Squad Superstitions
Monday, 4th Nov 2002 00:00

Superstitions Of The Swansea City Squad

Home > Story Index >Swansea Players A Superstitous Lot
Well, in a JackArmy.net exclusive we caught up with Guri Eller who told us all about what the present Swansea squad class as their pre-match superstitions.

Roger Freestone - Roger will always polish the halo around his head ant clockwise before a game. Once he tried clockwise for a change and we were beaten 7-4 by Hull! Also, bizarrely he also asks for one of the other players to cut him with a knife to make sure that he is still bleeding black and white.
Lee Jenkins - Jenks as he is known in the dressing room likes to put on a policeman's uniform and pretend he is his hero "Officer Jenks from Top Cat" Usually this goes un-noticed unless he asks Leigh De-Vulgt to pretend that he is top cat.
David Smith - David will always sit quietly in the corner as he was always told that he would be sent to Coventry when he was younger. Sadly, he took this literally once and signed for the Sky Blues.
Kristian O'Leary - Kristian will always sit on his own reading his tin-tin manuals and trying to work out how to get the quiff just like his hero. As we can see from this photo, sometimes he can almost perfect it
Jason Smith - Jason has no particular rituals but Richie Evans will always wrap him in cotton wool to try and ensure that he doesn't injure himself going to the toilet or something. Once Richie is happy, Smudger will happily read his notes excusing him from games while he was at school.
David Theobald - not one for major superstitions but will usually crap in his right boot before a game before emptying it down the toilet
Andrew Mumford - Will usually spend 20 minutes before a game living off his ego.
Matt Murphy - Matts superstitions are legendary in the Vetch changing rooms. First he will spend 20 minutes using the anti wrinkle cream that he got last Christmas off his Aunty and then he spends 30-40 minutes trying to improve his complexion!!
James Thomas - Some people notch conquests on their bedposts, the Swansea team make a notch by their dressing room peg every time they score. As a result, James will spend half hour or so polyfilling in the holes that his notches have made.
Steve Watkin - Watto spends at least an hour looking at a picture on the dressing room wall. The picture consists of three white posts at 90 degree angles to each other to form a 'U' shape which is then filled in with netting. He is hopeful that one day he will work out exactly what it is.
Paul Reid - Reid is another of those that does not believe greatly in superstitions, he will just spend 20 minutes before a game consistently kicking the wall, which he believes is his warm up routine.
Andrew Marsh - a simple one, Marshy spends 10-15 minutes sticking pins in his voodoo doll of Roger Freestone.
Michael Jackson - what else could he do other then spend 20 minutes moon walking around the dressing room.
Jonathan Keaveny - likes to watch a video of his best goals for Carmarthen Town. Bores Steve Watkin silly by telling him he scored more goals last season than Watto has managed since 1997.
David Moss - Mossy has a map on the wall and is one of the first players to try and play at all 92 league grounds. Every time he plays somewhere new into the map a pin goes.
Terry Evans - Terry's superstition is sitting on the stretching machine at the Vetch trying to grow an extra six inches. Sadly for Terry he always turns the lever the wrong way and is shrinking week on week
Gareth Phillips - Gaz will spend most of his pre-match routine shaving his head. "Aerodynamics" he will say to the rest of the team as he tries to change the cutting blade from a Grade 1 to a Grade seven/eighths.
John Williams - John spends pre-match wandering aimlessley round the dressing room in a laid back manner. John's superstition is so strong that if he forgets to do this pre-match he will do it on the pitch instead.
Michael Howard - Mickey just sits in the corner of the dressing room chanting long and hard "I am a footballer, I am a footballer" One day his routine will bear fruition!!
Neil Sharp - Sharpy spends most of his pre-match trying to trip Jason Smith up in the hope that the knee gives way again and he gets another run in the team.
Damien Lacey - It's a little known secret that Damien keeps tortoises as pets. His superstition involves racing them in the dressing room and he watches on in awe at how quick they move.
Leigh De Vulgt - Leigh will spend most of pre-match doing his homework. When he isn't doing that he will watch in awe at the picture of John Hartson he has above his peg and can be heard singing quietly "We are family"
Jamie Wood - Jamie keeps wondering how he can lift the spell of all the teams he plays for being bottom of the football league. Rumour has it that he was once kissed by a frog which cast the spell but that is unfounded.
Brian Flynn - Sits quietly in the corner praying to himself.

So there you have it - superstitions of the Vetch playing family - amazing what goes on behind locked doors.

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