first season back in the top flight.
The reliable defender played in every game for the South Yorkshire club as they finished ninth and came within a whisker of qualifying for Europe.
His reward has been a new two-year deal at Bramall Lane and deserved accolades as the club’s Player of the Year and Players’ Player of the Year.
However, it has not always been fame and glory for the likeable centre-back.
Having been released by boyhood club Newcastle United when he was 16, the teenager worked in a McDonald’s to make ends meet.
And after resurrecting his career at Bolton, he found himself on loan at semi-professional Stafford Rangers.
“I had to clean my own boots at
SEASIDE SHUFFLE Basham at Blackpool Stafford and, to be fair, I had to do that at Blackpool as well,” said Basham, who is the Blades’ longest-serving current player with close to 300 appearances.
“I signed for Blackpool when they were in the Premier League and I thought it would all be luxury, but it was really tough to play there.
“When I was at Stafford Rangers, it was one of those where you’d train with the team on a Friday night and on a Saturday we’d just turn up and play.
“I was making mates with lads who were painters and decorators. They were coming to games in their overalls, 2006–2010: Bolton Wanderers 2006–2007: Stafford Rangers (loan) 2007–2008: Rochdale (loan) 2010–2014: Blackpool 2014–current: Sheffield United so that was a shock to the system. Going from being at Bolton and playing with Nicolas Anelka to Stafford Rangers and playing with a gas-fitter and an engineer was a bit weird.
“It was a great learning curve, though, just like when I was at Rochdale. We got to the League Two play-offs and Keith Hill was a demanding manager.
“He was not scared to tell me if I was not doing right, but would also put an arm round you if you needed it.”
And what about his days serving Big Macs and fries to paying punters to earn a few quid?
“I got released from Newcastle when I was 16 and then I had two years at Gateshead College,” recalled Basham.
“I basically needed to get myself out and about for work. About five miles from the college there was a McDonald’s. I had a little moped and I used to drive there and pick up my money from doing night shifts.
“I just learned a lot about industry and it’s proved to be a really good thing because it’s shown me how to live my life and to have respect for everybody.
“It shows you can work for something and still have that dream at the end of it as well. It also makes you feel how privileged you are to have that dream.
“I still drive through that McDonald’s and there’s still the same staff working there. I’m the one playing in the Premier League, but it’s still nice to say hello.”
At 32, Basham is relishing the chance to blossom in the top flight, and he’s right to stress that the Blades can be incredibly proud of their season.
He added: “There was just a little bit of disappointment that we didn’t get the European place that the boys deserved.
“I don’t think the lockdown really helped everyone in this team – but it’s been tough for everybody.
“Everything was just a little bit upside-down for us, but when you look back at how well we did, we’ve got to be proud. I think we were outstanding.
“We had a ninth-place finish in the Premier League, with the clean sheets that we kept.
“Dean Henderson was unbelievable in goal and we’ve got international boys coming through like John Egan, which is fantastic.”