Just reading a story on the BBC website about Andy Van Der Meyde spunking his career up the wall on booze, drugs and birds following an injury at 30. Got me thinking about former Sunderland players who looked like real prospects but didn't have their heads right. Sean Thornton. Looked a really exciting player at one point. Great dead ball man. Ugly as sin mind. Antonio Rogan. Bit young to remember him but was he any good or am I confusing him with someone else from similar era? Anyone think of any others? Bored of waiting for N'Diyae news and the non signing of Danny Gayham. There was an Irish lad at Forest a few years back who talent wise was meant to be quality, their left back for years to come. He was thick as f*ck though and was always pissed (allegedly) and had birds turning up at the club every other day claiming he'd knocked them up (allegedly).
Kieron something from about 20 years ago. Played a blinder in a 3-2 win over West Ham. ****, it's annoying when me memory goes...
Got an injury and piled on beef Sid, then tried to sue the club for negligence or some ****. Never have I seen a player beat his man so easily, he could have been something that lad.
Martin Smith has to go on the list mind, he had so much but somehow it just didn't happen for the lad.
Gary Breeds joined the casuals, not Kieran Brady. Kieran's Brady's Father asked me for directions to Roker Park when I was walking to Mill View club, he was in the passenger seat with a half drank bottle of scotch, on the back seat was 2 slabs of tennants and another drunk Glaswegian, with a gene pool like that I was not surprised he succumbed. Mind to be fair he had issues with the veins in his lower leg, 4 hour ops took over 12 I believe. And it was Anton Rogan not Antonio, he was a journeyman centre half. Mick Horswill, should never have left Sunderland.
I used to go to Kieron's house every week for a few drinks, absolutely huge Celtic fan, was full of admiration for Sunderland and still is, had a pic of Ireland u19s poss him and keano etc. He is a top bloke like, and was awesome some of the stories that he had.
I live in the same town Ashley William who plays for Swansea is from. We used to have a 5 a side team that played in the Birmingham power league and Ash used to play for us occasionally. He was playing for Hensford town at the time and one of his team mates Daz Catwright was a regular in our 5 a side team. Now Ash was really good but Daz was even better, I have never seen someone strike a ball like him, or have such a good first touch. I was sure Ash would end up as a lower league player and Daz was destined for the big time. Fast forward several years and Daz is playing on a Sunday in the same league as me. He is "twice" the man he was and a mixture of booze and an un healthy life style has cost him. Then you have got Ash who is a premier league player. It just shows you can have talent but if you don't work hard and stay in shape you wont make it.
