Neil Grewcock Interview

Neil Grewcock Interview 

Neil Grewcock was born in Leicester on the 26th April 1962, he started his career with Leicester City, his home town club were he quickly progressed through the ranks at Filbert Street making his first team debut in March 1979 at the age of sixteen.  He went on to make 8 appearances, scoring 1 goal for the Foxes.

In the summer of 1981 after two seasons with the Gillingham, Grewcock dropped into the non-league with spells at Kettering Town and Shepshed Charterhouse before being spotted in a reserve fixture at Wolves by the new Burnley manager John Bond.

In the summer of 1986 he arrived at Turf Moor were he spent over five years working under five different managers, Grewcock made over 240 appearances, scoring 32 goals but there is no doubt that one that is remember the most is the first goal on that dramatic day in May 1987 when we beat Orient at Turf Moor to retain our Football League status.

His release from Burnley saw his professional career end at 29, and he played for Burnley Bank Hall for a time before hanging up his boots.

Interview

1. League Debut?

My league debut came in March 1979 at the age of sixteen, it was Leicester City against Cardiff City and we lost the game 2-1.  However I do remember the game well as I did score my first league goal in the game.

2. Career Highlight?

I have two highlights, the first would be making my football league debut for my home town club Leicester City and scoring in that game and my second is of course scoring in the Orient game to help Burnley stay in the football league.

3. Career Lowlight?

Again I have two lowlights, the first being ruled out of the Sherpa Van Final at Wembley because of injury, which meant I spent a year out of the game and the second would be losing 3-0 to Telford United in the FA Cup First Round in 1987.

4. Best player you played with and why?

I played a long side Gary Lineker whilst at Leicester City who always know were to be in the box to tap in the goals and of course he went on to be an excellent striker, but I think the best player I played with was Tommy Hutchinson whilst at Burnley.  He was a great  professional, captain and player and could do anything with the ball at his feet, but as a captain he was a great motivator.

5. Best Burnley manager you played for and why?

John Benson – I really enjoyed playing under John, he was of course John Bond’s assistant before becoming manager so he know how to get the best out of the players and he improved my game.  I thought he was unlucky to get relegated with the team of players we had at the club.

Brian Miller – Brian had limited resources but again he know how to get the best out of the players, he was not the best tactically, but he was a great man manager and I really enjoyed playing for him, I think I played my best football under Brian Miller.

6. What do you remember about the run up to the Orient game?

During the week before the game we had lots of media coverage with press and TV at the training ground and Turf Moor, but remember the fans all week stopping us in the street wishing us well and talking to us about the game.

7. Was training any different for the Orient game?

I wouldn’t say it was different in terms of what we did, but there seemed to be more pressure around the training ground and Turf Moor.  However Brian Miller was first class and did an excellent job deflecting all the attention and pressure away from the players, he took all the pressure on his shoulders and in my opinion handled the whole thing really well.

8. Were you aware of the big crowd whilst in the dressing room?

Yes, we know it would be a full house for the game and the noise was deafening even inside the dressing room.  The support on the day was fantastic, but I dread to think what would have happened if we had lost the game.

9. Talk us through your goal that afternoon against Orient?

If I remember correctly, I collected the ball out on the right wing and cut in on my left foot. A gap just seemed to open up in front of me and from about eighteen yards (edge of the box) I curled  the ball into the bottom corner just passed the goalkeeper.

10. After leaving Turf Moor did you carry on playing and did you keep in touch with anyone from the club?

After leaving Burnley I stayed in the area and signed for Burnley Bank Hall Football Club in the non league but made the decision after a season to hand up my boots due to injury. I then moved back to Leicestershire but i have stayed in contact with Steve Davis who has just left Crewe Alexandra.