How it all began
From age dot, I was born into a football family. My dad loved football, and from when I can remember, we always had a football kicking around the front room or garden. Our favourite game as a family was keeping a balloon up (you know you’ve all done it). Endless hours of fun.
I really caught the bug when I was 7, watching the World Cup in Italia 90 and seeing Linkear, Gazza and Pearce on the pitch. It was heartbreak in the end for England, but I wanted to play.
One of my best mates from age 4, Lee Cooper, introduced me to Tonbridge Invicta, and the rest was history. A group of us played together all the way up to adult football; the families became besties, we toured together, holidayed together, and progressed to Tonbridge Angles, and we loved it.
When everything changed
My progression stopped when a bad leg break halted me in what I’d say was my prime (some may disagree). But as the years went by, I became more interested in coaching, managing, and assistant managing in the Kent Men’s League. As my coaching progression was starting to happen, I decided to step away and coach my two sons, Cellan and Caiden, with no regrets. I went full throttle into youth coaching, and after 7 years, with the help and advice from my dad, I helped numerous kids play football, regardless of their ability to play grassroots football.
Then, a few years ago, my dad passed away suddenly, and everything changed. As you can imagine! My dad always said I should start something that allows all kids to play football and that I’d be good at it. I then decided to start Big Bear Football Coaching (Big Bear, a name given to me by my mates). And the rest, as they say, is history.
