Mickey Thomas writes EXCLUSIVELY for Red Passion

‘‘Wrexham are obviously still in a bit of bother and I really feel the directors have got to put their hands in their pockets. I’ve not spoken to Joey for a few days but Carl Griffiths obviously did very well. We clearly can’t afford him though – we’re struggling to get the 100k together. However, if they want to borrow my minting machine to print some money, I’d happily lend it them…I actually know Carl Griffiths quite well. He was breaking into the Shrewsbury team when I was at Gay Meadow. I actually looked after him in his early days; and he now says I was his hero! I knew he’d make it at Shrewsbury and I remember seeing him make his debut. He’s a very quick frontman and he can obviously score goals. He obviously fitted in well at Wrexham as well; he loves Wales and he’s even a Wrexham fan himself. He just seemed so suited to the club. A word too for Jeff Whitley; he’s a real hustler in midfield and he’s done well also.

The club’s in a serious situation and we’re certainly not out of the woods yet. We’ve got to give Brian the backing to get the new players he wants. He’s not got a lot to play around with at the moment, but we’ve got to stick by him. I don’t know the exact situation at the moment, but I do know that it would be very sad to see Wrexham in the 3rd Division…complete with their training complex and their brilliant youth system. We know what Brian can and can’t do. He’s worked well with the minimal resources he’s had so far; now I think it’s time to give him some decent resources. I think Wrexham are gradually picking up and getting some decent results. I was at the Huddersfield away game; we battled hard and I thought we were very unlucky. Huddersfield have a great home record, so it was always going to be difficult. But I still think a lot of good came out of the performance; I feel the lads took a lot of confidence into their next games and they got some points soon after.

I loved the McAlpine Stadium – really impressive. It was a like a space ship – incredible. Nice fireworks too. I was like a kid – I even had my popcorn! I actually fucked off home after the fireworks – I thought they were that good! I was sat with Carl Griffiths and my mate John Owens, and all around us were Huddersfield fans. They kept shouting, ‘Sit down!’ In the second-half we were sat just behind the Wrexham bench – it was a great atmosphere. At Huddersfield I thought Dean Spink did especially well. He’s adapted well to playing at the back – he came just after me at Shrewsbury.  Cartwright though is obviously lacking confidence, and it’s obviously no help when the fans get on his back.  I also like the look of Robin Gibson.  I know that Terry Yorath was quite impressed by him in the Huddersfield replay.  I know too that a lot of agents have been sniffing round Gibson recently, but I’m glad to say that Joey told them where to go.     I’m really glad though that Brian Flynn is keeping cool, even in these difficult times.  I was glad to escape the Preston game though.  To get beat like that on your own ground isn’t nice and it could do a lot of damage.  I know Brian rallied everybody together after that match, but a result like that is very embarrassing and I think certain things would have had to be said after that game.   The club has got to get some money from somewhere, to get some new faces in and to lift the club.

I can also state categorically to readers of Red Passion that it’s not me inside Rockin’ Robin.  I know Rockin’ Robin is probably as mad as me - but it’s not me inside that wonderful costume.  It would be a good way though for me to get in the ground!  I’ve got to say though that if I was inside Rockin’ Robin I’d be scampering on the pitch to trip up the opposition’s  winger.   I also heard that at the York game Rockin’ Robin was riding a bike.  I just hope he didn’t get done for speeding in a built-up area…

I’m doing a lot of work at the moment for MUTV.   Recently, for example, I did a special one-to-one interview with Kevin Keegan just before he got the England job.  It was prior to the Man Utd-Fulham Cup game and it was fantastic to speak to Kevin.  He even gave me a hug and a kiss!  It was actually the only one-to-one interview Keegan did before that game and I’ve got to say I was really nervous before I had to ask the questions.  But once I asked the first one, it just developed into a really natural conversation and Keegan actually gave me a jelly bean!  I can get quite nervous doing these interviews but I really do like doing them.  My first question is always a good one: Hello. Keegan was a great player for both Southampton and Newcastle – what a nice bloke!  I also bumped into Paul Bracewell who I know.  I’ve also recently been in touch with Steve Bould.   I used to play with him at Stoke and again I was trying to fix up an interview.   Me and him always used to take the piss out of each other, but he was a good player at Stoke and has done brilliantly at Arsenal.  I also asked him for a signed shirt. Garth Crooks was also knocking around doing stuff for Football Focus.  I’ve also got an interview planned with Gordon Strachan at Coventry’s training ground.  I was a bit nervous about approaching Gordon because Coventry had just been beaten 4-1 so it wasn’t the best time, but he was really good.  I know Gordon well because I’ve played with, and against, him and I know he’s a good lad.  I’ve already interviewed my mate Rushie, and I’m hoping to interview Mark Hughes for MUTV.   It’s certainly different – being the interviewer, rather than being interviewed.

I can also tell you that I’ve just bought a brick in the new stand.  I was discussing it with Allan Thomas and eventually I decided on a very simple inscription:

MICKEY THOMAS

WREXHAM 2 ARSENAL 1

I was really pleased with that – absolutely brilliant, really nice.  That Arsenal game was a classic and I’m so chuffed it’s going to be on my brick.  I didn’t want to say too much on my brick, just the basics and I just think the inscription says everything that needs to be said.

A lot of other things have been happening as well.  I’ve just done an interview for the special video that Wrexham FC are producing for the Millenium.  To be honest though, the lad who was interviewing me didn’t really know his stuff.  He probably wasn’t even born when I was playing for Wrexham, and I kept telling him: ‘Look lad, get your facts straight.’  He kept on talking about this quarter-final I played in and I'm not sure he knew what he was saying.   That said, it was brilliant to take part in a video like that.  I’ve also been in contact with Channel 4. They’re doing this Cutting Edge documentary about controversial and not so controversial footballers and I think they want to feature me, so I’m looking forward to that.

People have been asking me a lot recently about Stan Collymore…and about footballers getting ‘stress’.  Well, you might be surprised to find out that I can understand Collymore’s situation a bit.  Every footballer is an individual with a particular mentality and I know from my time at Man Utd – when I couldn’t handle the pressure – that all footballers can suffer mentally.   Of course, it’s easy to criticise Collymore and to make fun of him, but he’s a human being.  I think people have got to make an effort to understand footballers.   I know people think that modern day footballers just sit there and count their money, but it’s a bit more complicated than that.  Everyone’s different and Collymore’s case could be very genuine.  Having said that though, I still can’t make out what happened with him and Ulrika Jonnson.  If I’d have been in his shoes I wouldn’t have been hitting Ulrika – I’d have been shagging her!  

I’m also glad to say that my mate Peter Williams, the goalkeeping coach at Sunderland, does now have a bird.  I saw him the other night and I’m glad he’s got a woman eventually.  It was part of my New Year’s Resolution to see Peter get a woman and I’m dead chuffed for him.

I’m still playing for Amlwch.  Tommy Charlton and Nigel Ault keep picking me… so I’ll keep playing.  I think I’m playing on my name actually, but I won’t let it bother me. I’ve been playing at left-back recently.  Incredible.  I’m getting further and further back on the pitch.  I’ll soon be in goal and giving Mark Cartwright a run for his money…   We actually scored direct from a corner last week – the wind just blew the ball into the net.  Bizarre, but as they say, they all count.  I must give a special mention to Nigel Ault.  For a long time now he’s been telling everybody that he deserved a game.  It was beginning to get quite boring actually.  Then he got a game and guess what?  He scored the most spectacular own goal you’ve ever seen in your whole life.  It was very funny. More generally, I still hear a lot of rumours about myself in football circles.  It’s amazing how one individual can get such a reputation, but can I just say: whatever rumours you hear about me - they’re not true.

I’m doing a lot on the after-dinner circuit.  Me and Joey’s next do is actually being advertised on Teletext page 174.  There’s a headline about Joey Jones and Mickey Thomas going to do the Carl Dale Testimonial Dinner.  The link-man for this event is commentator Ian Gwynne-Hughes.  He’s involved with the organisation and the event is being held at the Marriott Hotel in Cardiff.  I spoke to Ian recently and he made this joke about not wanting to lend any money off me.  I’m still trying to work out what was funny about that though.   He also told me that in the BBC studios at Cardiff they’ve got a noticeboard with lots of cuttings and trivia on it.  He said that a few of my quotes from the last issue of Red Passion were now on this noticeboard in big, blown-up letters.  I really can’t believe that – do they honestly read Red Passion in Cardiff?   How did they get hold of it?  I’m just amazed – and also chuffed to bits that they picked some of my comments out.  I wonder which bits…? 

I’m also doing other bits of media work as well.  I did the Newtown-Wrexham game for BBC and I’m also still doing my Soccer Sixes for Marcher Sound.  Basically, this is where I make six football predictions every weekend.  I’ve not been doing too bad and I got three out of six right last week.  The cup competitions though are quite hard to judge; but when I back Wrexham to draw they always win, so I’m not complaining…

I’ve got to say I’m looking forward to the Soccer Sixes competition at the London Arena.  This is a veterans competition.  It’s going to be televised by Sky and I’ll be playing for Chelsea.  There’s a lot of good lads in the Blues’ squad: Kerry Dixon, David Speedie, Peter Bonetti, Peter Osgood, Ray Wilkins, Gary Stanley, Gary Chivers, Clive Walker and Colin Pates.   This should be a really good do.  I just LOVE football – any kind of football.  I’m also delighted to announce that I’ve just been picked in a special Man Utd ‘Villains XI’ along with people like Best and Cantona.  It’s brilliant to be in their company!  I’ve also been doing a phone-in show with Jimmy Greenhoff.  All this work with MUTV is just brilliant.

People keep asking me about Rush and when he’s going to retire.  I’m not saying anything.  You can’t knock him.  He’s a legend, and I make no bones about saying that I’ll always be the first to stick up for him.  But it just looks as if the service to him hasn’t worked out.  It would be a shame if he was to retire but I still think he’s been good for Wrexham.   They got him for next to nothing and he could have gone elsewhere – easily.   He’s obviously been learning the coaching trade, and I think he’s enjoyed that more than anything.  He’s a great bloke, and I think he could also be a great manager.  Like Keegan he’s got everyone’s respect and everyone you talk to speaks very highly of Rushie.

As to Keegan and the England job I think you’ve got to say that he’s everybody’s choice.  When I did the interview for MUTV I realised what great charisma he’s got.  He kept on talking and he’s a great communicator.  I’m sure he’s the man for the job.  He’s his own person and he loves the game.  I think you’ve got to respect him for honouring his Fulham contract -but obviously time will tell.  As I said earlier, I was at the Man Utd-Fulham game.  I was sitting in the directors box and sitting just behind me was Mohammed Al-Fayed and Max Clifford, the publicist.  There was a brilliant atmosphere at Old Trafford: the United fans were singing ‘Keegan for England’ and the Fulham fans were singing ‘Keegan for Fulham’.  I think I know though why Keegan is staying at Fulham.  It’s the only way he’ll get a discount at Harrods.  I also saw Posh Spice when I was at Old Trafford.  I would have shagged her but that guy David Beckham was around, so I kept my distance.  He would have killed me.

It was a pleasure to attend an event in Holyhead recently with Joey, Rushie and John Charles.  It was a football exhibition and we had a really good time.  It was particularly nice to see John Charles.

It would be brilliant if Wrexham got to Wembley in the AWS.   I’ve been lucky enough to play at Wembley several times for Man Utd and Wales, and I also went, as a fan, to watch Stoke City there in a final a few years ago.   Wembley is always a great day out but I don’t think you should assume Wrexham will get there.  There are too many ifs and buts, but with a home and away northern final who knows?  But I think we’ve got to be clear: it’s vital that Wrexham stay in Division Two and the club and the team should not get distracted by the AWS.  It’s also good to see the Mold Road stand taking shape.

By the way I really like all those caricatures in Red Passion.   I’ve got to say I thought that Paul Burrell interview dragged on a bit, but I do like those cartoons. I love the ones of Kev Reeves and Rushie.  That one with Rushie talking about Joey was excellent and I love the Rockin’ Robin one as well.   Tremendous. When Rockin’ Robin said that I was his hero a couple of issues ago, I was really made up. 

Cheers,