Their Blood Is Red & White
& Sponsored By
No.3 Carl Tunnah
Neil Pye, Paul Lindsay and Peter Davies chat with the other King Carl…
Background
Carl Tunnah is one of those guys you just love: he’s a real football fan. He lives and breathes football and he lives and breathes Wrexham: you always see him at games - every home game, every away game. He’s just PERMANENT - anywhere and everywhere. He’s part of the furniture. He’s also colourful and eccentric: he’s had pink hair and he’s slept in the club shop (1997 - all-night Chesterfield ticket vigil). In the company of three mates, he recently helped consume 88 pints of Guinness. And that’s why he’s a cult figure.
Setting
It’s 5.20pm post-match and Carl Tunnah, his brother and two friends are looking very much at home in the Lex Club. Carl’s just ordered a pint - or three - and he’s just about to take his seat in the lounge area (mobile phone in hand). The football results are just coming on the TV - and the bar area is packed with Reds fans and Lex soccer men - including the truly immortal Nigel Beaumont. Carl’s ready to go: the first-ever, world-exclusive Tunnah interview…
Q. Can you tell us a bit about your background?
Yeah, I was brought up in Wrexham - Manley Road, Smithfield. I was born in the house I live in now - I’ve been in it all my life. I went to my first game when I was about 3 - and I was a regular when I was 4. I’m 41 now - well, 41 and a bit.
Q. What do you do for a living?
A. ‘I’m a driver. I deliver animal feed for a company called Bernard H.Barkley. We’re based at Station Road, Rossett. I’ve also worked for Crosville Buses and also for my grandad’s sweets business.’
Q. What was the first Wrexham game you saw?
A. ‘I think it was 1960 - Crystal Palace at home. We lost 1-0, but I was only two-and-a-half going on three. I went with my dad.’
Q. Any more early Wrexham memories?
A. ‘Yep, I remember a lot of players: David Powell, Kevin Keelan, Rolando Ugolini, Aly McGowan, Albert Parker, Steve Stacey.’
Q. What’s your best-ever Wrexham memory?
Rotherham 7-0 in 1978 - the promotion year. Arsenal was pretty good as well. I won thirty-odd quid after the Arsenal game - I’d had a fiver on Wrexham at 7/1.’
Q. How many games a season do you get to?
A. ‘Now, it’s most. I think I’ve missed six games in the last 13 years.’
Q. Out of curiosity, what were they?
A. ‘One was Plymouth away; one was Fulham away; one was the Mike Williams testimonial game; one was Crewe away; one was Torquay just after a Bank Holiday Monday. That’s five - can’t remember the other one.’
Q. What about all the European games?
A, ‘I’ve been to a couple away: Lyngby and Man United. Anderlecht though was our best moment - I’m sure that Rensenbrink was offside when that goal went in. Magdeburg was a good game as well.’
Q. Who’s your favourite Wrexham player of all time?
A. ‘Mel Sutton definitely. He was a good player. He always had a lot of the ball and for most of the time he knew what to do with it. I tell you something: he made Bobby Shinton. Joey’s obviously got to be up there as well. His commitment was unbelievable: 110 per cent every time, if not 200 per cent. I also liked Steve Fox. He was a good player - but I’m afraid a fool unto himself. Fox wasn’t right in the head - he would have played for England otherwise. He was crazy - a brilliant lad.’
Q. We always see you selling programmes…
A. ‘Yep, I did that for two or three years recently.’
Q. You’re on good terms with some of the players?
A. ‘Yeah, Joey’s dead good with us. He christened us the Tag Team; you know, the wrestling thing - two big lads. We were quite friendly too with Andy Marriott. We got to know his mum and dad and his missus too. Andy was dead friendly. I was walking through town once with my brother Neil. Andy was walking by and tapped Neil on the shoulder. How many footballers would do something like that? He was a really nice lad.’
Q. Any others?
A. ‘Benno was a good lad - he was at the Chesterfield home game recently you know. We always got on well with Mickey Thomas too.’
Q. You were spotted last summer in the Isle of man with red hair. What was that all about?
A. ‘It was just before we set off the Isle of Man. I was pissed one night and a couple of girls dared me. I think it was pink really. I got this big tub of stuff and did it. I washed it in the Isle of Man and it went all wet and dark. Then I went out to this pub, and then on to a club. And there were mirrors everywhere and I realised it was red. After four washes it was almost back to normal - there was just a little bit of red left.’
Q. ‘What’s been your lowest point as a Wrexham fan?
A. ‘Mansfield at home in ’77 was pretty bad. I just locked myself in the toilet after that game and let no-one in. Chesterfield away in the cup wasn’t great either. I cried my eyes out.’
Q. What are your opinions about Flynn and the current squad?
A. ‘I like Flynn and I’ve got nothing against him, but I get the feeling that he might have taken Wrexham as far as he can do. You could possible say there’s a lack of ambition. The Carl Griffiths saga, for example - I was really disappointed with that.’
Q. Who’s the man then?
A. ‘It’s Mark Hughes for me - as player-manager. He’s a local lad and perhaps we could still get a couple of seasons out of him as a player.’
Q. Who’s stood out for you this season?
A. ‘Carey - he always does. He’s 90 per cent consistent and reliable all the time. Spink’s also done very well at centre-half - at the moment Deano would be my choice as player of the year.’
Q. What’s your current view of the Board?
A. ‘I think Pryce Griffiths is 100 per cent Wrexham. He’s no Jack Walker though - he just doesn’t have mega-money. If he’d got it I’m sure he’d stick it in to the club. In general I think there’s an obscene amount of money in football at the moment; the rich will no doubt get richer and the poor poorer. If you’re in the First Division now you’ve got to be thinking how much it will cost you if you get into the Premiership. You’ve always got to strengthen your squad with two or three players if you want to survive in the top league.’
Q. Tell us something interesting, Carl…
A. ‘Well, I’m actually a Wrexham FC shareholder. I’ve got 16 shares at about 50p each. They were hand-me-downs really from my grandad. He was vice-chairman of the club for a period in the ‘70s - TH.Dodd was his name.’
Q. So you’re from a footballing family?
A. ‘Yep, I’m steeped in it. It’s either in your blood or it isn’t - and it’s certainly in mine. Neil, my brother’s a serious fan as well - but he’s never had pink hair! He’s missed more games than I have as well! Neil’s followed them since the mid-70s - so that’s 20-odd years. We’re always together at matches.’
Carl Tunnah: Top Trivia
Favorite drink - Real ale - Black Bat or Dogs Bollocks
Favourite food - Decent fish and chips
Favourite music - Most things but not any modern stuff. Probably Elvis and ‘60s stuff
Favourite TV programme - Football, sport
Favourite TV pundit - Andy Gray; Trevor Francis is an arsehole
Ideal woman - Lindsay Dawn McKenzie
Favourite Spice Girl - None
Favourite newspaper - Evening Leader: back page only
Favourite politician - Not interested
Favourite non-Wrexham footballer - Frank Lebeouf
Favourite other team - Chelsea
Favourite old footballers - Charlie Cooke, Jimmy Johnstone
Favourite all-time Wrexham player - Joey - 100 per cent commitment all the time
Q. What’s all this about your special net support sponsorship?
A. ‘Well, I got laid off from Crosville Buses and my money came through, and I just thought I’d like to do something for the club. We had a word with Allan Thomas and he suggested net supports. My brother Neil got in the photo that was in the Leader and the programme but I really paid it all!’
Q. Sorry Carl, it may sound like a stupid question, but what’s a net support?
A. ‘It’s a big ‘C’-shaped thing that helps keep the posts and the netting firm. It saves you putting loads of pegs in the ground to do the same job.’
Q. How much did this deal cost?
A. ‘£490, if I remember correctly. The thing’s made out of aluminium you know. There might be a new sponsor for them next season - I don’t know. We had our photo in the Leader as well which was good - a nice bit of publicity.’
Q. Any other opinions about the club?
A. ‘Yeah, I think Allan Thomas is doing a good job - but he needs a bigger shop. In a way I think it’s a shame there’s not going to be a shop under the new stand. Even clubs like Stoke and Wycombe have got club shops that look like supermarkets. Wycombe have also got a precinct shop.’
Q. What about the new stand?
A. ‘I think everyone’s got to pull their finger out if it’s going to be ready by June; everything seems to be going very slowly.’
Q. Any favourite pubs you’ve got to know on your travels with Wrexham?
A. ‘Two stand out: The Charters Café Bar in Peterborough. It’s on a barge on the river. It’s a top place - and it serves 16 different ales. I’m a serious real ale man. There’s another one we go to as well. We always stop at it on the way back from places like Lincoln, Stoke and Nottingham. It’s called the Bhurtpore Arms - it’s between Nantwich and Whitchurch. It’s a cracking pub. I’ve actually just bought a van recently for away games. It’s a people carrier that seats eight. I can get my brother in and a few mates. I got it last October.’
Q. Which opposition fans do you like best?
A. ‘Burnley definitely. They call me all kind of names but I like them. I also get on well with the Stoke crew.’
Q. How regularly do you go to the Isle of Man?
A. ‘Very regularly. I like the fans - Preston, Oldham and even Shamrock Rovers. I think I missed one game one year - against the Isle of Man. I’ve been to all the rest.’
Q. What’s your typical matchday routine?
A. ‘Get up 7.30, watch Trans-World Sport, do a bit of shopping, have a pint in Weatherspoons, have a drink in the Turf, watch the game, have a pint in the Lex Club, get pissed in O’Neills, go to bed.’
Q. What’s your favourite away ground?
A. ‘Portsmouth actually. It’s a cracking ground. I got piss-wet through there once - and it wasn’t through drink! I’ve only been once I think; it looked terrible from outside but it was really nice inside. But all the grounds are changing these days. Bristol City’s, for example, was once a dive - now it’s one of the best. Wrexham’s was once one of the best - now it’s one of the worst.’
Q. What do you think of Tim Vincent?
A. ‘Never met him; never seen him.’
Q. Who do you see as the other totally serious Wrexham fans?
A. ‘People like Dave Price, Ian Phillips, Geraint Parry, Paul ‘Kizza’ Davies, Steve and Mickey Parry, Paul Sheen from Birmingham and Keith on the Kop. Also the Shropshire Reds and the London Reds.’
Q. Whose kit are you sponsoring this year?
A. ‘Dave Ridler - his away kit. There was only a few left when we asked about it.’
Q. What do you think of Rush?
A. ‘I’ve got a feeling he may be better playing just behind the front two.’
Q. What do you think of Wrexham’s support?
A. ‘I think it’s fickle. And the way they’re playing now I think they’re getting what they deserve. A lot turn up for the cup games and then follow Liverpool or Man United the rest of the time. Fairweather - that’s what I call it. The away support is good - definitely better. As a percentage of the home crowd it’s got to be one of the best travelling supports.’
Q. What would be your best-ever Wrexham XI?
A. ‘Probably the ‘77-’78 team as a whole.’
Q. Would Connolly get in it?
A. ‘No, not at the moment.’
Q. Marriott?
A. ‘No, I’ll stick with Dai Davies’
Q. Carey?
A. ‘No, the subs bench’
Q. Any favourite Wrexham stories?
A. ‘Sean Reck v Grimsby Town when Dixie was manager. Dixie asked Reck to mark Shaun Cunnington and said, ‘Any questions?’ Reck said: ‘Do you want him marked on the pitch or for life?’ Reck was also involved in a drop-ball situation. He kicked the player before the ball bounced. I also remember travelling to a match at Bury. We pulled up in the car next to Mickey Thomas. He was brilliant’
Q. What about Wembley?
A. ‘That would have been brilliant - even though it’s just the AWS. We blew it and bottled it in the FA Cup two years ago and of course you’d want to get there in the Cup rather than the AWS.’
Q. Where do you watch matches from at the Racecourse?
A. ‘We sit in the Executive Box. We bought some club bonds a while ago and ever since we’ve sat there.’
Q. What’s your main hobby outside football?
A. ‘Breeding bulldogs’
Cheers Carl - top man!