Wigan Athletic legend Emmerson Boyce talks us through his football memories
First game? I used to watch Aylesbury United sometimes as a kid. They were my hometown club. I can’t remember the team they played against the first time I went – I was only ten years old. I remember, at the time, them playing a charity game against England in June 1988, so they brought some of their players down for what I think was a testimonial for Cliff Hercules, who is a club legend. Around 1992, I started going there more often and I ended up playing for their junior team. First hero? That was always Ian Wright, though Cafu was a bit of an idol for me, as a defender. I liked him because he was a full-back and I liked his boots – he had green boots at the time. I was an Arsenal fan growing up, so players like David Rocastle, Michael Thomas, all of those players were ones I looked up to. First boots? That was a pair of Lottos. They were green and I remember those well. They were the ones that Cafu used to wear and I thought they looked really good. They were the first pair I bought on my own. I can’t remember the first ones my parents bought me. First match? That was for Luton against Walsall in what’s now the Checkatrade Trophy. I remember it well because I was playing alongside Sean Dyche, who’s the Burnley manager now. I made my debut alongside him in January 1999 and, unfortunately, we lost the game 3-0. My first game in the league was against Notts County (in August) and the main reason I remember that one is because I came on and I should have scored. I was in front of goal but I came up with a bad shot and that’s what I remember most about the day. First goal? The first goal I scored for Luton was against Bournemouth the following year (in February 2000), which is actually on YouTube. The only reason I say that is because my old captain, Marvin Johnson, who lives in America now, texted me the other day ‘Remember my assist?’ for the first goal of my career. That was because it was from his shot. He shanked it. It was going wide and I came in at the back post to slide in and score. I’d signed a contract on the Friday and on the Saturday I scored the goal, so it was a memorable couple of days. First red card? It was for a second yellow against Newcastle at St James’ Park (in November 2008) and it was the only sending-off of my career. The referee actually apologised to me after the game, saying it should not have been a red card. It was a sliding tackle. I got the ball and the ref gave me a second yellow, so that was my one and only red card and the ref admits he got it wrong! That was when I was playing for Wigan and Joe Kinnear was Newcastle manager at
the time.