Have you ever written a letter?

mirwillbeback · 23-07-2009 03:02PM #1

Just wondering has anyone on here ever written a fan letter to a player, or a complaint letter to a club.

Back in 1986 I was 12 and broke my leg playing football. Neville Southall had done the same a few months before against Ireland.

My da was mates with Alan Kelly ( RIP ) and as he was coaching goalkeepers he got me to write a letter to Southall and sure enough I got one back with a bit of advice on keeping fit and to keep positive.

Not sure would that happen these days.

Xavi6 · 23-07-2009 03:08PM

Yep wrote one to Joe Royle back in 1997 when I was 12. Told him I thought he was the right man to get us out of Division 2 and wished him luck for the season.

Got a letter back pretty much straight away from the man himself full of thanks for my time and effort, and discussing some of the suggestions I'd made to him.

Top bloke is Joe.

Qwerty27 · 23-07-2009 04:02PM

I wrote a letter to Robert Pires looking for an autograph about a year ago and a few months later got a signed card! Bit sad onmy behalf but my favourite Arsenal player of all time so wanted a souvenir to add to my collection.

Used to write to all Premiership temas with my brother years and years ago go singed pics and stuff, might be worth digging outof the attic!!

Tom65 · 23-07-2009 04:08PM

When I was about 10, I wrote to a few Man Utd players asking for an autograph. A couple didn't reply, a couple replied saying they don't give autographs. One player replied, with an autograph. That player was Jordi Cryuff. Thanks, Jordi!

Chardee MacDennis · 23-07-2009 04:10PM

The Guardian sent a letter to every Premiership player and received 11 replies or something, and most of them were just autographed pictures.

Kess73 · 23-07-2009 04:12PM

Wrote one to Rick Parry when my dad (big Liverpool fan) was very ill with Guillain-Barre syndrome to see if he could get a get well message from a player or two as my dad was not fighting the illness.

He organised for a squad signed get well card for my dad, and five players went a step further and made a point of sending their own personal messages to my dad, and then passed on my dad's details to Markus Babbel, who was at Stuttgart at the time (as Babbel had Guillain-Barre syndrome also), who got in touch with my father by phone to encourage him.

So despite all the flak that Rick Parry got from fans at the club, I will always remember him as the Chief executive of a top club who took the time to check that it was for real and then he went above and beyond by getting that done for my dad.

In my eyes he will always be Rick Parry LFC legend.

8-10 · 23-07-2009 04:21PM

Tom65 wrote: »

When I was about 10, I wrote to a few Man Utd players asking for an autograph. A couple didn't reply, a couple replied saying they don't give autographs.

I thought Gary Neville and Becks were the only couple at the club?

LuckyLloyd · 23-07-2009 04:26PM

Kess73 wrote: »

Wrote one to Rick Parry when my dad (big Liverpool fan) was very ill with Guillain-Barre syndrome to see if he could get a get well message from a player or two as my dad was not fighting the illness.

He organised for a squad signed get well card for my dad, and five players went a step further and made a point of sending their own personal messages to my dad, and then passed on my dad's details to Markus Babbel, who was at Stuttgart at the time (as Babbel had Guillain-Barre syndrome also), who got in touch with my father by phone to encourage him.

So despite all the flak that Rick Parry got from fans at the club, I will always remember him as the Chief executive of a top club who took the time to check that it was for real and then he went above and beyond by getting that done for my dad.

In my eyes he will always be Rick Parry LFC legend.

Thanks for sharing that Kess.

everdead.ie · 23-07-2009 05:31PM

I never have but my uncle sent one over on my behalf before to a distant cousin and he sent one back with a signed photo that was darren fletcher. I support spurs but it's still cool tho:D

flahavaj · 23-07-2009 06:29PM

I wrote an e mail to Newcastle bidding to purchase the club a few weeks back, if that counts?

I offered a half eaten packet of Monster Munch and an odd sock I found gathering dust under my bed that morning in return for full ownership of the club. I told them I was a very well to do Arab called Mustapha Shyte and my 10 year plan for world domination involved a dream pairing of Philippe Albert and Mirandinha to run footballing matters.

Needless to say I'm still awaiting a reply, I'm sure its just becasue the're busy getting my mame engraved over the gates of St James' Park as we speak.

MrStuffins · 23-07-2009 06:32PM

Tom65 wrote: »

When I was about 10, I wrote to a few Man Utd players asking for an autograph. A couple didn't reply, a couple replied saying they don't give autographs. One player replied, with an autograph. That player was Jordi Cryuff. Thanks, Jordi!

How sad!

MrStuffins · 23-07-2009 06:34PM

Kess73 wrote: »

Wrote one to Rick Parry when my dad (big Liverpool fan) was very ill with Guillain-Barre syndrome to see if he could get a get well message from a player or two as my dad was not fighting the illness.

He organised for a squad signed get well card for my dad, and five players went a step further and made a point of sending their own personal messages to my dad, and then passed on my dad's details to Markus Babbel, who was at Stuttgart at the time (as Babbel had Guillain-Barre syndrome also), who got in touch with my father by phone to encourage him.

So despite all the flak that Rick Parry got from fans at the club, I will always remember him as the Chief executive of a top club who took the time to check that it was for real and then he went above and beyond by getting that done for my dad.

In my eyes he will always be Rick Parry LFC legend.

Wow! What a legend! There was no obligation for him to do anything but for him to go through all that trouble is absolutely amazing.

flahavaj · 23-07-2009 06:34PM

Tom65 wrote: »

When I was about 10, I wrote to a few Man Utd players asking for an autograph. A couple didn't reply, a couple replied saying they don't give autographs. One player replied, with an autograph. That player was Jordi Cryuff. Thanks, Jordi!

Did they sign the letters?:pac:

MrStuffins · 23-07-2009 06:39PM

flahavaj wrote: »

Did they sign the letters?:pac:

I doubt it, i've met some footballers and i reckon it wasn't that they DIDN'T give autographs, but COULDN'T, unless it was an X.

I think this thread has called for an experiment....... if we got 20 people to take a club each, send letters to each player at the club and see who gets what kind of replies.................

Letters to ech player might take alot of time but if more than 20 people wanted to do it we could split some teams in half?

keane2097 · 23-07-2009 06:55PM

Not quite the same thing but I'll tell my story anyway.

A good few years back my grandparents were out for a drink in their local. They ended up in company chatting to another elderly couple visiting from Cork for a few days. After several hours a guy comes up to the man and says "Excuse me but are you Roy Keane's father by any chance?".

Turned out he was and my grandfather asked him would he mind if he brought his grandson to meet him the following evening as I was a huge Roy Keane fan. Mr Keane was happy to accommodate so I ended up meeting Mr and Mrs Keane the following night. Lovely people, very friendly etc.

I asked them if there was any way they could get me a signed picture of the man himself. They said no problem, took my address and sure enough a few weeks later I get a signed picture in the post saying "To David, Best Wishes - Roy Keane"

Treasured.

CR 7 · 23-07-2009 06:58PM

MrStuffins wrote: »

I think this thread has called for an experiment....... if we got 20 people to take a club each, send letters to each player at the club and see who gets what kind of replies.................

Letters to each player might take a lot of time but if more than 20 people wanted to do it we could split some teams in half?

I call Burnley.

MrStuffins · 23-07-2009 06:59PM

the_pm_of_17 wrote: »

I call Burnley.

Can they afford headed paper?

CR 7 · 23-07-2009 07:01PM

MrStuffins wrote: »

Can they afford headed paper?

Don't care. As long as I get Chris Eagles' autograph, I couldn't care less if it was written on bark.

MrStuffins · 23-07-2009 07:07PM

the_pm_of_17 wrote: »

Don't care. As long as I get Chris Eagles' autograph, I couldn't care less if it was written on bark.

Isn't he too busy combing his hiar constantly to write?

craiginireland · 23-07-2009 07:11PM

When i was younger i wrote to most of the Everton players... Got loads of responses including a letter from Duncan Ferguson thanking me for my support during his time in prison. Nick Barmby sent me a merlin card of himself and I got a letter back from Andy Hinchcliffe, Daniel Amocachi, Dave Watson, Gary Speed, Joe Royle and Howard Kendall and a few others. They now have pride of place on my sitting room wall.

When your young that's the sort of thing that sticks in the memory

Tom65 · 23-07-2009 07:15PM

MrStuffins wrote: »

How sad!

flahavaj wrote: »

Did they sign the letters?:pac:

It was a letter saying something like "Sorry, these players don't give autographs. Go away. Yours sincerely, Manchester United".

MrStuffins · 23-07-2009 07:16PM

Tom65 wrote: »

It was a letter saying something like "Sorry, these players don't give autographs. Go away. Yours sincerely, Manchester United".

Cnuts!

Mr.Nice Guy · 23-07-2009 07:17PM

MrStuffins wrote: »

I doubt it, i've met some footballers and i reckon it wasn't that they DIDN'T give autographs, but COULDN'T, unless it was an X.

I think this thread has called for an experiment....... if we got 20 people to take a club each, send letters to each player at the club and see who gets what kind of replies.................

Letters to ech player might take alot of time but if more than 20 people wanted to do it we could split some teams in half?

Where do you write to? The football club?

Blisterman · 23-07-2009 07:20PM

When I was about 8, I sent off letters to some Man Utd players asking for Autographs.

Got one back from David Beckham, Peter Schmeichel and Denis Irwin. Shame I lost them though.

MrStuffins · 23-07-2009 07:25PM

Mr.Nice Guy wrote: »

Where do you write to? The football club?

I have no idea, anyone else know? Would you write to the club with each letter containing the indivual names? Or to their agents?

craiginireland · 23-07-2009 07:28PM

MrStuffins wrote: »

I have no idea, anyone else know? Would you write to the club with each letter containing the indivual names? Or to their agents?

To The player c/o the club

MrStuffins · 23-07-2009 07:33PM

craiginireland wrote: »

To The player c/o the club

Sweet

Anyone else up for this?

stovelid · 23-07-2009 07:39PM

Some of these stories are great, especially getting a merlin card of Nicky Barmby.

I'm sorry I never wrote that letter to Stevie Coppell or Norman Whiteside now.

Would be interesting to see if players are slower to answer letters these days, what with the increased number of fans and the demands of media and sponsorship and the like on their time.

IvySlayer · 23-07-2009 08:58PM

I wrote to Denis Irwin in 2001 or 2002 and got back a signed card

DeadSkin · 23-07-2009 09:14PM

Slightly off topic, but, I was of the 'Jim'll Fix It' generation and thought I'd go straight to the man and wrote him a letter asking him could I meet the Liverpool team.

Bastard never got back to me

missingtime · 23-07-2009 09:32PM

Some nice stories here. Kinda wish I'd done it when I was a kid.

Have you ever written a letter?

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