ClaretsTV spoke with Chelmsford City FC legends Paul Casey and Phile McCusker prior to our league fixture with Slough Town.
Filmed by Josh Lowe
Interviewed by Ben Parks
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clar speaking with the champ former
Champ City players Paul Casey and Phil
mcusa for the game today um Paul what
was your memories of that uh league
title winning season back in 1989 I
think I think for me I think thing that
stands out more than anything I think
people thought that you know we were we
weren’t probably the the best players
but I think we had such a strong um
how can you put it uh K margerie we were
we were we were very good at you know
looking out for each other and you know
we we we just went out on the pitch we
just looked out for each other and we
just did the business on the pitch and
you know really yeah really really
strong in that respect and I think I
think that sort of developed in you know
in the in in in the bar afterwards
because you know in those
days you know you could you know you’d
have you’d have a few beers afterwards
and you know not not so much these days
you know everyone’s looking at diets and
things like that but yeah we had a good
we had a good good squad um and it
was probably the best the best year and
a half 18 months of probably my football
career to be fair playing for Champ City
and what and what was your position and
what was your career goalkeeper um good
and um yeah I I I came and signed um
from campage United um back probably
1988 uh um for that not probably yeah
maybe the season before the end of the
season before and then we had the 88 89
season that we that that we won um and
then the 90 to 91 or 89 to 90 season so
so yeah um so I came from professional
football um to chelsford um which was
yeah I thought it was a stepping stone
for me to get probably to get back into
into the game but that sort of never
materialized um um unfortunately but um
yeah no very enjoyable times um and and
to be fair we you know we we were
fortunate enough to have new Whitt
Street as our as our home ground um and
and no disrespect to to here where chord
play now you know the atmosphere of New
rittle Street back back there was
fantastic and we used to get some really
really good crowds you know I I mean
I’ve I’ve played at New rle Street you
know two 2,000 2 and a half thousand
people you know for a non-league game
you know back back in that day was was
fantastic was fantastic and the fans
were always were always brilliant so
yeah really good and and Phil what was
your uh position and what was your
memories of that season as well well I
came the opposite way to from Paul so I
cut my teeth in adult football in the
mids league and the Olympian league and
then through the reserves and I think uh
I think Sim Z over spent his Budget on
Alan Brazil and he came came looking for
some Bargains and he found me and Chuck
schwen and um but yeah I so I played
right Midfield had to battle for it had
good players like Lance pedler and Alec
Gallagher up again you know were in for
that position as well established myself
in the side um and loved it but for me I
was born and bred in chelsford I worked
in chumford I grew up in chelsford PL
for HomeTown was just yeah it was just
magical yeah and unlike Paul who didn’t
score a goal as a goalkeeper but you
scored a few goals what was your
favorite goal for CHS well it would be
remiss of me to not mention the se6
senior Cup Final yes
um I think it’s extended to about 35
yards out
but um yeah we it was an equalizer in in
the game it did it did turn the game and
uh top Corner
um that did we play that was at dagam
did we play gra dagam against gra yeah
yeah and we we won 3-2 um we’re one nil
down at halftime um kept the same side
and uh you know Dave McCoy knocked the
ball down on the edge of the box and uh
I just hit it uh it’s best goal there
and for your hometown I believe and
the season before I think we were
relegated so to go back sort of on the
last day was it was got unlucky so to go
straight back up again must have been
really really sort of fullfilling i’ I’d
sort of come in the last few games I
think sort of ss he had taken over when
things were not that that great and I
you know and whether he thought he had a
plan to to to to keep us up and
unfortunate that that didn’t happen so
so going down was yeah was obviously
devastating but then to to to play in
that
that league with with the players that
we had to come to come straight back up
um you know and and going I don’t know
was it 13 or 14 games away from home
unbeaten that that year was that was
really really really decent yeah I mean
I mean I mean we had a good cut run the
foll you know at the beginning of The
Following season in the FA Cup um but uh
as soon as you it’s like Paul said you
know the bond we had is something you
can never take away I mean it’s
something that it’s you know that we’re
all here today I it’s unbelievable 35
years and we and we don’t just you know
this is not just we meet up here for a
reunion so the you know the guys we we
meet we meet regularly so you know it
just goes to show you that the bond that
was created all those years ago is still
there you know and you you see the guys
today and it’s almost like you’ve never
been away from each other so I think
what I was going to say was I I reckon
if we’ kept exactly the same Squad we
might have done a little bit better in
that in that next next year in the
Premier League you know you never you
never know hindsight’s an easy thing
yeah then the current you talked about
the away record there the current Squad
by the way needs we got one away away
game left if they win they broke they’ve
broken your record of a away win so what
was the secret to sort of a success for
you away from New real Street which was
such a great atmosphere probably the
music on the bus
no the same now I
think what’s what was the secret I I
think it’s that that that team ethic but
I mean there were no superstars in our
team we uh everyone played for each
other um and when we were in a battle
and and I can remember a few battles
like Trowbridge and Folkston um we dug
in we all dug in and it didn’t we we we
were quite versatile in terms of where
we played um so yeah yeah yeah and I
think I think I think that’s that’s a
big a big thing is that you know we did
look out for each other and it didn’t
matter where we go you know and we were
almost you know Invincible to the fact
is that you know no one was going to
beat us yeah um and that’s that’s how
that’s how felt and and you’re right we
didn’t have any superstars in the team
um you know you looked at you know sides
in and around us who had you know four
five individuals that you know would
look on you know what great players they
are we never had that we didn’t need
that we we just had each other that was
that was the big that was the big thing
for us and you keep keeping up with the
results mean this season second in the
league looks hopefully we in 35 years
time we can have a reunion of this team
thinking about prom promotion it’ be
amazing I mean like I said this is my
this this was my home Club I live in
culture now but this was always my home
Club so chumford having success is
important whatever year you know um it’s
always it’s always nice if we can keep
our records
but yeah I mean for for me hand of my
heart would be great to see chumford go
up absolutely um but the 13 14 game away
record that we had to see them broken
would would be a little bit
disappointing if I’m honest but she
going to be a chiping them supporter on
the last day then no would never would
never no do you know what I I’d love to
see I’d love to see chumford in the
conference that would be that would be
amazing um and and who knows what what
what would happen um this is this for
years has always been a difficult League
to get out of um and you know to see
them achieve that would would would be
great would be absolutely fantastic you
know it’s interesting is it because you
got the chelsford and brain Tre battle
haven’t you in in this this season and
we had the chelsford graves end and
Graves end with a team that kept sort of
chasing us didn’t they yeah we always
have Barry as well don’t we those years
yeah so but yeah um yeah i’ I’d like to
see them I’d like to see them go up I’d
like to see them you know uh sustain a
place uh in in that next league would be
great and and and you know if you have
success at any club you know whether you
you know a player you you will always
look at for for results and you know I
look every every time you know to see
where they are and especially with the
away
games okay thanks Paul and Phil for your
time today and I hope you enjoy the day
pleasure thanks very much thanks
