Sunday 13 October 2024

Eamonn O'Keefe Interview Revisited

 

 

Happy Birthday to former Latics player, Eamonn O’Keefe

 


A few years back, 2010, I contacted ex-Latic and Blackpool striker Eamonn O’Keefe and carried out an interview with him, with today being his birthday and our visit to the seaside to face the Tangerine’s only a couple of weeks away, I thought it might be an ideal time to revisit:

 

Former Wigan Athletic striker Eamonn O’Keefe published his autobiography ‘I Only Wanted To Play Football’, back in 2010, an excellent read and a great excuse to chat to the man himself.

Eamonn O’Keefe if I am being honest is a bit of a hero of mine, he signed for the Latics back in 1982 when we were challenging for our first ever promotion in the old Fourth Division, the season was half way through and you could say that Eamonn was the last piece in that particular promotion jig-saw.

He was much more than that though, a current Republic of Ireland international and a first team regular for Everton, his signing was a real coup for the Latics, though it did take a club record fee of £65,000 to land him, but still he was a top league striker and he landed straight onto Wigan Athletic's team sheet for the next league game, away at Northampton Town, and yes he scored on his debut.

O’Keefe was also renowned for being a real character, despite his Irish heritage he was born and bred in Manchester, started his football career off playing for Mossley, though he did have a previous unsuccessful spell at Plymouth Argyle it was whilst at non-league Mossley where he made his mark and then on to Everton, signed by Gordon Lee for the First Division giants.

So when Eamonn O’Keefe signed for Wigan Athletic I was one supporter who was at first disbelieving and then absolutely delighted as it sank in, we had captured a player of real quality, someone who I had marvelled at on Match of the Day, the Latics were really going places now, so was Eamonn, he was sold a year later to Port Vale and also had spells at Chester, Bangor, Cork City, St. Patricks Athletic, Al-Hilal and most successfully Blackpool where Eamonn is remembered and revered like a football God, he did after all score 23 goals in 36 games for the Seasider’s before injury cut short his stay on the North West coast.

Eamonn agreed to do an interview with me a while back, it has been published previously but, whilst it is his birthday a great excuse to revisit:

 


Barry – Coming to Wigan from Everton in 1982 must have been a culture shock, I remember us getting this superstar from the top flight, Eamonn O’Keefe was a massive signing for the Latics, all the fans were excited and you didn’t disappoint, you were the final piece in Larry Lloyd's promotion jigsaw, what do you remember as your first impressions of the club back then?

Eamonn – First impressions were, having come from the five-star Belfield Training ground, I must admit that back then the Wigan changing facilities weren’t as they are now and were a shock to my system! But, because I had already played in non-league (with Mossley), I half-expected that. A really nice difference though was that Wigan was very much a ‘family’ type club. It’s very difficult to keep a ‘family feeling’ like that alive, following such tremendous success – success always has a price…

Barry – The £65,000 Wigan paid Everton for your services was a lot of money back in 1982 but it was never a gamble because you had class and always were going to score goals at that level, but did you feel under any pressure to hit the ground running so to speak especially with promotion in sight?

Eamonn – When a club like Wigan pull out all the stops and pay, what was for them back them, a massive amount of money for you, you’re bound to feel the pressure – and yes, I did. It was really important to me to make an impact and fortunately I did ok. When it happened, promotion was sweet and I knew that I had made the right decision.

Barry – You are a Manchester lad and at that time we had two Manchester men and real characters at the club in Freddie Pye (chairman) and Fred Eyre (assistant manager), did you know either before you joined and if so were they influential in your decision to come to Wigan?

Eamonn – In my book (plug!! ‘… ‘I Only Wanted To Play Football’ ‘) you can clearly see that Fred Pye and Fred Eyre played major parts in my football career. Freddie Pye tried to help me out when I was having problems with the Saudi team, Al Hilal, so I was more than comfortable in meeting up with him. Fred Eyre, had already left Wigan when I arrived – but over the years (including now) Fred has always given me huge support and been a great friend – so yes, both of them helped me to make my mind up.

Barry – Whoops I got the Fred Eyre bit wrong, sorry about that.

The hat-trick you scored in the final home game of the 1981/82 season against Mansfield at Springfield Park still lives strong in mine and lots of other Latics fans memories, we gained our first ever promotion that day and it was a fantastic occasion, I remember reading somewhere that you said it was an incredible atmosphere but very scary with the fans running on the pitch at the end, what do you remember of that day and how did you and the team celebrate?

Eamonn – Yes, the atmosphere was unbelievable but when everyone ran onto the pitch we (the players) got trapped – and when thousands of people are shoving and pushing and trying to get to you to pat you on the head or slap you on the back, it is very frightening. At one stage, I can remember that I was struggling to breathe but it was all done in the excitement of gaining promotion – and the police and the stewards quickly got us all safely to the tunnel.

The team celebrated with the fans in the supporters’ club – that’s what I meant before about the ‘family’ feeling. One of my pet hates these days is that the players seem to be ‘out of touch’ with the fans… It seems to be more effort than inclination to be really close to the real supporters.

The hat-trick? Probably three of the flukiest goals you’ll ever see but they all count! And the end result – the promotion – was fantastic.

Barry – Do you keep in touch with any of the players from that squad?

Eamonn – No, people’s lives and circumstances change and it’s easy to lose contact. I have kept in touch with Graham Barrow over the years and remained friends with (the late) Harry McNally but not really anyone else.

Barry – When you left Wigan you went on to play for a number of clubs including Blackpool, can you believe that both the Latics and Blackpool are set to face each other as Premier League clubs, is it a game that you will take in live?

Eamonn – I am determined to watch both the home and away fixtures live on that one! (Hope I get an invite from both the clubs – I’ll be gutted if I don’t…) If I’m pushed as to who I’d like to win… I’d like Wigan to win at Wigan and Blackpool to win at Blackpool but, hey – if they both stay up I’ll be delighted!

Barry – Finally if you could pick your all time XI that you have played with what would it be, plus you can only have 10 because you are up front.

Eamonn – Nev Southall

Gary Stevens, Mark Lawrenson, Kevin Ratcliffe, John Bailey

Ronnie Whelan, Asa Hartford, Liam Brady, Kevin Sheedy

Frank Stapleton, Eamonn O’Keefe

Sub: David Moore (Mossley) … To replace O’Keefe after 30 seconds of play!

Barry – That would be some team. Thanks for the interview Eamonn and thanks for the memories, a great player and a true Latics legend.

 

Eamonn O'Keefe front row 2nd right

An excellent interview about Eamonn's time in Saudi can be found by clicking here


Grab a listen to the latest PWU Podcast featuring a reaction to the Carlisle game and a reflection on the first ten games of the season




Sunday 6 October 2024

Meet The Ref - Carlisle v Latics

The Latics head off up the M6 on Tuesday for a Bristol Street Motors Trophy group game against Carlisle United, scheduled to be the referee for the tie is Wallasey official, Steve Copeland.

Copeland, a detective with Merseyside Police, can usually be found officiating in the National League, he’s yet to referee an EFL league game, though he does have considerable experience running the line as an assistant as high up the pyramid as the Championship.

Previous Games

This will be Steve Copeland’s first involvement with Wigan Athletic in any official capacity, as previously stated he has yet to referee a league game in the top four divisions and only broke into the National League in August 2019.

Copeland was given an EFL Torphy game last September, Port Vale 1:0 Crewe Alexandra, which produced 5 yellows and 1 red card, he also has an impressive card watch record this season!

Steve Copeland Card Watch 2024/25

Games – 5

Yellows – 37

Reds – 3

Penalty Awards – 5

Carlisle United v Wigan Athletic
Referee
– Steve Copeland
Assistants – Matt Sowerby and Paul Newhouse
Fourth Official – Steve Lawson

Grab a listen to the latest PWU Latics podcast featuring a preview of the Carlisle game.

 

Monday 30 September 2024

Meet The Ref - Stockport v Latics

The Latics are on the road for a Greater Manchester derby on Saturday with our first visit to Edgeley Park for a league game for 21 years. Stockport County will be our hosts and the referee is scheduled to be Hastings official, Carl Brook.

 

Carl Brook
The 49 year old is in his 5th season as a Football League ref, though he has been a referee for 30 seasons in the lower leagues of the football pyramid, he only made the graduation to the big time in the 2020/21 campaign.

During his National List career, Brook has taken charge of 128 games, issued 513 yellow cards, 18 reds and awarded 33 penalties.

Previous Games

Brook has taken charge of four Latics’ games previously, three of those came in 2021 but they were spread over two seasons.

Away at Bristol Rovers in the admin season, Scott Wooton's last gasp winner, Burton at the DW on St Andrews Day 2021, Jonny Smith seeing red for a chest high challenge on Curtis Tilt and our 2nd round FA Cup win away at Colchester in early December.

Brook’s last Latics game came last season, away at Cheltenham back in November, Liam Shaw, Omar Rekik and Jordan Jones all picking up yellow cards in a 1:1 draw.

Brook was at Edgeley Park on two occasions last season, Stockport’s goalless draw with Swindon and their 5:0 demolition of Wrexham.

Carl Brook Latics Games

Date

Competition

Result

Latics Cards

11 Nov 2023

League One

Cheltenham 1:1Latics

3Y

05 Dec 2021

FA Cup

Colchester Utd 1:2 Latics

1Y

30 Nov 2021

League One

Latics 2:0 Burton

2 Y

23 Feb 2021

League One

Bristol Rovers 1:2 Latics

3Y

Carl Brook Card Watch 2024/25

Games – 6

Yellows – 22

Reds – 0

Penalty Awards – 1

Stockport County v Wigan Athletic
Referee
– Carl Brook
Assistants – Steve Durnall and Paul Stonier
Fourth Official – Elliott Swallow

Grab a listen to the latest PWU Latics podcast featuring a preview of the Stockport game.

Sunday 29 September 2024

Meet The Ref - Latics v Peterborough

The Latics are back at the Brick Community Stadium on Tuesday when Peterborough United will be the visitors, the referee for the match will be Hampshire official, Andy Davies.

 

Andy Davies

Davies is a very rare breed in the referee circles having been a professional football player for Gillingham, Portsmouth and Yeovil, before injury forced him to retire at the tender age of 28.

Not one to feel sorry for himself, Andy immediately through himself into becoming a ref and he graduated rapidly onto the National List in 2012 and

Previous Games

Davies has taken charge of fourteen Latics’ games previously, five of which came in our last season in the Championship, 2022/23, there were three wins, Birmingham and Rotherham away and Blackpool at the DW Stadium plus the defeat away at Sheffield United on Good Friday, and a draw in our final away day at Reading which effectively relegated us.

Davies last refereed Peterborough last season, a 5:0 defeat away at Oxford back in April.

Andy Davies’ Last Six Latics Games

Date

Competition

Result

Latics Cards

29 Apr 2023

Championship

Reading 1:1Latics

3Y

07 Apr 2023

Championship

Sheff Utd 1:0 Latics

1Y

13 Feb 2023

Championship

Latics 2:1 Blackpool

3Y

01 Oct 2022

Championship

Rotherham 0:2 Latics

1Y

20 Aug 2022

Championship

Birmingham 0:1 Latics

2Y 1R

11 Dec 2019

Championship

Latics 1:1 West Brom

1Y

Andy Davies Card Watch 2024/25

Games – 6

Yellows – 24

Reds – 0

Penalty Awards – 1

Wigan Athletic v Peterborough United
Referee
– Andy Davies
Assistants – James Wilson and Darren Williams
Fourth Official – Paul Marsden

Grab a listen to the latest PWU Latics podcast featuring a preview of the Peterborough game.