Player Spotlight

PLAYER SPOTLIGHT

 No. 1 TED GRANT (Midfield)

Full Name : Edward Neil Grant

 Age : 25

Place of Birth : Bradford Royal Infirmary

 Height : 5'10"

Weight : Pre or post injury ? On average about 14 Stone

 Married : No

Previous Clubs : Parkland school, Ecclleshill Juniors, Hanson School, Springfield Y.C., Barcelona, Albion F.C.

Joined Plant...........June 2001

 Fee............£1

 Most Memorable Match : For Springfield Y.C. in the Drug prevention cup final. We beat Holmewood Athletic 2-1 and we were big underdogs / Liverpool v Arsenal. Championship decider 1989.

 Best goal ever seen : Neil Grant's diving header for Langtry Langton v Bull Hotel at Northcliffe, 1986 / Dennis Bergkamp for Holland v Argentina. World Cup Qtr.Final 1998

Best goal ever scored : Last season for Albion. A 35 yarder (no bullsh*t) v Oakworth Juniors at Apperley Bridge.

 Favourite current player : Robert Pires / Gary Walker

Favourite past player : Liam Brady / Dave Woodhead

Best other ground : Greengates Park. Very useful if you've been out night before. / Highbury

 Favourite food : Curry Top Drink : Red wine...er Lager.

Best Actor/Actress : Rik Mayall / Geri from Hollyoaks

Best film : Swedish Lesbians in blackcurrent jam (18). Contact 07876 494750 for details

Musical tastes : Radiohead, The Strokes, Eels, Elbow, Doves, R.E.M., Atomic Kitten

Star sign : Pisces Pre match preperation : The night before, at least 10 pints and a vindy. A copy of mayfair before the game.

 Superstitions : Tie boot laces

 Likes : Sha**ing, footy, curry, lager

Dislikes : Smoking, Sunday Grandstand in the summer, Jonathon Ross, people who say 'not 3 bad' etc., Alex Ferguson

 Biggest influence of career : Positive influence, Neil Grant. Negative, Stella Artois

Ambitions : To travel the world / Help Broadford win promotion and maybe one day a trophy.

No.2 GEORGE GRANT (Defender)

 Full Name George Stephen Grant

 Age 34

Place of Birth Bradford

Height 5’11”

 Weight 12st 10lb

Married No

Previous Clubs Brief spells at Sheffield Polytechnic School of Construction, Burley White Horse Reserves and East End Park W.M.C.

Joined Plant...........Sept 1990

 Fee............Nothing, started from leaving University

 Most Memorable Match Prince of Wales 1 Plant 7 (District Cup round 1, 2001-2002). We had owed them that beating for years following some tough close encounters in the past.

Best goal ever seen Mark Stewart away to Prince of Wales. Down to ten men (Ian McArdle keeper off) but playing well Stewy let fly from 40 yards with an exorcet that flew into the top corner to make it one-all. Absolute peach. We nearly held on but an extremely unfortunate injury time ricochet off a shin from yours truly slipped through stand in keeper Denis Ryan’s hands and Prince of Wales went on to win 3-1.

Best goal ever scored Friendly approx six season’s ago. Ball was cleared to me on the left hand edge of the box. Brought it down on my chest, dropped onto my right knee and proceeded to volley the ball into the helpless keeper’s left hand corner. MAGIC !!!

Favourite current player Daniel Burke, top club man, turns up and plays in all states when been out night before, turns up and watches in all weather when injured. A role model for the younger inexperienced players who expect to become regulars within two or three games and those that don’t make it because they not feeling so good the morning after.

Favourite past player Has to be my Dad, Neil. Model amateur dedicated to playing and never gives up whatever the score. Thirty year veteran, a record that will be hard to beat. Only a Grant gets up and drives back from Swindon at six in the morning to play Sunday morning football.

Best other ground Not Northcliffe !!! Belmont Middle School. Smallish, always held up well to the weather and we always do well there plus changing rooms near ground and showers that were still warm after the game (unlike Northcliffe !!!)

Favourite food Mixed kebab followed Chicken Madras with a garlic Nan from Naffees. Very reliable and you always know what you are getting 90% of the time (bit like my game !!)

Top Drink Frosty Jacks

Best Actor/Actress Clint Eastwood especially in Spaghetti westerns Best film Trainspotting

Musical tastes Phil Collins, Dire Straits, M people

Star sign Sagitarrius

Superstitions Minimum two pre match dumps (average three)

Likes Other than Sunday morning football, TNF, Wednesday football, Thursday night work football, Sunday night 5-a-side football, watching football and going on the lash.

Dislikes Unreliable players Biggest influence of career Pete Glew, fellow average player, pis*head and secretary like myself.

Ambitions To play every single game until I am fifty. Currently in season four.

No. 3 DANNY BURKE (Forward)

Age : 30

Place of Birth : Behind a supermarket in Horsforth ( near the pie shelf )

Weight : 13 Stone (and the rest!!!)

 Married : No – But I’ve had a few who have been

Previous Clubs : Eldwick Juniors, Sandy Lane, St. Bedes (Saturdays - current)

Joined Plant...........November 1996

Fee............A pint from Simon Johnson

 Most Memorable Match : Sandy Lane 1 Plant 2 ( Cup ) – Plant were due to get slaughtered 10-0 according to their manager. We only had 11 players including a stand in goalkeeper. The defence was heroic and I managed to score 2 goals against a defender I knew, who subsequently had a pair of boots chucked at him from their manager. The match was also memorable for George kicking the ball vertically up in the air unintentionally after a lovely control, trying to control it again on its way down and then falling over. The move got a huge round of applause from the touchline.

Best goal ever seen : George’s diving header against Allerton Fleece, to make the score Plant 0 – Allerton Fleece 1

 Best goal ever scored : There’s been so many for Plant that I’ve lost count!!!! Probably the volley from outside the area against Rose & Crown this season, unfortunately it didn’t matter as we were losing 5-0 at the time.

Favourite current player : Mark Stewart – Always reliable, always battling in the centre of Midfield and the lynchpin of Plant’s successes this season.

Favourite past player : Pete Glew – for his famed headline in the T&A of Super Glew and accepting a good tw*tting from an opponent one time – see Plant Gold.

Best other ground : Green Lane. Where Rose & Crown play, cos if your lucky you can get an old needle in your leg and your near Lumb Lane for a sh*g after the game if you’ve had a quiet weekend.

 Favourite food : Chicken Tarka, its like Chicken Tikka but ‘otter’.

Top Drink : Budweiser

Best Actor/Actress : Wynona Ryder – she’s fit and she nicks things. 50% of the qualities you get from women in Chicago’s.

 Best film : Rita, Sue & Bob Too – I wouldn’t mind seeing the first one though

Musical tastes : Westlife, Boyzone, Steps, S Club 7, Take That, East 17, Five

Star sign : Leo

 Pre match preperation : A night out in the Lithuanian Club, followed by a dog from Chicago’s.

Superstitions : Always bring a fiver with me.

Likes Other than Sunday morning football, - Supping, W*nking and other things that you do all the time.

Dislikes : Unreliable players and expensive beer

 Biggest influence of career : Some bloke from 5 a side who persuaded me to play 11 a side at the age of 25.

 Ambitions : To stay reliable, to win a trophy and to be top scorer against all odds with all these youngsters coming thru the ranks.

 No. 4 CHRIS FITTON (Midfield / Defence)

Full Name Christopher David Fitton

Age 33

 Place of Birth Birkenhead, Wirral

 Height 5’11”

 Weight 12st 1lb

Married No

 Previous Clubs Wheatley AFC , Burley White Horse Reserves (Wharfedale Triangle Sunday League), Burley Trojans (Harrogate and District League) St Bedes (sat) - on loan

 Joined Plant...........Jan 2001

 Fee............Free on Bosman from Burley White Horse Reserves

 Most Memorable Match: Helping Wheatley beat arch rivals Mallard in District Cup tie 8-0 when we were underdogs. We absolutely hammered them totally against the form book....TERRIFIC!!!!

Best goal ever seen: All George Grants penalties (how do they go in?)!!.... A Robert Rishworth thirty yard screamer off his kneecap  in a league game for Wheatley against Scaleboro Park in 1996.

Best goal ever scored: My goal last season for Plant will remain very special a three yard blaster, don’t get many goals but scored a curling shot from outside the box for White Horse Reserves against Burley Trojans in a friendly four seasons ago.

Favourite current player: Danny Burke - Top drinking partner!!!

Favourite past player: Neil Grant a stalwart for Plant (30 years man and boy) and player called Pete Spivey who played for Wheatley....Wharfedales Neil Grant!!!!

 Best other ground: Scaleboro Park, White Horse Reserves – not the best playing surfaces but some great memories

Favourite food: Chicken Tikka and Chips after a session or Sunday Roast

Top Drink: Heineken and brandy and coke 

Best Actor/Actress: Danny 'Jigsaw' Burke when he dives in the box!!, David Jason / Nicole Kidman

Best film: Digby the biggest Dog in the World. 

Musical tastes: Orchestral Manaouvres in the Dark , Spandau Ballet, and Duran Duran and A1

 Star sign Libra

Superstitions: Hiding behind sofa when it snows!!

Likes Other than Sunday morning football: Getting carted, and Everton Football Club

Dislikes: Smoking and rude people

 Biggest influence of career: My Mum and Dad

Ambitions: To meet the woman of my dreams and be pampered by her all day every day and to be healthy and fit.

No. 5 MICHAEL CLAYTON  (Defender)

 Full Name: Michael Richard Clayton

 Age: 31

 Place of Birth:  Steeton

Height:  5'10"

Weight: 14st 7lb

 Married: Not yet - Wedding band duties completed - ruled me out for a month!!!

 Previous Clubs:  Cottingley Dynamoes (1988-92); Albert (1992-93); Harrison & Clough (1993-95); Plant 1995 to present

Joined Plant:: December 1995 (2-1 win versus Baildon Woodbottom)

 Most Memorable Match: 1998/99 versus Sandy Lane (away)

 Biggest Disappointment: Beating Gary Hillam with a 50 yard back-pass.

Best Goal Ever Seen scored: Peter Glew 1997/98 in a 3-2 win at Greengates. Dobson pulled the ball back and Glew slotted inside the far post.

 Best Goal Scored: Playing for Harrison & Clough v Goats Head in 1994/95. 35 yard lob.

Favourite Current players: Mark Stewart / Ted Grant / Denis Ryan / Martin Close / Danny Burke

 Favourite Player Past: Rick Bovan / Nick Johnson

Best Other Ground  Northcliffe (spiritual home)

Favourite Food  Deep fried

Favourite Drink:  Red wine

Favourite Holiday Destination: European Alps, Greece.

Best Actor / Actress:  Stephen Lewis (as Inspector Blake) / Anna Karen (as Olive)

Best Film: On the Buses; Mutiny on the Buses; Holiday on the Buses

Star Sign:  Virgo

Pre Match Preparation: Trying to stop people pooing in my Clarke's Commandoes

Favourite Music: Theme from Hamlet commercials (keeper); Dire Straits (back four); Incognito (midfield); Joy Division (strikers)

Superstitions:  To be late every week

Likes: All my goals

Dislikes:   Bob Moye's whistle (the nightmare incident at Greengates); Spongers

Biggest Influence on Career: Older players who have looked after themselves.

Ambitions:  To play on as long as I can but not so that I would put myself before the side. Would like to win something.

No. 6 DENIS RYAN (Defender)

Full Name Denis Ryan

Age 37

Place of Birth B.R.I.

Height 5-10

Weight 11-10

Married Sadly yes

 Previous Clubs KSC 83, Cross Lane LC, St Cuthbert’s RC Primary School.

Joined Plant...........circa 1993

Fee............£6.7m

Most Memorable Match - Broadford Plant 5 Malt Kiln 8 (a.e.t.) In this game I managed to give away a penalty (I never touched him, as Ian McArdle will verify, the ref was having a laugh!). I then missed a penalty (desperately unlucky – it hit the post), scored direct from a corner, scored a second penalty & in extra time completed my hat-trick from a free kick just outside the box. Despite my best efforts we still managed to lose the game & go out of the cup.

Best goal ever seen - Michael Clayton’s own goal from the half way line when Gary “cat” Hillam was left stranded by one of the best finishes ever by a plant player.

Best goal ever scored – A right-footed thunderbolt from 30 yards v Bay Horse in a 4-0 win at Northcliffe 2 years ago. I can’t usually kick it that far with my right foot let alone score such a “screamer”.

Favourite current player – Gary Walker

Favourite past player – Pete Glew

 Best other ground - Northcliffe

Favourite food – Pop tarts

Top Drink – Anything from the furry cup

Best Actor/Actress – Anthony Hopkins/Joanne Whalley-Kilmer

Best film – Pulp fiction

Musical tastes – Abba, Shakin’ Stevens, Max Werner, Meatloaf, Elton John & The Tweenies.

Star sign - Leo

Superstitions – None, it’s unlucky to be superstitious

Likes – See “Top drink”

Dislikes – Dishonest players claiming to score goals that were blatantly someone else’s.

Biggest influence of career – Dave Woodhead’s hairstyle.

Ambitions – To get rid of the corner flags on a permanent basis!

No. 7 ALAN MILLER (MIDFIELD)

 Full Name  -  Alan John Miller

Age-  24

Place of Birth - Keeffley (Keighley for those not from round here!)

Height - 6’0"

Weight -  Around 13 stone

 Married -  No Thank God

Previous Clubs -  Bingley Cox, St Bedes Old Boys

Joined Plant...........98/99 season I think

Fee............Bosman. Was conned out of signing on fee.

Most Memorable Match - If you meen that I have played in. Proberly against Springfield both Home and Away 99/00 season. Home game I scored the first and the winner in a 3-1 victory. Away because we lost 4-1 and I missed about 10 one on ones. If you mean that I have watched, Bradford beating Notts County at Wembley or beating Everton away in the FA Cup with a Chris Waddle special.

 Best goal ever seen -  Trevor Sinclairs over head kick from edge of box a few years ago. AMAZING!!!....Or  One of Danny Burkes specials ( when he just hits it from anywhere and it unexpectedly goes in from around 25 yrds)

Best goal ever scored  - Think it was against a Baildon team at Home on a frosty pitch 99/00 season. Tried an angled long ball from the half way line to Kristian which landed near the keeper took a bobble to his left and went in the bottom corner. Nice 50yrd goal for the album.

 Favourite current player - Theirry Henry

 Favourite past player - Marco Van Basten

 Best other ground - Anywhere where I win      

favourite food -  Anything with Pasta

Top Drink - Fosters

Best Actor/Actress - Denise Richards ( obvious reasons and its not for acting or hair product ad’s )

Best film -  Shawshank Redemption or Highlander

Musical tastes - Dance, Indie. Most stuff really

Star sign - Gemini

Superstitions - None

Likes-  Fri/Sat in the pub

Dislikes -  Waking up Sunday morning with a hangover knowing you are playing central midfield in about 2 hours time, which involves loads of heading a ball

 Biggest influence on Career - Although he is dead ( and has been for a long time ) my great uncle John Hall. He is an ex England international and my Gran sort of pushed me to try and carry on playing

Ambitions - Try and in a trophy for once in my life with which ever team I am in.