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Downloaded from
YTS.MX

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[commentator] £7 million.
He's appeared in the first team 14 times.

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Official YIFY movies site:
YTS.MX

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He hasn't yet scored.

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[crowd cheering]

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[commentator] Here's the chance

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for Peter Crouch to get his first goal.

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- [commentator 1] What the hell's this?
- [commentator 2] Absolutely enormous.

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- [commentator 3] Gangly.
- [commentator 4] 6'7", he is.

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- [commentator 5] Genetically modified.
- [commentator 6] Sort of freakish.

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[Sven] He doesn't look
like a football player.

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- [crowd roaring]
- [comm] Listen to the noise

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around Anfield. They are
willing this in for Peter Crouch.

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They want him to score.

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- And he didn't!
- [crowd booing]

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[Peter] It felt like
the whole world was laughing at me.

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[comm] Even from the spot kick,
Peter Crouch can't get on the score sheet.

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[Peter] I just wanted
the ground to open up

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for me to hide somewhere.

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[comm] Couldn't hit
a barn door with a banjo.

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[Peter] The most difficult time for me,

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as a football player
and a person, I've ever had.

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- All right, guys? Good?
- Peter.

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How you doing? You okay? All right.

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- [man] Morning. How's it going?
- Yeah. You?

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- You all right?
- Hi, you all right?

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[Peter] Crouch, the journeyman striker.

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Blockbuster. But is anyone going
to watch it?

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[laughs]

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You expect these kind of documentaries
to be like, Alex Ferguson...

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- [clattering]
- Oh, fuck.

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Sorry, sorry.

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It's all right.

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- [gasps] Fucking hell.
- [crew laughing]

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That could have been disastrous,
couldn't it?

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That'd be a better film. At the start,

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that just goes through me
and impales me on the floor.

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Fucking job done. [laughs]

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- [man 1] Okay, let's do this.
- [man 2] Are we turning over?

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[man 3] Cameras running.

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[Abbey] Hello there.

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[kids speaking indistinctly]

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- [Peter] We having veg? Chilli?
- [Abbey] Yeah. You can help me.

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Get the cheese out of the fridge,
come and grate it.

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Oh, I love grated cheese.

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[Peter] If you told me when I was
a 10-year-old, 11, 12-year-old

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that I would get 100 Premier League goals,

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and you'll play for England,
play in the Champions League,

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I'd say you were mad.

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Is that gigantosaurous?

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Oh, no! Who's this?

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There were players that are destined
for this kind of success.

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I wasn't that person.

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Oh, this is good, babe.

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Johnny, do you want some of this creamy?

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Lib, do you want some of this?

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[Peter] I feel immensely proud
of what I achieved and very blessed

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to be able to live comfortably,
do the things we want to do.

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But I suppose
it's a different kind of success story,

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because it hasn't been
a plain-sailing journey.

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I know that most footballers are
saying this and most young lads, really,

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it was all I thought about,
it was all I wanted to do.

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I was obsessed with football.

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I remember sneaking down
at 5:30 in the morning.

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I never used to wake
my mum and dad up.

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I would put a video in.

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Like, all the goals from Italia 90,

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and I'd come down
and watch them for hours.

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[cheering]

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- [comm] Platt!
- [crowd cheering]

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He's done it again.

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[Peter] I'd create those scenarios
in my mind where I would play

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and score the winner in those games.

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- [comm] It's all square!
- [comm 2] Lineker!

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[interviewer] Watching these tapes,

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were you dreaming of becoming
a professional footballer?

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[Peter] I think you do dream about it

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but I never, for one second,
thought I'd get to that level.

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Because I was different.

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I didn't look right.
I didn't look like a footballer.

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I was incredibly tall.

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[indistinct speaking]

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[boy] Hey, go, Pete!

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Oh, no.

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[indistinct yelling]

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A top footballer has to be able
to compete physically

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with all the great athletes on the pitch.

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That means pace, upper body strength.

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Gary Lineker was
a really famous archetypal striker.

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[comm] And England have equalised!

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[Sam] Chris Waddle had
that lovely long stride,

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very graceful player.

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And of course, Gazza,

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who had the great explosiveness.

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[comm] Oh. Turned over,
but wouldn't have mattered.

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[Sam] You look at Peter,
there's nothing about him that tells you

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this is a footballer.

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[kid] Go on, Pete!

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Disgraceful.

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This is where we'd train.
The first team would use

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these pitches here.

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The reserves and the youth teams would be
mainly down the bottom.

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First time I saw Peter, he walked
from the changing rooms through the middle

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and we were already out there
preparing our session,

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getting the markers all ready.

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And I looked at this tall lad
and thought to myself,

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"Is this is going
to be our next centre forward?"

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He had no chance.

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[laughs]

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He'd come in. He was probably
a bit freakish, if you like.

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He was this big, tall, gangly kid.

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All arms and legs.

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Bambi on ice.

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[kid] Go on, Pete! Go on, Pete!

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[woman] Oh, dear.

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[Harry] First time I saw Peter play,

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it was just really strange

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seeing someone that tall
and so thin playing football.

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[kid] Go on, Pete!

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[Bob] He never fitted
the mould of an average player.

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[kid speaking indistinctly]

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[Bob] He wasn't good in the air
and he wasn't strong and brave

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and couldn't knock people out the way.
Not that type of player.

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[men speaking indistinctly]

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[Bob] In terms
of his physical attributes,

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it wasn't going to happen with him.

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[kids shouting indistinctly]

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[Peter] Physically, I didn't
develop like other people.

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People would take the piss out
of me 'cause I was tall and skinny.

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And the way I'd combat
those issues was humour.

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I would always be able
to come back at them.

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But it was hard, because I was like,
"Well, why can't I just be normal?"

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[Bruce] This is one of the first photos
of Pete and his lovely mum.

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He was a tiny baby there,
up north in Macclesfield.

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And then he always sort of had
a ball at his feet. [chuckles]

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To me, his height was
always an irrelevancy. I knew

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he would become a professional footballer.
That was all I wanted for him.

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But I was a little bit concerned
that he wasn't going to be

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strong and aggressive enough.

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[Peter] My dad was a massive influence.
He used to take me to games,

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but he was quite hard on me.

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There was nothing worse than him going
in the car, "How do you think you played?"

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And I'll go "By the fact you've asked
that question, not very well."

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And then he'd go
into why I'd played badly.

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All I wanted to do was encourage a talent
and not allow it to go to waste.

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I can see it from a parent's point of view
but when you're a kid, you can't see it.

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You just think "Why's my dad being
like this? Why is he being so harsh?"

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[kids speaking indistinctly]

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[Peter] That was a difficult time.

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Football's a harsh place,
when you're trying to make it as well.

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I remember my dad having
fights on the sideline,

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my mum not wanting to come to matches.

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Yeah. Like, at times growing up,
when you're an impressionable teenager,

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it can be... it can be tough.

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When I was a kid, I always used to cry.

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I used to cry at night.

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I wished I was
just of normal fricking height.

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That's where my personality was shaped.

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Being funny and being nice was
a way of fitting in.

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But my dad said to me, erm...

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"You're too nice.

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"All right? You're too nice
to be a footballer."

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[Bruce] I had to say
that you can't be the nice guy.

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In football, you have
to kind of turn nasty.

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[Peter] I'll always remember, I jumped out
of a tackle and my dad was fuming.

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And obviously he said to me after

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that I was too nice,

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and he went very harsh with me about it.

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He left me at Tottenham. Erm.

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We lived in Ealing, and I left...

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he left me there.

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I had to get home myself, you know.

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You know, that was a lesson that...

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was a harsh lesson to learn.

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You have to be very, very tough
to play professional football

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at any level.

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He wasn't naturally that.

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There are some naturally aggressive boys,

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and he wasn't one of them, so, yeah.

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It's a ruthless business.

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[Graeme] Professional football was
a hostile environment.

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[fans cheering]

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You had so many incidents
that had happened through the '80s.

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You still had trouble on the terraces.

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[Margaret] Football is renowned
for its sportsmanship.

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There are some people
who are upsetting the whole thing.

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Fans were chanting obscenities
for most of the game

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rather than watching the game.

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Walking into the stadium,

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it was like a war zone. [sighs]

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People say, "Don't take
no notice of the crowd.

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"You don't hear them.
You can switch off."

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That's not the case. You hear it all.

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- [cheering]
- [Graeme] Certainly, if you had

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any point of difference

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as a football player,
fans would pick up on it.

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That would be the world
that Peter Crouch was trying to get into.

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Yeah. Got a million pictures here, man.

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The dreadlocks,

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something I was very, very proud of.

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From the age of 19,

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I was having to deal with abuse.

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[audience laughing and clapping]

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- Just chuck it in the bin, lad, will ya?
- Okay, boss.

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[audience laughing and cheering]

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People felt like it would be okay
to mock my appearance

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and say, you know,
"He's got a pineapple on his head."

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[audience laughing]

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[Jason] It was so disrespectful

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on so many levels.

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[Luke] Here he comes,

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number 36, Chadwick.

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Of course, this was before
any of the problems started.

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I suffered with a lot of abuse

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because of the way that I looked.

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Lots of spots on my face,
teeth that stuck out.

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When there's players that look
slightly different,

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the fans will see it, the media see it.

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Anthony Hopkins now says
he's unlikely to play

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the part of Hannibal Lecter
for a third time.

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But where else will they find someone

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whose face instantly inspires
that much fear and terror?

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[audience laughing]

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I wouldn't go out of my house.
I felt like everyone was laughing at me.

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[Graeme] I didn't fit
that stereotypical footballer mould.

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I come from a different background
to most of the other players,

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you know, coming from Jersey,

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having a slightly more posh accent.

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I had rumours spread about me
during my career

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erm, about being gay.

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Anyone that was seen as being different,
fans would pick up on it.

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[Peter] All I wanted to be was
a professional footballer.

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But I'll be honest with you,
I had no clue what that involved.

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About here you would have the noisiest,
the most vociferous,

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the most vocal supporters
all gathered here.

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We used to call Peter
a 20-foot chicken.

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I mean, there was this gangling,
tall character, his skinny chicken legs.

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[chuckling] He just looked
so totally out of place.

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It would be very abusive
in those days, yes.

240
00:13:03,083 --> 00:13:05,919
We'd probably have crowds
of 200-300 people.

241
00:13:06,019 --> 00:13:08,521
As a player, you're going
to hear the comments made.

242
00:13:11,424 --> 00:13:12,892
[Peter] I just got prejudged.

243
00:13:12,959 --> 00:13:17,130
It was a misconception
that I can't be any good, really.

244
00:13:20,567 --> 00:13:23,236
I remember signing
my first professional contact at QPR.

245
00:13:26,006 --> 00:13:29,542
I think I signed
a 3-year contract on peanuts.

246
00:13:29,609 --> 00:13:31,344
60 grand was my transfer fee.

247
00:13:31,411 --> 00:13:36,016
It wasn't, you know,
a lot of money in football terms.

248
00:13:36,082 --> 00:13:38,051
But I just wanted to go and play.

249
00:13:40,553 --> 00:13:42,088
[Sam] I first covered a game

250
00:13:42,155 --> 00:13:44,691
that Peter was playing in
in the Championship.

251
00:13:44,758 --> 00:13:48,862
I was reporting on London clubs
in the second tier of English football.

252
00:13:48,928 --> 00:13:50,697
[man shouting indistinctly]

253
00:13:50,764 --> 00:13:52,532
[Sam] I think, early in his career,

254
00:13:52,866 --> 00:13:55,735
the opinion was
that he was a bit of a curiosity.

255
00:13:55,802 --> 00:13:58,538
He was immediately noticeable.
People talked about him,

256
00:13:58,605 --> 00:13:59,939
because he looked different

257
00:14:00,006 --> 00:14:01,274
to every other footballer on the pitch,

258
00:14:01,374 --> 00:14:03,176
and every other footballer
that you expect to see.

259
00:14:06,012 --> 00:14:08,248
[Peter] Getting
in the first team was one thing,

260
00:14:08,314 --> 00:14:10,984
experiencing the level of abuse was

261
00:14:11,051 --> 00:14:14,120
something that was new to me
and another eye-opener.

262
00:14:21,361 --> 00:14:24,064
[Peter] It was my first season
in professional football,

263
00:14:24,130 --> 00:14:26,399
and we went away to West Brom.

264
00:14:26,499 --> 00:14:27,500
[crowd cheering]

265
00:14:27,567 --> 00:14:29,836
[Bruce] I was standing behind the dugout

266
00:14:29,936 --> 00:14:33,406
and Pete started to get stripped off
to come on

267
00:14:33,506 --> 00:14:35,275
and the bloke next to me went,

268
00:14:35,375 --> 00:14:37,410
"What's that lanky wanker going to do?"

269
00:14:42,382 --> 00:14:46,586
When I came on,
and I can hear the crowd laughing at me,

270
00:14:46,653 --> 00:14:47,687
I could feel it,

271
00:14:48,321 --> 00:14:51,691
purely because of the way I looked like.
None of them had seen me play.

272
00:14:57,964 --> 00:14:59,733
[Bruce] I could see he was shocked.

273
00:15:00,266 --> 00:15:01,501
And he shrank.

274
00:15:01,568 --> 00:15:04,637
He was hiding on the pitch
and you can't hide on the pitch.

275
00:15:06,139 --> 00:15:09,743
[Peter] There was another time away
at Gillingham, I got absolutely abused.

276
00:15:09,809 --> 00:15:12,579
I think everyone in the crowd was
singing songs about me.

277
00:15:15,248 --> 00:15:16,916
[interviewer] Can you remember
some of the things people were saying?

278
00:15:17,017 --> 00:15:19,586
Er, yeah, "Freak."
"Does the circus know you're here?"

279
00:15:19,652 --> 00:15:21,554
[shouting]

280
00:15:21,654 --> 00:15:23,656
[Peter] It was like I was a joke,
you know?

281
00:15:25,458 --> 00:15:26,993
[Jason] And they home in on you.

282
00:15:27,093 --> 00:15:30,330
Once one realises who you are,
and they start chanting,

283
00:15:31,164 --> 00:15:33,099
that's a situation
you can't escape from.

284
00:15:33,166 --> 00:15:35,301
[booing]

285
00:15:35,368 --> 00:15:37,170
[Jason] Not many people survive that.

286
00:15:38,004 --> 00:15:41,574
You have concerns and you think,
maybe will he be too nice this game?

287
00:15:42,342 --> 00:15:46,079
[Graeme] You had to be somebody that could
deal with all that negative energy,

288
00:15:46,179 --> 00:15:48,848
because if you didn't,
there's no way you were surviving.

289
00:15:50,884 --> 00:15:54,087
[Peter] I thought to myself
"Why am I putting myself through this?"

290
00:15:54,154 --> 00:15:56,856
I'm just a young player trying
to make it in the game,

291
00:15:56,923 --> 00:16:00,260
and, erm, you know,
I didn't want this attention.

292
00:16:01,261 --> 00:16:03,296
I would go to the player's bar afterwards

293
00:16:03,363 --> 00:16:05,899
and good or bad,
and I always told him like it is.

294
00:16:05,965 --> 00:16:08,435
And I said, "Pete, you have
to put up with this,

295
00:16:08,535 --> 00:16:10,403
"if you're going to be a footballer".

296
00:16:10,503 --> 00:16:12,906
I'm sorry, but there's no hiding place
in football.

297
00:16:12,972 --> 00:16:15,575
If you're on that pitch,
you've got to perform.

298
00:16:15,642 --> 00:16:17,877
Otherwise you're gone.
It's as simple as that.

299
00:16:23,483 --> 00:16:25,585
[Peter] "Crouch, the laughing stick."

300
00:16:28,421 --> 00:16:29,956
When you look the way I look

301
00:16:30,056 --> 00:16:32,058
and you're not playing well,

302
00:16:32,492 --> 00:16:34,094
you can become a figure of fun

303
00:16:34,160 --> 00:16:36,696
because of the way you look.

304
00:16:36,763 --> 00:16:39,299
That's why I had to play better
than everyone else.

305
00:16:39,866 --> 00:16:42,836
When it's commenting on
your physical appearance and stuff,

306
00:16:42,936 --> 00:16:45,038
there is absolutely no need.

307
00:16:47,073 --> 00:16:50,477
"Woe betide the footballer
who is both freakishly tall

308
00:16:50,577 --> 00:16:53,913
"and Heskey-ishly inept in front of goal."

309
00:16:54,314 --> 00:16:56,449
- God.
- [Abbey] That's not nice.

310
00:16:56,883 --> 00:17:00,020
[Peter] That followed me around.
It was, like, you know, "Freak".

311
00:17:00,754 --> 00:17:03,857
I'll be honest with you,
it hurt a lot. Erm...

312
00:17:06,526 --> 00:17:08,161
[Abbey] This is the person I love.

313
00:17:08,595 --> 00:17:10,330
It makes me so sad.

314
00:17:11,131 --> 00:17:13,700
Especially because I know
he's such a good person.

315
00:17:13,767 --> 00:17:16,836
There was one particular journalist
who constantly said "The Beanpole Hitman,

316
00:17:16,936 --> 00:17:18,371
"The Lanky Striker".

317
00:17:18,438 --> 00:17:21,441
It was almost like
a constant put down all the time.

318
00:17:22,409 --> 00:17:25,979
And, er, I'll always remember
my dad pinned him up in the toilet

319
00:17:26,046 --> 00:17:27,814
in the World Cup at Baden-Baden,

320
00:17:27,881 --> 00:17:29,382
and just said to him,
"How would you like it

321
00:17:29,449 --> 00:17:31,284
"if I described you as that fat [beep]?"

322
00:17:32,585 --> 00:17:34,888
And he went... and he went

323
00:17:35,455 --> 00:17:38,858
"I wouldn't like it, no." He went,
"Well, stop fucking doing it then."

324
00:17:39,492 --> 00:17:42,996
I remember my Dad printed out,
like, some things people were saying

325
00:17:43,096 --> 00:17:44,664
and it wasn't nice. It was horrific.

326
00:17:45,598 --> 00:17:47,967
I think he was doing it to fire me up,

327
00:17:48,034 --> 00:17:49,936
but I think it had the opposite effect.

328
00:17:51,571 --> 00:17:53,173
"All Elbows and Ugly.

329
00:17:53,239 --> 00:17:56,276
"Because he looks ridiculous,
is a streaky player,

330
00:17:56,376 --> 00:18:01,514
"his pixie cheekbones, despite being 6'7",
reads as posh and soft."

331
00:18:01,614 --> 00:18:04,851
It's literally like
an assassination of me, innit?

332
00:18:05,685 --> 00:18:08,521
That would make me feel like shit

333
00:18:09,122 --> 00:18:11,024
and it would make my mum cry.

334
00:18:11,725 --> 00:18:13,226
It would make my family angry.

335
00:18:14,394 --> 00:18:16,296
- I could have quite easily...
- Given up.

336
00:18:16,363 --> 00:18:18,365
...sort of crumbled there.

337
00:18:18,465 --> 00:18:20,400
But that's not your character.

338
00:18:21,935 --> 00:18:23,803
You're a strong character

339
00:18:23,903 --> 00:18:26,306
and I think to overcome this...

340
00:18:26,373 --> 00:18:28,408
like, I am absolutely furious with these.

341
00:18:28,475 --> 00:18:31,344
- I've never seen them.
- I can tell you're getting angry now.

342
00:18:33,279 --> 00:18:35,448
I wasn't sure
if that was going to be my life.

343
00:18:36,483 --> 00:18:39,219
There were times
where I felt like I might give up.

344
00:18:40,420 --> 00:18:43,523
The only good thing,
in some respects, was, er,

345
00:18:44,024 --> 00:18:45,859
people still wanted to sign me.

346
00:18:46,993 --> 00:18:48,595
I went to Portsmouth.

347
00:18:48,695 --> 00:18:52,332
And I was a record signing there.
They signed me for 1.5 million.

348
00:18:53,533 --> 00:18:56,169
When I was at Portsmouth,
I was Director of Football.

349
00:18:56,436 --> 00:18:59,773
We paid a million pounds for him,
it was a lot of money at that time.

350
00:18:59,839 --> 00:19:03,376
A million pounds
for a basketball player. Crazy.

351
00:19:03,443 --> 00:19:04,644
[chuckles]

352
00:19:04,744 --> 00:19:06,680
Obviously my height is a big asset, erm,

353
00:19:06,780 --> 00:19:10,684
but I like to think I can play as well.
I like to think I can score goals.

354
00:19:10,784 --> 00:19:13,219
We had a big guy who couldn't run.

355
00:19:13,920 --> 00:19:16,289
[comm 1] He really is absolutely enormous.

356
00:19:16,356 --> 00:19:18,825
[comm 2] Genetically-modified,
he must be. [chuckles]

357
00:19:18,892 --> 00:19:20,593
But I thought, "He's got something."

358
00:19:21,528 --> 00:19:24,264
[comm] Crouch arriving! Brilliant save!

359
00:19:24,698 --> 00:19:27,100
[Peter] I felt I had to play
better than everyone

360
00:19:27,434 --> 00:19:28,835
because I looked different.

361
00:19:28,935 --> 00:19:32,806
He had good control, and he was
a very, very skilful player, you know.

362
00:19:32,906 --> 00:19:34,641
His touch was fantastic.

363
00:19:35,675 --> 00:19:38,044
[crowd cheering]

364
00:19:38,144 --> 00:19:42,115
[Harry] You wanted him to use that height
to be in there, to finish opportunities.

365
00:19:42,449 --> 00:19:45,485
Get him in the right position in the box,
he'll score goals.

366
00:19:46,186 --> 00:19:48,421
- [comm] In towards Crouch!
- [crowd cheering]

367
00:19:48,488 --> 00:19:51,424
[comm] Peter Crouch puts
Portsmouth into the lead!

368
00:19:54,928 --> 00:19:58,131
I played a few good games,
scored a couple of goals.

369
00:19:58,198 --> 00:19:59,332
I felt good.

370
00:19:59,866 --> 00:20:02,702
[comm] ...on for Waterman.
This is Crouch, onside!

371
00:20:02,769 --> 00:20:04,804
Peter Crouch levels for Portsmouth!

372
00:20:05,538 --> 00:20:09,175
This mountain of a centre forward,
he's not a mountain in terms of his girth,

373
00:20:09,242 --> 00:20:10,977
but he is in height, Peter Crouch.

374
00:20:11,044 --> 00:20:14,481
He's another Niall Quinn. You watch him.
I'm backing my money now on him.

375
00:20:14,581 --> 00:20:16,583
[crowd cheering]

376
00:20:16,649 --> 00:20:19,919
[Sam] What Peter had managed
to show us that he was a goalscorer

377
00:20:20,420 --> 00:20:22,689
and he was someone
who was going to get better.

378
00:20:25,558 --> 00:20:27,660
[Peter] I think I was on
about £6500 a week,

379
00:20:27,727 --> 00:20:29,195
£7000 a week.

380
00:20:29,963 --> 00:20:32,465
And I bought myself a flat on the marina

381
00:20:32,532 --> 00:20:35,368
and I literally was moving out of home
for the first time.

382
00:20:35,969 --> 00:20:39,506
He got his first flat in Portsmouth
and we're all dead excited about it.

383
00:20:39,572 --> 00:20:41,541
'Cause we thought "This is incredible.
Our friend's got his own place."

384
00:20:42,942 --> 00:20:45,245
[Peter] I had no clue
what to do with my money.

385
00:20:45,345 --> 00:20:47,414
I had no clue about life.

386
00:20:50,583 --> 00:20:52,385
I was living on blow-up furniture.

387
00:20:53,520 --> 00:20:55,655
I mean, I had a bed, I had no sheet on it.

388
00:20:55,722 --> 00:20:57,924
I remember my mum coming down
after a couple of months,

389
00:20:58,024 --> 00:20:59,092
she was like,
"Is this how you're living?"

390
00:20:59,159 --> 00:21:01,161
I was like, "What do I need?"

391
00:21:01,261 --> 00:21:02,262
[lighter clicking]

392
00:21:03,296 --> 00:21:05,365
[Greg] I remember once going around there
and he actually said,

393
00:21:05,465 --> 00:21:08,601
"I've learnt how to cook a pasta dish".
We were all gobsmacked.

394
00:21:09,235 --> 00:21:12,105
But I think it was just some pasta
and a jar of pesto.

395
00:21:13,006 --> 00:21:14,841
Yeah, totally undomesticated.

396
00:21:16,976 --> 00:21:18,845
I had no real life outside of football,

397
00:21:18,945 --> 00:21:21,247
but it was
one of the best times of my life.

398
00:21:21,314 --> 00:21:23,183
[interviewer] Did you have
a love life?

399
00:21:23,249 --> 00:21:24,384
Er...

400
00:21:24,851 --> 00:21:27,253
not... not really, no. Er...

401
00:21:28,054 --> 00:21:32,092
He wasn't your stereotypical footballer
with sort of ladies on each arm.

402
00:21:32,158 --> 00:21:34,260
It was quite the opposite of that.

403
00:21:35,362 --> 00:21:38,164
He'd go out after matches,
and try chatting up a few girls

404
00:21:38,264 --> 00:21:42,335
but the levels for success were variable,
I've got to be honest.

405
00:21:43,703 --> 00:21:46,439
I wouldn't say I was a ladies' man,
let's put it that way.

406
00:21:46,539 --> 00:21:49,409
I couldn't pull a hamstring
until I was about 21, you know.

407
00:21:49,476 --> 00:21:52,012
Erm, it took me a while. [laughs].

408
00:22:02,322 --> 00:22:03,456
[Peter] What do you want to do
with these shirts, babe?

409
00:22:03,523 --> 00:22:05,525
Like, they can't just stay up here.

410
00:22:05,625 --> 00:22:07,394
[Abbey] They need
a private place in the house.

411
00:22:07,494 --> 00:22:09,896
I've had your England caps framed,

412
00:22:09,963 --> 00:22:12,866
but I do think it's nice for you
to be able to see them.

413
00:22:13,333 --> 00:22:16,369
[Peter] There's some good memories here.
Some mad ones though.

414
00:22:16,736 --> 00:22:18,638
This looks so old!

415
00:22:18,738 --> 00:22:21,207
That is old. That was under-21's.

416
00:22:22,142 --> 00:22:24,644
[Abbey] What I find
more alarming are these shorts.

417
00:22:24,744 --> 00:22:27,180
- They must've been like hot pants on you.
- I know.

418
00:22:27,814 --> 00:22:31,217
I haven't seen you in a kit
for so long, babe. Put that on.

419
00:22:31,618 --> 00:22:33,887
What's this one? This was 2010.

420
00:22:36,256 --> 00:22:38,158
- Gorgeous.
- This was when they were going old school.

421
00:22:38,258 --> 00:22:42,262
- It's quite retro. Like the '60s.
- Yeah, like Bobby Moore kind of retro.

422
00:22:42,328 --> 00:22:43,596
- What year was it?
- '66.

423
00:22:43,697 --> 00:22:45,065
Yeah, you can tell.

424
00:22:45,465 --> 00:22:46,966
Oh, it's making me sad.

425
00:22:48,134 --> 00:22:49,135
Good times.

426
00:22:51,204 --> 00:22:53,373
Do you know what I haven't got,
a Villa shirt.

427
00:22:54,407 --> 00:22:57,043
I don't know. It was a strange time,
that Villa time.

428
00:22:57,143 --> 00:22:59,979
That was probably my most difficult spell
as a footballer.

429
00:23:05,919 --> 00:23:07,821
[presenter] Big man, big price.

430
00:23:07,887 --> 00:23:09,923
At close to £5 million,

431
00:23:10,023 --> 00:23:11,958
he's certainly the most expensive player

432
00:23:12,058 --> 00:23:13,526
the Villa side has ever bought.

433
00:23:15,762 --> 00:23:18,064
[Peter] I knew
Aston Villa were interested,

434
00:23:18,131 --> 00:23:20,367
and then bang! 5 million quid.

435
00:23:21,134 --> 00:23:23,236
It felt like fortunes.

436
00:23:23,336 --> 00:23:25,705
[man] Back, back, back, back, back.
Come on, guys!

437
00:23:25,972 --> 00:23:29,843
[Sam] I think, physically,
the doubts were probably still there,

438
00:23:30,276 --> 00:23:34,014
but Peter has suddenly become a player
that other clubs are looking at.

439
00:23:35,181 --> 00:23:38,218
[Peter] It's been a bit of a rollercoaster
but I'm glad I'm here now.

440
00:23:38,284 --> 00:23:40,920
I believe there's more to my game
than just my height obviously.

441
00:23:41,021 --> 00:23:44,224
I think I've got quite a good touch
for someone of my height.

442
00:23:45,458 --> 00:23:48,294
- [comm] Crouch, finds the back of the net.
- [crowd cheering]

443
00:23:52,899 --> 00:23:55,769
Playing in the Premier League,
it's every footballer's dream.

444
00:23:55,835 --> 00:23:57,003
It's where the money is.

445
00:23:57,103 --> 00:24:01,174
It has a massive profile.
It's watched all over the world.

446
00:24:01,241 --> 00:24:02,942
It's all kind of pressure.

447
00:24:04,244 --> 00:24:07,113
The night before we signed,
we had this serious conversation

448
00:24:07,213 --> 00:24:08,581
where I said
"I don't think you're ready for this",

449
00:24:08,648 --> 00:24:11,618
and he said, "I don't think I am either,
but what do we do?"

450
00:24:14,220 --> 00:24:15,488
[Peter] You think you've made it.

451
00:24:15,555 --> 00:24:18,858
It's a Premier League team,
they're spending 5 million quid on me,

452
00:24:18,925 --> 00:24:21,094
but the trajectory didn't keep going.

453
00:24:22,262 --> 00:24:24,497
- [comm] Crouch.
- [crowd gasps]

454
00:24:25,365 --> 00:24:28,935
Young man who's battling
to establish himself at this level.

455
00:24:30,036 --> 00:24:32,405
[Bruce] When he signed for Aston Villa,
I knew he wasn't ready

456
00:24:32,505 --> 00:24:35,809
'cause he hadn't grown into his body
at that point.

457
00:24:37,344 --> 00:24:40,680
[Peter] I wanted to be a player
and I wanted to be the best I could be.

458
00:24:40,914 --> 00:24:44,818
[comm] Not much impact
from the tall striker.

459
00:24:45,885 --> 00:24:48,054
[Peter] And I thought, "Have I blown it?"

460
00:24:48,321 --> 00:24:50,623
[comm] The jury is
still very much out on him.

461
00:24:52,826 --> 00:24:54,127
[Peter] I ended up getting dropped.

462
00:24:54,194 --> 00:24:56,996
I came off the bench the odd time
but very rarely played.

463
00:24:58,264 --> 00:24:59,766
In all honesty, I was angry.

464
00:25:01,735 --> 00:25:04,704
You've got a decision to make.
Do you sit out your contract,

465
00:25:04,771 --> 00:25:06,139
hope the manager gets sacked

466
00:25:06,206 --> 00:25:09,075
and someone else comes in
who will give you a chance,

467
00:25:09,642 --> 00:25:10,643
or do you move?

468
00:25:12,345 --> 00:25:13,913
[Peter] So, I knew
I had to get out from Villa.

469
00:25:14,014 --> 00:25:15,215
Smile at me, that's right.

470
00:25:15,815 --> 00:25:17,417
[Peter] I signed for Southampton.

471
00:25:18,084 --> 00:25:21,621
[reporter] How will you reflect
on that period of time at Aston Villa?

472
00:25:21,688 --> 00:25:23,823
Erm, it was a little bit frustrating
at times

473
00:25:23,890 --> 00:25:27,193
'cause you always want
to be playing as a player,

474
00:25:27,293 --> 00:25:29,696
and I felt I had to move on
to further my career.

475
00:25:31,064 --> 00:25:34,801
He played for so many clubs
by the age of 25, it was ridiculous.

476
00:25:34,901 --> 00:25:37,404
[reporter] How determined are you
to be first choice?

477
00:25:37,504 --> 00:25:40,040
Ah, well, I've not come here
just to be on the bench

478
00:25:40,140 --> 00:25:41,841
or the stands. I'm looking to play.

479
00:25:43,677 --> 00:25:46,079
For whatever reason,
it was the same sort of thing.

480
00:25:46,179 --> 00:25:49,649
I didn't play as much
as I thought I would.

481
00:25:52,452 --> 00:25:56,122
[Graeme] I got to know him really well
when he signed for Southampton in 2004.

482
00:25:56,222 --> 00:25:58,491
He spent a lot of time
in and out of the team,

483
00:25:58,558 --> 00:26:01,494
and that's difficult for a player,
when you're at that age.

484
00:26:01,561 --> 00:26:04,130
You're then looking for a coach that says,

485
00:26:04,197 --> 00:26:07,133
"You're my first choice in this position."

486
00:26:08,335 --> 00:26:11,404
[Barry] Things can go wrong
in the blink of an eye in football

487
00:26:11,504 --> 00:26:13,173
and if it doesn't work out,

488
00:26:13,239 --> 00:26:16,209
you can disappear pretty quickly
into obscurity.

489
00:26:20,680 --> 00:26:22,282
[Peter] I was thinking to myself

490
00:26:23,016 --> 00:26:26,019
"Oh, my God, this Premier League dream is
just a dream.

491
00:26:26,786 --> 00:26:28,455
"I've failed at Aston Villa,

492
00:26:28,521 --> 00:26:30,123
"I'm failing at Southampton.

493
00:26:31,124 --> 00:26:32,826
"I didn't know where I was going.

494
00:26:32,892 --> 00:26:34,761
"Maybe Premier League wasn't for me."

495
00:26:35,862 --> 00:26:38,398
I felt like I needed to change
people's opinions.

496
00:26:38,498 --> 00:26:40,367
I just needed someone to believe in me.

497
00:26:40,433 --> 00:26:42,202
[rain pattering]

498
00:26:42,302 --> 00:26:43,370
[car door opens]

499
00:26:46,806 --> 00:26:48,008
[Peter] Grim, innit?

500
00:26:50,610 --> 00:26:52,212
- [Harry] Peter!
- [chuckles]

501
00:26:52,679 --> 00:26:55,648
- Great day for a game of golf, innit?
- Oh, my God.

502
00:26:55,715 --> 00:26:57,250
- What are we going to do, mate?
- How are you?

503
00:26:57,317 --> 00:26:59,019
I'm all right, Pete.
What are we going to do?

504
00:26:59,085 --> 00:27:02,122
I don't know. Get in there
and have a coffee, I reckon.

505
00:27:05,658 --> 00:27:07,594
[Harry] What's
this documentary all about?

506
00:27:07,694 --> 00:27:10,263
I don't know, to be quite honest. [laughs]

507
00:27:10,997 --> 00:27:11,998
Cheers. Lovely.

508
00:27:13,066 --> 00:27:14,334
Pete, it'll be great.

509
00:27:14,401 --> 00:27:17,137
You've had an amazing career,
played for great clubs,

510
00:27:17,203 --> 00:27:18,238
played for England.

511
00:27:18,338 --> 00:27:21,274
I suppose it's been a bit different,
Harry. It's been like,

512
00:27:21,374 --> 00:27:23,476
you look at Stevie and Michael Owen
and all,

513
00:27:23,576 --> 00:27:25,945
- just, bang! Their career's mapped out.
- All football superstars.

514
00:27:26,012 --> 00:27:28,581
Yeah. You knew they'd play
for England when they were kids.

515
00:27:28,648 --> 00:27:32,118
For me, I suppose, it was
a bit more up and down, wasn't it?

516
00:27:32,218 --> 00:27:33,586
Yeah, yeah, yeah.

517
00:27:35,488 --> 00:27:37,757
- Oh!
- Oh, this is grim.

518
00:27:38,892 --> 00:27:40,727
- Oh, hang on, Pete.
- [chuckles]

519
00:27:40,794 --> 00:27:42,962
- [beep]
- Oh, that'll help. Yeah, forward.

520
00:27:43,063 --> 00:27:45,498
- We're off.
- Lucky I didn't put it in reverse.

521
00:27:45,565 --> 00:27:49,302
Here we go. What's happening here?
They give us a dud that run out of petrol.

522
00:27:50,904 --> 00:27:53,039
[both cheering and laughing]

523
00:27:55,642 --> 00:27:57,210
- Nice, Peter.
- Yeah.

524
00:28:00,180 --> 00:28:01,715
[interviewer] How would you rate
his golf, Harry?

525
00:28:01,815 --> 00:28:04,718
A bit like his football, really.
A bit of a slow starter.

526
00:28:04,818 --> 00:28:07,420
- [Peter] Well...
- But now he's improved his golf.

527
00:28:07,487 --> 00:28:08,722
[Peter chuckles]

528
00:28:12,258 --> 00:28:14,661
Oh, yes, Harry. Nice.

529
00:28:15,495 --> 00:28:17,497
I don't know if I've told you this,
but before you came in

530
00:28:17,564 --> 00:28:19,132
I didn't know where I was going.

531
00:28:19,199 --> 00:28:21,101
I was struggling confidence-wise.

532
00:28:21,167 --> 00:28:22,635
I'd just struggled at Villa,

533
00:28:23,236 --> 00:28:24,971
erm, signed for Southampton,

534
00:28:25,038 --> 00:28:26,740
thought it was my last chance
in the Premier League,

535
00:28:26,806 --> 00:28:30,543
and then I didn't play half of the season.
And then you came in,

536
00:28:30,610 --> 00:28:32,412
- changed my fortune completely.
- Yeah.

537
00:28:35,181 --> 00:28:37,417
- [cameras clicking]
- [men speaking indistinctly]

538
00:28:37,484 --> 00:28:40,754
[presenter] At 2:00 pm, Redknapp agreed
an 18-month contract

539
00:28:40,854 --> 00:28:42,288
to manage Southampton.

540
00:28:42,355 --> 00:28:44,724
I've got a big challenge
on my hands, you know?

541
00:28:44,824 --> 00:28:47,527
And to keep the team up is gonna...

542
00:28:48,128 --> 00:28:50,563
is gonna be a big task,
but I feel we can do that.

543
00:28:50,663 --> 00:28:52,265
I've never been relegated
from the Premier League

544
00:28:52,332 --> 00:28:53,566
and I don't intend to start now.

545
00:28:54,834 --> 00:28:56,169
[Harry] When I went to Southampton,

546
00:28:56,236 --> 00:29:00,440
we were struggling at the bottom
of the table and Pete was already there.

547
00:29:00,540 --> 00:29:04,144
They'd bought him from Aston Villa
for good money, big money,

548
00:29:04,210 --> 00:29:06,446
but he was sort of out of the team
at the time.

549
00:29:07,080 --> 00:29:10,250
[Peter] Harry came in, said,
"What's going on? I don't understand."

550
00:29:10,316 --> 00:29:13,486
I could see it genuinely that he couldn't
believe I wasn't playing.

551
00:29:14,521 --> 00:29:17,857
They're a good group of lads. I've gotta
get confidence back into 'em,

552
00:29:17,924 --> 00:29:19,893
and start believing they can win.

553
00:29:20,493 --> 00:29:22,362
Peter wasn't always
everybody's first choice.

554
00:29:22,462 --> 00:29:23,930
It depended how you wanted to play.

555
00:29:24,597 --> 00:29:27,133
I saw Crouchy as being
a very important player for me

556
00:29:27,200 --> 00:29:29,536
so I brought him into the team.

557
00:29:30,370 --> 00:29:31,838
Anybody with any sense,

558
00:29:31,938 --> 00:29:34,474
to getting the best of you,
you're playing to your strengths.

559
00:29:34,574 --> 00:29:36,810
That's all I wanted to do when I came in.

560
00:29:36,876 --> 00:29:40,980
I knew what you could do from your time
at Portsmouth, working there,

561
00:29:41,047 --> 00:29:43,683
and it was a no-brainer for me.
You needed confidence

562
00:29:43,783 --> 00:29:44,784
and get playing.

563
00:29:44,851 --> 00:29:45,919
- Yeah.
- You know

564
00:29:46,019 --> 00:29:47,954
- it's all about confidence, innit?
- Yeah.

565
00:29:48,054 --> 00:29:50,056
When someone believes in you,

566
00:29:50,123 --> 00:29:51,691
- that's what we all need, innit?
- Yeah.

567
00:29:51,758 --> 00:29:53,560
- It can make such a difference.
- Yeah.

568
00:29:55,095 --> 00:29:59,165
He just told me that
"You are a fantastic player" every day

569
00:29:59,265 --> 00:30:00,767
and that was all I needed.

570
00:30:01,134 --> 00:30:02,235
[crowd cheering]

571
00:30:02,335 --> 00:30:05,572
[Harry] He wasn't a very powerful header
of the ball for a big lad.

572
00:30:05,638 --> 00:30:09,242
So we just worked on him.
Lots of crosses, lots of heading drills.

573
00:30:09,843 --> 00:30:12,612
He was, for me, the one big hope
we had of winning a game.

574
00:30:16,282 --> 00:30:20,253
[comm] Here we are. The start
of the Redknapp era at Southampton.

575
00:30:21,955 --> 00:30:24,924
[comm 2] Big decisions by Harry Redknapp
in his team selection.

576
00:30:25,025 --> 00:30:26,860
He takes a chance on Peter Crouch.

577
00:30:26,926 --> 00:30:29,329
[comm 3] His first Premiership start
of the season.

578
00:30:30,997 --> 00:30:34,401
[Harry] We all thrive on people believing
in you, thinking you're good.

579
00:30:36,302 --> 00:30:39,005
Pete was no different. He needed someone
to believe in him

580
00:30:39,105 --> 00:30:40,173
and I certainly did.

581
00:30:42,409 --> 00:30:43,677
[crowd cheering]

582
00:30:46,880 --> 00:30:50,417
[comm 1] Peter Crouch,
with his first goal for Harry Redknapp.

583
00:30:51,484 --> 00:30:53,920
[comm 2] The new-look strike force
has delivered

584
00:30:54,020 --> 00:30:55,922
for the new Southampton manager.

585
00:30:59,459 --> 00:31:02,195
[Peter] And that was where
things just took off.

586
00:31:02,295 --> 00:31:04,864
I knew I was a Premier League player
from that moment.

587
00:31:06,966 --> 00:31:09,803
[comm] There's the header.
It's Peter Crouch!

588
00:31:11,504 --> 00:31:12,906
[crowd cheering]

589
00:31:13,973 --> 00:31:17,444
[comm] Header did come in
and it does provide the equaliser!

590
00:31:19,379 --> 00:31:21,915
[Peter] I was scoring every week.
I was playing well.

591
00:31:23,016 --> 00:31:25,518
[comm 3] Crouch climbing, oh, and it's in!

592
00:31:28,221 --> 00:31:30,223
[Peter] I felt at the peak of my powers.

593
00:31:35,462 --> 00:31:38,198
For the first time, I felt my height.

594
00:31:39,899 --> 00:31:42,802
Terrific performance.
Is it the start of the Harry miracle?

595
00:31:42,902 --> 00:31:46,106
Firstly, you watch
the Southampton performance today,

596
00:31:46,172 --> 00:31:48,441
you realise Harry Redknapp's
got them organised.

597
00:31:49,142 --> 00:31:51,878
They've scored two goals
and Crouch played really well.

598
00:31:51,978 --> 00:31:53,813
[interviewer] Okay. We're rolling.

599
00:31:53,880 --> 00:31:56,883
You seem to be playing
with confidence at the moment.

600
00:31:56,983 --> 00:31:58,385
Yeah, that comes with games.

601
00:31:58,451 --> 00:32:01,354
I've had a run of games. The manager's
come in and played me straight away

602
00:32:01,454 --> 00:32:03,289
and I've played pretty much every game

603
00:32:03,356 --> 00:32:05,925
and with games and goals
comes confidence.

604
00:32:06,026 --> 00:32:08,194
And I'm feeling really good at the moment,

605
00:32:08,294 --> 00:32:11,297
going into every game
full of confidence, like you say.

606
00:32:13,566 --> 00:32:17,570
[Peter] It was the first time that
someone had believed in me at that level.

607
00:32:18,705 --> 00:32:21,775
I think it was the first time
I felt like the main man.

608
00:32:22,442 --> 00:32:24,210
That's when I knew that season...

609
00:32:25,545 --> 00:32:27,380
- that I'm the number nine now.
- Yeah.

610
00:32:27,447 --> 00:32:32,085
But all the style of play that we had
revolved around you, really, didn't it?

611
00:32:32,185 --> 00:32:34,421
I think I scored 16 goals after Christmas.

612
00:32:34,487 --> 00:32:36,222
- Yeah.
- I don't think

613
00:32:36,289 --> 00:32:39,325
before or since I've scored
that many goals after Christmas.

614
00:32:39,426 --> 00:32:42,362
- So there's obviously something you did.
- Mmm.

615
00:32:43,963 --> 00:32:47,000
I always felt I had the ability,
but I didn't have a manager

616
00:32:47,100 --> 00:32:48,935
that believed in me at that time

617
00:32:49,002 --> 00:32:52,439
and, obviously, that person was you
and I've got a lot to thank you for.

618
00:32:52,539 --> 00:32:57,544
Do you know what, Pete, I had no doubts.
I still remember seeing you as a kid,

619
00:32:58,144 --> 00:33:01,014
and your career just pushed on from there
didn't it, really?

620
00:33:03,817 --> 00:33:07,554
I was playing well. I was going
into games knowing I'd score.

621
00:33:12,125 --> 00:33:13,526
[comm] Welcome to St. Mary's.

622
00:33:14,394 --> 00:33:18,732
It's points Southampton need here
against Liverpool.

623
00:33:19,199 --> 00:33:21,301
I became aware of Peter Crouch

624
00:33:21,368 --> 00:33:26,239
when we played them basically
for Liverpool against Southampton.

625
00:33:27,807 --> 00:33:31,077
Playing against Liverpool,
one of the biggest clubs in the world,

626
00:33:31,177 --> 00:33:33,179
it's a completely different level.

627
00:33:33,246 --> 00:33:36,216
At a club like Liverpool,
demand is to win every game.

628
00:33:36,282 --> 00:33:37,484
A draw isn't good enough.

629
00:33:38,385 --> 00:33:41,654
[Jamie] We're a lot more powerful,
stronger, physical team,

630
00:33:41,721 --> 00:33:43,957
more aggressive.
Peter Crouch wasn't that.

631
00:33:45,291 --> 00:33:47,360
[comm] He's been in good form,
Peter Crouch.

632
00:33:47,460 --> 00:33:49,496
It has been a bonus for Southampton.

633
00:33:51,664 --> 00:33:54,434
[Barry] For as long
as I have been interested in football,

634
00:33:54,534 --> 00:33:59,739
Southampton have always been
on the verge of [chuckling] relegation.

635
00:34:02,942 --> 00:34:07,113
[comm] Southampton have to put an end
to that winless streak that they're on.

636
00:34:07,213 --> 00:34:11,451
They seem to swirl
around the plughole, just constantly.

637
00:34:11,885 --> 00:34:13,653
[comm] Ten games without a win.

638
00:34:13,720 --> 00:34:17,123
Harry needs to get his first win
as manager and instil some confidence.

639
00:34:18,124 --> 00:34:20,293
[comm 1] Crouch is trying
to get behind Sami Hyypiä here

640
00:34:20,360 --> 00:34:22,762
but a good shout by Jerzy Dudek.

641
00:34:23,563 --> 00:34:25,799
Nobody expected
Southampton to win that game.

642
00:34:27,334 --> 00:34:30,303
[comm] Crouch, playing the one-two.
Prutton's in here behind!

643
00:34:30,370 --> 00:34:32,205
And Southampton are ahead!

644
00:34:33,340 --> 00:34:35,342
[comm 2] It's a lovely lay-off
from Crouch.

645
00:34:35,408 --> 00:34:37,377
It's been a great start for Southampton.

646
00:34:38,778 --> 00:34:41,014
[Steven] When Pete's
on fire and he's at it,

647
00:34:41,881 --> 00:34:44,918
defenders and teams find him
really difficult to deal with.

648
00:34:45,018 --> 00:34:47,554
[comm] Nilsson, Crouch waiting
in the middle in space.

649
00:34:47,654 --> 00:34:49,422
Must be two, it is!

650
00:34:50,523 --> 00:34:53,693
Southampton are in
a kind of dreamland here now.

651
00:34:55,995 --> 00:34:57,731
It must have been
an incredible feeling for him.

652
00:34:58,998 --> 00:35:02,202
[comm] There's a feeling that he might
be finding his niche at last.

653
00:35:02,302 --> 00:35:04,637
[comm 2] Looks like
he's getting his confidence.

654
00:35:05,171 --> 00:35:08,808
[Jamie] The fact that he scored
a goal against Liverpool, it was massive.

655
00:35:08,875 --> 00:35:11,978
It was probably a bit of an eye-opener
for all of us in the team.

656
00:35:12,078 --> 00:35:14,047
- [crowd clapping]
- [referee blows whistle]

657
00:35:14,114 --> 00:35:16,583
[comm] It's Southampton two,
Liverpool nil.

658
00:35:18,051 --> 00:35:21,454
[Jamie] He probably wasn't a player
you'd think would be on the radar

659
00:35:21,521 --> 00:35:23,823
of a club of Liverpool's size and stature.

660
00:35:24,557 --> 00:35:25,959
Peter Crouch had stood out.

661
00:35:26,960 --> 00:35:30,463
It was obvious the way Rafa Benítez spoke
about him after the game

662
00:35:30,530 --> 00:35:32,332
of how highly he rated him.

663
00:35:33,066 --> 00:35:34,834
They play a very good game

664
00:35:35,201 --> 00:35:39,406
and all the team worked hard,
but when you talk about the strikers,

665
00:35:39,506 --> 00:35:44,177
sometimes it's not only score goals, it is
to play well and he played really well.

666
00:35:45,612 --> 00:35:49,582
Things just took off and there was,
you know, a bit of sort of buzz around me.

667
00:35:51,284 --> 00:35:55,055
I remember that the first time
I saw him play was in Southampton

668
00:35:55,121 --> 00:35:57,657
and I was surprised.
His technique was very good.

669
00:35:57,724 --> 00:35:59,526
[crowd cheering]

670
00:35:59,626 --> 00:36:03,897
I remember towards the end of the season
that year, there was a trip to America

671
00:36:03,963 --> 00:36:06,266
with England. I got called up.
My first call-up.

672
00:36:06,332 --> 00:36:09,169
- [crowd cheering]
- [England national anthem playing]

673
00:36:16,242 --> 00:36:19,612
[Peter] When you're stood there
and you're singing the national anthem,

674
00:36:19,679 --> 00:36:21,448
it doesn't get any better than that.

675
00:36:22,515 --> 00:36:25,251
I remember my agent called me, said,
"You sitting down?"

676
00:36:25,318 --> 00:36:28,321
I was like "Yeah". He goes,
"Liverpool are interested in you."

677
00:36:30,323 --> 00:36:32,492
- [Harry] Oh!
- I don't know if you remember,

678
00:36:32,559 --> 00:36:34,861
when I came to see you
when Liverpool had come in for me.

679
00:36:34,928 --> 00:36:36,796
They wanna sign me, and you said,

680
00:36:36,896 --> 00:36:39,566
"Ah, you know, great opportunity for you."

681
00:36:42,002 --> 00:36:46,206
I'd spoke to Harry and he said,
"Incredible." Like, "Go for it."

682
00:36:47,207 --> 00:36:50,977
And then I remember
Southampton turned down the offer.

683
00:36:52,379 --> 00:36:55,782
So I called Harry and I said,
"Well, what's going on?" He said,

684
00:36:56,182 --> 00:36:58,785
"That's amazing for you,
but it's not for me, is it?"

685
00:36:59,619 --> 00:37:00,720
I said "What?"

686
00:37:03,256 --> 00:37:06,826
I wanted to keep you, but I knew
if you got that chance, you gotta take it.

687
00:37:06,893 --> 00:37:09,362
- I had to go, you know. Yeah.
- Of course. Absolutely.

688
00:37:09,462 --> 00:37:11,698
Liverpool. What a move. You were going.

689
00:37:12,532 --> 00:37:14,300
I was always sad to lose him.

690
00:37:14,801 --> 00:37:19,039
Always thought he was
a really good player and a great guy.

691
00:37:19,139 --> 00:37:23,576
If they pay the right money, he has to go,
and Liverpool paid good money for him

692
00:37:23,643 --> 00:37:27,247
and so he had
to move on, unfortunately, you know.

693
00:37:33,920 --> 00:37:37,924
Sport now, and Peter Crouch has
agreed a four-year contract at Liverpool

694
00:37:38,024 --> 00:37:42,395
after the club settled on a fee
with Southampton thought to be £7 million.

695
00:37:46,533 --> 00:37:48,001
- [Peter] Hi.
- There you are.

696
00:37:48,101 --> 00:37:50,403
- [Peter chuckling] All right, mate?
- How are you?

697
00:37:50,503 --> 00:37:51,538
- All right?
- You well?

698
00:37:51,604 --> 00:37:54,374
- Yeah. Good, mate. How are you?
- All good. All good.

699
00:37:54,441 --> 00:37:56,076
[Peter] Good. Good to be back?

700
00:37:56,176 --> 00:37:57,644
- [Steven] I always feel good coming here.
- Yeah.

701
00:37:57,744 --> 00:38:00,847
Every time I come in,
I just get a good feeling.

702
00:38:01,715 --> 00:38:03,249
- Do you miss it?
- I do, I do.

703
00:38:03,316 --> 00:38:06,286
When you think
about the memories we had here, you know.

704
00:38:06,386 --> 00:38:09,856
When did you realise like,
Liverpool's bigger than big?

705
00:38:09,923 --> 00:38:14,594
The size of it. I think, the moment I came
here, you look around at the empty stadium

706
00:38:14,694 --> 00:38:17,797
and I went into the trophy room
and you look at the history here,

707
00:38:17,897 --> 00:38:19,499
it was when the nerves started.

708
00:38:22,602 --> 00:38:24,938
[crowd cheering]

709
00:38:25,605 --> 00:38:29,009
[Steven] Liverpool, they're one
of the biggest clubs in the world.

710
00:38:29,075 --> 00:38:30,410
[fans chanting]

711
00:38:30,477 --> 00:38:32,946
[Steven] When you come in,
it's off the scale.

712
00:38:37,684 --> 00:38:41,154
You want to play for a top team,
and you want to experience that buzz

713
00:38:41,254 --> 00:38:42,856
of playing in front of the Liverpool fans.

714
00:38:42,922 --> 00:38:47,193
So that pressure, that expectation,
that responsibility is at a greater level.

715
00:38:51,464 --> 00:38:53,767
[Jamie] When the news came through
that Peter Crouch was joining Liverpool,

716
00:38:53,833 --> 00:38:56,536
I thought it was a strange signing.

717
00:38:56,603 --> 00:38:58,905
Wasn't someone I'd associate
we'd be after.

718
00:39:00,573 --> 00:39:02,876
I was absolutely gobsmacked.

719
00:39:02,976 --> 00:39:04,010
[chuckles]

720
00:39:04,077 --> 00:39:05,078
I won't lie.

721
00:39:06,012 --> 00:39:07,981
Is he good enough to play for Liverpool?

722
00:39:08,515 --> 00:39:11,117
I think a lot of people thought he wasn't.

723
00:39:11,217 --> 00:39:14,020
[comm] I think a lot
of the Liverpool fans were surprised

724
00:39:14,087 --> 00:39:16,322
when Benítez went for Crouch.

725
00:39:17,691 --> 00:39:21,594
The eyes and ears of the whole world are
on you when you make that step.

726
00:39:22,062 --> 00:39:25,365
[comm] They see a tall,
rather skinny character

727
00:39:25,465 --> 00:39:27,600
who's obviously a little gangly.

728
00:39:28,134 --> 00:39:32,572
Everyone's interested in you
off the field, on the field.

729
00:39:32,639 --> 00:39:35,241
I won't make any bones about it,
it's difficult to break into the side,

730
00:39:35,342 --> 00:39:38,845
but I'm confident I will do
and when I do, I'm sure I'll stay here.

731
00:39:39,412 --> 00:39:42,682
Lots of players I've seen fail
because they can't cope

732
00:39:42,782 --> 00:39:44,784
with the pressure
of playing for Liverpool.

733
00:39:45,318 --> 00:39:48,688
If I thought people were
laughing at me early on in my career,

734
00:39:48,755 --> 00:39:50,690
now I'm on a global scale.

735
00:39:53,793 --> 00:39:55,195
[Steven] This is just
still pictures, is it, yeah?

736
00:39:55,295 --> 00:39:56,896
- [man] Yeah. If that's all right?
- Okay.

737
00:39:56,963 --> 00:39:58,298
Straight down the barrel for me.

738
00:39:58,365 --> 00:40:00,500
- [camera shutter clicking]
- [man] Lovely.

739
00:40:01,568 --> 00:40:06,606
To come here was beyond my wildest dreams.
I think I wanted it so badly and I wanted

740
00:40:06,706 --> 00:40:09,476
- to make an impression, I tensed a bit.
- When you put

741
00:40:09,576 --> 00:40:10,844
that much responsibility on yourself,

742
00:40:10,944 --> 00:40:14,114
it's natural that you'll become tense,
you're going to try too hard.

743
00:40:14,214 --> 00:40:18,084
It was right from the minute go.
Like, the minute I kicked off, I was

744
00:40:18,184 --> 00:40:20,253
- putting myself under it. Yeah.
- Under it.

745
00:40:24,357 --> 00:40:27,727
[comm] Peter Crouch left
Tottenham for just £60,000

746
00:40:27,794 --> 00:40:29,929
having failed to break
into their first team,

747
00:40:29,996 --> 00:40:32,665
comes back a £7-million striker.

748
00:40:35,602 --> 00:40:37,737
- Towards Crouch.
- [referee blows whistle]

749
00:40:37,804 --> 00:40:40,206
- Who's offside.
- [crowd booing]

750
00:40:40,306 --> 00:40:44,077
I think when you sign for a club,
all eyes are on you the first few games.

751
00:40:49,215 --> 00:40:51,818
[comm] Carragher,
goes long looking for Crouch,

752
00:40:51,885 --> 00:40:53,319
- who's done well here!
- [crowd groans]

753
00:40:53,420 --> 00:40:56,289
[comm] And then couldn't get
any real purchase on the shot.

754
00:40:57,724 --> 00:40:58,758
You're thinking "It'll come".

755
00:41:00,593 --> 00:41:03,063
[comm] Tallest player ever
to represent Liverpool,

756
00:41:03,129 --> 00:41:05,198
still seeking his first goal for the club.

757
00:41:05,765 --> 00:41:08,968
Crouch is central, there's the cross,
there's the header.

758
00:41:09,035 --> 00:41:12,839
Should have been what might
well have been a winning goal.

759
00:41:13,740 --> 00:41:16,810
- It just wasn't happening.
- [fans cheering]

760
00:41:19,779 --> 00:41:21,981
[comm] Oh, nicely done, Peter Crouch!

761
00:41:22,048 --> 00:41:24,117
Should have been his first Liverpool goal.

762
00:41:24,217 --> 00:41:26,119
[comm 2] Should've been and he knows it.

763
00:41:28,755 --> 00:41:32,892
It didn't become a drought till it was
probably six, seven, eight games.

764
00:41:32,959 --> 00:41:35,528
But you're thinking,
"When's this going to come?"

765
00:41:35,595 --> 00:41:37,764
There were times,
I'll be honest, I'm thinking

766
00:41:37,864 --> 00:41:40,066
"Gosh, maybe I should
get back to Southampton."

767
00:41:40,133 --> 00:41:41,167
[chuckles]

768
00:41:47,640 --> 00:41:50,577
- [comm] On by Zenden, now Crouch.
- [crowd groans]

769
00:41:51,077 --> 00:41:54,381
[Steven] You doubt yourself,
question yourself, "Am I good enough

770
00:41:54,447 --> 00:41:57,083
- "to be at Liverpool?"
- How long is he going to last?

771
00:42:00,086 --> 00:42:02,889
[comm] Let's just say, Peter Crouch,
yet to settle into the game.

772
00:42:02,956 --> 00:42:06,893
[Barry] If you're a footballer
who isn't performing, you get dropped.

773
00:42:08,728 --> 00:42:13,099
[comm] He's still waiting, Peter Crouch,
for that elusive first Liverpool goal.

774
00:42:13,166 --> 00:42:16,102
You might get another chance
and if you continue to not score,

775
00:42:16,169 --> 00:42:17,170
you will be sold.

776
00:42:17,237 --> 00:42:20,874
If you keep not scoring,
you will drop down divisions

777
00:42:20,974 --> 00:42:23,143
and eventually no one will want you.

778
00:42:23,677 --> 00:42:25,478
Ten matches, that's not good enough,

779
00:42:25,578 --> 00:42:27,681
and Peter Crouch, he needs a goal.

780
00:42:27,781 --> 00:42:29,983
He's a player that thrives off confidence,

781
00:42:30,050 --> 00:42:33,286
and you can sort of sense in the way
he's playing, he needs to score.

782
00:42:35,822 --> 00:42:39,893
At the time Rafa kept playing you,
backing ya, I think that's important

783
00:42:39,959 --> 00:42:43,063
because if you were took out
of the starting 11 and become a sub,

784
00:42:43,129 --> 00:42:46,132
it would have been
even more challenging and more difficult.

785
00:42:46,199 --> 00:42:48,802
But he was very astute.
I think it was very much a case

786
00:42:48,902 --> 00:42:51,104
of "I'd seen enough of you
before you come in"

787
00:42:51,171 --> 00:42:54,274
and training on a daily basis,
that it was only a matter of time.

788
00:42:54,374 --> 00:42:57,477
If he plays well for us,
if he works hard for us,

789
00:42:57,577 --> 00:42:59,346
always he will have my support.

790
00:43:00,780 --> 00:43:04,384
[female presenter] Peter Crouch had
10 attempts on goal at Anfield tonight,

791
00:43:04,451 --> 00:43:07,520
but is still searching
for his first for Liverpool.

792
00:43:08,221 --> 00:43:11,057
There was a lot of people
who had an opinion on Peter,

793
00:43:11,124 --> 00:43:15,095
and the longer it was going on,
the more difficult it was going to be.

794
00:43:17,330 --> 00:43:21,201
[comm] 792 minutes as Liverpool play
without a goal for Peter Crouch.

795
00:43:21,301 --> 00:43:24,104
A lot of people were thinking
"Liverpool made a mistake."

796
00:43:24,904 --> 00:43:27,674
- [comm] Peter Crouch!
- [crowd groans]

797
00:43:27,807 --> 00:43:30,210
- Crouch is central again.
- [crowd gasp]

798
00:43:30,977 --> 00:43:33,213
- This time it might be.
- [crowd gasp]

799
00:43:34,714 --> 00:43:36,916
[Peter] It felt
like the whole world was laughing at me,

800
00:43:37,017 --> 00:43:40,120
and, you know, it was
a difficult period for me.

801
00:43:41,087 --> 00:43:44,758
Crouch is a wonderful striker if you don't
want your strikers to score goals.

802
00:43:44,858 --> 00:43:46,760
- [presenter] And Peter Crouch...
- [Mark] Not talking about Peter Crouch.

803
00:43:46,860 --> 00:43:49,396
- Why not? Oh.
- He's boring. Doesn't score, does he?

804
00:43:49,496 --> 00:43:50,897
- Erm...
- [Mark laughs]

805
00:43:56,936 --> 00:44:00,674
[Peter] I felt like I'd become
a laughing stock on a global scale.

806
00:44:00,774 --> 00:44:03,243
It wasn't just QPR where people were
laughing at me

807
00:44:03,343 --> 00:44:06,446
because I... the way I looked. Erm...

808
00:44:07,380 --> 00:44:11,985
I was getting ridiculed
from every press outlet,

809
00:44:12,052 --> 00:44:13,853
every newspaper.

810
00:44:14,888 --> 00:44:18,124
[Jason] Some players have gone seasons
without scoring a goal.

811
00:44:18,224 --> 00:44:21,561
I went 20 games in a season
that I'd won the league.

812
00:44:21,661 --> 00:44:23,596
The reason that I stayed in the team,

813
00:44:23,697 --> 00:44:26,399
all my stats were good,
my assists were good.

814
00:44:26,499 --> 00:44:27,634
I was a team player.

815
00:44:30,503 --> 00:44:33,206
I'm in the middle of this goal drought
but I'm still getting picked.

816
00:44:33,306 --> 00:44:36,576
Rafa's still picking me,
and Sven's still picking me for England.

817
00:44:37,243 --> 00:44:41,381
[Barry] England fans saw
his inclusion as a bit of a joke,

818
00:44:41,448 --> 00:44:44,250
but Sven clearly had faith in him.

819
00:44:44,317 --> 00:44:47,020
Managers know what they can do,

820
00:44:47,087 --> 00:44:49,556
they see what they're doing
in training each week.

821
00:44:49,923 --> 00:44:53,326
But it [chuckling] might have
been better if he'd left him out

822
00:44:53,426 --> 00:44:56,096
because it didn't really go so well.

823
00:44:59,366 --> 00:45:02,602
[Peter] During that time, I remember
playing a game at Old Trafford.

824
00:45:03,770 --> 00:45:05,605
I thought "I'm on the bench,
I'll never get on."

825
00:45:08,641 --> 00:45:10,010
And then I do get on.

826
00:45:11,845 --> 00:45:13,613
[stadium announcer speaking over PA]

827
00:45:16,649 --> 00:45:19,519
- ...Peter Crouch.
- [crowd booing]

828
00:45:21,688 --> 00:45:24,124
[comm] Crowd not too enamoured, it sounds.

829
00:45:27,894 --> 00:45:30,330
I was at that game
when he got booed by the fans.

830
00:45:31,164 --> 00:45:33,733
I thought it was crazy.
Like, he'd done nothing wrong.

831
00:45:33,800 --> 00:45:34,934
That's not fair.

832
00:45:36,569 --> 00:45:38,571
[Bruce] It did shock me,
but his mum, it upset a lot

833
00:45:38,638 --> 00:45:41,274
because she knew this was
the pinnacle of his ambition,

834
00:45:41,941 --> 00:45:45,145
and it had been taken away from him,
so she was really upset.

835
00:45:47,480 --> 00:45:52,986
Is it because he's tall
or he doesn't look like a football player?

836
00:45:53,053 --> 00:45:57,957
I never understood that, but that was
a surprise, and not a good surprise.

837
00:46:00,527 --> 00:46:03,463
Getting booed by your own fans is
difficult to take

838
00:46:03,530 --> 00:46:05,532
when it should be such a proud moment.

839
00:46:08,034 --> 00:46:11,905
Everyone outside
of Liverpool was against me.

840
00:46:13,239 --> 00:46:15,475
England fans thought I was a joke.

841
00:46:15,575 --> 00:46:17,544
[crowd booing]

842
00:46:17,610 --> 00:46:19,245
[interviewer] They just didn't rate
you as a player?

843
00:46:19,346 --> 00:46:22,582
Didn't rate me as a player, didn't think
I should be near the England squad,

844
00:46:22,982 --> 00:46:25,218
let alone coming on when we need a goal.

845
00:46:26,686 --> 00:46:27,887
It was difficult.

846
00:46:28,855 --> 00:46:32,058
All I can do is, when given a chance,
is just try and impress.

847
00:46:33,360 --> 00:46:35,895
[Sven] It's very sad and it's unfair,

848
00:46:35,962 --> 00:46:38,998
but as a player,
I always told the players,

849
00:46:39,099 --> 00:46:42,969
"Don't worry about things
you can't do anything about.

850
00:46:43,036 --> 00:46:46,406
"If I'm criticising you,
then you should be worried.

851
00:46:46,806 --> 00:46:52,212
"But go out, do your job
and do the best you can.

852
00:46:52,278 --> 00:46:53,847
"And if you do the best you can,

853
00:46:54,514 --> 00:46:56,850
"you will never be criticised by me."

854
00:46:59,786 --> 00:47:02,655
[Peter] The most difficult time
for me, as a football player

855
00:47:02,722 --> 00:47:05,091
and a person, I've ever had.

856
00:47:06,926 --> 00:47:09,262
I got to the stage
where I didn't want to go out.

857
00:47:10,063 --> 00:47:12,065
I didn't want to see people.

858
00:47:13,299 --> 00:47:16,636
[Greg] He was much quieter then.
We wouldn't see him as much.

859
00:47:16,736 --> 00:47:20,040
Because of that, I didn't get
much insight into what was happening.

860
00:47:22,942 --> 00:47:25,545
[Peter] I tried to hide.
I just put myself in a bubble.

861
00:47:26,846 --> 00:47:30,183
I didn't want to see anyone.
I didn't want to speak to anyone.

862
00:47:30,250 --> 00:47:33,319
He was living on his own in a flat
in Liverpool at the time.

863
00:47:33,420 --> 00:47:38,158
To be on your own after being booed
by 56,000 people, a difficult place to be.

864
00:47:39,859 --> 00:47:41,961
[Peter] The closest to depressed
I've been...

865
00:47:43,163 --> 00:47:44,364
was then.

866
00:47:48,902 --> 00:47:52,339
Do you remember the pen,
Portsmouth, Kop end?

867
00:47:52,405 --> 00:47:55,675
I remember the opportunity come for you
to try and get off the mark.

868
00:47:55,775 --> 00:47:58,044
I said, "Can I have it?"
You were like "Yeah."

869
00:48:00,814 --> 00:48:03,416
- [referee blows whistle]
- [comm] Penalty, is it? It is.

870
00:48:04,017 --> 00:48:06,986
I think, at the time, I was
the penalty taker for that game.

871
00:48:08,822 --> 00:48:11,024
[Peter] I'm like, "Stevie,
you got to let me have a pen."

872
00:48:11,091 --> 00:48:14,928
I wrestled the ball off Steven Gerrard,
our captain, our talisman.

873
00:48:14,994 --> 00:48:17,197
- [crowd roaring]
- [comm] And here is the chance

874
00:48:17,297 --> 00:48:19,566
to popular acclaim at Anfield,

875
00:48:20,333 --> 00:48:24,504
for Peter Crouch to get his first goal.
Well, what a responsibility.

876
00:48:28,641 --> 00:48:30,210
[Peter] I'm going against
the manager's orders.

877
00:48:30,276 --> 00:48:33,013
I've taken the ball off one
of the finest players you've ever seen.

878
00:48:33,079 --> 00:48:36,583
I'm doing it in his home club.
He's the captain.

879
00:48:37,017 --> 00:48:39,886
Even now I'm thinking, like,
"How did I have the balls to do that?"

880
00:48:43,123 --> 00:48:46,126
[comm] £7 million, he hasn't yet scored,

881
00:48:47,260 --> 00:48:49,329
now he's got a chance with the spot kick.

882
00:48:51,498 --> 00:48:53,466
[Peter] I could feel the anticipation.

883
00:48:53,533 --> 00:48:55,769
[crowd roaring]

884
00:48:55,835 --> 00:48:57,771
[comm] Listen to the noise around Anfield.

885
00:48:57,837 --> 00:48:59,939
- They're willing this in for Peter Crouch.
- [referee blows whistle]

886
00:49:00,006 --> 00:49:01,641
They want him to score.

887
00:49:02,442 --> 00:49:03,677
And he didn't!

888
00:49:08,381 --> 00:49:12,285
But even from the spot kick, Peter Crouch
still can't get on the score sheet.

889
00:49:16,022 --> 00:49:18,124
[interviewer] When did you know you were
actually going to take the penalty?

890
00:49:18,224 --> 00:49:19,893
Was the decision made on the field?

891
00:49:19,959 --> 00:49:22,262
No, I made the decision, to be honest.

892
00:49:22,328 --> 00:49:24,097
Obviously, I'm desperate
to score at the minute.

893
00:49:24,164 --> 00:49:26,466
So I'll take any chance I can.
I'm not going to hide.

894
00:49:26,933 --> 00:49:28,768
Next time there's a Liverpool penalty,

895
00:49:28,835 --> 00:49:31,104
are you going to pick up the ball again
and say "I'll take it"?

896
00:49:31,171 --> 00:49:32,939
Er, probably everyone else will
say "No, don't",

897
00:49:33,006 --> 00:49:34,941
but I'll be there again, I'm sure of it.

898
00:49:37,210 --> 00:49:40,280
[Steven] I remember Rafa pulling me
over that situation after the game

899
00:49:40,380 --> 00:49:42,916
and saying, "You should have
took the penalty."

900
00:49:43,016 --> 00:49:47,120
So I had to deal with the consequences
as well as Peter, unfortunately.

901
00:49:48,822 --> 00:49:51,624
It was like "This can't get any worse.

902
00:49:51,691 --> 00:49:53,360
- "I've just missed a pen."
- [laughs]

903
00:49:56,129 --> 00:49:58,331
[Peter] I wanted
the whole ground to open up

904
00:49:58,398 --> 00:49:59,599
for me to hide somewhere.

905
00:50:03,636 --> 00:50:06,973
[Greg] It was a lonely, difficult time,
possibly sad time for Peter.

906
00:50:07,407 --> 00:50:09,676
But in one day
everything seemed to change.

907
00:50:12,779 --> 00:50:15,782
I'm nervous. I don't know
anything about football.

908
00:50:15,849 --> 00:50:16,983
- [interviewer] You don't need to.
- I'm really bad.

909
00:50:19,452 --> 00:50:22,489
[interviewer] When was the first time
you became aware of Peter?

910
00:50:22,822 --> 00:50:25,425
I remember seeing Pete
for the first time in the paper.

911
00:50:27,293 --> 00:50:30,864
He'd been at Liverpool for a while
and I think he'd had a bit of a dry run,

912
00:50:31,398 --> 00:50:37,370
and, erm, I remember looking at him,
thinking he kind of needs looking after.

913
00:50:38,905 --> 00:50:42,776
He looked quite vulnerable and just like,
he needed me to rescue him.

914
00:50:44,210 --> 00:50:45,945
A bit of a crush on him.

915
00:50:46,012 --> 00:50:48,048
I'm not a football fan. It was just him

916
00:50:48,114 --> 00:50:50,183
and the way he looked. He's blonde

917
00:50:50,250 --> 00:50:53,253
and tall and gorgeous.

918
00:51:01,461 --> 00:51:03,897
[comm 1] For the record,
it's 18 games for Liverpool

919
00:51:03,963 --> 00:51:05,565
without a goal for Peter Crouch.

920
00:51:05,665 --> 00:51:08,034
[comm 2] Peter Crouch's position is
very difficult

921
00:51:08,134 --> 00:51:10,370
because you got to keep
being brave mentally,

922
00:51:10,437 --> 00:51:12,172
and not be frightened to miss,

923
00:51:12,238 --> 00:51:13,940
and that's easier said than done.

924
00:51:15,208 --> 00:51:16,843
[comm 1] Looking for Crouch.

925
00:51:17,677 --> 00:51:20,980
[comm 2] I've got a feeling he's going
to score today, I really have.

926
00:51:21,514 --> 00:51:25,418
I remember chesting the ball down
on the half-way line, turning,

927
00:51:25,485 --> 00:51:27,821
then I had the freedom,
everyone was backing off,

928
00:51:27,887 --> 00:51:29,689
- for good reason.
- I made a great run.

929
00:51:29,756 --> 00:51:32,459
- You did.
- One of the best runs I've ever made.

930
00:51:33,226 --> 00:51:35,729
I ignored everyone and just had
a shot from 25 yards.

931
00:51:35,795 --> 00:51:38,198
[comm 1] Peter Crouch,
maybe setting a shot.

932
00:51:38,298 --> 00:51:39,766
It's deflected.

933
00:51:39,866 --> 00:51:42,702
- Oh, and it's over the line!
- [crowd roaring]

934
00:51:43,203 --> 00:51:45,338
Lift-off for Peter Crouch!

935
00:51:45,805 --> 00:51:50,677
And at last Peter Crouch has broken
his scoring duck for Liverpool.

936
00:51:57,050 --> 00:52:00,320
It was the shittest goal I have ever seen,

937
00:52:01,054 --> 00:52:03,423
and I've been
watching football for a long time.

938
00:52:04,557 --> 00:52:08,161
But it was arguably
the most important of his career.

939
00:52:09,996 --> 00:52:11,297
[Steven] Can you remember

940
00:52:11,364 --> 00:52:12,766
- this proper lift off in the stadium?
- Oh, my God.

941
00:52:12,866 --> 00:52:15,835
- The roof come off. Everyone was...
- It was electric, wasn't it?

942
00:52:15,935 --> 00:52:17,203
...delighted for you

943
00:52:17,303 --> 00:52:20,240
because everyone knew you were feeling it,
you were desperate to score and do well.

944
00:52:20,340 --> 00:52:22,042
[comm 2] Told you he was
going to score today, didn't I?

945
00:52:22,142 --> 00:52:23,943
- [comm 1] You did.
- [comm 2 chuckles]

946
00:52:25,045 --> 00:52:26,680
For the rest of the game,
it was that song, weren't it?

947
00:52:26,780 --> 00:52:28,281
- That song, yeah.
- That song.

948
00:52:28,381 --> 00:52:30,083
[crowd singing]♪ He's big, he's red

949
00:52:30,183 --> 00:52:31,651
♪ His feet stick out the bed

950
00:52:31,718 --> 00:52:35,088
- [comm 1] Off the mark at last.
- ♪ Peter Crouch, Peter Crouch! ♪

951
00:52:38,258 --> 00:52:39,893
[Peter] It was such a relief.

952
00:52:40,393 --> 00:52:42,395
And that was that. I was off and running.

953
00:52:42,962 --> 00:52:44,798
[Abbey] I think if he was
ever low on his confidence,

954
00:52:44,898 --> 00:52:47,801
I think that was the turning point.
That was his lucky day.

955
00:52:48,401 --> 00:52:49,703
[chuckles]

956
00:52:53,373 --> 00:52:55,008
- I'm scared. I'm not going to get it in.
- Go.

957
00:52:55,842 --> 00:52:57,977
- Oh, my god!
- Whoa!

958
00:52:58,545 --> 00:53:00,246
- Nailed it.
- No way.

959
00:53:00,347 --> 00:53:03,783
[interviewer] When did you first become
aware of like, each other?

960
00:53:04,417 --> 00:53:06,820
Yeah, we met in Liverpool,
didn't we, in a bar?

961
00:53:06,886 --> 00:53:08,955
Yeah. It was actually that night,

962
00:53:09,055 --> 00:53:10,924
just after I'd got my first goal.

963
00:53:11,024 --> 00:53:13,526
You asked me for my number
when I was going to the loo and then...

964
00:53:13,626 --> 00:53:17,397
Yeah, but you came over to me,
which was something bizarre.

965
00:53:17,497 --> 00:53:20,600
For me that was
obviously pretty ground-breaking.

966
00:53:21,334 --> 00:53:23,970
Someone as beautiful as Ab coming up
to me and then chatting to me,

967
00:53:24,037 --> 00:53:26,773
I was thinking "Wow,
this doesn't happen down south."

968
00:53:27,941 --> 00:53:29,876
[Abbey] I remember he scored that day.

969
00:53:30,276 --> 00:53:33,680
I just said "Oh, well done for scoring"
or something ridiculous,

970
00:53:33,780 --> 00:53:36,282
- and then we just got chatting.
- I remember you said,

971
00:53:36,383 --> 00:53:38,385
"I knew you'd score". Something like that.

972
00:53:38,451 --> 00:53:41,021
Yeah, I was just saying
a flippant comment as I was...

973
00:53:41,087 --> 00:53:43,823
- I didn't stop for a chat.
- You were all over me though.

974
00:53:43,890 --> 00:53:45,825
- No, I wasn't.
- You were.

975
00:53:45,892 --> 00:53:50,196
She was just that, beautiful and funny,
and I couldn't believe my luck, you know.

976
00:53:50,797 --> 00:53:52,565
Erm, she couldn't believe hers.

977
00:53:54,801 --> 00:53:56,436
[Abbey] And then he asked me
for my number,

978
00:53:56,536 --> 00:53:58,371
so I gave it to him.
Then when I come back from the loo,

979
00:53:58,438 --> 00:53:59,506
he was talking to another girl,

980
00:53:59,572 --> 00:54:01,941
and I was like,
"You just asked me for my number!"

981
00:54:02,008 --> 00:54:03,576
She came over and goes,

982
00:54:04,244 --> 00:54:06,212
"Give me my number back."
I was like, "What are you talking about?"

983
00:54:06,279 --> 00:54:09,482
We've just met. Like, we're only talking.

984
00:54:09,582 --> 00:54:11,818
Er, I should have known then
she was a lunatic.

985
00:54:14,621 --> 00:54:17,457
We spoke on the phone, didn't we,
that night for ages.

986
00:54:17,524 --> 00:54:19,492
[interviewer] How old were you two
when you got together?

987
00:54:19,559 --> 00:54:22,696
I was 19 and he was 24-25.

988
00:54:22,762 --> 00:54:24,130
And now we're like old.

989
00:54:24,197 --> 00:54:26,099
God. You joking? 'Course we're not.

990
00:54:26,966 --> 00:54:28,368
You're only as young
as the woman you feel.

991
00:54:28,435 --> 00:54:30,236
Old then. You're old then!

992
00:54:32,439 --> 00:54:34,341
I was so young when we met.

993
00:54:35,408 --> 00:54:38,378
And that I was still living with my mum,
and he had his flat.

994
00:54:38,445 --> 00:54:40,880
So when I moved in,
it was literally like walking

995
00:54:40,980 --> 00:54:42,849
into one of The Inbetweener's rooms.

996
00:54:42,916 --> 00:54:44,651
He had like, no bedding,

997
00:54:44,718 --> 00:54:47,420
PlayStation things hanging out the TV.

998
00:54:47,487 --> 00:54:48,655
His nan used to live around the corner,

999
00:54:48,722 --> 00:54:51,458
so she used to come and make him
his dinner, but I think

1000
00:54:51,524 --> 00:54:55,562
my predictions were right. He did need
someone to come in and look after him.

1001
00:54:56,496 --> 00:54:59,132
I was well-paid and obviously
I playing for Liverpool,

1002
00:54:59,199 --> 00:55:02,369
but I didn't really have a...
I was just living like my mates.

1003
00:55:02,435 --> 00:55:05,105
And they were living like students.

1004
00:55:05,171 --> 00:55:07,674
But that's part
of the charm of you though, I think.

1005
00:55:07,774 --> 00:55:12,645
'Cause you're still like that now.
You're not really driven by fancy things.

1006
00:55:13,013 --> 00:55:15,281
I like to think of me being...

1007
00:55:16,182 --> 00:55:18,084
you know, like a rough diamond

1008
00:55:18,885 --> 00:55:20,186
that she polished.

1009
00:55:25,658 --> 00:55:28,495
- [comm] And Crouch scores for Liverpool!
- [crowd roaring]

1010
00:55:28,561 --> 00:55:29,729
Who's laughing now?

1011
00:55:30,563 --> 00:55:33,366
[Peter] After I met Ab,
it all changed for me.

1012
00:55:33,466 --> 00:55:36,636
Now I've got this new confidence
where I'm like, I can play.

1013
00:55:37,337 --> 00:55:40,306
[comm] There's Crouch and it has crept in!

1014
00:55:41,441 --> 00:55:43,643
[Greg] Pete had gone from basically having
no luck with ladies at all

1015
00:55:43,743 --> 00:55:46,446
to suddenly dating a supermodel.
We were like, "Wow, that's impressive.

1016
00:55:47,047 --> 00:55:49,416
"How have you managed that?"
It was incredible.

1017
00:55:49,783 --> 00:55:52,819
I was off and running.
I couldn't stop scoring after that.

1018
00:55:59,759 --> 00:56:01,594
[comm] Crouch! Oh, what about it!

1019
00:56:02,195 --> 00:56:04,264
What a fabulous finish!

1020
00:56:07,400 --> 00:56:12,238
The worst time sort of became
the best time of my life.

1021
00:56:14,841 --> 00:56:17,444
- [Abbey] Hey, dad.
- Hiya, babe. How are ya?

1022
00:56:17,544 --> 00:56:18,611
I'm good.

1023
00:56:18,678 --> 00:56:21,181
- All right, Pedro! All right, la?
- How are you, mate?

1024
00:56:22,082 --> 00:56:24,617
- You okay?
- Hey, gorgeous girl. You all right?

1025
00:56:24,684 --> 00:56:26,252
- Yeah. You okay?
- Yeah, I'm good.

1026
00:56:26,319 --> 00:56:27,821
- You okay?
- Yeah.

1027
00:56:28,455 --> 00:56:31,424
Whenever I'm in Liverpool,
I always make a date to see Geoff.

1028
00:56:32,025 --> 00:56:34,461
You never told me
that you'd copped off with Pete.

1029
00:56:34,527 --> 00:56:37,597
I was actually tarmacking
a carpark in Blackburn

1030
00:56:37,697 --> 00:56:40,300
...and all the lads started having a go.

1031
00:56:40,367 --> 00:56:43,236
"Your Abbey's going out with Crouchy"
and I went "Oh, as if."

1032
00:56:43,336 --> 00:56:47,007
I was so scared to say "Oh, Dad I've got
a boyfriend, he plays for Liverpool."

1033
00:56:47,073 --> 00:56:50,276
- He would have killed me.
- No, I just thought "Well, this is good",

1034
00:56:50,377 --> 00:56:52,779
but I really didn't think it'd last.
I just thought

1035
00:56:52,846 --> 00:56:55,715
next week it'd probably be
Pierce Brosnan or...

1036
00:56:55,815 --> 00:56:59,719
Pierce Brosnan!
He's your age! What the hell.

1037
00:57:01,321 --> 00:57:05,358
He's a great fella and yeah, I'm thankful
to have a father-in-law like him.

1038
00:57:05,458 --> 00:57:08,661
Were you worried about meeting me dad
knowing he was like...

1039
00:57:08,728 --> 00:57:10,363
I'll be honest, I was less worried

1040
00:57:10,463 --> 00:57:12,599
because I'd started scoring by then.

1041
00:57:15,402 --> 00:57:17,370
I think having that support network,

1042
00:57:17,437 --> 00:57:20,674
having family
that believes in me was massive.

1043
00:57:21,374 --> 00:57:23,243
It gave me a load of confidence.

1044
00:57:25,045 --> 00:57:27,614
My dad came to every single game
I've ever played,

1045
00:57:27,681 --> 00:57:32,385
but when I come up to Liverpool,
he looks after me almost like a dad,

1046
00:57:32,452 --> 00:57:34,421
and I feel very blessed to have that.

1047
00:57:42,595 --> 00:57:45,665
My dad knew I had ability,
so he was hard on me.

1048
00:57:46,399 --> 00:57:49,736
But when you're a kid you just think
"Why is my dad being so harsh?"

1049
00:57:52,739 --> 00:57:55,742
[interviewer] In hindsight,
do you think there were times

1050
00:57:55,809 --> 00:57:58,945
when you were a bit too tough on him,
pushed him too far?

1051
00:57:59,012 --> 00:58:01,848
No, I don't. I question myself sometimes
about that.

1052
00:58:01,915 --> 00:58:04,784
I think "Was I too tough? Did I do that?"
I don't think so.

1053
00:58:04,851 --> 00:58:10,357
I think I just tried to fill in the gaps
that he had in his armoury.

1054
00:58:16,162 --> 00:58:19,099
I can see it from his point of view now.
I'm a father now.

1055
00:58:19,165 --> 00:58:22,535
My little girl is doing swimming
and she's doing well at it.

1056
00:58:22,602 --> 00:58:25,538
And I just think
if someone's got a talent,

1057
00:58:25,605 --> 00:58:27,807
you need to criticise them
so they improve.

1058
00:58:27,874 --> 00:58:29,743
So, with me, it was like,

1059
00:58:29,809 --> 00:58:33,713
if it was something
that he could see that was a weakness,

1060
00:58:34,681 --> 00:58:36,883
he's only telling you
what you're doing wrong.

1061
00:58:37,784 --> 00:58:40,420
[Bruce] I would've done anything
to help him achieve his dream.

1062
00:58:40,487 --> 00:58:45,258
I think that's as a job your dad, is
to try and facilitate your kid's dreams,

1063
00:58:45,325 --> 00:58:46,526
and that's all I did.

1064
00:58:47,327 --> 00:58:50,897
You hope to give them a set of values
that they take through life,

1065
00:58:50,964 --> 00:58:55,802
and if that set of values enables them
to achieve what they want to achieve,

1066
00:58:56,569 --> 00:58:59,172
I don't think there is
anything better for a parent.

1067
00:59:01,408 --> 00:59:05,745
I wouldn't have made it without him
so I'm thankful that he was like that.

1068
00:59:10,116 --> 00:59:12,986
[Bruce] When he started as a kid,
you have hopes and dreams,

1069
00:59:13,053 --> 00:59:15,488
but you never allow yourself
to get that far ahead

1070
00:59:15,555 --> 00:59:19,426
that you can actually see him,
you know, picking a cup up.

1071
00:59:20,160 --> 00:59:23,897
You hope but you don't
think it could become a reality.

1072
00:59:26,199 --> 00:59:28,635
[crowd jeering]

1073
00:59:28,735 --> 00:59:31,371
[comm] Anton Ferdinand has got to score

1074
00:59:31,438 --> 00:59:34,641
to keep West Ham in the competition.

1075
00:59:34,741 --> 00:59:37,210
If he doesn't score,
Liverpool have won the cup.

1076
00:59:38,978 --> 00:59:41,815
- They have won the cup!
- [crowd cheering]

1077
00:59:41,881 --> 00:59:45,485
Liverpool have won
the FA Cup for the 7th time!

1078
00:59:47,487 --> 00:59:50,223
[Peter] The most emotional I've ever been
on a football pitch was

1079
00:59:50,290 --> 00:59:55,095
when I was standing there
with the FA cup in my hand

1080
00:59:55,161 --> 00:59:57,997
because that was me and my Dad's thing,
was the FA Cup.

1081
00:59:58,898 --> 01:00:02,168
We always used to stop whatever
we were doing and watch the FA Cup.

1082
01:00:03,970 --> 01:00:07,640
[Bruce] To see Pete picking a cup up,
it was something he'd always dreamed of,

1083
01:00:08,174 --> 01:00:09,976
so I was very proud of him.

1084
01:00:15,382 --> 01:00:17,917
You don't realise really
maybe when you're playing

1085
01:00:18,018 --> 01:00:20,120
how much it means to everyone and erm,

1086
01:00:20,220 --> 01:00:24,457
obviously, you can see today it means
everything and it means a lot to the boys.

1087
01:00:25,158 --> 01:00:27,127
...FA cup finals, five!

1088
01:00:27,994 --> 01:00:32,265
[Peter] All the adversity came
flooding back in that moment

1089
01:00:33,266 --> 01:00:35,735
where I've got
a 100-year-old trophy in my hand.

1090
01:00:35,802 --> 01:00:38,204
That was... that was special.

1091
01:00:41,408 --> 01:00:44,944
The Liverpool fans really liked him.
In the wider world as well I think

1092
01:00:45,011 --> 01:00:47,914
the media could see him
as a Premier League footballer.

1093
01:00:51,451 --> 01:00:54,821
But it was the England fans,
I think, that he still had to win over.

1094
01:01:00,927 --> 01:01:01,928
- [man speaking indistinctly]
- Hi, mate. How are ya?

1095
01:01:01,995 --> 01:01:04,931
- [man speaking indistinctly]
- What's happening? You all right?

1096
01:01:05,598 --> 01:01:06,733
[man] This way, boys.

1097
01:01:08,935 --> 01:01:11,237
One more, boys and then I'm going
to bring the standbys.

1098
01:01:12,405 --> 01:01:14,841
[Peter] Going into that World Cup,
I was on fire.

1099
01:01:14,941 --> 01:01:17,344
[man] All this way,
please. This is it now.

1100
01:01:21,047 --> 01:01:25,485
[Peter] I was scoring goals for Liverpool,
I'd overcome the difficult period.

1101
01:01:26,086 --> 01:01:28,421
I was with Ab. I was ready.

1102
01:01:30,490 --> 01:01:32,826
- [man] Glad to be back, yeah?
- Yeah, I'm buzzing.

1103
01:01:33,159 --> 01:01:34,594
Really looking forward to it.

1104
01:01:36,463 --> 01:01:40,266
Getting chosen for the squad, I mean,
look at the squad. It was phenomenal.

1105
01:01:40,333 --> 01:01:41,935
Like, you go into training,

1106
01:01:42,569 --> 01:01:43,837
David Beckham, Frank Lampard,

1107
01:01:43,937 --> 01:01:46,172
Steven Gerrard, Michael Owen,
Wayne Rooney.

1108
01:01:47,374 --> 01:01:50,610
If you look at that England squad,
they are expected to win.

1109
01:01:51,778 --> 01:01:54,881
[Peter] We haven't won
a major competition since '66.

1110
01:01:55,648 --> 01:01:57,884
There was talks of it being
a golden generation.

1111
01:01:59,586 --> 01:02:03,723
So being amongst that squad felt
like a huge honour.

1112
01:02:05,625 --> 01:02:09,129
I am different to the other strikers
we have here in England,

1113
01:02:09,195 --> 01:02:12,098
and hopefully, like you say,
I can bring something different.

1114
01:02:14,601 --> 01:02:17,570
[Sven] Peter was important
for that tournament.

1115
01:02:18,104 --> 01:02:21,441
We didn't have a lot
of strikers on high, high level,

1116
01:02:21,541 --> 01:02:23,677
but Peter Crouch was one of them.

1117
01:02:25,612 --> 01:02:28,715
[interviewer] Rooney and Owen have
played in big competitions,

1118
01:02:28,815 --> 01:02:32,252
Peter Crouch hasn't.
How do you know he's going to cope?

1119
01:02:32,919 --> 01:02:34,621
He will cope with it. I am sure.

1120
01:02:35,822 --> 01:02:38,024
He will be nervous. Of course he will.

1121
01:02:38,091 --> 01:02:39,693
His first World Cup,
but he will cope with it.

1122
01:02:39,759 --> 01:02:42,095
[men speaking indistinctly]

1123
01:02:42,662 --> 01:02:46,099
[Sven] To play for England,
that's a dream for every young boy.

1124
01:02:46,166 --> 01:02:48,902
To put on that shirt, that means a lot.

1125
01:02:50,236 --> 01:02:52,706
But the pressure is there,
of course it is.

1126
01:02:53,373 --> 01:02:55,942
And they know that if you don't perform,

1127
01:02:56,009 --> 01:02:57,610
the critic will be very tough

1128
01:02:57,677 --> 01:03:01,047
and the chances
to be picked again is not very big.

1129
01:03:01,514 --> 01:03:03,683
[fans cheering]

1130
01:03:04,117 --> 01:03:07,654
[Peter] And you feel
that kind of pressure at a World Cup.

1131
01:03:07,721 --> 01:03:09,255
[speaking indistinctly]

1132
01:03:09,322 --> 01:03:12,859
[Peter] But because I was
in such a good place in my life,

1133
01:03:13,560 --> 01:03:14,728
for the first time,

1134
01:03:15,161 --> 01:03:16,329
I felt confident.

1135
01:03:16,396 --> 01:03:17,897
[speaking indistinctly]

1136
01:03:17,964 --> 01:03:20,700
[Peter] I just had to prove
to the country...

1137
01:03:23,370 --> 01:03:24,971
that I was a credible footballer.

1138
01:03:27,540 --> 01:03:30,543
[stadium announcer] Old Trafford,
this is an England international.

1139
01:03:30,610 --> 01:03:34,180
England v Jamaica.

1140
01:03:38,251 --> 01:03:40,520
[Sven] In the preparations
before the World Cup,

1141
01:03:41,287 --> 01:03:43,023
we had a friendly against Jamaica.

1142
01:03:45,158 --> 01:03:47,660
This is a fantastic chance for Peter

1143
01:03:47,727 --> 01:03:50,463
to show that he can do it on that level.

1144
01:03:50,530 --> 01:03:52,132
- [crowd cheering]
- [referee blows whistle]

1145
01:03:52,198 --> 01:03:53,366
[comm] Here they go.

1146
01:03:54,167 --> 01:03:59,172
[Peter] Throughout my whole career,
I just got prejudged because of my height.

1147
01:04:00,940 --> 01:04:03,576
[comm] Peter Crouch coming in far side,
heads it back.

1148
01:04:04,244 --> 01:04:08,782
That was something that stuck with me
that I was determined to prove wrong.

1149
01:04:12,218 --> 01:04:14,521
[comm] Oh! And a goal for England.

1150
01:04:14,954 --> 01:04:16,890
Peter Crouch got the first touch.

1151
01:04:18,858 --> 01:04:23,396
I started thinking about all the people
that doubted me, booed when I came on.

1152
01:04:23,930 --> 01:04:25,665
[comm] This is Beckham to Carragher.

1153
01:04:25,732 --> 01:04:28,101
Can they pull one back here?
Crouch is there!

1154
01:04:28,601 --> 01:04:31,538
And it's number two
for Peter Crouch today.

1155
01:04:33,773 --> 01:04:37,410
[Peter] All the things that have gone
into making me a player, being ridiculed,

1156
01:04:37,477 --> 01:04:39,279
getting stick and getting laughed at,

1157
01:04:39,879 --> 01:04:42,215
and here I am, you know,
not a care in the world,

1158
01:04:42,282 --> 01:04:44,584
scoring goals and having a laugh doing it.

1159
01:04:45,885 --> 01:04:47,354
[comm] Owen to Crouch.

1160
01:04:47,454 --> 01:04:49,255
Oh, he has got his third goal!

1161
01:04:49,322 --> 01:04:51,257
[crowd cheering]

1162
01:04:54,094 --> 01:04:56,563
[comm 2] I also think
it's the best goal of the day.

1163
01:04:57,564 --> 01:05:00,934
[Sven] To score three goals for England,

1164
01:05:01,001 --> 01:05:03,169
that's fantastic.

1165
01:05:03,236 --> 01:05:08,575
He showed the critics
that he belongs to this team.

1166
01:05:15,648 --> 01:05:17,283
I remember being at home in bed...

1167
01:05:20,120 --> 01:05:23,223
and seeing Pete do
this robot dance, and I was like,

1168
01:05:23,289 --> 01:05:25,025
"Oh, my God. What's he doing?"

1169
01:05:25,925 --> 01:05:27,861
[comm] He's doing the robotic dance.

1170
01:05:30,330 --> 01:05:32,532
[Greg] I remember laughing when he was
doing it, 'cause I was pleased

1171
01:05:32,599 --> 01:05:34,134
everyone's seeing
the real Pete that we knew.

1172
01:05:34,801 --> 01:05:38,705
[Abbey] I think the robot was obviously
him just feeling confident and comfortable

1173
01:05:38,772 --> 01:05:41,975
and it kind of gave
a glimpse into his personality.

1174
01:05:42,676 --> 01:05:46,379
[Greg] He was saying "I don't care what
you think of me, how I look or appear.

1175
01:05:46,446 --> 01:05:48,782
"I'm happy in myself.
Things are going well."

1176
01:05:50,450 --> 01:05:54,421
I think this is the humour he was using
as a kid to diffuse situations in school,

1177
01:05:54,487 --> 01:05:57,624
but now he's using it to make
the nation fall in love with him.

1178
01:05:59,359 --> 01:06:02,896
From being booed to getting the hattrick
and performing "The Robot" is

1179
01:06:02,962 --> 01:06:06,599
a big sort of middle finger to people
who've given him a load of crap before.

1180
01:06:06,700 --> 01:06:09,002
[cheering]

1181
01:06:09,102 --> 01:06:11,838
He did well, Crouch. He was
a target man when he came on.

1182
01:06:12,639 --> 01:06:14,007
He'll be a useful addition to the squad.

1183
01:06:15,075 --> 01:06:19,212
He got more fans because of that
than he had before that.

1184
01:06:21,214 --> 01:06:22,515
[speaking indistinctly]

1185
01:06:22,615 --> 01:06:26,252
[reporter] England finally started
their World Cup journey this morning.

1186
01:06:26,319 --> 01:06:29,756
They were met by a pastiche
of Peter Crouch's now-famous robot dance.

1187
01:06:29,856 --> 01:06:31,024
They call it "The Crouch" now. We used

1188
01:06:31,091 --> 01:06:32,692
to call it "The Robot"
when I was in school.

1189
01:06:34,327 --> 01:06:36,329
[fans cheering]

1190
01:06:36,396 --> 01:06:40,834
I love it. It's almost become part of me,
almost as much as my height.

1191
01:06:43,169 --> 01:06:45,839
And I suppose
it's shaped me in a weird way.

1192
01:06:49,075 --> 01:06:51,978
[fans cheering]

1193
01:06:52,045 --> 01:06:55,882
[Peter] I was so far away
from when people were laughing at me

1194
01:06:55,982 --> 01:06:57,417
because of the way I looked.

1195
01:06:57,484 --> 01:07:00,086
I felt so confident in my own skin.
I was playing well.

1196
01:07:00,186 --> 01:07:02,122
I was playing for England, for Liverpool.

1197
01:07:02,722 --> 01:07:05,759
I'm now in a place
where I can express myself, you know.

1198
01:07:05,859 --> 01:07:09,729
I can have a laugh as well as being
taken as a serious footballer.

1199
01:07:11,498 --> 01:07:13,500
[comm] One big leap from Peter Crouch!

1200
01:07:13,566 --> 01:07:14,901
[crowd roaring]

1201
01:07:14,968 --> 01:07:18,505
[Peter] I would never have done that
if I wasn't at what I considered

1202
01:07:18,571 --> 01:07:20,373
the top of my game at that time.

1203
01:07:24,144 --> 01:07:27,781
[Sven] I remember Prince William came
to see one of the training sessions.

1204
01:07:29,883 --> 01:07:32,419
When the prince comes, everybody's quiet

1205
01:07:32,485 --> 01:07:35,055
and shows respect to the Prince.

1206
01:07:36,623 --> 01:07:40,360
[Jamie] Prince William is chatting away
about the World Cup, how it's going to go,

1207
01:07:40,460 --> 01:07:43,063
and I've just gone "Crouchy,
show him your dance."

1208
01:07:43,129 --> 01:07:46,533
I said "Shut up." I was like,
"Don't. Please don't."

1209
01:07:48,802 --> 01:07:51,037
[players encouraging Peter indistinctly]

1210
01:07:54,240 --> 01:07:56,209
[all cheering]

1211
01:08:01,047 --> 01:08:03,583
[Jamie] And all of us were
just in absolute stitches.

1212
01:08:04,317 --> 01:08:06,052
[Sven] The Prince, he was laughing.

1213
01:08:06,119 --> 01:08:09,089
I think he had tears in his eyes.

1214
01:08:10,690 --> 01:08:13,526
Yeah, well,
when the future king's asking to see it,

1215
01:08:13,626 --> 01:08:15,729
I couldn't really turn him down
to be honest.

1216
01:08:17,564 --> 01:08:20,200
Peter, how do you think
your tournament has gone so far?

1217
01:08:20,633 --> 01:08:24,738
Oh, I'm really enjoying myself, erm,
Wayne, at the moment.

1218
01:08:24,804 --> 01:08:27,474
Obviously, never thought
I'd ever play in a World Cup

1219
01:08:27,574 --> 01:08:29,409
and I'm really enjoying myself.

1220
01:08:29,476 --> 01:08:33,480
There's been a lot of talk about the robot
and it's been played down a bit lately

1221
01:08:33,580 --> 01:08:37,717
and there's been a few reports saying
that it's not going to get performed

1222
01:08:37,817 --> 01:08:39,119
until the final.

1223
01:08:39,919 --> 01:08:44,324
Can you give us
any more exclusives really about that?

1224
01:08:45,458 --> 01:08:47,727
[people laughing]

1225
01:08:55,902 --> 01:08:58,571
[fans chanting]

1226
01:08:59,539 --> 01:09:04,411
[comm] Portugal are one kick away
from the World Cup semi-finals.

1227
01:09:05,345 --> 01:09:07,080
Cristiano Ronaldo.

1228
01:09:08,114 --> 01:09:09,883
[crowd cheering]

1229
01:09:11,384 --> 01:09:15,722
And England, as usual, lose
on a penalty shoot-out.

1230
01:09:19,426 --> 01:09:21,528
[reporter] England are
out of the World Cup

1231
01:09:21,594 --> 01:09:24,731
after losing their quarter-final
to Portugal on penalties.

1232
01:09:24,798 --> 01:09:29,002
It's frustrating. We thought we could've
gone further but it's one of those things.

1233
01:09:30,103 --> 01:09:32,772
[Sven] That loss, for that generation,

1234
01:09:33,940 --> 01:09:35,742
the tournament, we should have won,

1235
01:09:36,242 --> 01:09:38,378
because we had experienced players.

1236
01:09:39,979 --> 01:09:42,716
[Steven] I have regrets like probably
the majority of the players do

1237
01:09:42,816 --> 01:09:46,319
because you've got to play like a team,
you've got to bond, you've got to try

1238
01:09:46,419 --> 01:09:48,621
and complement each other,
and we did at times,

1239
01:09:48,688 --> 01:09:50,523
but we'd never done it enough
on a consistent basis.

1240
01:09:52,025 --> 01:09:54,294
But Peter used to connect
the dressing room

1241
01:09:54,361 --> 01:09:57,530
with his banter, with his personality,

1242
01:09:57,597 --> 01:10:00,066
and he was just someone
who you wanted to be around.

1243
01:10:00,133 --> 01:10:02,302
There's never a dull moment
when Crouchy is in the room.

1244
01:10:05,038 --> 01:10:09,142
[Sven] For Peter, that World Cup was
very, very important for him.

1245
01:10:09,209 --> 01:10:15,248
To be more accepted
amongst the fans and the press.

1246
01:10:24,691 --> 01:10:26,059
[chuckles softly]

1247
01:10:26,926 --> 01:10:28,895
There is some absolute belters on here.

1248
01:10:30,797 --> 01:10:33,900
That's the actual volley
that I did at the World Cup,

1249
01:10:33,967 --> 01:10:37,437
that I got wrong, came off my toe,
went the other way, which is not ideal.

1250
01:10:38,238 --> 01:10:39,506
[comm 1] Here's Crouch!

1251
01:10:40,473 --> 01:10:42,008
[comm 2] Atrocious finish.

1252
01:10:42,742 --> 01:10:44,044
[interviewer] There are
so many pictures of that

1253
01:10:44,144 --> 01:10:45,745
like, turned into a meme
and then it just went viral.

1254
01:10:45,812 --> 01:10:47,180
Oh, my God. Viral.

1255
01:10:48,381 --> 01:10:50,650
It's basically,
"Peter Crouch can do anything."

1256
01:10:50,717 --> 01:10:52,986
I mean, look, here I am
synchronised-swimming.

1257
01:10:53,453 --> 01:10:56,423
Incredible. Here I am break-dancing.

1258
01:10:57,524 --> 01:10:58,958
Here I am hurdling.

1259
01:10:59,959 --> 01:11:01,361
[chuckles]

1260
01:11:01,461 --> 01:11:03,063
That's my favourite.

1261
01:11:03,129 --> 01:11:06,533
This is the wind turbine.
They put me on a wind turbine.

1262
01:11:06,966 --> 01:11:09,436
There's me going around on a propellor.

1263
01:11:09,536 --> 01:11:12,372
[continues laughing]

1264
01:11:12,439 --> 01:11:15,208
I'm all for it. There's
some absolute belters here.

1265
01:11:17,844 --> 01:11:21,114
I was in a good place then.
If that had been early on in my career,

1266
01:11:21,214 --> 01:11:23,983
maybe it would've gone,
"Oh, not another thing like that",

1267
01:11:24,050 --> 01:11:26,486
but people were accepting me.

1268
01:11:27,053 --> 01:11:29,055
And now when people were laughing,

1269
01:11:29,122 --> 01:11:31,324
they were laughing with me
rather than at me.

1270
01:11:32,025 --> 01:11:36,329
I'd gone from this figure of fun
to people having fun with me, if you like.

1271
01:11:37,664 --> 01:11:42,302
The inventor of "The Robot",
it's Peter Crouch, everyone!

1272
01:11:43,036 --> 01:11:46,306
Crouchy, everything tells me
that you should be rubbish at football,

1273
01:11:46,373 --> 01:11:50,610
and yet you are brilliant
because of this, "The Robot".

1274
01:11:50,677 --> 01:11:51,778
[audience laughing]

1275
01:11:51,845 --> 01:11:56,816
Given the abuse he got, I don't think
I would ever have expected him to be

1276
01:11:56,883 --> 01:11:59,419
the towering media figure
that he's become.

1277
01:11:59,486 --> 01:12:03,056
I carry cards. "No,
the weather isn't different up here."

1278
01:12:03,123 --> 01:12:05,658
- [audience laughs]
- "No, I don't play basketball."

1279
01:12:05,725 --> 01:12:07,594
"I'm so glad we had this conversation."

1280
01:12:07,694 --> 01:12:09,996
- [Jonathan laughs]
- [audience laughing]

1281
01:12:10,096 --> 01:12:12,665
[Jamie] He's a brand.
Who would've believed that

1282
01:12:12,732 --> 01:12:14,234
when he couldn't score for 18 games!

1283
01:12:14,334 --> 01:12:16,102
[man] Harry, Peter, this way please.

1284
01:12:16,770 --> 01:12:18,805
[Harry] People would have
doubted him at times.

1285
01:12:18,905 --> 01:12:20,340
[man] Peter, Harry, down here.

1286
01:12:20,407 --> 01:12:22,208
He proved all the doubters wrong,
for sure.

1287
01:12:22,676 --> 01:12:27,380
[comm] Crouch! Oh!
An absolutely majestic finish!

1288
01:12:28,448 --> 01:12:30,717
[Harry] There's nothing you can't like
about Crouchy, really.

1289
01:12:30,817 --> 01:12:32,886
He's not afraid to laugh
at himself as well.

1290
01:12:32,986 --> 01:12:35,622
"What would you be
if you weren't a footballer?"

1291
01:12:35,689 --> 01:12:37,290
- A virgin.
- [audience laughing]

1292
01:12:41,761 --> 01:12:45,598
[interviewer 2] You strike me as being
suddenly a bit of a cult hero.

1293
01:12:45,699 --> 01:12:47,801
[Peter] Yeah, I think
maybe that stupid dance helped a bit

1294
01:12:47,901 --> 01:12:50,904
and [chuckles] I'm not sure
if I'll be doing that again,

1295
01:12:50,970 --> 01:12:52,939
but if you can play and win

1296
01:12:53,006 --> 01:12:55,975
and do it with a smile on your face,
I think it's the best way.

1297
01:12:59,045 --> 01:13:02,015
[Sam] By now,
he's a different kind of player.

1298
01:13:02,649 --> 01:13:06,052
He's one of the senior players.
There's a confidence about him.

1299
01:13:06,119 --> 01:13:08,655
[cameraman speaking indistinctly]

1300
01:13:08,722 --> 01:13:11,491
[Sam] And big clubs are still signing him.

1301
01:13:15,462 --> 01:13:16,863
He was a great player for me
at Tottenham.

1302
01:13:18,498 --> 01:13:20,900
[comm] And his header finds the net!

1303
01:13:20,967 --> 01:13:23,036
[crowd cheering]

1304
01:13:25,405 --> 01:13:29,876
Peter Crouch, whose career began here,
has taken off

1305
01:13:29,976 --> 01:13:32,178
with his first Premier League goal
for them.

1306
01:13:33,213 --> 01:13:35,782
He now holds the record
for the most headed goals,

1307
01:13:36,416 --> 01:13:39,219
but when you're 6'7",
you're entitled to it, really.

1308
01:13:41,287 --> 01:13:43,456
[reporter] This is
a statement signing for Stoke City.

1309
01:13:44,824 --> 01:13:47,160
Peter Crouch has
agreed to join Stoke City.

1310
01:13:47,260 --> 01:13:48,261
[all cheering]

1311
01:13:49,729 --> 01:13:52,499
When he gets to Stoke, he's coming
towards the end of his career.

1312
01:13:52,565 --> 01:13:55,001
[reporter] Do you mind flying the flag
around the world for Stoke?

1313
01:13:55,101 --> 01:13:57,404
No. God, it's a pleasure, a privilege.

1314
01:13:58,004 --> 01:14:01,074
Most players retire in their early 30s.
Some even earlier.

1315
01:14:03,076 --> 01:14:05,045
[comm] In comes Crouch!

1316
01:14:06,346 --> 01:14:09,582
Peter Crouch,
with his first Stoke City goal.

1317
01:14:10,850 --> 01:14:13,386
[Sam] He ends up
staying there years longer than

1318
01:14:13,453 --> 01:14:15,221
any of the clubs he's been at previously.

1319
01:14:16,756 --> 01:14:18,425
[comm] Crouch! Oh, what an effort!

1320
01:14:19,559 --> 01:14:22,328
That is just sensational!

1321
01:14:23,897 --> 01:14:25,365
[Sam] He scores a lot of goals.

1322
01:14:25,965 --> 01:14:28,968
- [comm] It's towards Peter Crouch!
- [crowd cheering]

1323
01:14:29,035 --> 01:14:31,338
It's a trademark Peter Crouch goal.

1324
01:14:32,739 --> 01:14:34,641
[Sam] And amongst those goals, are

1325
01:14:34,741 --> 01:14:38,144
some really brilliant,
technically-accomplished goals.

1326
01:14:38,211 --> 01:14:40,714
[crowd cheering]

1327
01:14:45,919 --> 01:14:49,089
[Sam] But he'd got one thing left
to prove to himself.

1328
01:14:56,363 --> 01:15:01,101
[comm] Peter Crouch has scored
99 Premier League goals.

1329
01:15:01,167 --> 01:15:03,837
He's a goal short of a century
in the Premier League.

1330
01:15:03,937 --> 01:15:06,373
[Peter] I got to 99
and I thought "This will be me."

1331
01:15:06,439 --> 01:15:12,545
Like, "This will be just my luck to go
18 games again without scoring."

1332
01:15:12,612 --> 01:15:14,781
[fans chanting]

1333
01:15:15,515 --> 01:15:17,717
[comm] Arnautović, in behind Holgate,

1334
01:15:18,284 --> 01:15:19,819
here's Crouch!

1335
01:15:20,620 --> 01:15:22,155
[crowd cheering]

1336
01:15:22,255 --> 01:15:26,226
A century of goals in the Premier League
for Peter Crouch!

1337
01:15:29,896 --> 01:15:33,800
People asked me at Stoke,
"Will you please bring it back

1338
01:15:33,900 --> 01:15:35,435
"when you score
100 Premier League goals?"

1339
01:15:35,535 --> 01:15:37,604
and I promised a few people that I would.

1340
01:15:37,704 --> 01:15:39,773
[crowd cheering]

1341
01:15:39,839 --> 01:15:41,808
[comm] And the celebration is back.

1342
01:15:42,976 --> 01:15:44,778
Huge smile on his face.

1343
01:15:45,812 --> 01:15:47,614
[comm 2] And Crouch to get
his 100th Premier league goal.

1344
01:15:47,681 --> 01:15:49,215
Full credit to him.

1345
01:15:52,419 --> 01:15:55,455
[Sven] If you score that many goals,
of course you are a hero.

1346
01:15:55,889 --> 01:15:59,859
He showed the critics that he belongs.

1347
01:16:01,494 --> 01:16:02,529
[interviewer] And of course,
the celebration,

1348
01:16:02,595 --> 01:16:03,763
you planned that, didn't you?

1349
01:16:03,863 --> 01:16:07,934
[chuckles] Yeah, I've been under
so much pressure to pull out "The Robot",

1350
01:16:08,001 --> 01:16:10,937
so... to be honest,
it was a bit rusty, more than anything,

1351
01:16:11,004 --> 01:16:13,973
but er, yeah, obviously, I think
I'll put that one away now.

1352
01:16:24,851 --> 01:16:26,686
[interviewer] What was it like
when you had to retire?

1353
01:16:26,786 --> 01:16:29,656
Er, well, it was tough.
It's all I've ever known is football.

1354
01:16:29,723 --> 01:16:36,062
So, like, erm, making that decision
to just end it is a difficult one.

1355
01:16:36,730 --> 01:16:39,699
[Abbey] I like having you at home more,
but you did sell it to me a lot different

1356
01:16:39,766 --> 01:16:43,169
to what you said "Oh, when I retire,
we can go to the gym together,

1357
01:16:43,236 --> 01:16:45,038
and go for lunches and...

1358
01:16:45,138 --> 01:16:49,342
We do do that, just not as often
as I'd like, to be honest.

1359
01:16:49,809 --> 01:16:52,946
There was a moment when you were
coming to the end of your career,

1360
01:16:53,013 --> 01:16:56,182
you definitely did change
in your personality.

1361
01:16:56,249 --> 01:16:58,451
I knew you had something
on your mind when you were thinking

1362
01:16:58,518 --> 01:16:59,986
"God, what am
I going to do after football?"

1363
01:17:00,053 --> 01:17:01,221
- Yeah. I know.
- You know?

1364
01:17:01,287 --> 01:17:04,724
'Cause plenty of ex-players told me,
the moment you retire,

1365
01:17:04,824 --> 01:17:08,361
it's like, you just...
no one remembers, you know.

1366
01:17:09,662 --> 01:17:13,133
So I wanted to sort of do things
while I was still current

1367
01:17:13,199 --> 01:17:15,635
to keep myself involved.

1368
01:17:18,004 --> 01:17:19,606
I played football
every single day of my life.

1369
01:17:19,706 --> 01:17:22,776
I left school at 16, retired at 38,
that's 22 years.

1370
01:17:23,610 --> 01:17:25,845
I sort of retired on my own terms.

1371
01:17:26,446 --> 01:17:29,649
Most players, to be honest, retire
because of an injury.

1372
01:17:29,716 --> 01:17:31,685
[speaking indistinctly]

1373
01:17:33,887 --> 01:17:39,059
[Peter] I started my podcast and it just
seemed to really take off and do great.

1374
01:17:39,359 --> 01:17:42,128
Hello and welcome to another episode
of That Peter Crouch Podcast

1375
01:17:42,195 --> 01:17:43,930
with me, Peter Crouch. Chris Stark

1376
01:17:43,997 --> 01:17:46,099
and Statman Dave with me as usual.
All right, boys?

1377
01:17:46,166 --> 01:17:48,601
- I'm all right. I've got a question.
- [Peter] This is where we do the podcast.

1378
01:17:48,702 --> 01:17:50,837
Great fun. It's like
my favourite thing I do.

1379
01:17:51,204 --> 01:17:55,642
Just have a laugh. We come to the pub,
have a few beers, pretend we're working.

1380
01:17:55,742 --> 01:17:57,210
[interviewer] What's
Abbey's feelings about that?

1381
01:17:57,277 --> 01:18:00,347
Erm, I leave the house,
and she's got four kids

1382
01:18:00,413 --> 01:18:04,017
and like, I'm going to work,
and we come to the pub, have a few pints

1383
01:18:04,084 --> 01:18:06,219
and have a laugh and talk about football.

1384
01:18:06,286 --> 01:18:08,154
It's not work, is it, really?

1385
01:18:08,254 --> 01:18:11,458
We thought we'd do a podcast today
all about superstitions

1386
01:18:11,524 --> 01:18:13,560
which, I know with you, are massive.

1387
01:18:13,660 --> 01:18:16,763
Yeah, they were. When I was
a young player, I had loads.

1388
01:18:16,863 --> 01:18:18,498
Like, I would pray.

1389
01:18:19,599 --> 01:18:22,635
- I didn't know you were religious.
- Well, for goals I am.

1390
01:18:22,736 --> 01:18:24,604
[all laughing]

1391
01:18:25,138 --> 01:18:28,375
[Peter] At first I was like,
"Why are people listening to this?"

1392
01:18:28,441 --> 01:18:32,812
Talking about my life doesn't feel
like it'd be that interesting,

1393
01:18:32,879 --> 01:18:34,014
but...

1394
01:18:34,647 --> 01:18:38,051
you know, to people that haven't
been inside the dressing room,

1395
01:18:38,118 --> 01:18:41,054
I suppose it is incredibly interesting.

1396
01:18:41,121 --> 01:18:42,522
So, Crouchfest, lads.

1397
01:18:42,622 --> 01:18:43,723
We're pretty close.

1398
01:18:43,823 --> 01:18:45,825
How's the organisation, the prep going?

1399
01:18:45,892 --> 01:18:47,894
We're beavering away, aren't we, Chris,

1400
01:18:47,961 --> 01:18:49,162
and like loads going on.

1401
01:18:58,571 --> 01:19:00,807
[Sam] In the latter stages
of his playing career

1402
01:19:00,874 --> 01:19:03,643
and then into retirement,
Peter Crouch, he realised that

1403
01:19:03,743 --> 01:19:05,845
he's a popular figure,
he's a relatable figure.

1404
01:19:08,214 --> 01:19:12,519
[Peter] What Crouchfest is is I suppose
a reflection of me as a person.

1405
01:19:14,287 --> 01:19:18,224
[Sam] He's comfortable being himself,
he's turned it into a great second career.

1406
01:19:20,126 --> 01:19:22,128
[singing indistinctly]

1407
01:19:27,400 --> 01:19:29,602
Wembley has never seen this shit before.

1408
01:19:32,505 --> 01:19:36,343
It's just mad. I can't
believe that it's this big.

1409
01:19:36,876 --> 01:19:39,179
I'm nervous,
because when I was playing football

1410
01:19:39,245 --> 01:19:42,916
I knew what I was doing. Like, here,
I'm totally out of my comfort zone.

1411
01:19:48,688 --> 01:19:52,659
[Chris] Not many people could achieve
what he's achieving.

1412
01:19:52,726 --> 01:19:56,162
We haven't even announced
anything on the line-up. All they know is

1413
01:19:56,262 --> 01:19:57,530
it's Peter Crouch.

1414
01:19:57,597 --> 01:20:01,001
The fact that that is all people expect,

1415
01:20:01,101 --> 01:20:04,804
I think, speaks volumes
about how people see Peter

1416
01:20:04,904 --> 01:20:06,239
and how loved he is.

1417
01:20:07,140 --> 01:20:09,009
And I think, when he steps out tonight,

1418
01:20:09,576 --> 01:20:11,644
I think he will really feel the love.

1419
01:20:14,014 --> 01:20:16,716
I think everyone loves him.
He's more relatable, I think,

1420
01:20:16,816 --> 01:20:18,218
than most footballers.

1421
01:20:18,284 --> 01:20:19,285
We in?

1422
01:20:19,386 --> 01:20:23,156
Very inspirational guy and growing up,
I was sort of a lanky kid,

1423
01:20:23,256 --> 01:20:26,259
but then Peter Crouch playing football,
I was like "I want to be like him."

1424
01:20:27,694 --> 01:20:30,864
I met him a couple of years ago.
I got him to sign my arm,

1425
01:20:30,930 --> 01:20:32,565
so then got it made into a tattoo.

1426
01:20:33,600 --> 01:20:34,634
Just my hero, mate.

1427
01:20:35,135 --> 01:20:36,703
He's so funny, he's so witty.

1428
01:20:39,973 --> 01:20:43,643
[Barry] At the start of his career,
the only thing that made him stand out was

1429
01:20:43,743 --> 01:20:46,613
the fact that he looked weird

1430
01:20:46,680 --> 01:20:48,915
and probably shouldn't
have been a footballer.

1431
01:20:51,184 --> 01:20:53,019
To have the career he's had,

1432
01:20:53,453 --> 01:20:56,322
he's a lot better
than people gave him credit for.

1433
01:20:58,224 --> 01:21:00,026
He went on to great, great things

1434
01:21:00,093 --> 01:21:02,529
and as we've got
to know him over the years,

1435
01:21:03,596 --> 01:21:06,466
there is genuine affection for him now.

1436
01:21:07,434 --> 01:21:09,636
He's almost a national treasure, isn't he?

1437
01:21:11,838 --> 01:21:15,008
[presenter] And now,
it's time for the big one.

1438
01:21:15,642 --> 01:21:17,944
The very big one.

1439
01:21:18,011 --> 01:21:20,413
That Peter Crouch!

1440
01:21:20,480 --> 01:21:22,515
[audience cheering]

1441
01:21:32,659 --> 01:21:34,294
Crouchfest, hello!

1442
01:21:34,361 --> 01:21:36,563
[crowd cheering]

1443
01:21:37,864 --> 01:21:42,569
This is, you know, surreal. Like,
the amount of people here, erm,

1444
01:21:43,636 --> 01:21:46,206
it's taking my breath away, really.

1445
01:21:49,409 --> 01:21:52,812
I actually feel like I'm going to cry
right now. Proud doesn't even...

1446
01:21:54,047 --> 01:21:58,385
I can't... I can't even tell you
the words I feel right now.

1447
01:21:58,451 --> 01:22:02,455
You know, because to me, he's just like
my Peter, and my husband at home.

1448
01:22:02,522 --> 01:22:05,358
- Did you ever do "The Robot" at Wembley?
- [crowd cheering]

1449
01:22:06,726 --> 01:22:07,861
Do you know what?

1450
01:22:08,294 --> 01:22:10,597
I've never done "The Robot" at Wembley.

1451
01:22:10,697 --> 01:22:14,901
- Whoa, hold on a minute there, Wembley.
- Never done it. I've never done it.

1452
01:22:16,970 --> 01:22:19,506
[Abbey] Seeing all these people
with all this energy

1453
01:22:19,572 --> 01:22:20,940
and they're here for him.

1454
01:22:23,443 --> 01:22:27,013
This is the person that I love
and that I go on about

1455
01:22:27,080 --> 01:22:32,085
and I think is worthy of this but it's mad
to see everyone else feeling the same way.

1456
01:22:32,185 --> 01:22:36,756
[crowd cheering]

1457
01:22:45,398 --> 01:22:48,735
[Peter] I suppose that young lad, like,
who got stick as a player,

1458
01:22:48,802 --> 01:22:51,571
I never thought I'd be headlining
at Wembley arena.

1459
01:22:53,006 --> 01:22:57,544
I'm being me and it's nice to be able
to be confident enough.

1460
01:23:04,718 --> 01:23:08,154
[Bruce] I could go through all the goals,
all the cups, all the caps,

1461
01:23:08,254 --> 01:23:14,394
but the thing I'm most proud about is
his strength of character.

1462
01:23:14,494 --> 01:23:17,464
He's overcome all these obstacles
that have been put in his way

1463
01:23:17,530 --> 01:23:21,501
and I'm really proud
about how he is as a man.

1464
01:23:23,970 --> 01:23:28,775
If I was a bridesmaid, I would just be
so happy to be the bridesmaid,

1465
01:23:28,842 --> 01:23:31,745
- I would wear anything.
- Bollocks.

1466
01:23:31,811 --> 01:23:32,812
[Abbey] Oh?

1467
01:23:32,946 --> 01:23:37,117
It's blown our minds that it's gone in
at number one and it's so popular.

1468
01:23:37,984 --> 01:23:40,487
It's just real.
Like, we're just a normal couple.

1469
01:23:42,922 --> 01:23:45,492
[Graeme] Fortunately for Peter,
he was able to adapt.

1470
01:23:46,326 --> 01:23:49,262
That takes a certain type
of intelligence as well.

1471
01:23:50,063 --> 01:23:54,100
[Jason] I can't give Peter enough credit
for the fact that he's able to endure

1472
01:23:54,167 --> 01:23:55,301
and still push through,

1473
01:23:55,368 --> 01:23:57,937
'cause you do come through it.
That's what it's about.

1474
01:24:00,440 --> 01:24:02,976
[Luke] We all have
to go through challenges.

1475
01:24:03,043 --> 01:24:06,813
By the looks of it, it's given him
great resilience to go on and have

1476
01:24:06,880 --> 01:24:09,049
a fantastic career.

1477
01:24:09,416 --> 01:24:12,786
[Steven] I've got the upmost respect
for him, as a footballer for sure,

1478
01:24:12,852 --> 01:24:14,888
but more importantly as a human being.

1479
01:24:14,954 --> 01:24:18,024
You look at his career,
his family, his wife.

1480
01:24:18,491 --> 01:24:20,260
He ain't done too bad, has he?

1481
01:24:26,066 --> 01:24:28,535
[interviewer] When we started filming,
you said,

1482
01:24:28,601 --> 01:24:31,404
you didn't believe that anybody would be
interested in

1483
01:24:31,504 --> 01:24:34,741
watching it. Like, now, how do you feel?

1484
01:24:36,376 --> 01:24:40,480
Like, there's far better players than me,
there will be far better players than me,

1485
01:24:40,580 --> 01:24:41,681
but erm,

1486
01:24:42,682 --> 01:24:46,286
I suppose I was one of a kind in a way

1487
01:24:46,386 --> 01:24:47,721
because of...

1488
01:24:49,289 --> 01:24:52,625
I'm pretty different, I suppose,
to the average player.

1489
01:24:53,059 --> 01:24:54,928
As a teenager you just want to fit in,

1490
01:24:55,462 --> 01:24:58,064
but then like, I wouldn't
be me without my height.

1491
01:24:58,798 --> 01:25:00,767
I'm really proud of that and I think,

1492
01:25:00,834 --> 01:25:04,604
in spite of the things
that have held me back,

1493
01:25:04,704 --> 01:25:08,875
they've now become a secret weapon,
if you like, or a superpower.

1494
01:25:11,044 --> 01:25:13,980
[interviewer] So a couple of people might
watch this doc then.

1495
01:25:14,914 --> 01:25:16,116
I hope so.

1496
01:25:18,852 --> 01:25:20,053
I'm not that arsed.

1497
01:25:23,857 --> 01:25:25,492
[pop song playing]