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MY DAY AS THE DELL BOY My hat-trick a few days earlier gave me some additional bargaining power and I was not about to sell myself short. I came out with what I thought was a cracking deal. I signed a three-year contract which would earn 225 pound a week in my first year, 250pound a week in my second and 300 pound a week in my third. On top of that, I was getting an 18,000 pound signing-on-fee which would be spread over the three years. The first 6,000 pound payment did not last very long because I spent virtually all of it on my first car, a B-registration Ford Escort. Chris also said that he would give me a pay rise when I established myself as a first team regular. By now Lainya was playing a big part of my life. I met her for the first time when we were both 17. I was out with in a pub with a couple of girls, Shona and her sister Lainya. I went over and introduced myself. I went over and introduced myself. It was lucky I had a few quid in my pocket and was able to buy her a drink. We spent the rest of the evening chatting and seemed to get on really well. She was working as a secretary with a local and was earning more than me at the time because I was still on my YTS wages. I was always broke so it was not unusual for her to end up paying for our nights out together. It is safe to say that she didn't fall for me for my money. It must have been my charm and good looks! We got married, aged 20, at St James' Church in Southampton on 8 June 1991. We had a fabulous three-week honeymoon in Jamaica before returning to the new 140,000 pound four bedroom detached we had bought before we were married. We were able to afford that because 2 years into my first contract, I had negotiated a new deal which took me up into the 1,000 a week bracket. Suddenly we were able to enjoy the sort of luxuries which were not available before. Public awareness of my game began to increase in that final year at the Dell when the goals started to fly in. I had already won representative honours for England at Under-17, Under-21 and B levels when I was called into the full squad to make my debut against France at Wembley on 19 February 1992. I scored in the 2-0 win and it was around that time that my name started to be linked with some of the bigger clubs. It was all speculation in the press to start off with and, while I did not find it particularly unsettling, it did arouse my interest and started me wondering what the future might have in store for me. When the rumours about other clubs wanting me started to grow stronger, I went to see Ian and asked him if he would be good enough to keep me informed if there was any genuine interest. Newacstle, who were in the old Second division, and Manchester United were the clubs who were always being linked with me. So were Blackburn, who had just clinched promotion under Kenny Dalglish. I did not spend too much time dwelling on the speculation. I just got on with my job and my life. After Ian Branfoot's call, I suppose I went up have talks with Blackburn as much out of curiosity and courtesy as anything. I travelled up to Lancashire with Lainya who was 7 months pregnant. It was going to be an even bigger wrench for her to leave the south coast where she had lived all her life in a very close-knit family atmosphere. She understood when we got married that the wife of a professional footballer had to be prepared to move at the drop of a hat, but it was with some sadness that we prepared to leave vehind the places and people who had come to mean so much to us in our first few years together. Nevertheless, it was time to move on. My days as a Dell boy would soon be over. |