Episode 5 Late Kick Off East

So, how or we possibly going to bring you a football programme with

Life after football, golf scorer turned musician, Howard Liam

bounced back from depression. not want to be here any more.

Etude Week For Stevenage but all is The date rivalries were put to one

side in the name of the beautiful game. I have to take my hat off to

the fans. Good evening. After a weekend when

football was put on ice, we still have a packed programme for you,

including a highlight. But first, the introductions. The Kevin and

Perry show is back, let's get the gags out of the way first. Are you

in good shape? Yes. Plenty of Commons on Twitter. You

lot more than welcome to join in as usual. You can of follow us on

Twitter at Late Kick Off East. The weather devastated the fixtures in

this part of the world, I cannot remember a Saturday when every game

was called off. The heaters were on at this picture and it looked like

a great afternoon to play football. They would have been desperate to

get the game on because Ipswich won the last two games. The shading on

the pitch, temperatures were frozen. the pitch, temperatures were frozen.

You can see on the side, particularly this side, it is white.

The pitch was rock hard. People are slipping all over the place. It

should never have gone ahead. in the minority, I think

footballers are a bit soft. I thought I was going to see a clip

where the players were like Bambi, falling everywhere, but they were

not. Ipswich started really well as well. You could tell that

Middlesbrough, the players did not fancy it. I was surprised. If I was

the manager, I would have wanted the game to play as long as

possible. We later discovered that this injury was due to the pitch.

guess the impact was forced through his body because the ground was

hard. The rest of the pitch is fine, but this stretch was not playable.

You cannot play on two-thirds of the pitch. There is not much grass

on that side of the pitch either. He cannot play a game on their. It

is dangerous. The problem is they have tried to get the game ahead

because how far Middlesbrough fans have travelled. Ipswich players do

not look particularly happy. Those fans, 700 fans, it is a long way to

come. Ipswich did not want to play. I feel sorry for the supporters at

the clubs. That is the weight it is unfortunately. Unfortunately the

referee made that decision. I think it was probably the wrong one.

of the talking points is whether the fans should be charged for the

rearranged games. Ipswich are saying no more than �10. Your

thoughts? It is a PR disaster. They have 3,000 extra fans because of

the discounted tickets. They are being asked to pay �10, now it is a

normal price. How many of those fans are going to go back? A I

think they should not have to pay for their tickets. Middlesbrough

It has been a bit of a PR disaster. We have had some comments on the

They did manage to get on the way at Portland Road, but no such luck

elsewhere. Peterborough and West Ham supporters turning up at seven

am up to help clear the pitch. It was great to see even though the

game did not go ahead. Some people will do anything to get through

those doors on Saturday. But that is what you want, everyone wants to

see their team play. Clearly they could go to the corn and say that

is not playable. But they did not do that. That is at West Ham at

fans. They were not from east London, but all the way from Norway,

can you believe that? In Norway, that is skirmish, they could not

believe the game was not going on. Suffice to say, there was no

prospect of the game going ahead. The referee only have one choice.

But Barry, giving them a big welcome. These covers are only

designed to go down to-five, normal temperatures, but minus 15 is

abnormal and unfortunately, as soon as you put them back, it is rock-

hard under the surface. I take my hat off to the fans, nearly 300

people turned up at seven am. Both sets of fans, to be fair. Within

half-an-hour, they had cleared the snow.

Great effort all around. Peterborough in action tomorrow,

weather permitting. We believe it is good news, both of those games

The issue of depression has been in the headlines recently, several

high-profile stars have admitted they were affected, including a

well known a strike in this part of the world.

Saturday afternoon in Luton. Liam MacKenzie is of to do some shopping.

Liam and a fellow striker were briefly together at Norwich.

Mackenzie, a budding pop star now, is here to choose close for an

It is a new chapter in Mackenzie's life, Repton -- representing a new

chapter for a man who admitted wanting to attempt suicide.

Struggling with injuries, things hit rock bottom a couple of years

ago. I tried to take my life to the point of where I did not want to be

here any more. I had everything, beautiful everything, but the place

that I was in mentally, I felt like I was getting one injury after

another. It was draining mentally. When you go home, you shut your

door, it's sometimes can eat away at you. I lost my sister to suicide

earlier, she was only 23. That just destroyed me when she took her life,

not just then because I was at shock, but later on in my life when

it caught up with me. This is how all football fans remember him up,

a striker moved from Peterborough to Norwich and proved an instant

hit. His second! A far cry from the dark days that would follow, but

depression is more prevalent in the game than most might think. A lot

of eggs professionals are struggling to know what to do next.

They had accumulated so much money over their Korea and it dwindles

and then they get into a position where they have nothing left. It is

a sorry state that professionals can get into. Sadly, as with

football, you normally are pampered and everything comes to you. When

you stop, it is the other way around. You have to get up and get

on with life. MacKenzie, now 33, recently shared his story in the

hope it would help others in the similar position. It was tough, but

I needed to put the word out and make people more aware. There are a

lot of footballers who have approached me about it, which for

me is really satisfying because I have had players saying, I am

struggling. Can you help me? For me, that is all I needed because now I

know that I can put them on to whether it is back and help them.

That is really positive for me. As is the future: two years later,

Leon is looking forward to a bright future. His single has attracted

thousands of hits on line. I am blessed in many ways, but I am just

a man who if I'm going to do something, I put my heart and soul

into it and do my best. The way His singing voice is good. On a

serious note, he has a good voice, it is a very catty, commercial song.

If I did not know who was singing it, I would still say it is a good

song. Finally, featuring Harvey, that is

Leon. I knew I would get it wrong! That is out on 19th March Andy Can

See It Now on YouTube a. It was good to catch up with both of those

I'm not embarrassed or ashamed with my problems, but I finished at 28,

injuries finished my career. I didn't know when I was going to

play again. It didn't happen. I finished my career. I had some

money, and some things behind me, and I suppressed those feelings. A

few things happened financially, and the thing that topped it off is

my mum was diagnosed with breast cancer, and that hit me hard and it

has been a real struggle. I called him first, and he has been

absolutely brilliant. And it is more prevalent. Stan Collymore etc.

Again, he is saying, talk about it. There are more people in your

situation then you might have thought. It is a tree had pressured

environment. One day, you were locked, and the next day, you were

a hated. People compare it to coming out of the army. One way of

life. You know nothing else. To try to find something else, another way

of life, you have got no guidance, know where to turn, so you make

your own way. You take everything on board, like I did when I was a

footballer. But speaking to people involved, like leon, and Clarke

Carlisle, they have been an inspiration. I know plenty of other

people that I will not mention but that have come to me and have

spoken about things. It has amazed me how many people have picked --

have suffered from this. And the future will be bright. Absolutely.

Nobody will understand that unless you have been there yourself. You

come out the other side, you work hard. You make up own luck in life

and to push on to the next level. I have got support with my friends of

my family and the future is bright. -- the support of my friends.

played for Arsenal. When you came out of the game, it was a shock for

you. I got drunk for a year. And then I thought, I've got to look

after my children. I did cold- calling. You have a void in your

life. But then, if you talk to your people, friends and family, things

are not as bad as you think. It is about taking responsibility and

trying to add another chapter to life. Great work by Leon McKenzie

and plenty of people following suit. Plenty to come. Southend go to

Gillingham in League Two and... After the Anfield cat, we rewind to

the day a pesky protractor one man's career.

What a tackle. What a great tackle. Pay in full. Stevenage, a Sheffield

Wednesday tomorrow. Followed by that massive cup-tie with Spurs.

The latest chapter in the rise and rise of a club playing non-League

football less than two years ago. Some up Stevenage. Great family,

fun, buzzing club. You were here before the players. Always. I have

been asked to get some stuff, so I do what I need to do. I get a cup

of tea and then get myself organised. I am responsible for the

first team set-up at Stevenage. A typical day would start around 9am,

where I come in, deal with paperwork. Then the players will do

an early training session. And then they come in for training.

We will train over the road. We have been using that for the last

week. We haven't trained on grass since last Monday. It has been

difficult, but we are getting on with it. All the lads are brilliant.

They all get out there. 11-7, general sale on Monday. Thank you,

goodbye. You've got one thing in mind, and that is getting hold of

the Spurs ticket, is that right? Have caused. What else do you want?

After that, we will take Arsenal! That is what it is all about now.

What we have been waiting years for. The fitness coach will be taking

the first 20 minutes of the session, getting players are ready in these

sub-zero conditions. We will split into groups. Mark will take one

This will put people off their dinner tonight, I tell you. They

are a great bunch of lads. They are professionals. And that is why they

have done so well.! There aren't too many clubs where it takes just

second to what from the front door all the way through to the back

door where the tunnel and Pritch ears. It is that kind of intimacy

that makes Stevenage a police -- a special place to be. From the

players to the ground staff, to the front office staff, everyone has

been hugely accommodating. There are still a lot of those values

coming out of non-League football that still remain. There is a lot

of respect and trust in people. Which, you know, can sometimes does

appear in the full-time pro ranks. What is going on? We have got the

pitch for recovered. We have a problem with this far side, about

six metres in from the sideline, so we have got some air blowers that

we are putting under the covers and then we will thaw it out. It makes

your job interesting. It does. Keeps me fit shovelling all this

snow. I had a gentleman yesterday that came in, I was on my own. He

was clearly drunk. I could smell the whiskey. He said he wanted to

buy a ticket for the game wearing a Tottenham top. As to come, I used

Stevenage or Tottenham? He says, Stevenage. Clearly not Stevenage. I

shouldn't have come with that on, should die? Does it give you more

motivated to try to knock Spurs out of the Cup? On the day, it won't

make any difference. The links I have, it doesn't matter. We will be

faced with a tough Tottenham side. Lots of quality. Whatever team

Harry Redknapp chooses to put on the field, they will be extremely

capable. We will know the sort of challenge we have in front of us.

And we will be ready for that. how has it gone? It has been very

manic. Sold about 700 tickets. About 260 seats. And the rest,

terraces. I am pretty tired now. Wants to go home. It could take a

step back and look at it, we will look back and think, that was a

great time. It has been a great time so far.

Never mind looking back, but looking forward, what a great

picture looking for it to it. We have got the league tomorrow night,

but their story is extraordinary, isn't it? It is a brilliantly run a

club. Phil Wallace, the chairman, took over in 1999. He has taken his

business practice into a Football Club. They invested their money

back into the team. What they are looking for is continuity. As a

player, Darren, you are from Norwich, they have got a great

thing going. It seems to me as if it is a similar thing there. They

have had successive promotions, and it is by and large the same group

of players. Just the manager has moved on. They have taken a big

leap, trying to have run the club profession may, training nine-to-

five, continuing that into what they are doing now. They are adding

that professional element in the non-League is the element to where

they are now. There is still the rock -- the family run feel in the

club and they will have to move on a little bit there. They will have

more success to come. Let's just have a look at the League One

fixtures. All eyes on the weather, which is improving. MK Dons, after

Trotton, huge match for them. Stevenage against Sheffield. And

Cotterstock against Brentford. We should give a mention to Colchester,

the fans helping to clear the snow. Because of the cat at Anfield --

pictures of a cat. They reminded here. And still that dog is in it.

Gerry Harrison commentating from 1970. By happy chance, I have a

programme from that game. Colchester United against Brentford.

There is the proof, if it was needed. In goal, Chick pretty, and

it ended his career. -- Chik Brody. It was just before your day. That

was sad at the end because the goalkeeper, that was it, the end of

his career. People would have laughed. He shattered his kneecap.

The thing that worries me is the ball was put forward by somebody I

played with. In League Two, Massa relegation

clash for Northampton tomorrow night, taking on a FC Wimbledon. --

massive relegation clash. Tonight, Southend had a great chance to go

back to the top if they could win after their defeat on the weekend.

In a garish away shirts and with four difference starting players,

performance levels needed to return to where they were forced at

Gillingham hadn't played the two weeks and so if -- savant caught

them cold. Ferdinand should have scored, but Dickinson picked up the

pieces. 10 minutes gone and Dickinson same thing Ferdinand's

embarrassment. Gillingham had conceded 10 goals in three games.

Clearly, they have work to do. The energy and effort from Southend

meant that they were up for the fight. The Gills keeper was

recently released by Valencia and he had to be sharp. Against a

fragile Gillingham defence, more goals would come. The second

arrived after the half-hour. Good His presence was enough to force up

the goal. Gillingham, an own goal. The top of the two. When South end

lead at half-time, they have gone on to win at each occasion, so they

could be satisfied with the first 45 minutes, which couldn't be said

for his opposite number. Gillingham came out stronger in the second

half. Tomlin gave the goalkeeper his first real test.

Morris has spent much of the evening keeping warm but he didn't

freeze when called upon. Gillingham did not car but some chances. --

did not carve up any chances. But it came from Tomlin. A brilliant

strike. Morris, no chance this time. With a few minutes left, enough for

nerves to stop creeping through. A goal to be admired by everyone.

With five minutes of stoppage time signalled, Southend had to soak up

some desperate pressure from the home side. They have to rely on a

poor miss from Western. 2-1 it finished. Southend were back at the

They do travel well, don't they? They didn't have to go far, but

they do have the best away record, enhanced now a. A few nerves at the

end. It is natural. They all worked very hard and the team ship was

good. It keeps them top of the league. And now that is where they

want to stay. If you don't listen to your manager, you don't play.

Simple as that. Southend, getting back to the top of the table.

Darren, Tyson Heung former clubs together in action in the FA Cup. -

- your former clubs. Who will win? I will probably be sitting on the

fence, but with a yellow shirt on. And now, as safe in the Premier

League, as safe. They were saved to will three weeks ago. Norwich have

done incredibly well. What do you reckon, Perry? Normally, some

managers would say forget the FA Cup because the leak is important.

But they have everything to play for. He puts a stronger side out. I

think he will do that. There is nothing Norwich fans would like

better than an FA Cup. And the odds of making it through to the semi-

final? Wembley? Who cares. It is the longest Cup run we have had in