Darren Griffiths in på livet
Vi såg honom på TV efter sista matchen för att intervjua David Moyes, Swedish Toffees "inside man" och kontaktperson. Darren Griffiths heter han och många är vi som träffat honom en eller flera gånger men det är inte alla som kanske vet så mycket om den man som fixar så mycket för oss då vi åker över på våra officiella supporterresor så jag har känt Darren lite på pulsen helt enkelt.
Då jag sist träffade Darren efter de bägge hemmamatcherna i julhelgen mot Wigan respektive Chelsea undrade jag om han kunde tänka sig ställa upp för en intervju för att låta våra medlemmar få veta lite mer om honom så var det ett lika glasklart ja som han är trevlig. Måhända att det blev några pints för mycket den helgen då det tagit oss hela våren att sätta ihop en färdig version som går att publicera utan att någon i Evertons ledning ska kunna peka finger åt Darrens håll. En hel del ämnen och frågor vi diskuterat är för känsliga och därav går allmänheten miste om en del tankar men det får både jag och ni alla som läser följande respektera och acceptera. Jag hoppas ändå att detta kan ge både de supportrar som varit med på våra resor, men även de som inte varit det, en mer allmän bild av vår glada och proffsiga Darren Griffiths.
Undertecknad väljer att publicera intervjun på engelska då det ger mest rättvisa åt de frågor och svar jag tillåtits publicera för allmänheten. Skulle någon känna att de är mindre bra på det engelska språket så får jag väl hänvisa till diverse ordlistor på internet eller någon nära och kära. Jag ber även på förhand om ursäkt om någon engelsk teacher sitter där ute och tycker jag misshandlar deras språk men here we go...
Lets start with some basic facts about you Darren.. Where were you born, your age, family situation and where do you live nowadays?
I was born in Liverpool in 1965, which makes me 48 years old. Apparently I watched the 1966 FA Cup final win on my dad’s knee! I have always lived in the south of Liverpool and I now live with my wife, Michelle, in Halewood, near to the training ground at Finch Farm.
What other interests do you have except football?
Not many! I watch old comedy programmes on television and on DVD. My favourites that I can watch for hours on end are Dad’s Army, Rising Damp, Only Fools & Horses and Porridge.
I suppose you like every young english boy played football once in your life, where did you played, how good were you and in what position did you play?
I was a centre-forward but although I scored lots of goals I didn’t progress further than the Liverpool amateur leagues. I played a few games in Wales for a team called Bethesda.
Have you played with anyone who got the fortune to succeed within football?
When I was 14 and 15 my partner in attack for a Sunday junior team was the future Everton striker Mike Newell. I also played in the same team as Peter Billings, who played a few games for Everton in the 1980s.
Maybe a sensitive question but have Everton always been your team to support?
Yes, my first game was against West Brom in 1971. We drew 3-3 and Keith Newton scored his one and only goal for us that day.
Did you got that "Everton disease" in your blood from your parents?
My dad supported Liverpool but the little boy over the road from my house when I was 5-years old supported Everton, so I did too!
Speaking about parents...how was it to grow up in a worldwide known tough environment like Liverpool in your younger years?
Things like that don’t really affect you when you’re a child. I lived in Toxteth for the first few years of my life. That area has developed a bad reputation over the years but I never had any problems and nor did my family.
Which schools did you go to and what education have you got?
I went to Sudley School from the age of 5 – 10 and then Quarry Bank Comprehensive from 11 – 18. Other former pupils of Quarry Bank include Joe Royle and John Lennon. I was in school the day Lennon was killed and the place was overcome with camera crews from news television channels from all over the world.
We know you work with media for Everton, but what is it like? Describe a matchday for example.
Match days begin four hours before the kick-off. All the preparation work is done during the week but we still come in early in case any issues crop up. We have to make sure that all the media is sorted correctly and that the website is updated regularly. The rest of the day depends on what happens during the game and what we have to react too after the final whistle. We need to make sure the manager and the players fulfill all their post-match media obligations.
For how long have you worked with this and Everton?
I started on a match-day basis at Goodison Park in 1995, just before the FA Cup final. The club had just launched Radio Everton and I was brought along to interview people on a match-day. When Radio Everton started doing commentaries from all the first-team games, I was invited to do them so I started going to every fixture home and away. Eventually, I was offered a full-time position in 2000.
We know you are also working with the different supporter branches around the world and we really appreciate your hospitality and passion you have given us through the years. Is this a general thing against all fan clubs within all PL clubs or is it a more unique commitment Everton has against their fan-base?
I think, in fairness, most clubs embrace their fan-base. A lot of clubs try to arrange ‘meet and greets’ when they are on tour but I genuinely think that here at Everton we go the extra mile and make more of an effort. Everywhere we go in the world we meet Evertonians and we also welcome them when they come to Goodison Park. The relationship between the fans and the supporters is very important to everyone connected with the club.
Of course the Swedish Toffees want to hear that we are the best fanclub but what is your really honest opinion? No harm if there are anyone considered better, just nice to hear how you rank us.
I think the Swedish Toffees and the Irish Toffees enjoy themselves the most when they come to Goodison! I have got to know both sets of fans very well over the years and enjoyed the occasional glass of beer with them!!
You haven´t missed many matches (home and away) through the years, how does your record look since you started your work with Everton?
The last first-team game I missed was at Middlesbrough in April 2006. Since then, I’ve been to every single one, home and away. Looking further back, that match at Middlesbrough (I missed it because I was unwell) is the only match I have missed in almost ten years!
Did you go to a lot of matches even before it was your profession? Maybe you even was a season ticket holder?
I never had a season ticket holder because I played amateur football from when I left school to when I when I was 26. A back injury stopped me playing and so I moved into the media side of things and worked for local newspapers and radio stations on a Saturday and Sunday.
The best match ever with Everton which you attended?
I have to say the 1985 European Cup Winners’ Cup semi-final against Bayern Munich at Goodison Park. I didn’t have a ticket until 20 minutes before the kick-off when I bought one outside off someone who’s friend couldn’t attend. It was an unbelievable night and the atmosphere may never be beaten.
What is your personally biggest disappointment and the hardest moment to overcome when you attended an Everton match?
The 2012 FA Cup semi-final defeat to Liverpool affected me for a long time. I had looked forward to it so much and we had all worked so hard in the weeks before it. It was the most upsetting result I have ever experienced. I was shell-shocked at the end.
In all this years you must have met a lot of people and have thousands of great moments, tell us about one of your absolute favourite story or moment within the club?
I met David Beckham at the LA Galaxy stadium during our pre-season tour a few years ago but the best experience has to be when I interviewed Sylvester Stallone for evertonTV! He was a guest of the Chairman and it was a very surreal experience to speak to him after watching so many of his films!
Many like myself have Duncan Ferguson as an all time favourite, how is your relationship to him now when he works within the club and doing his coaching? How is he like a person, I suppose he isn´t that hard against his Everton family like he was against opponents on the pitch?
Duncan’s a great lad. I’ve still got a picture from the Liverpool in 1995 when I ran onto the pitch at the end of our FA Cup quarter-final win against Newcastle! Thankfully I wasn’t working for the club at the time and I ‘high-fived’ Duncan and the picture was in the paper! I was horrified when I saw it. I have told Duncan this story and he thinks it’s great. He’s a lovely guy and he is going to be a very good coach. He still has this aura about him because he is such a legend but down at Finch Farm he does very well to be one of the guys.
So what do you think, is Duncan a forthcoming manager and is it something he has set as a potential goal in the future, not as an Everton manager but in general?
Yes, I think Duncan wants to be a manager. Whether it will ever be at Everton remains to be seen but it would be great one day wouldn’t it!
Speaking about favourites, which player has been your favourite ON the pitch and which one has been the favourite OFF the pitch?
I have lots of ON and OFF the pitch favourites. I still keep in touch with Kevin Kilbane, James McFadden, Lee Carsley, Gary Naysmith, Kevin Campbell, James Beattie and many, many more. I’ve been lucky that I have worked with so many great players and lots and lots of top-class people. Colin Harvey was my first hero when I was a small boy.
Last question then: As we are quite a lot of Swedish Toffees travelling to Liverpool every year, what is your favourite spots in and around Liverpool, and what is worth doing according to you for a day without a game on the programme?
The City Centre is changing all the time and is attracting a lot of tourists but I think you guys already know the best places to go! The atmosphere in the area around Goodison Park (County Road etc) is always very good and I think the Black Horse is a favourite of the Swedish Toffees! I love having a beer locally after the game because I enjoy meeting Evertonians.
Thanks a lot for your time and I think every Swedish Toffee now have a good picture of you and probably this is going to be a talking point next time we see you Darren. We wish you all the best over the summer and looking forward to meet you again on our next officially trip for the season 2013-14.
