circles I am and after dinners, you meet
people from other sports. Chris Coleman
the Welsh manager, I had a game of golf
with him last year. I sat next to Ryan Jones
the Welsh rugby captain last week. So you
get to meet lots of sporting people. You’ve
put me on the spot a little bit. I’m trying to
think outside of sport. Oh, Robbie Williams.
Robbie Williams?
It’s quite a funny story actually because
when I went to South Africa I brought
a lad, Terence Marsh back with me. He
then got a job in Carmarthen Bay Holiday
Camp and the comedian or the main MC
host was Pete Conway, Robbie’s dad.
So, I used to go down there, see Terry.
So, we got to know Pete really well, and
Robbie used to come down there when
he was 16. He actually told us before he
It’s all blacked out with
curtains and there’s
all girls screaming like
mad as you go out.
entourage in there. I’ll never forget, we
sat with Robbie ‘till four in the morning
just talking for two and a half hours. He’s
a top bloke.
What are your pet hates?
Being late. My father used to say “If
you’re late, you’re basically telling other
people that you’re time is more important
than theirs.” That and inconsistent people.
I can deal with someone who’s not the
nicest person in the world 100% of the
time but when people are up and down
like a bride’s nightie, then that puts you
off guard all time.
I was just going to ask, what does the
future hold for Tony Cottey?
I can deal with
someone who’s not
the nicest person in
the world 100% of the
time but when people
are up and down
like a bride’s nightie,
then that puts you off
guard all time.
A tough one. Is it a lack of ambition to
say, “Well, to be honest, I’m quite hap py
doing what I’m doing”? If I was doing
this in ten years time I think I’d be more
than happy.
Interviewed by Laurence Elphick
joined Take That that my boy is going
to join this band and it’s going to be
fantastic. So, then Robbie came down
when he was in Take That to get away
from it a little bit down on the west coast
of Wales. So, we got to know him quite
well. And then I was invited by Peter
Conway and his partner, me and my wife
at the time and the boss of the holiday
camp to go up to Cardiff to watch him, we
had a box too.
We also went backstage and Robbie
had just finished. He said, “Listen…” I’d
had a good drink by this stage.” He said,
“Listen, do you want to have a game of
basketball?” How ironic is this I’m only
five foot four. So, he puts a hoop up
and I’m playing one on one with Robbie
Williams for about 20 minutes. So, once
that finishes he has a shower and he
says, “Right, I’m going to sneak out,
you go on the tour bus.” Right, so, me
and my wife and Pete and his partner
now we get on the tour bus. So, it’s all
blacked out with curtains and there’s
all girls screaming like mad as you go
out. So, it’s my biggest claim to fame
I suppose. I put my hand outside the
window and just waved and the whole
place erupted. So, we ended up going
back to St David’s Hotel in Cardiff Bay,
beautiful hotel and he had the whole two
top floors with all his backing singers,
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