Mark Liggins made his 100th appearance for the club against Woodlands United on Sunday and OMH thought it was about time that we interviewed our inspirational utility player about his time at Headstone Rangers Football Club. Liggo speaks frankly about how he would like to be remembered, his favourite position, his views on this season and Scroggsy’s Yellow boots.
JW: Hiya Liggo how’s it going my friend?
ML: Not bad, I’m just happy to be here.
JW: Good, so we’re coming to the end of the season, have we been successful, average or poor?
ML: I think there have been many plusses and probably just as many minuses. I think we have put in some really good performances and although we have lost a few games lately we have tried to play some decent football on some very difficult pitches against a few teams who we really should have beaten. We haven’t always had the luck and a few things haven’t gone our way. But it is disappointing that we haven’t won more matches but I think we should be happy with the way that we have tried to play football.
JW: What has been your high point and low point of this season?
ML: My highlight has got to be Skip trying to take a corner and getting tackled by the corner flag which if you think about it, its incredibly hard to do! We did score from it although that was purely an accident but it was absolute comedy from Skipper.
(Liggo & Wheels Start Laughing)
ML: The lowpoint of the season would have to be the Bellmullet Town game last week and were crap. But then again we had an experimental team, we had Jimbob left wing for god sake there is only so much you can expect from a game like that. I can’t really remember any real low points.
JW: What about AC Masala away?
ML: Yeah that wasn’t good to be honest. We didn’t have a bad team that day but I think a lot of us thought that the game might have been off. So we all turned up with the wrong attitude and that would probably have to be a low point.
JW: I think me and you were still pissed.
ML: Yes we were Wheels, thanks for reminding me about that. It wasn’t a good day for the Empire!
(Liggo & Wheels Start Laughing again)
JW: Who would be your player of the season? Obviously we have the vote coming up in a couple of months and you may want to keep quiet. Who would be the frontrunners in your opinion for the coveted HRFC Players’ Player of The Season award?
ML: The bookies favourite has got to be Waley. He has scored some brilliant goals and has done a great job on the left wing. But it could be because he was so poor last year. Skip has been dynamite this season as well.
JW: Skip could win most improved player?
ML: He could! If we had twat of the season, Skip would have won it hands down last year! I feel Waley is favourite but Skip and Geezer could sneak into the running. If most of the team take a good honest look at themselves have to say that we haven’t been great.
JW: Average at best?
ML: Yeah we have had injuries but some of us, me included haven’t been great. Even though we have gone down a league and we should have done better.
JW: Well I suppose at least you haven’t played up front all season and only scored a couple of times. . . .Olly!
ML: Olly
has had a stinker to be fair. He has played some of the best football that he
has ever played but in front of goal he has been s**t.
JW: Yeah he couldn’t finish his pudding!
ML: I can assure James, that Olly has eaten all the puddings!
(Liggo & Wheels Start Laughing again)
JW: I’ll set them up Liggo you keep knocking them out of the park
(At this point Liggo gets the giggles)
JW: Why did you leave the club after two games as you were an original member of the club. It was a long time ago, September 1997!
ML: I was still playing a bit of Sunday rugby back in those days and the idea was to alternate between rugby and football. I couldn’t get the hang of why we didn’t have linesman for the opening league game. Now when I see the Gaffer running the line I wish we didn’t have linesman. I don’t want him to be put into an early grave.
JW: What is weird Liggo is apart from the first two league games we have always had linesman or assistant referees what ever you want to call them.
ML: Yeah, its just one of those things. Nowadays I‘ve realised that its great to be out with the boys on Sundays. Win, Lose, draw I still get to shower with a lot of naked chaps!
JW: We only need a team bath now don’t we! Anyway looking ahead, this year’s tour will be your first!
ML: I am looking forward to tour! Especially after what Cheesy said that me and him would go and find every dodgy establishment in Valkenburg. I don’t how he thought Cheesy would rope me into it!
JW: You’re a man of class aren’t you?
ML: A man of class, I’m a man of taste! I’m certainly not the type of person who likes going into a lowly ’50p’ a go stripper joint. But I will go if it’s just to keep an eye on Cheesy because he is trouble.
JW: I’m sure he meant Crofty and not you!
ML: Crofty will be there already in some dodgy bar and we’ll have to meet him there!
JW: Are you looking forward to the games on tour? As we play on decent pitches and on very nice grounds.
ML: I’m looking forward to playing in Europe. It will be my European debut and I can’t wait to be testing myself on the biggest stage of all. I’ve ordered a brand new pair of Nike white boots which I ordered around Wheels house when I was quite drunk on a Friday night! But I am chuffed that I bought them! We obviously are going to look the nuts even if we are rubbish.
JW: I have got a brand new pair of white & gold boots, Matty has a reasonably new pair of silver boots and Scroggsy has got a brand new pair of Yellow boots! I wonder who is going to stand out the most?
ML: (without hesitation) Scroggsy!
JW: Also you were one of the boys who put a little bit of extra money in to have a ‘professional’ touch added to Scroggsy’s yellow boots.
ML: Oh yeah! Scroggsy deserves the best God dam it and he’s always around for a few beers. I’m even sure he’ll turn up on Sunday morning to help the team out and recently we could have done with him. So we though fair play. Scroggsy is coming on tour, he’s going to play in both games. He’s needs the full lick so we paid to have ’30 SCROGGSY’ added to his boots to make them extra special.
JW: Have you got a game plan on which nights you want to go absolutely crazy or will you just go with the flow?
ML: To be honest I can’t remember how many nights we are going for and when we leave so I’ll have no game plan and just get drunk.
JW: What would you say is your best position? And what would be your favourite position because they are not necessarily going to be the same.
ML: I think I enjoy midfield the most as most defenders think they’re midfield players because you’ll get involved in everything. Some people maybe surprised to here that on Saturdays I play defensive midfield and I’m quite disciplined and I don’t push on too much which might surprise the Gaffer and Clarkey.
JW: Don’t get too comfortable Liggo because that is my position and I enjoy my 60 minutes when I play!
(Liggo & Wheels Start Laughing again)
JW: Who is the funniest player at the club?
ML: I think Duttsy, I know popular opinion usually favours Geezer and fair play because Geezer is absolutely hilarious but I suppose because I see Duttsy more and I love they way he does the most stupid impressions all the time. But Cheesy is also funny, especially as he is South African but sounds Welsh.
JW: I think Duttsy does the best impressions and that Geezer is just naturally funny! Duttsy does do some amazing impressions of Stiffler and Marco.
ML: Fair call, a double team of those two would be awesome.
JW: If you put those two in you know that you’re going to wet your pants! What would you change about the club if you could change one thing?
ML: I think we do alright and don’t really want to change anything. I know we play a squad system and I don’t have any really problems with that although I think some people do. We knew that the team used a squad system when we signed up. If when we started we went to other clubs we wouldn’t get a game.
JW: Wouldn’t get a game now!
ML: Probably wouldn’t get a game now! I like the club is excellent, it has got a family atmosphere, good fun, a few beers to be had all the time. It would be nice if a few more players turned up to the beer we have all the time. But you can’t have it all.
JW: There are 14 of us on tour and they can’t go anywhere then so we should a have a few drinks with them then! Which Footy team do you support? Officially you don’t support anyone one but there must be one team that you cheer on?
ML: I don’t support anyone! I don’t watch more football with any great interest. I play football for the love of the game James. Football is the winner when I’m around!
JW: What are you future aims for the club?
ML: If we don’t get promoted this season, I would like to see us gain promotion in the not too distant future. I would like to see us consolidate in a league as being a yo-yo team doesn’t really suit us. We have a good season, finish second and then get relegated straight back down. I would like to see us consolidate in a league where we can become more competitive where we are playing well consistently. I don’t think necessarily we need to win something or though that would be fantastic but I think everyone just wants to go out and play competitive football and go out and enjoy the leagues. Since I have come back to the club its been up down each season and I believe that frustrates people more than anything!
JW: How would you want to be remembered? I’m not saying you’re going to die or anything!
(Liggo & Wheels Start Laughing again)
JW: If you left the club tomorrow how would you like to be remembered?
ML: I would like it if Clarkey appreciated that I’m not just a rugby player for a start! I don’t know. As someone who doesn’t piss to many people off! So the opposite to how people remember Crofty!
JW: Liggo thanks for your time!
ML: No worries.