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The ups...There's
only one Neil Redfearn...and downs of my footballing life
"Neil Redfearn, who?", soccer fans in India may wonder. Neil Redfearn was not a very famous football star, though he was no anonymous also-ran either. He played for 15 clubs, turned out for a record 1000th senior appearances under 23 managers and was the first "pound 1 million player in Charlton's 93-year-old history". He was also lucky with injuries, otherwise he wouldn't have played so many matches, considering that four of the five English players to make over 1000 senior appearances for league clubs — Peter Shilton, Ray Clemence, Pat Jennings and David Seaman — have been goalkeepers. He earned his spurs as a soccer player the hard way and his riveting tale is told from the heart, without pompous self indulgence or rhetoric. It's a story of "highs and lows, of fanfares and fall-outs". His observations about the way football clubs in England function, how the soccer hierarchy works, how difficult the path to stardom etc. are worth taking note of. As the blurb on the back cover very aptly notes, "Neil Redfearn's story is one that may never be told again. Why? Because he could well be the last in the line of players who made their name in the lower divisions, worked their way upto the top... and then embarked on a return journey to the game's outposts; a trajectory that simply isn't on the agenda for today's Premier League superstars" Redfearn had seen the best and worst as a soccer pro, and "football reel under the curse of hooliganism". One golden rule he followed from the beginning of his career was that "there's no such thing as loyalty" in football and "never fall in love with a football club". Yet, football was what he always dreamt of, what he wanted to do, though when he started out, the game was on a slump. "My first decade as a professional was an era when gates slumped and some people began to express serious concerns about football's future. But now thanks to the non-stop success story of the Premiership, the game has never been so popular. Peers, pop stars, politicians and ‘celebs’ can’t jump on the bandwagon fast enough. The last 24 years have been an incredible journey of football—and for me", he says in this well-scripted, 312-page autobiography. Football clubs in England have always been linked to one celebrity or the other. Elton John was the chairman of Wartford when Redfearn played for the club and cricket umpire Dickie Bird was a fan of Barnsley. "Basically he (Elton John) was a fan who happened to have enough money to bankroll his club, though he knew his football", notes Redfearn. He makes some perceptive observations about football and clubs. He writes that "no two managers are the same, no two clubs are the same", and if some managers and clubs do well and others fail, it is because of the way they handle their responsibilities, the set-up they have and the quality of players at their command. Redfearn was born in an era when he learned the game the natural way, and the players were allowed to develop their natural skills. "Now they manufacture soccer skills in academies", he says ruefully. Academies can be "elitist" too, thus shutting out the doors for the less privileged ones. Redfearn was lucky that his father Brian was an ex-pro footballer, who also played cricket, which helped him get a better deal in his formative years of club-hopping. "David Beckham was seven years old when I made my first league appearance. Wayne Rooney (of Manchester United) wasn't even born, Bobby Robson was the new England manager and England cricketers had just said farewell to the Ashes for 22 years. The Premiership did’'t exist, nor did Sky Television", he writes to put the football atmosphere prevailing then in perspective. Redfearn recounts in detail his passion for football, and his life after as a player. "My life has revolved around the game for over 30 years. It grabbed me when I was seven years old and has never loosened its grip. Football governs the way I eat, drink, sleep and relax". His football "education" started with watching Leeds United in the early 1970s, though he learned the basics of the game from his dad. But he now regrets that neglecting formal schooling was a mistake. His experience is an eye-opener to young players who opt for sports, but neglect their studies. He writes: "I was going to be a professional footballer and the sooner the better—to hell with schoolwork. I see now that not taking my education seriously was the worst thing I could have done. If I hadn't been signed, I’ve no idea what I would have done—manual labour, I suppose, with a bit of part-time football at weekends. I was taking a huge chance and, in this respect, I’am no sort of example for young kids to follow. I always encourage them to make sure they complete their schooling before committing themselves to football. They should go for everything--be bright, intelligent, get an education and should be a footballer as well". Redfearn analyses his climb to stardom, the peaks and troughs he encountered, with candour and objectivity. He sees both the sides of a situation and in hindsight, regrets the follies he committed due to his immaturity, in the heat of the moment, which did set his career back a lot. No wonder, he was once termed as the "dirtiest player" due to his tough tackles in the midfield, though he treated the label as "water off the duck's back". As a central midfielder, he not only created moves, but also scored goals. But under certain managers, in some clubs, he was "expected to track back, and defend deep", which did no justice to his talent for scoring. He predicts that "synthetic pitches are almost certainly the future" as the FIFA is determined to expand the game into less-developed countries "where it isn't always possible to prepare grass pitches or keep them in good condition". Redfearn's counsel to young players is to "make light of criticism, focus on your game and you will reach where you want to".And never shun the media "because they are the link between players and supporters". "May be my story will show young hopefuls the kind of pitfalls that may await them and how, or how not, to deal with them". It sure does.
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Being
famous does not always mean successful and successful people may not
necessarily be famous. The story of Neil Redfearn falls somehwere in
between.