Re: Summer issue | Page 18

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, 18 19