Pádraig Amond interview

Hi everyone

Just wanted to give our latest article over at Written In Black And White a bit of a plug if possible.

On the eve of our trip to Newport it’s an interview with current Exiles striker and former Town forward Pádraig Amond.

The link for it is here https://writteninbaw.wordpress.com/2018/08/24/the-big-interview-padraig-amond/

Thanks, I hope you enjoy reading it.

Should never have been allowed to leave.
A disastrous decision by Hurst and Fenty.

Good work Dan!

Great work Dan. When reading that article I couldn’t help feel very sad that he’s not with us. A legend in my eyes.

Interesting comments about his penalty at Braintree. Such small margins in football sometimes. The town end at Wembley singing "we've got Amond" was immense.

We would be guaranteed playoff contenders with him in this team.

Top bloke, will always be welcome in my eyes.

Interesting & an enjoyable read.

The most intriguing but is about why he left. Podge  clearly wanted a 2 year deal, perfectly understandable.

Having spoken to Paul Hurst he confirmed a one year deal was offered but if Podge had come back and said I would sign if I can have a two year deal, he would have asked the board to agree to it. He didn’t, and after avoiding Hurst for a few weeks he signed elsewhere

Hadn't we offered him 2.5 years in the Jan? If so, then why did he not sign that if he wanted stability?

There are two sides to every story, but this one is really a bit baffling. As Ginny notes, we'd offered him a long contract which he turned down, but then apparently didn't attempt to renegotiate a 1 year offer?

Perhaps his agent was shopping him around a bit and so wasn't too bothered about getting back to GTFC to ask for a longer deal? Very strange.

Enjoyable read. Quite possibly he left the negotiations entirely in the hands of his agent who didn't bother getting back to Town when he got the required 2 year deal from Pools.

Regardless a real shame he only had 1 year with us, always welcome back, top bloke

Quoted from Maringer

There are two sides to every story, but this one is really a bit baffling. As Ginny notes, we'd offered him a long contract which he turned down, but then apparently didn't attempt to renegotiate a 1 year offer?

Perhaps his agent was shopping him around a bit and so wasn't too bothered about getting back to GTFC to ask for a longer deal? Very strange.

Given the form he was in he probably felt he deserved another crack in the league regardless of what happened in May 2016 which explains rejecting the 2.5 year deal in January.

Come the summer, 6 months had past so the club effectively offered him 12 months less and he probably felt under-appreciated. I don't think he needed to ask for 2 years, his efforts deserved rewarding with a 2 year deal.

Got the impression Hurst wasn't 100% sure on Podge as a league player and wanted him to prove himself hence the 1 year deal offered.. Good player.. good memories

Whatever happened this was a member up by GTFC. I can perfect understand Podge wanting to see what the end of the season brought. To then not offer him more than a year smacks of toddler tantrums to me. If he was good enough for 2.5 years in January he was good enough for 2 years in June. Now if Hurst had any doubts about Podge as a League player, why offer him 2.5 years in January? Did Hurst not have faith that he could get us in the League in that time period? Or was the 2.5 year offer peanuts? In which case WTF!! Spoiling the ship for a ha'porth of tar.

Memory may be playing games but I thought the offer is n the January was a further 1 and a half years?

Us fans got SPOILT enough didn’t we, getting Podge on a 2 year deal we would of been over spoilt

Quoted from Cloudy

Memory may be playing games but I thought the offer is n the January was a further 1 and a half years?

He was offered a 1 and a half year deal in January but turned it down ( quite possibly influenced by his agent ).

MJ is transforming Town but in the 3 games I’ve seen this season I can’t help thinking that a striker with the intelligence of Podge would take us from “possibles” to “probables”.

All that said I still admire home as a person and footballer and “when” he scores tomorrow I fully expect him to be low key about it.... why? Because he’s a class act!

Quoted from HertsGTFC

MJ is transforming Town but in the 3 games I’ve seen this season I can’t help thinking that a striker with the intelligence of Podge would take us from “possibles” to “probables”.

All that said I still admire home as a person and footballer and “when” he scores tomorrow I fully expect him to be low key about it.... why? Because he’s a class act!

Exactly. As illustrated here in spades in this extract from the interview [my italics]:

"DB: It was great to see you in black and white again which leads nicely into my final question. If the opportunity arose, would you ever come back to the club?

PA: ‘It’s a hard one to answer just because you just never know what is around the corner. Since I have left the opportunity hasn’t come back up so the decision has been out of my hands. If I say I would love to play there again it puts unnecessary pressure on the new manager from supporters to try re-sign me which is unfair for everyone. Again at the same time I am really really happy at Newport County and things are going really well for me here at the minute. I am also coaching the u16 academy team too as I start my coaching career although I have no intentions of finishing anytime soon. Never say never though. I loved every second of my time at Grimsby Town and the people of Grimsby made me feel very welcome there and also made my family feel very welcome when they were at games too.’ '

Quoted from SuperDan16

Hi everyone

Just wanted to give our latest article over at Written In Black And White a bit of a plug if possible.

On the eve of our trip to Newport it’s an interview with current Exiles striker and former Town forward Pádraig Amond.

The link for it is here https://writteninbaw.wordpress.com/2018/08/24/the-big-interview-padraig-amond/

Thanks, I hope you enjoy reading it.

Very good interview Dan. Thanks.

Quoted from KingstonMariner

Exactly. As illustrated here in spades in this extract from the interview [my italics]:

"DB: It was great to see you in black and white again which leads nicely into my final question. If the opportunity arose, would you ever come back to the club?

PA: ‘It’s a hard one to answer just because you just never know what is around the corner. Since I have left the opportunity hasn’t come back up so the decision has been out of my hands. If I say I would love to play there again it puts unnecessary pressure on the new manager from supporters to try re-sign me which is unfair for everyone. Again at the same time I am really really happy at Newport County and things are going really well for me here at the minute. I am also coaching the u16 academy team too as I start my coaching career although I have no intentions of finishing anytime soon. Never say never though. I loved every second of my time at Grimsby Town and the people of Grimsby made me feel very welcome there and also made my family feel very welcome when they were at games too.’ '

If only!

Thank you everyone for your kind words regarding the interview, if anyone happens to be friends with any ex-Town players who might be willing to give up an hour of their time to speak to me then please drop me a PM.

Quoted from SuperDan16

Hi everyone

Just wanted to give our latest article over at Written In Black And White a bit of a plug if possible.

On the eve of our trip to Newport it’s an interview with current Exiles striker and former Town forward Pádraig Amond.

The link for it is here https://writteninbaw.wordpress.com/2018/08/24/the-big-interview-padraig-amond/

Thanks, I hope you enjoy reading it.

Excellent work, well done!

Quoted from SuperDan16

Thank you everyone for your kind words regarding the interview, if anyone happens to be friends with any ex-Town players who might be willing to give up an hour of their time to speak to me then please drop me a PM.

Always thought that wes Parker and Anthony church would be interesting, if slightly left field candidates, for an interview.  Each are Easily  contactable via linked in, obviously intelligent with a modicum of footballing ability, and have seemingly succeeded in their lives. Friend of mine played with wes for several years at Wealdstone and respected him greatly

From Georgia kinkladze to FA cup qualifiers.......

Good interview. Hurst made a total hash of breaking that team up, he left us at the right time really. PA could do a lot better than Newport he's wasted there.

Quoted from SuperDan16

Thank you everyone for your kind words regarding the interview, if anyone happens to be friends with any ex-Town players who might be willing to give up an hour of their time to speak to me then please drop me a PM.

Pm sent mate

Quoted from forza ivano

From Georgia kinkladze to FA cup qualifiers.......

Sounds like a great name for a footballer's autobiography

Quoted from SuperDan16

Thank you everyone for your kind words regarding the interview, if anyone happens to be friends with any ex-Town players who might be willing to give up an hour of their time to speak to me then please drop me a PM.

You could have re-signed him while you were at it!

Quoted from GrimRob

Good interview. Hurst made a total hash of breaking that team up, he left us at the right time really. PA could do a lot better than Newport he's wasted there.

Agree he should be at a bigger/better club, The influence of his agent no doubt? Which agent would get a finisher of that quality to sign for Hartlepool FFS? One who likes a brown paper bag I think.

I’d be interested in reading an interview with Peter Handyside if you can track him down!

Seems to be one of the only players from that era who has never attended reunion nights, etc.

Been introduced at matches with others a couple of times

Ah really, must’ve missed it. I thought he’s fallen off the face of the earth!

Quoted from sam gy

Ah really, must’ve missed it. I thought he’s fallen off the face of the earth!

Not sure you have missed it. Mr Handyside has proved very difficult to find for us and the club.

The plot thickens...

The same could be said about super Clive have we ever had him back here ?

Quoted from Mendonca1995

The same could be said about super Clive have we ever had him back here ?

Didn’t he do the half time draw or something when we played Charlton in the league cup in the 04-05 season?

Quoted from sam gy

I’d be interested in reading an interview with Peter Handyside if you can track him down!

Seems to be one of the only players from that era who has never attended reunion nights, etc.

Last I heard not even his own family in Dumfries knew where he was & he has not been back to GTFC as a guest

'Tis a shame. He was a bloody brilliant player for us - hope he knows how much he was liked/respected at Town.

Personal life
Since retiring from professional football Handyside has worked as a delivery driver for Gilberts Furniture on the Fenton Industrial Estate in Stoke on Trent. In December 2013 Handyside's daughter was diagnosed with leukaemia, and in 2014 she launched her own campaign named "Maia's Misson".[5]

From Handyside's Wiki page.