Guest series: Jimmy meets....

In the final part of what has been an excellent guest series from Jimmy Langton, the final player in focus is former Rock Jimmy Wild:

JL: Which club have you felt most at home with?

JW: I enjoyed my time at Bognor and have some great memories of the promotion year and playing at the Amex, as well as having a good relationship with the fans who made me really welcome. But I think Chichester is where I would say I felt most at home. Having been there since the age of 11 and then playing for every age group up to the first team, and having been around the club for so long I’ll always look out for their results.

JL: Who’s the best manager you have played for and why?

JW: The one that knew me the best and definitely got the best out of me was Miles Rutherford. Right from the moment he took over at Chichester he was great to me and always looked after me. He gave me a chance to play week in week out, which some managers didn’t, and always wanted me to progress to a higher level. 

JL: Which club are you with now?

JW: Around Christmas time I got given the chance to go and play in New Zealand which was a great experience. Most people know I love travelling and usually go off around the world when the football season finishes so I couldn’t say no. I was playing in their Premier League so I was flying around New Zealand playing football and travelling at the same time. I would recommend to anyone who has the chance to try it, it was a great experience. Unfortunately, the season finished early because of coronavirus but I managed to get home just in time!

JL: Are there any role models you look up to and why?

JW: Peter Crouch is a personal favourite as I have been compared to him by opposition fans for being just as lanky! Being a Tottenham fan I love watching the likes of Bale and Kane and how they play the game. They’re exciting to watch and love scoring goals so they’re good role models to have.

JL: What was the reason for coming to Bognor?

JW: I always wanted to test myself at a higher level so when Bognor asked me to go there when I was only 17 it was a good move for me. Living in Chichester it was local for me to travel to and I already had a couple of connections with the club so it worked out well. 

JL: What’s your favourite football club?

JW: As I mentioned above I am a Spurs fan and have been all my life, all my family are Spurs fans so it’s past through the family. I’m moving to London this summer so I’m hoping to get to watch them a bit more. 

JL: Which coach do you feel you have benefited from most in your career?

JW: I’ve always had a good relationship with Dabba (Darin Killpartrick). He believed in me when I met him at college and then he helped me develop as a player at Bognor too. It was also good to see him at Chichester last season where he definitely helped a lot in the FA Cup run. When I first met him, I never thought I’d be sharing a hotel room with him in Tranmere all these years later! 

JL: Why did you choose to be a forward?

JW: I never really saw myself as a forward as I played centre midfield until I was 17. Then Jim Yeo who managed Chichester Under 18’s at the time put me up front for a couple of games and I did okay, then the first team manager at the time Darren Pearce saw me playing and put me in the first team the following week and I have been a forward ever since. 

JL: What’s your favourite colour?

JW: I’ve always played for teams that play in green and white so maybe I’d have to say that!

JL: Who’s your best player you have played against and why? 

JW: Out in New Zealand I played against Auckland City who usually do quite well in their Champions League and even ended up at the FIFA World Club Cup so it was a good experience to play against top level players and test myself against them. It was always good to play against teams like Portsmouth and Brighton in pre-season, it was fun chasing Christian Burgess’ shadows!

JL: Why did you choose football?

JW: There’s no better sport! From the age of 4 when I first started playing for a team run by my Dad, Andy, right up until now, I’ve always loved playing football. I’ve played quite a few sports to a decent level, cricket being one that I enjoyed too but it got to a stage where I had to choose one or the other and I definitely made the right call.

JL: Who’s the best player you have played with and why?

JW: I went to school with Joe Ralls and even from an early age you could tell he was a player. He’s gone on to play in the Premier league with Cardiff so he’s done alright for himself!

JL: What made you choose to move to Chichester from Bognor?

JW: I’ve always wanted to play the highest level possible so when the opportunity came I had to give it a go. Dabba was the one that made it happen. I had played at the college with him for two years and he told me how he really wanted to get me to Bognor so I have to thank him and Jamie Howell for giving me that chance.

Follow Jimmy on Twitter, @JimmyLangton2