I Had Trials Once...

Danny Meadowcroft joins I Had Trials Once to tell some incredible stories from a career that took him from Stockport County into the professional game & deep into the chaos of Non-League football. Danny discusses playing at Stockport alongside future stars including Ashley Williams & Rickie Lambert, working under Carlton Palmer, his remarkable 40-yard goal, a wild tour of China, becoming captain at just 19 & making the jump into full-time football with Morecambe. He also opens up on the reality of Non-League contracts, including contracts being left in the “top drawer”, discovering he wasn't actually under contract after an injury & the chairman who the hosts describe as a bit of a gangster. There are stories about Steve Morison, Jamie Vardy, Christmas bookings, dressing-room drinking games, Chester, Colwyn Bay & Danny's experiences in management. Then comes the unbelievable finale: Danny takes over at Barnton, wins the League Cup, wins the play-offs... and gets sacked. 0:00 Intro 6:36 Danny Meadowcroft 7:55 Stockport County & Carlton Palmer 12:19 Ashley Williams & Rickie Lambert 17:16 Danny Shittu: “The Beast” 20:20 Danny’s 40-Yard Goal 24:00 Mossley Captain at 19 25:07 Non-League Dressing Room Chaos 31:39 Morecambe Move & Failed Medical 38:39 Bradford Park Avenue Contract Drama 44:50 Steve Morison Battle 46:16 Jamie Vardy in Non-League 58:35 Shoulder Injury & No Contract 1:00:35 Non-League Drinking Challenges 1:07:18 10/1 Bet & Pitch Invasion 1:14:11 Colwyn Bay & Welsh Football 1:31:47 Management: Won the Cup & Got Sacked 1:34:30 Outro 👋 Got someone you'd love to see on the podcast? Drop us a message on any of our socials or let us know in the comments. 👌 If you're enjoying the podcast, make sure you Like, Comment & Subscribe, and turn notifications on so you never miss a new episode. 👀 Join I Had Trials Once on Patreon for just £3 a month for more exclusive, unfiltered content that we simply cannot get away with on YouTube 👉 https://www.patreon.com/IHadTrialsOnce 👏 A massive thanks to CAPO for sponsoring this week's episode. 👔 Check them out: https://capouk.com/ 🤑 Use code IHADTRIALS at checkout to save 15%. 🤔 Who should we get on next? Let us know in the comments! 😍 Connect with us: 🐦 X (Twitter): https://x.com/ihadtrialsonce 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ihadtrialsonce ⏳ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ihadtrialsonce 🖥️ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ihadtrialsoncepodcast ⚽ I Had Trials Once is the football podcast where the best stories from the game get told. Every week we sit down with former footballers, current players, managers, coaches, journalists and some of football's biggest personalities for honest conversations, hilarious dressing room stories, untold career moments and behind the scenes insight. 📈 From the Premier League and EFL to Non League, grassroots football and beyond, if you love football stories, football interviews and proper football banter, you're in the right place. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Gareth Seddon is joined by Grant Shenton and Daniel Atherton for another episode of I Had Trials Once. The lads discuss Chester FC, Cole Palmer withdrawing from England duty due to load management, Peterborough’s manager sacking and those bizarre text messages, Kristi Montgomery’s Scotland call-up, football bonuses, plus some questionable Spice Girls stories. Daniel Atherton also joins the conversation after starting his career with Liverpool, playing for FC United and now training with Harrogate Town. 👋 Got someone you'd love to see on the podcast? Drop us a message on any of our socials or let us know in the comments. 👌 If you're enjoying the podcast, make sure you Like, Comment & Subscribe, and turn notifications on so you never miss a new episode. 👀 Join I Had Trials Once on Patreon for just £3 a month for more exclusive, unfiltered content that we simply cannot get away with on YouTube 👉   / ihadtrialsonce   👏 A massive thanks to CAPO for sponsoring this week's episode. 👔 Check them out: https://capouk.com/ 🤑 Use code IHADTRIALS at checkout to save 15%. 🤔 Who should we get on next? Let us know in the comments! 😍 Connect with us: 🐦 X (Twitter): https://x.com/ihadtrialsonce 📸 Instagram:   / ihadtrialsonce   ⏳ TikTok:   / ihadtrialsonce   🖥️ Facebook:   / ihadtrialsoncepodcast   ⚽ I Had Trials Once is the football podcast where the best stories from the game get told. Every week we sit down with former footballers, current players, managers, coaches, journalists and some of football's biggest personalities for honest conversations, hilarious dressing room stories, untold career moments and behind the scenes insight. 📈 From the Premier League and EFL to Non League, grassroots football and beyond, if you love football stories, football interviews and proper football banter, you're in the right place. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jack Mackreth joins I Had Trials Once to look back on a football career full of unbelievable stories, from non league football and unpaid wages to Wembley heartache with Grimsby Town. Jack reveals what it was like being paid just £150 a week in non league, before explaining how he and his teammates went without being paid and threatened to boycott an FA Cup tie because of it. He also reflects on his time at Grimsby Town, including the experience of playing at Wembley in front of 56,000 people and the disappointment of losing on penalties, despite their confidence of winning the showpiece tie. Jack also tells the tale of being wrongly arrested and taken into police custody after a night out with the Grimsby squad, alongside plenty of brilliant dressing room stories from throughout his career. There's plenty more too, including the story involving Jermain Pennant and a Champions League medal, his experiences at Macclesfield and Tranmere, the injury that eventually ended his playing career, moving into accountancy and finance, helping former footballers with their finances and the phone call from Liverpool legend Kenny Dalglish. A proper football career full of brilliant stories, unforgettable moments and plenty of lessons from life after the game. _ 👋 Got someone you'd love to see on the podcast? Drop us a message on any of our socials or let us know in the comments. 👌 If you're enjoying the podcast, make sure you Like, Comment & Subscribe, and turn notifications on so you never miss a new episode. 👀 Join I Had Trials Once on Patreon for just £3 a month for more exclusive, unfiltered content that we simply cannot get away with on YouTube 👉 https://www.patreon.com/IHadTrialsOnce 👏 A massive thanks to CAPO for sponsoring this week's episode. 👔 Check them out: https://capouk.com/ 🤑 Use code IHADTRIALS at checkout to save 15%. 🤔 Who should we get on next? Let us know in the comments! 😍 Connect with us: 🐦 X (Twitter): https://x.com/ihadtrialsonce 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ihadtrialsonce ⏳ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ihadtrialsonce 🖥️ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ihadtrialsoncepodcast ⚽ I Had Trials Once is the football podcast where the best stories from the game get told. Every week we sit down with former footballers, current players, managers, coaches, journalists and some of football's biggest personalities for honest conversations, hilarious dressing room stories, untold career moments and behind the scenes insight. 📈 From the Premier League and EFL to Non League, grassroots football and beyond, if you love football stories, football interviews and proper football banter, you're in the right place. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, Gaz Seddon is joined by Gary Stopforth and Avro FC manager Grant Shenton for another trip through non-league football.On the menu we’ve got poisoned Lasagne, a £10K non-league wages debate, talking XG on a night out, football nicknames, blind ranking managers and a pitch-invading alpaca (yes, you did read that right!) plus Avro FC’s fascinating history in our AVRO FC In Focus quiz.Another absolute shambles Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

James Norwood joins Gaz and G Stop to chat about his career, from having trials once at Crystal Palace and missing a lads' holiday to Zante, right through to becoming a goalscoring phenomenon at Tranmere Rovers, playing for and being suspended by Ipswich Town, Joey Barton turning him down at Bristol Rovers, sneaking in an extra year at Barnsley, and regretting ever turning up at Oldham Athletic. Norwood doesn't hold back either. He talks about dealing with internet trolls, finding his next club, the managers he's worked under, some of the crazy moments from his career and the realities of life as a professional footballer travlling up and down the country chasing contracts. There's the story of missing a holiday to sign for Exeter City, some brilliant tales from Forest Green Rovers and why he now hates the club, choosing National League Tranmere Rovers over then-Championship side Burton Albion, scoring in a play-off final, and knocking Forest Green out of the League Two play-offs. We also get into his time at Ipswich Town, playing with his back to goal, injuries, being suspended and the problems that eventually saw him leave. And then there's Oldham... Norwood opens up about joining Oldham Athletic, wanting to leave after just one game, the fallout behind the scenes and why he ultimately regrets making the move. Plus, there's boozing before Leeds, questionable social media posts, mouldy showers and some brutally honest opinions on managers. Chapters 00:00 - James Norwood Interview 02:28 - Usain Bolt Signs for Wythenshawe Vets 04:00 - James Norwood on Dealing With Internet Trolls 05:50 - James Norwood's Next Career Move 08:15 - James Norwood's Football Back Story 11:18 - James Norwood: “I Had Trials Once at Crystal Palace” 12:30 - Missing the Lads' Holiday to Zante 14:52 - James Norwood's First Season at Exeter City 15:13 - James Norwood on Boozing Before Leeds 18:46 - James Norwood Goes on Loan to Sutton United 19:30 - James Norwood at Forest Green Rovers 22:11 - James Norwood Playing Left Midfield 22:36 - Forest Green Rovers' Weird Training Rituals 30:35 - Why James Norwood Left Forest Green Rovers 37:27 - The Craziest Transfer Story 38:10 - James Norwood's Worldie Against Cardiff 39:04 - Why James Norwood Chose Tranmere Over Burton 44:06 - James Norwood on Tranmere Rovers 45:52 - James Norwood's Incredible Tranmere Goalscoring Record 48:30 - Scoring in the Play-Off Final 52:48 - Knocking Forest Green Out of the Play-Offs 53:45 - Leaving Tranmere Rovers 55:48 - James Norwood's VERY Dodgy Social Media 56:50 - James Norwood Signs for Ipswich Town 59:49 - Playing Through Injury 1:01:18 - NorwoodMania Wrestling & Paul Lambert 1:04:08 - Problems at Ipswich Town 1:07:12 - Why James Norwood Was Suspended 1:08:55 - The CEO, Paul Cook & James Norwood 1:13:54 - Working With Kieran McKenna 1:17:57 - James Norwood Signs for Bristol Rovers 1:19:24 - Choosing Between Oxford United and Barnsley 1:20:10 - James Norwood at Barnsley With Michael Duff 1:21:24 - James Norwood Turns Up at the Wrong Wedding 1:25:14 - Signing for Oldham Athletic 1:25:17 - From Championship Football to Mouldy Showers 1:26:22 - Why James Norwood Wanted to Leave Oldham After One Game 1:31:32 - James Norwood on Tactically Inept Managers 1:32:00 - The Most Enjoyable Part of James Norwood's Career 1:34:12 - James Norwood Regrets Signing for Oldham 1:35:25 - The Oldham Fallout 1:37:34 - James Norwood's Football Future #IHadTrialsOnce #NonLeague #Football #TranmereRovers #IpswichTown #OldhamAthletic #NationalLeague #Barnsley Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices