Vinnie Jones re QPR!..Vinnie Vs Anti-Social

Vinny Vinny !!

met him in march/april 1988

Sky

Excerpt

Tough times at QPR 1998/99

"It was designed that I went there as player-manager under Ray Harford and we had some bad results to say the least. It never went well for us. Ray was going to groom me to be the next manager, but things never went right. The final straw came when we lost to Southampton or somewhere like that and we came back and it was raining. We came back and Ray's sponsored car had been broken into, the stereo had been nicked and when he went I said to one of the boys: 'That's the last we're going to see of him.' On Monday morning we got the call that Ray had resigned."


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Vinnie's story
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Last updated: 27th November 2011
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Vinnie Jones is one of the most colourful and charismatic figures in the history of English football.

The tough-tackling midfielder made his name as part of Wimbledon's Crazy Gang in the late 1980's, then had stints with Leeds, Sheffield United and Chelsea before returning for another spell in the 1990's.

Following his playing career he has found success as an actor, released an album and now lives with his family in Hollywood.

So we were thrilled that he took time out of his busy schedule to come on Goals on Sunday and talk us through his life and times. Here's the story he told us on the show...

Being discovered by Dave Bassett

"I'd signed for Watford schoolboys and Harry Basset was playing for Wimbledon at the time. Our U12's manager knew Harry, so he came and took a training session. By all accounts he said 'that kid's not bad' and kept tabs since then.

Early steps at Wealdstone

"It was the nearest you could be to being professional. We had the blazers and the Wealdstone ties and everything else. It was great days and we were the first non-league team to win the double. We beat Boston at Wembley and we won the Conference."

Joining Wimbledon

"When I signed I was on £150-a-week and my home debut was against Man U and I scored, 1-0. Dave Bassett gave me a £50 goal bonus out of his own pocket to go up the pub with the boys!"

'The Gascoigne incident'

"One guy got it [the picture], Monte Fresco, so it made it. I played the game and thought nothing of it and on Sunday morning I went to the shop to get the papers on the way to the pub and it was massive. My old mate Mr Patel said: 'You've done it this time Vinnie'. I've got a strange affinity with Gazza. It's like he's my twin. Since that picture there's been so much said and done. That was 20 years ago and people are talking about it as if it was yesterday."

Winning the FA Cup

"That was for Dave Bassett. He was in the commentary box upstairs and I wanted to throw the cup up to him because I owed him everything. To sum it all up, we were going around with the Cup and the jobsworth at Wembley wouldn't let us on the track. I saw all my old mates from Bedmond and Watford up against the fence and got overtaken with emotion and ran over. I've got videos where all my mates I used to play with on Sunday mornings were all there and I was trying to get at them through the fence. It was nuts."

Leeds - and winning Division Two

"I have two massive memories. People say what's your biggest memory in football and obviously it's the FA Cup, but I'd also say at Leeds, winning the title. It was over 50 games in those days and we brought in Lee Chapman and Kammy and things like that and I played in nearly every game. Coming from Wimbledon there's loads of London clubs, but you go there and there was such passion from one town wanting the team to do well. We'd get full houses - 30,000 or 40,000 every week - in the old Second Division."

Chelsea - and getting booked in three seconds

"I had a fantastic time at Chelsea, really brilliant. As for the booking, I was captain against Sheffield United and it was a big cup game and I was so revved up it was ridiculous. I didn't think I was that quick though. I thought I was a bit slower than that! It surprised me that it was three seconds, I thought it was about 18. I obviously had some pace in them days."

Tough times at QPR 1998/99

"It was designed that I went there as player-manager under Ray Harford and we had some bad results to say the least. It never went well for us. Ray was going to groom me to be the next manager, but things never went right. The final straw came when we lost to Southampton or somewhere like that and we came back and it was raining. We came back and Ray's sponsored car had been broken into, the stereo had been nicked and when he went I said to one of the boys: 'That's the last we're going to see of him.' On Monday morning we got the call that Ray had resigned."

His love of singing

"I always loved it. I used to love getting up and having the crack really. I was once at Andrew Lloyd Webber's house and Donny Osmond was there and Andrew said 'Who wants a song?' I told him to play 'Puppy Love', so he played it and me and Donny Osmond were singing. That was the start and end of my singing career."

Movie break on Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels

"I was nervous because I'd just got out of jail and was two days late turning up on set. It wasn't the best start. I was playing for Wimbledon and they used to send a car and whizz me up there in the afternoon when I was still playing. I've still got the original script that says 'Big Chris reminds you of the footballer Vinnie Jones'. Matthew Vaughn offered me the part, a little cameo role, so I did a couple of days and then he asked when I finished the season because they wanted me to do some reshoots. They'd made the part bigger. He liked what I did."

Gone in 60 Seconds with Jerry Bruckheimer

"It was 12 o'clock and I was going to bed and the phone goes. 'Hi there Mr Jones, I have Mr Bruckheimer for you.' I was like 'who?' He said he was doing a move called Gone in 60 Seconds, he had a great role for me and wanted to meet at 12 o'clock tomorrow. I was going training! They had me on British Airways, first class, so I got on the plane and got my mate to phone Ray [Harford, QPR boss] to say I wasn't feeling too well. I flew to LA, got out, met Bruckheimer and the director, they gave me the job in 20 minutes and then flew back on the plane I flew over with. I forgot to ask about the money!"

Coming on Goals on Sunday

"It took you two or three years, but you got me on in the end!"

www.skysports.com/tv_show/story/0,,12384_7337214,00.html

W*nker!

massive ;D

That snippet about us was only part of what he said on Goals on Sunday this morning.

Came across very well actually.