Aaron Cresswell on Big Sam's banter and the TIGHTEST man in football! | Iron Cast

then on the Thursday we had the parade so everyone's back on it on the parade on the bus and as one thing that always sticks out me I can say Danny had a someone giv us these cheap bottles of like champagne or whatever it was and I remember satting the front of the bus with Danny and we'd obviously all been drinking I said to Danny don't even know I can say this but anyway he went to I went you wouldn't drink that it must have been a literally three quarters of this like 4 pound bottle of champagne he's just on the front of the bus neck the law he transplant the next day hello and welcome to ironcast what a special guest we've got this week Ginge how's this for an intro West Ham's current longest serving first team player approaching a decade with the Hammers second place on West Ham's all-time most premier league appearance list with 289 appearances the 2015 Hammer Of The Year capped three times for his country England and how can we forget 2023 UEFA Europa conference League winner welcome to iron cast Aaron Creswell welcome oh man right do you want to stitch each other up at all is there any I see what in just got we haven't got too much have we got a couple start off with Miami yeah we're probably swerve that way let's swerve that way um you've been at West Ham such a long time you played with Jin 10 years must be getting on get on this summer it's gone you know too too quick it felt like literally a year ago I remember joining Jing and the characters we had when I joined obviously noes car Cole ging Andy Carl uh to name a few it was just I remember coming into the team and it was just like wow do you I mean it was full of characters and we had a great uh Great British core you know that year and it was a fun times yeah big Sam in the Dugout as well brid through and through fish sluming down as the goals went in against us uh it's a weird you've got a weird bit of history now cuz I was looking at you're the longest serving West Ham first team player and it's you Auggie and Mickey are the only ones who played at Upton Park the current West Ham team it's a weird thing to think about is it I think there's to be fair I think there's a few stuff I think like few of the the medical staff is a few of them left uh Craig Craig obviously come as well M uh but no opon Park was special J it was mate time yeah just had a weird feeling like soon as you it's not saying we don't have that feeling now but you were genuinely going into games doesn't matter what it was Man City and they had some team back then uh Liverpool man united uh Chelsea you were genuinely going into the game we're going to win this game comfortably today that's that's the feeling you had well certainly I had the well that that last year J was was special on yeah I speak about it all the time I don't know you might be the same CZ I think say 10 years time when people ask me I'll I'll talk about that last season up Park the last game there it was something unbelievable I know you started the game I didn't start but C's bang on that feeling the place had you sort of I know it's an old cliche you sort of like felt like you was one n up going you know the atmosphere when you're down the tunnel was down and you you'd hear the just like a proper like yeah like just the the atmosphere you knew exactly what you were getting whether it was you know a lesser team or or a Tottenham at home whatever uh but but that last year was was special even the last game the buildup jange when I going back to the cuz I think we stayed in Canary w we come through and that Ro I think the game delayed didn't it like an hour or an hour and a half uh yeah I remember I remember feeling the pressure and I think you know that final last year uh was was something special but I don't know there was just something about that night was that live you know both were incredibly you know Highs but that was just you know special I remember seeing like you I think a lot of people have talked about it you look in the crowd and there literally you know 50y old bloke just just crying his eyes out thinking like obviously there's so much history there uh it was it was just special I used to like I I loved it there cuz when we weren't playing well West H players used to get a bit of stick as well didn't you didn't we some players didn't like it I quite like you ever get a bit of stick on side do not just it it's interesting you say like did you feel you had to win that game the last game of Upton Park was it something the players were talking about yeah cuz it again he was so much history behind and you don't want to you don't want to turn them lights off and we've just been beat or been slapped and it was Man United and you know they a top team at the at the time and uh some fantastic players you know Rooney one of sticks out me mind and he just you know we had a fantastic start I think we went one n up early on James didn't we I think uh and then they went 2-1 in front and you thinking oh God here we go there's there's still 20 minutes to so to go here uh no it was just like a he wanted to give something back and you didn't want to go out on a on a bad note you I mean and you know the performance the atmosphere and and and obviously the the victory was was special can you remember there after ma can you remember being sat in the in the Chang room for a while I think we got home late cuz the game was late anyway must have been like 2 or 3:00 I got home just like everyone just sat there sat for just chatting telling stories having a cutle of beers I remember being in there for ages after the game that night addressing well the F some fans were helping themselves to momentos from the St did you help yourself did you you got any momentos from up to you know where he's from that's why I said no straight away might have a few seats no I hav looking back I think there's yeah I wish had you know took coup I think I think I've got a seat I my son had a had a seat or something a sign or something we've got he's got up in his bedroom there I think everyone was Carnage I think people smuggling screwdrivers into the game just to get just to get stuff off the wall and it yeah so like your first season Crest you played I think every game you were Hammer of the year and it I mean what starts your West Ham career first season yeah no I remember I remember coming in and you know You' always a bit you know what you going to play you're not going to play what what uh and my first game was against to totenham at home we got beat one nil and and I managed to do well I got man of the match and I just remember thinking to myself just I know it's to old cliche but say each game as it comes and just try and stay in a team uh and I remember getting a couple of little niggles where I'm thinking I wanted that it was like a I don't know if it was the first or a second year actually I played I think I missed one game in two years me first two years uh and I just wanted to not give any opportunity to lose you know me [ __ ] and stay in the team as much as I could and you know thankfully I stayed inj fre and I managed to play I think it was I missed one game in the first two years so it was good yeah did you enjoy your time under Sam yeah Sam yeah yeah great it was a it was it's hard to kind of like you know talk about but off the pitch and you know the things the way te and and and that side of it was he was special uh obviously he played him longer than me Jing he was and it was yeah we had some good times off it didn't we a lot of people don't realize how stats how big he was on his stats and that they whenever I speak about it he was didn't he we used to have like a I think it was every was it every six games J where he give you like and he dangled a carrot and say right Lads these next six games he'd asked the room like out of out of six games how many points are we going to get against these teams and the lads to come together and go like 12 points off these six games or whatever it was and then if you met them t [ __ ] he'd either you know we'd either have a couple more days off or whatever it was we'd have a night out or he'd pay for a meal for the lads to go for some food or whatever uh and then he we we'd have a review com the end of it and it was like all the best bits of them six games and as J said he was mad on stats and everything was done he was behind the scenes he he was really a it was good I think he's the only manager I worked for that did that like broke the season down into inter sections of games right we get 12 points on this eight games and he and he was like you'd go in I remember going in like say he hadn't he hadn't he dropped me or something like that I hadn't played you go in ask the gaffa you know why am I not playing he would go bang bang you're not playing cuz you this these many ERS you lost you didn't win the and he just knew everything M you could have AR story J remember that time it my first year obviously and I think we played I don't know 10 games and and Sam wanted me to get it drop off I think we had Andy up top uh I think it was Adrian in goal maybe and me dropping you know a little bit deeper or push up drop off get the ball off ad on 10 and play it long but we had Alex song at the time so we used to do it every Thursday so I've dropped out what he wanted to do and instead of playing it long to H to Andy I've played it inside to S who was obviously unbelievable on the ball and he stopped the session to the session he's going to what the f are you doing I went well s is there like what you want play a 60 yard pass or whatever and he went oh what a couple of good games it was just like but he just got you there to shoot you there and then he was just like and then that was it it was like he got everyone on board everyone's laughing and joking and stuff and no he was brilliant nightmares about those defending sessions on a Thursday he used to literally just get me read the back four whoever was playing in the day on the Saturday he'd get that back four and he'd get the rest of the boys on the halfway line just to Shell balls at us we just head out spot and he used get the young Lads M like you'd have all the young wh Snappers who are like 19 fresh trying to win press the Gaff and we this was two days before a game and it's like attack Fe defense it's like 2v4 or whatever and you just it's just the way he done it about how buzzing he'd be because I could edit quite far if I edit it far he would I've never seen a man so happy on Ed Ed like 40 yards and it'd be buzzing yeah you bring it down on your chest time play didn't like it but you 40 yards it's when the players like talk about working with big Sam you just light up like you enjoyed it it work for you it was it was enjoyable honestly like like C says he was a great man to be around off the pitch look when he was on football he was on it he was very serious but he'd be coming see we'd lost a game he coming on Monday he'd ask you about your f it wasn't all intent that Balan in went to pressure like as in like be on you and then also take a step back but his arm round you and you know that side of it and then as Jin said once you know training come it was it was serious you I mean it wasn't just like a big joke and a laugh and you know all p p whatever uh he was he was serious like so first season big Sam second season slav and this is like you've been a part of many Great West Ham teams in the last 10 years but that 2015 2016 Dimitri pet lanzini coming in final season at Upton Park where does that stand in your best teams you kind of played in at West Ham I think yeah that was certainly up there uh because we had I think we had everything uh in terms of again we had that British core of you know that held everyone together and and and and you know set the the work e of of everyday and train and going into the games uh you know that team all was was and we got everyone you know everyone bought in and then we had the likes of Manu uh Demi you I mean it was like it was just a special group to be around you I I say all the time Demi was the best we hadn't seen anything like him really we I just remember our first couple of weeks it was like in train and it's like where's he come from I think straight away was it obvious be honest I've never really had much of them same before that and then well you you must have seen a change you know over the is when you sign plays all the lads are sitting back I wonder what he's like you me let's let's let's see what he's like the first week and I remember just thinking where has this fell been you I mean like where he was like 28 29 J so he's not not at the back end but he was but Manu as well some of the stuff man Dubai somewhere some of the stuff them two were doing in training around that time every day like you scared to get near him cuz it was just like just pop it through your legs and then you go back around and pop it through again just to take the out you yeah yeah yeah why ended up smashing him yeah literally literally oh I mean one of the things it doesn't I mean the last season at Upton Park is like everyone talks about it in the context of the last season Upton part but there's an FA Cup run in there Aaron I wondered is that a regret like losing to united we beat them a few weeks later in the last gameon par but it felt like the way the draw went after that point there was no big teams left it felt like was that a chance to win the FA Cup I think if I can remember now was it when we went to Old Trafford Drew one0 and I think at the time OB he wasn't V and that then goal should have been yeah disallowed we won if I get the score now might have been we have won one0 was it finish one or whatever to get the replay uh and yeah as you say the run that that could have been the the Year to you know to push on and really have a right go but I I felt like we've always played United in the cups over the years you mean we seem to draw them all the time but yeah certainly that was the year I think yeah so then we leave up to park we come to London stadi and it felt like the players it took I don't know how you felt you boys both felt like that transition from Upton Park in London Stadium it felt like it took a while for the players to get used to I heard rumors that was the pitch was a bit bigger than we were used to or it felt like I remember speaking to you like when when we were defending that F listen I I think it would have the transition for the fans everyone would have been easier if the football was better on the pitch we struggled we struggled big time that first year and I remember speaking of crez and the boys at the back it just seemed it probably wasn't probably the same size I think it was actually the same size up you couldn't get your head round it and you like dogy the Grands we were like I'm telling you now it's not but it was you know what I mean it was but like when you were defending the the space that you were defending just see like obviously not the quickest man in the world so you know sit a bit deeper but it just seemed like there was space everywhere I think we we spoke about uh because I think we had green Astro Tiff next to the pitch so from this side playing a diag jing what you could do it a lot you I mean it was like you couldn't kind of Judge it but it just looked like it was never ending you know I mean and then I think they put the clar astral tap and it made it look a bit and then I saw kept kicking out of play a new EXC oh it's not it's not the grass then not the green as I mean given how many great European nights we've had over there I think at fans London Stadium feels like home now how does it feel for players now do you feel settled there yeah no I think we're definitely I look I think it was always going to be difficult going into a new stadium everyone's getting their own new seat different you know part of the stadium totally different type of Stadium uh but I think certainly look I think if You' have asked any West Ham fan eight years ago when we moved in you know the the European nights we've had uh they' have snapped your hand off of the so I think that's what's made it more like homeing it the young young West Ham fans are now growing up in the stadium it's it's home the big nights the boys the European the big atmospheres that's what makes a a ground feel like home and obviously the more we have the the better it'll be yeah let's talk about England around this time like around the 2016 you get called up for England you play you make your debut against Spain then you go on you start a game against Lithuania for the World Cup qualifi in 2018 what did it mean for you to get caught up it was crazy that that year in preseason I thought you was the legend yeah I do in a preseason game and I smashed me MCL and I was out for like three or four months uh so that was in preseason and I missed yeah the first three months of the season I come back uh we played Crystal Palace away uh I setting lanzini up We we played some lovely little stuff switch out and then uh Manu scored and then after the game I think uh International break was coming up I think it was in the November it would have been uh I remember thinking there was a couple of little rumors you there like oh you might be in a squad and this and then I think they get like a what is it J like a pre-selected yeah they say there's a CH there's like a probably 30 players is or something like that and you in that and I was in thinking oh there might actually be a chance and I remember getting a I think someone got injured that might been Danny Rose at the time got injured and I got a phone call I remember clear this day I was satting I lived in L at the time and I was sat in the in the Loft playing me PlayStation and I think pinch me Andrew pincher here and he said I think you're in the England squad and I was like yeah good on M I'm just playing fre so then H Southgate rang me and he said look I've been watching you for a while now you've been brilliant obviously you've had the injury and all that and uh you know your next in line type of thing so you're coming down and literally that night I got picked up late at say it's about 7:00 St George's and then in we went that could have easily been Snodgrass on that phone call could exctly that comes in your mind this and then when obviously Southgate rang I was like oh my God this is actually happening this and look it was a something if I'm honest that you don't kind of dream of it I didn't think you know I'd ever get that far uh in football and it was just yeah it was a special special 12 every1 Downer nervous myself he ranking the most nervous you've been in career like what I think yeah it was it was it was definitely upd I think it was more because in my mind I'm trying to play a cool you know what I mean I think everyone does that like I'm coming on against Spain or whatever but I remember like me Granddad who's who's still alive now but he's you know he's he's old and he he made the trip all the way down to to London which was special uh and I remember just all my family upstairs and I'm thinking just don't like I don't know yet you I mean I'm just a bit like I was all over the place um and know look I managed to get I think about 20 minutes I think H and then I play against liania uh started I don't know if it was the same camp or it might have been the next Camp I think uh which was another special moment yeah yeah man have you got those shirts England shirts FR I've still got them yeah no I haven't got them framed I've still got them uh I've still got them all in a think actually a been back I I went through my shirts they was like you you must have swapped some shirts or kept your whale shirts yeah yeah I kept them all they're literally stuffed in a bin bag not even washed uh probably not no no I've never I've never watched any of them always keep collect them smells great oh man so like after the like 2017 to 2020 I was just thinking about it it's like it's a bit of a Wilderness period almost of West H like we're kind of transitioning a little bit and it's only when the gaffa David Moyes comes back for a second time we're in a relegation battle but but then the club changes and we spoke to Augie about this and he said it was just after the pandemic a game against Chelsea when yo gets the last minute winner yeah yeah and he said just something changed around there's a picture around of that goal I think in J Mo's got it in his room it's it's honest if you see the picture I think it was all like the back the background stuff and you know the lads that work here day and day out and don't get the credit you know I think they deserve and there's a picture of Yama scoring and everyone just celebrating together but like I think the Gaff is in the background and yam's obviously celebrating but you can see everyone in the background there's no there's no one at the stadium and I think Angelo was right that that was like well it felt like a turn on point and obviously we stayed up that that year and it was just it was special one highlight from that kind of 2017 2020 period was the game at Stanford Bridge your goal to win one nil but that not what claimed the headlines Dave Martin Dave Martin man yeah no I'm still you know really close with Dave now and he bangs on about it you would though I was with him I was with him a couple was about two weeks ago and we were just talking about something and then all of a sudden it was just about him playing against Chelsea do you mean he just any opportunity bring it up to say but no that was a special it was a special night for Dave it obviously Roberto had been going through a tough time uh and then Dave come in and I don't think he ever thought he was going to play for West Ham in all honesty uh I think he ended up playing about five or six games Dave and you know to to make your debut Chelsea away you know we were under pressure at the time as well we were obviously fighting relegation uh to keep a clean sheat and and me to scor me right foot was I forgot that a clean sheet of Stanford Bri Stanford Bridge or C SC with his right foot I don't know which one but no it was it was special special and then like so we stay up 2020 we stay up and then the 2020 21 season I we finished Sixth and like this the team from that night that Augie talked about that Chelsea game we just turn around and like we've almost been on the ascendency ever since that essentially what what changed at the club they're like yeah then all something just kind of click together and you know we had that again we had the the togetherness uh every game we were going into we give everything we had and you know we just went on a crazy run and you know I remember I think it was the second game of the season we ler away was it 3-0 and then wolves the second game 4-0 and it was just kind of momentum was building and we just carried on throughout the season and as you say to finish Sixth and get in the European spot was was was incredible and sorry did you it's going to I don't know take it a did you see the club being this size when you joined you know day I always knew Jing I remember I remember again talking about being nervous I remember myself coming in the championship up P when when I was at rip switch uh and it's always been look it's always been a massive Club but in terms of maybe what it is now that the size of the stadium the fan base and you know to spent so long here to get to understand what it means to people and what it actually is Ginge and it's you know it's a special Club in many ways uh but the size of it is is is huge it's been unbelievable the rise is it since since you know looking back do you ever train at Chadwell as well yeah yeah from there to like even me now coming as a fan seeing the size of the place I don't think I you you always knew it had that potential it was a bit it's a massive Club but to get the rise has been in the last what the boys have done in the last couple years European it's unbelievable what can you say about these European nights it's been a been special it's just like again the rise from you know over the last 10 years and it's it's been a in a weird way it's been a it's been a great time to see that side of it to then come through the back of it and see this side of it uh you know which was we've had some tough times J jamy let's be honest uh you know I think it was around 2020 was it 2019 obviously bany at home was was was tough uh and then to you know to fight through all that and and turn it around and come back and and as you say after these European nights was was was tremendous the seevilla game I find myself just going on YouTube I'm sure many West Ham fans are like this just reminiscing about those great European nights but Sevilla game one n down on the first leg beating them two n you played in that game yamamo uh and nuch with the goals like the atmosphere that night no it was that I think that's that's certainly the best atmosphere I put there at the stadium I think or I can't think I'm any better than that uh at the at the London Stadium sorry uh was was was just different and yeah them them European nights you just can't beat them certainly on like a Thursday night is how have you um I've always wondered this because they didn't do it too much how have you f how you know when we're in Europe how did you find the Thursday Sunday the games I think it's a psychological thing where people yeah I think the first year J everyone just like everyone's buzzing anyway so it's not like oh I think for the boys who do it every single year it it can definitely take it to tall but um I think it's been it's been fine yeah now obviously that first season in Europe we if we're talking about it from end to end we've got to eventually get to the couple of red cards you way couple yeah you know what so I went back and watched them again just to remind myself and now we've got the distance of time and it's all kind of fine with one of European trophy they're not red cards I I think really harsh certainly the Leon one was the one that really me off of I'm honest uh I don't think it was ever a read and and to do it again you know against Frank was was hard to take and in all honesty it was it was the lowest point I think I've had yeah uh I remember it it was kind of so obviously the Leon one happened uh which I didn't think was was a red name on the flip side of that we we traveled to Leon away for the second leg I was going to say did did you really want us to win that like even get back like yeah nothing nothing else crossed me mind it was I remember jonno played left back I think yeah uh and he was unbelievable uh in in in in that leg and the atmosphere again there was was was the tension was high you know I mean and the lads were unbelievable to be fair and I think obviously big door scored H deck scored and it was just a special night I was obviously there with the lads travel with them and it was it was incredible so much the Social Media stuff was like justice for Crest like justice no cuz I think then B actually winked at the camera or the bench whatever it was yeah like straight after it so that kind of D me head in it even more do you know what I mean so I want obviously to knock them out in the next round uh and then the yeah the frankf one was was hard to take it was horrible because we obviously one nil down already uh up against it going into the second leg away which is always you know tough uh ref gives a yellow the ref give a yellow so I thought no no to be fair in that moment I thought I've got away with this and then I realized no was V so then once it went to V I knew I was last man you I mean it was just a just one of them things where it obviously last man red card and I was absolutely devastated but there was one thing that I remember most was the Sunday so that was on a Thursday we stayed over at night remember it was me noes dos Dex Dave Martin Brian Fredericks uh John O can't tell if I've missed any of the lads out we stayed up till about 4 o'clock in the morning and we just got absolutely rotten uh and we had a game on a Sunday so it was the only way we could deal with it you I mean get knocked out it was towards the end of the season and we played the Norge on a Sunday remember thinking it's horrible for me i' just been sent off and to be fair to the gaffer I'm thinking that's me done with a gaffer you mean he's going to be so off and and I played on the Sunday against n away I remember going into the game just thinking this is horrendous and the start of the game the West Ham fan sang you know my name and Me song or whatever and it was just that was the the teing point for me inside where I thought that was special you I mean it meant a lot uh but it was it was tough to te I think when you get sent off in such a game like that how horrendous is it when you sat in that dressing room on your own after you've been sent off you did in a big Wales again didn't you Belgium we can laugh about it now but the gaffa got sent off didn't he oh yeah it's not just you and the Gaff no knows this don't think about it so I've been sent off and I'm sat there and I'm absolutely devastated and I just did the doors come down and I all looked at me right there the Gaff so obviously he doesn't even want to look at me I've been sent off and I looked at him and just put me head back down think say do you mean what's happened to you H and then obviously after it all I got sent off the GAA got sent off and it was just a horrible horrible moment surrend oh man but like what was the postgame chat in the dressing room was there anything at all no I think we could still be proud of what we'd achieved that year um it was as I say it was it was a tremendous run uh in in in Europe uh and I it was just I think look him back now the one nil defeat at home oh was it 2-1 sorry 2-1 was it uh one n or we lost by one one goal yeah two I think it was H I think if we' have went into it you know in a better situation it might have been you know a different outcome or you know if I would have got sent off it might have been a different outcome who knows but I think we we can look back and be proud of that year and look at the foundations it laid for what we achieved the following year in the conference League there's one moment I want to ask you about before we get to Prague and the semi-final you played in which is Lucas patar doing the skill while you're on the bench Jing the Mad thing about it right I think we were just I forget it was I think it was Thomas uh I think Kate it might have been someone sat next to me on a bench and obviously Lucas was when he's full of confidence you just know he's he's off for something's going to happen so I remember Shou he most probably wouldn't have understood a we I said to him you mean I've just shouted show me something literally a minute before it but obviously he most probably doesn't know and as the balls come across he's done this naughty skill and I've just gone B on a Ben mean I know everyone was buzzing with it but no he's got that you should see him he's special yeah Special so like the conference League you played in many important games that season but the semi-final alar one nil up I think in the first leg we go to their place atmosphere is just crackling where does that Rank and how nervous you were before a game and did last what happened the previous year we weirdly I don't think we were that nervous for that game for for some I don't know we just felt so confident going into the game uh that we we beat them uh yeah I'm sure he was a bit of nerves there but I don't know I just felt we were we were always going to win that game they were a lovely football and team but I just felt we had too much for him and and then obviously the scenes after the game was was mental one yeah was your was your family there no no one there h i remember just seeing Flynn and I was thinking remember just trying to grab Flynn and get him back you know what I mean it was just chaos but it was a we can laugh about it now it was it was a good joke after it you I mean but no that was another uh that was another special night coming in after changing room and see a nose with that no the best ever done to one side it's so good there's a picture at London Stadium I don't if you've been to where the room where they have the press conferences in and it's you holding the conference League trophy like just screaming it's huge it's like six foot tall I haven't seen this now man he such a good pict family it's oppos where where where the gaffa does his press conferences after the game Players Lounge is it in it's in the media Lounge there no you got to go out your way it's 6 tall it's huge and it's I I'll be go I just think it's such might have to b or landro in some ways I think it's the perfect picture of the last 10 years you've been here because of the story we've been through over the last 10 years and you in particular what you've given to this club and just you can see what it means to you as as an individual as a player to have lifted that trophy no I think that I think you know going back to that night I think everything just come out to me I was I was actually crying I had my little boy there had all my family there and even now getting you know hairs on the back of my neck but I think it was just kind of like over the last 10 years everything just come out the highs the lows what we'd been through what we'd achieved uh the relegation battles uh all that kind of just comes out you I mean I I don't know how to you know put the words right but to lift that trophy was was amazing was amazing there there's another pitch actually now think about it in the kind of family room at London Stadium there's you and your kids in the trophy man yeah that was uh cuz i' I'd never i' never won a trophy of of that you know that kind uh before and it was just I think he had about 15 people at the you know at the stadium travel to Prague and of course I didn't play but you know I was devastated at the time but the the the bigger picture was you know West H LIF and that Trophy and you know we managed to do that and you know Emy had a great night he was I thought he was man of the match uh and to you know to celebrate after it was was some you know some three or four days we any so we had the we obviously had the final wait there let's let's let's go back the gaffa took us to Portugal the gaffer thinks that's where we W it I'm telling you now exactly what the that's where we W it we went for five days and the Gaff is brilliant with with stuff like that you I mean went to Portugal for the five days went right Lads this is team bonding session but we training as well so he was obviously me Danny Dex Flynn I think it was was having a four ball and it was right up after it so does I don't think the pictures or the videos ever come out but I've got loads on my phone to show you after it so it was just everyone staff players everyone connected together all in like the Gaff had hire the restaurants out we had a big meal loads of drinks everyone's up singing and dancing we in miam it was a it was special that that's for me that's where we want it so then we get to the final we wins the final we obviously big Tom and Vlad take us out in Prague we had a few nights h a few hours out in prag and we all went back to the families then on the Thursday we had the parade so everyone's back on it on the parade on the bus and there one thing that always sticks out me I can say Danny had someone gives these cheap bottles of like champagne or whatever it was and I remember satting in front of the bus with Danny and we'd obviously all been drinking I said to Danny I don't even know I can say this but anyway he went to I went you wouldn't drink that it must have been a literally 34s of this like 4 pound bottle of champagne's just on the front of the bus necked the laot but he was getting his air transplant the next day he said the next day the the the s or whatever you want to call it yeah he said I think you know don't don't be drinking too much so he's obviously had the air transplant the next day and his I just wouldn't stop bleeding but no it's all worked out for him he's got a great bar it now so then that on a Thursday Friday morning we all flew out to Pablo's wedding wding yeah so it was just like three days of it was yeah the best days so then we obviously had Pablo's Pablo's wedding in Spain so we had to fly to Spain we had to be a he for like six o' in the morning it was like eight of us on the plane we all flew over and then had to fly back on satday and it was just I remember getting home we had all ules in me mouth and just I couldn't even open my eyes it was like I had about 6 hours sleep in 3 days I mean you'd expect it though wouldn't you yeah it was incredible like I was I was out there in Prague then I helped MC the kind of the trophy parade and there was I don't know if you found this but there was like because it was like three days of Carnage and then maybe when you got home on the Saturday and then suddenly you're alone you're like what just happened it was weird I kind of like I don't think I went away for about four or five days after after that sat and I remember just sitting there just like like what now you but like you gone from such a high for three days to just write like footballs over now and got to go on holiday and spend time with the kidsing no kind them me and it was but I'd give anything to go back for them few days oh man tell me about like the scenes seeing that many I'm being on top of the bus see as far as the eye could see West again J going back to how big the club is and you know the stature of it and and the history behind it and you're half thinking you know we're going from uh Upton park into straford is there going to be that many people there you mean what's it going to be like what's we haven't won a trophy for 50 years you mean or european trophy sorry uh and the te out it genuinely felt like there was a million people there like it was just never never ending and I I don't know why one fell ran the whole length from Upton Park to straford stayed with us the whole way I don't know what we were laughing at him the way just chuing them like scarves and like bottles and that just but it was a again that was just incredible yeah and now this season back in European football your goal against fryberg in the 5-nil demolishing another moment where you just couldn't hide how you felt like the celebration what did that tell us about that goal what it meant it was again it was just another special I feel like I've said that so many times on this podcast it's like it was amazing you mean to we were two n up and you know that kind of that goal kind of took the pressure off type of thing and yeah to score in you know in any European competition it's amazing and I remember it coming to me on the edge of the Box something going to the first time I thought I'm going to hit this but it kind of like so it was like I think if I hit it it was a good chance I was going to you know drag it and Pull It Wide and I remember taking a touch thinking should I have took this and then it just everything was just like in slow motion type of thing and I had so much time and I managed to pick the you know the bottom corner and great finish run off with a you know a great smile and I remember Dex Dex sent me a voice notes after this mate what are you doing giving a knee slide you're nearly 40 you need calm down you got to be careful at your I was just I was so happy to score yeah I love it I love it when the player scores you can just see what it means I think especially sorry for defend we don't score that's exactly that that know what to do when I scored I was just like remember you a Chelsea Jing was the little swiveling little swiv like what are you going to do yeah put your you don't yeah you got time to think of right I'm going to do this celebration like you know Antonio's a mad man and he he does sorts but yeah we very R we score so you just you're in shot does know what to do de you scor some unbelievable goals West Ham like main three kicks is that the best goal fryberg you've got what off the top of my head the Everton free kick United free kick yeah the United one most probably the the best one I scored or Lester away oh yeah on the edge of the box like a volley typee of thing uh but know the F big one was you got no chance of getting on three kicks anymore I've seen you I've seen you stand next to got play first I've seen you sit next to him a couple of times I'm thinking in might head CRA you might as well just go back you see him you see him in s and over the years he's he's got some deliver you know he's he is genuinely you know people talk about him out i' genuinely put him up there with Beckham yeah if not better and I genuinely mean her yeah I was asking around like things to ask you and uh someone mentioned that Craig Dawson I I heard the story that you would rumor but you weren't rooming together but I wouldn't room with him if you paid me all the way Jin to be fair I get a decent sleep [Laughter] tell me a couple stories sleep let's just Hammer him because he is the tightest man in the world have you come across him like as in like I don't think you would have really against him anything to save a pan he would do it he's just like he used to ra the mini bar did he raid the mini bar in hotels he'd Come Away with like carag red bulls and stuff is I've got my spies the bar H you don't go to bar to to buy you don't even turn up uh but no we used to like obviously sponsored by Adidas so we get these we get these packages sent with like Adidas and he would wear Adidas he's actually got I've never even seen him Ginger is the only person to wear Adidas jeans get on there really I've never seen a pair of Adidas jeans J it's quite something is yeah but what a he's a great fell great I he was unbelievable s for us but it was 3 mil was he I think he was 3 million I thought he come on Long originally faed I think and he didn't he wasn't actually playing the first couple of months I think and then I think Angelo done his knee yeah Angelo done his ACL uh and then from when he come in to when he left he was he was unbelievable uh and he's one of them players who'd you know play through any type of injury and he'd he you you Chuck an oven in there he's heading back out no he was a he was I think he was he was just a top Defender do you me a bit kind of underrated where people don't give him the respect I think he deserves yeah and so this season got another European run big games Leverkusen coming up and we're doing well in the league how do you how you feeling about this season well I think it's I think it's The Season's been been good you I mean in terms of you know the the European campaign couldn't have gone any well obviously we're still in the quarterfinals uh still plenty to play for uh and certainly in the league you know there's there's nine games to go I think now uh then we want to be pushing for that European spot again and I don't see why we can't this squad you're in now craz this sh Squad you think is the best you've been in as in talent wise some of the players we've got is I think Mo cus at the minute J even today I've just trained with him you just don't want I'm against them all the time as well and I'm like I'll get over to the left the other side but he's a no I think he's he's a top top talent and I think we haven't seen the best of him yet and really like that goal he scored against F I think he's got plenty I really do I think he's going to be a yeah top we were asking pry about him and he was saying like you don't realize how strong he is like on like you cannot like that's getting back to it I won't go near him in training no cuz I know Jing like if if you're if I'm going to try and knock him off the ball I better make sure he's not looking and he doesn't see me coming cuz if he's got his like you know you just can't get near him like he's so strong so quick so sharp he's a no he's unplayable at times oh man so 10 years like Dex says you're nearly 40 you're not you turn 35 at the end of the year 35 it gone fast 10 years how you feel how you feeling what does the future hold I don't know I really don't know but look I'm I'm loving every minute I've I've spent here and and as I say I'll give everything when called upon uh if I'm not playing you know I'll be the best uh possible number two I can be uh and I'll be cheering the boys on I'll give everything I've got in training and come to games I'll I'll give me best and I think that's all I can do and I think as well like we right at the start we read out all this amazing stats from your career I think there's no finer Ambassador for the future for West Ham than you you've won a trophy all these Premier League games Ginger's in there now he's he's an ambassador you think I can see it for you it depends if we're going on a drink J what you Reon what you reck yeah no look it's been a the 10 years it's just gone so fast you know what I mean and mentioning the highs and the lows along the way it's I think that that European night last year was just just summed everything up and hopefully we've got many more yeah we're lucky you think like lucky I'm putting myself in this I was here 10 years uh 11 years Winston yourself we've had a lot of players over the last that we know that have been here a long long time and you know like I said I Echo what CZ said when you come to this football club there's something about but I think all back to us sorry Jing it all it's all part of that final as well Jo me I'm not saying that's the big the you know that's it now everything fine the part of the you know the the the progression we've gone through jange the highs and the lows uh to get us to this you know it's all been stepping STS each year some lower than others uh so I think it's all been building up building up and that's you know that's the top of the mountain type of thing but just you know we want to go again we want to we want to keep and I'm sure the fans do man what Journey what 10 years can we talk about the Barner yeah I mean changed ain't changed a bit might be going a B on the side some of my mates who West H fans I was like what do you want to know from chest and they're like why is his hair always so perfect and even today you come in from training it's wind like blowing it's windy it's been raining outside windy I've got this uh special Danny uses it now cuz he's got a B it is H this special hair spray or whatever it is Gill and it just soon as it goes on it's a nightmare getting it out like but once it on it's it's sound you know what I mean but no all good yeah Immaculate Barn it all right we're going to end with mystery player mystery player you haven't been briefed on this have you Chris no okay hang on are we doing it together me and chis so does Jing know this no no I don't know it so this is the game I'm going to give you a series of Clues former teammate we've both played both play you're on the same team oh you both played with this person Okay g to give you five Clues you got to see if you can get the mystery player all right clue number one is played alongside Jin Jan cresy okay so he play there you go can't get it from that second clue I've played for clubs in England France Switzerland and turkey what we saying Switzerland France England France Switzerland and turkey correct Chris unbelievable knowledge get a round of applause I tell you what you are some busy that is unreal you play FIFA too much give us a sacko story got a great story for S go give me give me so he's fairly new to England he's obviously signed a decent contract you know I mean he's he's got a few quid he's gone and bought a brand spank a new Lamborghini yeah and Ritt it off within six days six days did he not leave did he not leave a Lambo here so then he's obviously RI that one off he's then got a replacement he's did he leave I think he left and I promise you now the Lamborghini did not move for six months he was there for I remember he just left Lamborghini so he'd left the club left the Lamborghini date and it did not move for 6 months oh my God we come in every like couple of weeks is someone going to take this or what give me the keys I'll take it back to yeah check the keys I tell you what score goal a great he was a great lad and I thought his year was his first year was he was unbelievable Jam I tell you the channel and just bit of a Madman I was a lunatic you could sort of like no got on the wrong side like you half Al him or Al him a couple times in training just his eyes go yeah you're thinking I don't want to m s just like I'll leave him over there he could he could go at any minute this boy but he could score a goal Jesus well I'll read out the remaining clues for sacko I became the first West Ham player to score in six straight Premier League games I scored West Ham's thirdd goal in a game against Liverpool which was our first win at anfield in 52 years I played for Sagal at the 2018 World Cup there you go difra sacko Chris thank you so much not just for this interview which I've really enjoyed but for the last 10 years story career and also you need to write a book I don't know about well tell you tell you could tell a Miami story in your book yeah I'll let you tell you that you be the you'd be the headline of that one yeah that would be that that that would sell a copies on his own was some trip Jam some Tri I don't think I can quite say on camera I'll tell the story quickly the gaffer was the manager right it was it was the similar sort of trick I'll love me little 10 pencil yeah see what he says about it we had one of these trips where the gaffa we were we trained with the gaffa let us have a bit of fun cutle of beers and all that so this one night we all went out got fairly well oiled put it that way but we're training the next morning so the in my head the gaffa put everyone who was slightly more hung over than the on one team compared to the other team so I've had a moan up pop at the gaffa like shouting he's shouting back at me and I'm couple of swearers come at me in the gaffa so anyway after training I'm now panicking i' I've Ginger proper on go were like AGG like back and forth just all just stood there just like laughing me you can imagine just like why have you put all the SLS together me anyway yeah done there so after training I'm now paranoid prop paranoid I've been shouting with a gaffa b b bar not known to me IM Andy Carol who else it was noes have got together I don't know if you did it or were going to do it they were going to send a bunch of flowers to the gaffa saying to to gaffa I'm sorry we were that close to doing it and we just thought no it might not go down well but for that whole day you were just so I think you have to go and apologize didn't you just get clear it oh jeez basically all the British Lads 2 at all the night before uh and a couple the lads who don't drink or whatever I think you told me originally that you did send the flowers you you would send we did say we'd sent them so we made him obviously no I'm going I'm going to get out of this I'm going to say to the gaffa look boss I'm sorry but them flowers AR from me I mean just been to the gaffa I'm sorry love J oh dear wish we did brilant but we came back from that trip and won three or four on the bounce just a quick but I'll uh just to let you go we come back played Southampton at home yeah London Stadium the previous one we' obviously the banley disaster whatever uh with three and0 uper half time so you're thinking this trip Miami trip couldn't have gone any better three up on to Southampton the ga comes in at half time remember J and he goes right Lads keep a clean sheat he's going have Monday off as well so the lads are like buzzing and I remember yeah yeah I remember there's there's a clip please tell me if you can find it because I've been looking for it for years tadic was at Southampton at the time and noves for whatever reasons end up pulling over onto my side we're trying to held on to this nil three nil you I mean we want the Monday off and noes has given everything inter time stop Tage crossing the ball but Tage is one of the best players at chopping it so he goes to cross it chops no Dives in gets up goes to cross it again chops noes Dives in again there's three times so still to this day me noes laugh about it all the time so you need to find a clip but we managed to win 3 and get them on well that's that that's them trips though Sam used to do them as well I you mentioned the one before the final that's what I mean it's so important just to get that team spirit and togetherness because sometimes like you know doesn't matter what team or dressing room you go around it's not not that you don't speak to the other Lads you just sit with the lads who are speak the same language or were in your little close C you I mean we all get on together great and everything it's just that's just natal what I think anywhere places like that you know I mean h so them trips when you're in a room or a restaurant and there's nowhere to go and you're all together it's just special J there's no coincidence I didn't get a contract at the end of that year yeah that was that was my West career at least they send you any flowers though no no brilliant Chris thank you so much thank you for listening as well we'll see you next week on ironcast until then come on you irons