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MCMWS Page caught up with former 90's blues winger Martin Phillips last recently for a 'Tales of Blue' Q&A on his City memories. A real top honest fellow is Martin and was a pleasure to share his City tales.
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1. Exeter born, what are Martin Phillips earliest footballing memories growing up ?
I loved playing football from a very early age. I was lucky that I grew up with a group of friends at school who also wanted to play the game as much as I did so we spent plenty of time growing up playing football whenever we could. I was also lucky to have parents that were willing to take me to training and matches wherever they were and teachers and coaches that gave their time to give us opportunities to play. It was also a time where you could still play football in the street or at the park so we also did this a lot growing up.
2. Which team did you follow and which players would you pretend to be ?
I followed Man Utd growing up something I kept quiet on signing for City! I initially probably pretended to be Bryan Robson when I was very young but as I started to play on the wing I enjoyed watching and following the great wingers of that era particularly John Barnes and Chris Waddle.
3. After starring in local youth & school’s football you join Exeter as an associate schoolboy, what was life like for an early 1990’s apprentice ?
It was tough but it was what I really wanted to do. We would train in the mornings and then do jobs in the afternoon. We would clean the professionals boots and sweep the stands at the ground after matches. I didn’t mind any of it too much I was just happy to be around a professional football club.
4. It was during this period you first meet Alan Ball, who’d you’d obviously made an impression on as Ball describes you as being potentially the first £10million player. Did you have any indication that you’d follow Ball at a later date once he’d left to move up the League’s with Southampton and later City ?
Alan Ball was great with the youth at Exeter. He would often take our training sessions and regularly be at our matches. He would watch our youth team games on a Saturday morning and go onto the 1st teams home game in the afternoon. As a first team manager we were lucky that he gave so much time to the youth. He obviously knew all the youth team players well and gave me a chance in the first team at 16. When he moved to Southampton there were rumours he wanted to take me and one of the other young players there but I did not know I would be following him to City until the deal was done between the two clubs.
5. After a series of eye-catching wing displays for Exeter, City come calling and a re-union with Ball. When did you first hear of City’s interest and how quickly did the move take place ?
My last game for Exeter was an FA Cup tie and there were lots of rumours that City had made a bid. The day after I received two phone calls one from Peter Fox the Exeter manager to let me know what was going on and the next one from Alan Ball. I travelled to City with my parents later on in the week to meet Alan Ball and the chairman Francis Lee and I signed for City that day.
6. Did you have any other options prior to joining City ?
There were lots of Premier league clubs watching our games at Exeter at that time but I was enjoying my football and I didn’t really think about anything else until I was told that Exeter had done a deal with City.
7. You were certainly in good company among your new team-mates at Maine Road with some experienced pros in the City squad, which players stood out the most during those early training sessions and who would make the most impression on you ?
Georgi was obviously an amazingly talented footballer who had the ability to beat top defenders with ease. I still remember some of his goals well particularly the mazy dribble against Southampton. The senior professionals like Nigel Clough, Keith Curle and Niall Quinn were all very good to me at the time. Being 19 or 20 I did spend more time with the younger players particularly Michael Brown as we broke into the first term at around the same time. Later I lived in digs with Nicky Weaver who I became good friends with and I am still in contact with him today.
8. After just 65 senior appearances under your belt you find yourself a Premier League player with Alan Ball stating you were signed for tomorrow and not today, what were your early impressions to life at, not just City but in Manchester also with it being the first time you’d moved away from home ?
It was a massive step for me both in terms of going from what is now League 2 to the Premier League but also moving away from all my family and friends and where I grew up. Playing in the Premier league was what I dreamed about as a young boy it was tough at times being so young particularly when things were not going so well.
9. You knew upon joining City that you’d have to work hard to break into the first team, who offered you the best advice and guidance during those early weeks ?
Nigel Clough was always someone throughout his time at City that would give me his time and advice to me.
10. You didn’t have to wait long to appear for the senior side when you replaced Uwe Rosler in the 75th minute of a 2-1 home win over West Ham, what are the memories of the New Year’s Day 1996 debut ?
I was delighted to get my debut after a bit of a wait after signing. I remember Maine Road was huge and the pace of the game was quicker than what I was used to but I was really pleased to have felt that I was getting the chance to be involved.
11. What was the reception like you received from the Maine Road faithful upon your City debut ?
Like all new players you get a good reception on your debut. I liked Maine Road and the older football stadiums a lot as I always felt they had more character than the newer stadiums we see today. They were always noisy with a good atmosphere.
12. Your first City start comes in a 2-0 home win over QPR during the same January, how did you find out you were starting the match and how did it feel knowing you’d be starting ?
I cannot remember when I found out that I was starting the game but I would imagine it was probably the day before. It was great to feel I was getting an opportunity to start but I would certainly have been nervous before the game as well.
13. What are your memoires of your performance in the first City career start ?
My first start was good we won 2-0 and I was pleased with how the game had gone for me. I enjoyed it and hoped it maybe the start of getting into the team more regularly but unfortunately that never happened for me at City.
14. How were you finding the transition form from Division Three to Premier League football and were you pleased with how it was going from a personal point of view despite City’s league struggles ?
I was mostly being used as a sub but that was ok bearing in mind where I had come from and the age that I was. Until we dropped out of the Premier League on the last day of the season things were going ok and I was always involved in squads and often coming off the bench. When we got relegated I found myself like quite a lot of players not being able to get anywhere near being involved.
15. It’s fair to say you joined during a struggling season for the blues which resulted in relegation from the Premier League. How did you find the spirit in the camp when you joined and as the season wore on ?
We very nearly escaped on the last day but unfortunately it was not to be. Team spirit is definitely tested more when you are not winning every week and you are facing a battle to avoid relegation. I do though think the spirit in the camp was ok and the dressing room was not really any different to the other clubs I played at in my career but relegation certainly hit the club hard and took a long time to recover from.
16. Following relegation, automatic promotion was expected going in to the 1996/97 campaign, How did pre-season go for you which include some impressive performances during the tour of Ireland and also a return to your old club Exeter ?
As mentioned and can be seen with clubs today relegation can be hard to get over and this was the case at CIty at that time. Pre season went ok but as soon as the season started it was a struggle.
17. You start the opening day victory over Ipswich Town in front of a packed Friday night Maine Road crowd but trouble is brewing at the club, had you any inkling of the turmoil that lay ahead in the those early weeks of the 96/97 campaign ?
Certainly not to the extent of what happened to City over the next few years.
18. The Ipswich game proves to be your last City start and after just a few more appearances from the bench during which time Alan Ball loses his job, you appear for the last time for City against Lincoln in late September. How did all change so quickly for Martin Phillips after such a promising start ?
I think there is no doubt that I lost a lot of confidence as a young player during this period and I struggled to regain this probably until I had left City. There were lots of changes and instability at the club after relegation with both managers and players coming in and leaving regularly. It felt like a huge club to be at but unfortunately for a while it was heading in the wrong direction. It has certainly gone in the right direction lately though!
19. A series of loan moves before you leave Maine Road permanently in August 1998, with a new manager in place at City was it ever an option to stay and fight for a place in Joe Royle’s side ?
No. Joe Royle was honest with me and said I was not part of his plans but I will help you where I can to move you on. I appreciated this and definitely needed to move on at this time to restart my career and get a chance to play again. I moved onto Portsmouth and after that to Plymouth Argyle and Torquay United. It was the right time for me to leave City and I was glad that I was able to forge a long career in the game after leaving Maine Road.
20. How do you look back on your spell at City ?
I look back and feel pleased to be able to say that I managed to play in the Premier League if only for a short while and I am grateful to City for giving me this opportunity. Obviously there is a part of me that wishes things could of gone differently for me and particularly that the club could have avoided relegation from the Premier League.
21. Given the opportunity to go back in time to November 1996, would a young Martin Phillips still join Manchester City ?
Yes. You cannot turn down an opportunity to play Premier league football.
22. What is Martin Phillips of 2020 up to these days ?
I live in Somerset with my wife and two children. I run my own football coaching business mainly working in primary schools providing football for PE lessons and after school clubs.
Martin, It’s been at absolute pleasure to share your City ‘Tales of Blue’ and from everyone at MCMW shirts we wish you all the very best.
(1) Manchester City Match Worn Shirts | Facebook
(1) Manchester City Match Worn Shirts | Facebook
1. Exeter born, what are Martin Phillips earliest footballing memories growing up ?
I loved playing football from a very early age. I was lucky that I grew up with a group of friends at school who also wanted to play the game as much as I did so we spent plenty of time growing up playing football whenever we could. I was also lucky to have parents that were willing to take me to training and matches wherever they were and teachers and coaches that gave their time to give us opportunities to play. It was also a time where you could still play football in the street or at the park so we also did this a lot growing up.
2. Which team did you follow and which players would you pretend to be ?
I followed Man Utd growing up something I kept quiet on signing for City! I initially probably pretended to be Bryan Robson when I was very young but as I started to play on the wing I enjoyed watching and following the great wingers of that era particularly John Barnes and Chris Waddle.
3. After starring in local youth & school’s football you join Exeter as an associate schoolboy, what was life like for an early 1990’s apprentice ?
It was tough but it was what I really wanted to do. We would train in the mornings and then do jobs in the afternoon. We would clean the professionals boots and sweep the stands at the ground after matches. I didn’t mind any of it too much I was just happy to be around a professional football club.
4. It was during this period you first meet Alan Ball, who’d you’d obviously made an impression on as Ball describes you as being potentially the first £10million player. Did you have any indication that you’d follow Ball at a later date once he’d left to move up the League’s with Southampton and later City ?
Alan Ball was great with the youth at Exeter. He would often take our training sessions and regularly be at our matches. He would watch our youth team games on a Saturday morning and go onto the 1st teams home game in the afternoon. As a first team manager we were lucky that he gave so much time to the youth. He obviously knew all the youth team players well and gave me a chance in the first team at 16. When he moved to Southampton there were rumours he wanted to take me and one of the other young players there but I did not know I would be following him to City until the deal was done between the two clubs.
5. After a series of eye-catching wing displays for Exeter, City come calling and a re-union with Ball. When did you first hear of City’s interest and how quickly did the move take place ?
My last game for Exeter was an FA Cup tie and there were lots of rumours that City had made a bid. The day after I received two phone calls one from Peter Fox the Exeter manager to let me know what was going on and the next one from Alan Ball. I travelled to City with my parents later on in the week to meet Alan Ball and the chairman Francis Lee and I signed for City that day.
6. Did you have any other options prior to joining City ?
There were lots of Premier league clubs watching our games at Exeter at that time but I was enjoying my football and I didn’t really think about anything else until I was told that Exeter had done a deal with City.
7. You were certainly in good company among your new team-mates at Maine Road with some experienced pros in the City squad, which players stood out the most during those early training sessions and who would make the most impression on you ?
Georgi was obviously an amazingly talented footballer who had the ability to beat top defenders with ease. I still remember some of his goals well particularly the mazy dribble against Southampton. The senior professionals like Nigel Clough, Keith Curle and Niall Quinn were all very good to me at the time. Being 19 or 20 I did spend more time with the younger players particularly Michael Brown as we broke into the first term at around the same time. Later I lived in digs with Nicky Weaver who I became good friends with and I am still in contact with him today.
8. After just 65 senior appearances under your belt you find yourself a Premier League player with Alan Ball stating you were signed for tomorrow and not today, what were your early impressions to life at, not just City but in Manchester also with it being the first time you’d moved away from home ?
It was a massive step for me both in terms of going from what is now League 2 to the Premier League but also moving away from all my family and friends and where I grew up. Playing in the Premier league was what I dreamed about as a young boy it was tough at times being so young particularly when things were not going so well.
9. You knew upon joining City that you’d have to work hard to break into the first team, who offered you the best advice and guidance during those early weeks ?
Nigel Clough was always someone throughout his time at City that would give me his time and advice to me.
10. You didn’t have to wait long to appear for the senior side when you replaced Uwe Rosler in the 75th minute of a 2-1 home win over West Ham, what are the memories of the New Year’s Day 1996 debut ?
I was delighted to get my debut after a bit of a wait after signing. I remember Maine Road was huge and the pace of the game was quicker than what I was used to but I was really pleased to have felt that I was getting the chance to be involved.
11. What was the reception like you received from the Maine Road faithful upon your City debut ?
Like all new players you get a good reception on your debut. I liked Maine Road and the older football stadiums a lot as I always felt they had more character than the newer stadiums we see today. They were always noisy with a good atmosphere.
12. Your first City start comes in a 2-0 home win over QPR during the same January, how did you find out you were starting the match and how did it feel knowing you’d be starting ?
I cannot remember when I found out that I was starting the game but I would imagine it was probably the day before. It was great to feel I was getting an opportunity to start but I would certainly have been nervous before the game as well.
13. What are your memoires of your performance in the first City career start ?
My first start was good we won 2-0 and I was pleased with how the game had gone for me. I enjoyed it and hoped it maybe the start of getting into the team more regularly but unfortunately that never happened for me at City.
14. How were you finding the transition form from Division Three to Premier League football and were you pleased with how it was going from a personal point of view despite City’s league struggles ?
I was mostly being used as a sub but that was ok bearing in mind where I had come from and the age that I was. Until we dropped out of the Premier League on the last day of the season things were going ok and I was always involved in squads and often coming off the bench. When we got relegated I found myself like quite a lot of players not being able to get anywhere near being involved.
15. It’s fair to say you joined during a struggling season for the blues which resulted in relegation from the Premier League. How did you find the spirit in the camp when you joined and as the season wore on ?
We very nearly escaped on the last day but unfortunately it was not to be. Team spirit is definitely tested more when you are not winning every week and you are facing a battle to avoid relegation. I do though think the spirit in the camp was ok and the dressing room was not really any different to the other clubs I played at in my career but relegation certainly hit the club hard and took a long time to recover from.
16. Following relegation, automatic promotion was expected going in to the 1996/97 campaign, How did pre-season go for you which include some impressive performances during the tour of Ireland and also a return to your old club Exeter ?
As mentioned and can be seen with clubs today relegation can be hard to get over and this was the case at CIty at that time. Pre season went ok but as soon as the season started it was a struggle.
17. You start the opening day victory over Ipswich Town in front of a packed Friday night Maine Road crowd but trouble is brewing at the club, had you any inkling of the turmoil that lay ahead in the those early weeks of the 96/97 campaign ?
Certainly not to the extent of what happened to City over the next few years.
18. The Ipswich game proves to be your last City start and after just a few more appearances from the bench during which time Alan Ball loses his job, you appear for the last time for City against Lincoln in late September. How did all change so quickly for Martin Phillips after such a promising start ?
I think there is no doubt that I lost a lot of confidence as a young player during this period and I struggled to regain this probably until I had left City. There were lots of changes and instability at the club after relegation with both managers and players coming in and leaving regularly. It felt like a huge club to be at but unfortunately for a while it was heading in the wrong direction. It has certainly gone in the right direction lately though!
19. A series of loan moves before you leave Maine Road permanently in August 1998, with a new manager in place at City was it ever an option to stay and fight for a place in Joe Royle’s side ?
No. Joe Royle was honest with me and said I was not part of his plans but I will help you where I can to move you on. I appreciated this and definitely needed to move on at this time to restart my career and get a chance to play again. I moved onto Portsmouth and after that to Plymouth Argyle and Torquay United. It was the right time for me to leave City and I was glad that I was able to forge a long career in the game after leaving Maine Road.
20. How do you look back on your spell at City ?
I look back and feel pleased to be able to say that I managed to play in the Premier League if only for a short while and I am grateful to City for giving me this opportunity. Obviously there is a part of me that wishes things could of gone differently for me and particularly that the club could have avoided relegation from the Premier League.
21. Given the opportunity to go back in time to November 1996, would a young Martin Phillips still join Manchester City ?
Yes. You cannot turn down an opportunity to play Premier league football.
22. What is Martin Phillips of 2020 up to these days ?
I live in Somerset with my wife and two children. I run my own football coaching business mainly working in primary schools providing football for PE lessons and after school clubs.
Martin, It’s been at absolute pleasure to share your City ‘Tales of Blue’ and from everyone at MCMW shirts we wish you all the very best.
(1) Manchester City Match Worn Shirts | Facebook