Interview | Adam Randell
Issue two of ‘The Pilgrim’, Argyle’s new-look match-day programme, features winning-goal hero from last season’s game against Stoke City, Adam Randell.
Below, you can get a preview of the interview with Randell, which is featured in full in the programme itself, the cover of which sees an illustration of the midfielder celebrating a goal but mocked up in the first Argyle kit he owned as a supporter.
Elsewhere in the programme we catch up with former Pilgrim and tomorrow’s Evergreen guest, Garry Nelson. Garry was also the co-commentator for Argyle TV for the match against Queens Park Rangers last week, so we got his thoughts on that game, as well as various other footballing topics.
We also continue some of this season’s new features, include profiling Argyle fans around the world (we are off to Cyprus this week); our look at chants you may hear in Home Park, and their origins, means we are ‘having a laugh’; the Argyle Archive show us something from their collection, regarding a European fixture at Home Park; we look back on the retro kit featured on the front cover, and more. The programme also features the traditional stats, games, photos, opposition guide and so much more, packed into a perfect-bound 68 pages.
BECOMING…ADAM RANDELL
To speak to Adam Randell about his Past, Present and Future, we took him to Pomphlett Park, Plymstock, where he spent his formative years practising free-kicks. Five-month-old cocker spaniel Herbie came along for the day, too…
When were you first in this park?
I honestly couldn’t tell you. I would have been one or two years old. My mum would have brought me and my sister here. We’ve got a lot of friends who lived in the area, too, so they would have brought us here.
It got to a point where I would come here every day after school, with a couple of footballs, whether there were other people with me or not.
Was football in your family growing up?
It was. We all got involved, apart from my mum really. My dad has always liked football, I got that from him. My sister is well into football as well, so the three of us would have a kick around in the garden. It would be me and my sister against my dad – then the two of them against me!
What was your first Argyle kit?
It was the 2007/08 kit that is on the front of this programme. I liked it a lot, and I wore it loads. I had the top, the shorts, the socks – I’m sure they got ripped, sliding around out here.
Who was the first coach you remember playing for?
There’s a lot of coaches I played for, and learned a lot from and had a big impact on me. My first proper football coach was Jed King. He was at Plymstock United when I was younger. When I first played for Plymstock, I was playing a year above. I had had little Saturday morning sessions before then, but that was the first organised, proper team I played for.
Did you ever play in a different position growing up?
The only ones I haven't played are striker and goalkeeper, I think. I've played all around the pitch trying to find out what I'm best at. When I was a lot younger, starting out, I was playing as a right winger, back when I had loads of pace. When I joined Argyle, that's what I was. I slowly got converted to a centre mid. I played right-back for a little bit as well.
Is there a piece of advice you have never forgotten?
Chris Souness used to say that the best players always play the pass at the right speed to the right foot all the time. I must have been maybe 12 or 13 when he told me that, and that just seemed to stick with me. It's such fine details in what makes good players great, making sure that they can do the right things the right way, all the time.
Was there ever a point where you could have done something else other than football?
I played tennis quite a lot when I was younger. My mum and dad are both well into their tennis; I had coaching when I was younger, and I used to enter a few little tournaments but, in the end, it was quite a comfortable decision. I was never going to be a proper tennis player. I was decent, and I could have played at an alright level, but nothing near pro level.
Talk to us about your debut, in the EFL Trophy, at Newport County, when you were 18.
I remember just being surprised. I didn't expect to be travelling, and then being told - I think it was about an hour-and-a-half before kick-off - that I was starting, was a massive surprise. I hadn't expected that at all. I thought it would just be a sort of like a token gesture on the bench just to get that experience. It was a great day. Obviously, we lost, which wasn't great, but it was a very proud day for me and my family,
If someone was making a one-minute Adam Randell Mix Tape, with three or four moments, goals, etc., what would it feature?
It would probably feature my first league start, when we played Ipswich at home. A couple of clips from there. It would have my first league goal, away at Sheffield Wednesday. It would have us winning the title in League One; the trophy lift would have to be the one, with all the lads there. It’s such a great memory for everyone that was there.
You can read our feature with Adam Randell in full by purchasing a copy of The Pilgrim at tomorrow’s game for £3.50.
