[firedodger]

I'm in Devon with the family for the week, and on Monday night we were in a pub in bishopsteignton and I was talking to a bloke who claimed his uncle used to play for town, random enough, when he told me it was uncle Ricky heppolette I was delighted as he was playing for us when I started watching town. He chatted a bit about Ricky and football then he told me Ricky had had a very bad hair transplant (one of the ones where you can see where they have weaved clumps in) he topped the story off with a wonderful random fact, he promised me Ricky heppolette is a very wealthy man as he and some friends own the rights to Garfield!! To be honest I don't care if it wasn't true, very entertaining.

[warfey is a spireite]

firedodger, on 27 April 2011 - 09:17 AM, said:

I'm in Devon with the family for the week, and on Monday night we were in a pub in bishopsteignton and I was talking to a bloke who claimed his uncle used to play for town, random enough, when he told me it was uncle Ricky heppolette I was delighted as he was playing for us when I started watching town. He chatted a bit about Ricky and football then he told me Ricky had had a very bad hair transplant (one of the ones where you can see where they have weaved clumps in) he topped the story off with a wonderful random fact, he promised me Ricky heppolette is a very wealthy man as he and some friends own the rights to Garfield!! To be honest I don't care if it wasn't true, very entertaining.

liked him think he played at palace for town

[oh rodney rodney]

warfey is a spireite, on 27 April 2011 - 09:18 AM, said:

liked him think he played at palace for town

1976-79 47apps 3 goals accordin to wikipedia

This post has been edited by oh rodney rodney: 27 April 2011 - 09:43 AM

[Spire2001]

Was my favourite player when I started watching town as a kid (after Ernie of course)

[Eddie63]

great player but found himself injured too often, chesterfields first play boy footballer.....lol

[stevo]

As a teenager i bumped into Ricky in the Market Hotel in town, now he was my favourite player so i drunkenly went over for his autograph but i had no paper or a pen, I asked if i could have it and went in search of a pen ripped up a tatty beer mat and got him to sign it, I was thrilled , put it in my pocket and had a smile as wide as the M1 all night. Woke up next morning got the beer mat out only to read "Best wishes DONALD DUCK" I still loved the bloke though.

[lindave]

Cracking player and could head a ball really well given his geight. Didn't he do well for PNE.

[carlT]

lindave, on 27 April 2011 - 04:36 PM, said:

Cracking player and could head a ball really well given his geight. Didn't he do well for PNE.

I came off the pitch at Blyth with him after the FA cup game, arms around him and told him to foget this and take it out on the stags the foolowing week which I think we jolly well did.
to be honest its a wonder I didnt get bloomin head knocked off with all them Blyth nutters around

[moondog]

stevo, on 27 April 2011 - 04:03 PM, said:

As a teenager i bumped into Ricky in the Market Hotel in town, now he was my favourite player so i drunkenly went over for his autograph but i had no paper or a pen, I asked if i could have it and went in search of a pen ripped up a tatty beer mat and got him to sign it, I was thrilled , put it in my pocket and had a smile as wide as the M1 all night. Woke up next morning got the beer mat out only to read "Best wishes DONALD DUCK" I still loved the bloke though.

I've got his autograph from when town had a pre-season training session on Highfield Park, will have to scan a copy for you

[stevo]

moondog, on 27 April 2011 - 08:07 PM, said:

I've got his autograph from when town had a pre-season training session on Highfield Park, will have to scan a copy for you

No its no good moondog i can only swap you a Donald Duck and they are 10 a penny lol

[birdholmer]

When English clubs rejoined Europe (after theh Heysel ban), Man Utd were the first club to play.

And to 'celebrate' they launched several 1,000 red balloons.

And Ricky Heppolette it was who let them go.

I have no idea why!

[calvin plummers socks]

Wasn't he the first Asian footballer in Britain?

[Frank Thacker]

calvin plummers socks, on 27 April 2011 - 10:06 PM, said:

Wasn't he the first Asian footballer in Britain?

Nelson Stiffle (Indian-born, Chesterfield FC and others, 1950s) pre-dated him. Buxton-born Frank Soo (Luton, 1940s) was of mixed Anglo-Chinese parentage and nowadays would probably be lumped into any "Asian origin" category. I'd be a bit surprised if there weren't others.

[calvin plummers socks]

Ah ok thanks.
I've worked on a project called Asians I football designed (obviously) to get more Asian kids into football, ultimately getting more professional players.
There's been very few (Chopra, Uddin) in recent years. Jack Lester from an Indian background? Someone told me that but have no idea if true?

[Frank Thacker]

calvin plummers socks, on 28 April 2011 - 08:04 AM, said:

Jack Lester from an Indian background? Someone told me that but have no idea if true?

I think we've probably heard the same story but I've no idea of its accuracy.