RUFC – Fans Questions

With our Cup match coming up with Sheffield Wednesday, Vital’s Auckland Owl kindly offered to answer a few questions for us….

How long have you been supporting the Owls?

The romantic answer about how long I supported them is ‘ever since my dad came back from the Owls losing 1966 FA Cup Final’, but it’s probably from when I first started to get interested in football, during Jack Charlton’s reign at Hillsborough in the mid-80s. So let’s say 20 years.

Living so far away, how often to you get to see the Owls?

That’s an easy question: not very often. I’m very excited that this year I will be back at Hillsborough for the Watford game on September 13th.

And, how do you keep up to date with what’s happening?

By any and all means.. good old Radio Sheffield commentary, Vital, email, forums, phone calls to mates, texts and whatever video streams I can get, but unfortunately not Sky in New Zealand (they only carry Premiership matches). There’s the added disadvantage that most of the action happens in the early hours of the morning!

How did you become involved with Vital?

Nick Rigg’s match reports drew me to Vital, they were a cut above the usual stuff in the press. Once I’d got on the forum (in the early days there weren’t many of us around!) I chipped in here and there with the articles and covered the site when Nick was away. The time difference sometimes helps as I can cover really early or really late breaking news.

Have you any memories of Owls v Millers games?

Isn’t it a rule at the Football League now that the draw for the first round of the Carling Cup must have Owls vs Millers? 🙂

My memories of recent matches are that you seemed to win at Hillsborough rather too often for my liking, though we have extracted our revenge in the last two meetings at your place.

Who is your favourite ever Owls player?

David Hirst in his prime was the best striker I ever saw, and Roland Nilsson the best defender.

How do you think you will do this season?

If we can keep our players fit (which seems to be a big ask) definitely better than last season’s 16th place. How much better may depend on the timing and size of any cash Brian Laws gets to spend. Our start to this season can’t be worse than last time around, can it?

Is there one thing you would change about your club?

The change that, touch wood, already seems to be happening – regime change. There does appear to be significant new investment on the way and a resulting boardroom clearout, which is necessary if we are to move forward.

Which is the best football stadium you have ever visited?

I never really pay much attention to how good a stadium is (as long as my seat isn’t behind a post I’m pretty happy!), it’s more about matches and memories, really. Every visit to Hillsborough is fantastic, you can’t beat that, but I also have great memories from Highbury (on the North Bank – I kept my mouth pretty much shut that day), Filbert Street, the Goldstone Ground and Maine Road. I’ve also got a soft spot for The Shay, since it was the nearest league ground to where I grew up. I hope Halifax recover from their recent troubles. And Rotherham too. I hate to see long-established league clubs struggle.

Do you take any interest in any other sports?

I should watch more rugby league than I do, since my great uncle was a Challenge Cup winner, so I must get along to see NRL team the Warriors in Auckland. I like watching the Tour De France on telly, dunno why, it just seems to provide good action and great scenery in the background! I can’t get involved with the All Blacks hype – if you think the hysteria over the England football squad is massive, you should read some of the stuff written over here about the ‘world’s greatest rubgy team’.

My own sporting achievements: a bit of kayaking and a bit of fishing.

Thank You Auckland! I know you are coming over to England soon, although not in time for the Owls v Millers game (scared, eh!!!!) so have a good journey.