TEN YEARS OF WEMBLEY MEMORIES: I will fight my way back into football, vows Sampson

Thursday 06th May 2010

KENT Footballing Legend Tommy Sampson led Deal Town to FA Carlsberg Vase glory underneath the iconic Twin Towers at Wembley Stadium exactly TEN YEARS ago today, writes Stephen McCartney.

A late strike from Roly Graham sent Sampson and those Deal heroes into footballing folklore - and Sampson became the first Kent based non-league football manager to walk up those famous steps to lift one of football’s biggest prizes.

www.kentishfootball.co.uk caught up with Sampson this evening for an emotional eleven minute interview, where he talks about his Wembley memories; his battle recovering from a stroke that he suffered a couple of years ago; and all the characters that have been a very close friend to him over the years.

“Fantastic! It was the greatest day in Kent football’s history - because we won!

“A lot has happened (since then), both to Deal and Chippenham and me! Chippenham are now Southern League, I think they lost in the play-off’s this year and Deal unfortunately never went on because of the disagreements over the ground.

“If Deal would have been allowed to develop the ground, Deal would be playing at a much better level of football now, possibly Conference South, possibly Conference. If they had a marvellous facility, I think Deal would have gone on.

“What a great day. It was a fantastic day in my life, in my sporting life. It’s a huge event in the football calendar.

“The old Wembley Stadium was about to be knocked down, the pressure of getting there was immense. The semi-final victory was the sweetest moment because if we had got beat in the semi-final it would have been not just disappointing, it would have been devastating.

“And the lads that played there can all say they played at the old Twin Towers. Whilst the new Wembley’s nice, it’s not got the character and the tradition that the old Wembley had.

“Leading the players out of the tunnel was the best memory and signing the national anthem at the top off my voice was spine tingling.

“I spent days telling the players to treat the game as normal and there I was signing the national anthem with tears running down my face, looking around, players had tears. It was emotional draining. How the hell would we play football?”

Everybody involved in Kent football knows Tommy - but whilst the manager of Redhill his world was turned upside down when he suffered a stroke two years ago.

“My progress is very, very slow, but it is progress. Unfortunately I’ve recently had a fall and broke my wrist. That’s only a minor set-back amongst all the other set-backs that I’ve had.

“But progress from a stroke is notoriously very slow. I had to do a physio once a week. The small exercises are very laborious - but it will all be worthwhile in the end.

“But the most difficult thing is missing my football, missing the footballing world and not being able to do what I was doing for years.”

But Sampson vows to keep football in his blood.

“I’ve been to a few games recently and taken a keen interest in Faversham. My old mate, Bobby Mason is the chairman and I’ve seen them play the last few games of the season.

“It was great to see them win the league and I went to the Kent Senior Trophy Final. I was invited by the KCFA. I get lots of invites all over the place, which I’m grateful for.

“The Kent Senior Trophy Final was a good game, Faversham beat Greenwich. Faversham had a fantastic season and I can only congratulate them and I know how difficult it is to win the Kent League.

“Herne Bay winning the League Cup was great as well. It’s nice to see Herne Bay back in the winning circle, my old club!

“I miss it so much, you can’t believe! I miss the involvement, I miss the banter and miss being around football people, even supporters, pulling up outside the ground, talking to supporters, having a bit of banter.

“I miss all that and I miss the press side and doing the radio and that type of thing. I done a couple of radio interviews this week for Radio Kent on the 10 years’ anniversary, which has been nice. It’s been nice to do it. I do miss the involvement, it’s desperate.

“My football career was cut off at the knees - I was cut off without any notice.

“The quicker I get my health back, it can’t come soon enough!”

Sampson has vowed to return to Kent football in any capacity - and that day can’t come soon enough!

“I always think what else I can do. If I went back into football, I’d like to go back into management but I’d also consider going back as a director, maybe a strong committee member or maybe a chairman or something.

“I’ve got a lot to offer, I’ve got a lot of experience and seeing Faversham in their last few games of the season was a great experience because they’re a young club fighting their way back and it’s great to see it.

“All the committee people work ever so hard and I would love to be a part of something like that.

“I still follow Dartford closely, they’re still my team. They’ve had a fantastic season and I spoke to Tony Burman this week and congratulated him.

“I just miss the whole rigmarole, everything that goes with it. Talking to the press, talking to you, the radio, the players.

“It’s my life blood, you know me, you remember me. I was 125% football and it just got taken away in the space of about five seconds.

“December 2007, it’s two years and six months ago. It’s a long time for me to be out and I miss people. I miss the banter, the rivalry, I miss the good games, the big games and the good games. I just miss everything about it.

“The football world has been great to me. I’ve not been left alone and everyone rings me, I get text messages and I get invited to places.

“I saw the Kent Senior Trophy Final, the KCFA invited me to that so it’s nice that I am thought off in that respect.

“I will be 56 in the summer - I feel like I’m 156 sometimes. A stroke is a very difficult thing to come back from. There’s no research, they’re very sceptical about how much I can progress and how much I can get back - but they don’t know me!

“I’ve told people watch this space. I’m going to come back some how. It’s a constant battle physiologically and physically.

“The best thing that’s happened to me, once a week, regular, without fail, Steve Lovell pops into my house and has a cup of tea and we talk about football and all about general things.

“The Kent football family has been good to me. They’ve all been very good, the Jimmy Ward’s of this world all keep in touch. I’m great friends with the people that played with me at Wembley. Every time I get a text it starts with ‘how are you boss, how are you doing?’

“It’s nice that people think about me in that way.

“The quicker I get back the better - the quicker I get back into any form of life, the better for me.

“Playing golf has been taken away from me - it’s like losing my grandchildren over night - it’s things that you love and I love my football. I love the competitive side of it. Unfortunately I’ve been out for a long time. I left my mark before I left.”

Tommy paid tribute to his pillar of strength - Sandie.

“She’s doing great, she’s been fantastic for me. She’s been ever so patient over the last couple off years and without her help I wouldn’t have got this far.”

Another love of his life is Dartford Football Club.

“Me and Tony Burman used to play together and we’re old friends. I congratulate him for a very good season.

“Dartford are still very close to my heart. It’s still my club. I played a lot of games there, I managed there for a short time in very difficult circumstances so I hope people appreciate how hard it was in my Dartford days.

“I would love to be at Dartford now - they must be on a crest of a wave.

“I managed Dartford because I love Dartford. I managed Dartford because it was my club.

“All the way through my illness, I’ve kept in touch with Tony and I send him good luck messages every Saturday morning and I do that to about nine managers, all friends of mine, Keith McMahon, Marc Seager, before he left Whitstable, Steve Lovell is another good friend. I always send them good luck messages and it’s nice that I can stay involved in that way.”

Sampson vowed: “It’s been a difficult two years, incredibly difficult and I’ve got to call on all the reserves of determination that I’ve got.

“I’ve still got a long way to go but don’t write me off yet - I will be back some how!”