Totton's Simon Brice takes time out to talk to Pitchside
December 2006 by Andy Starmore
AFC Totton seem to be hogging the limelight at the moment and deservedly so.They are currently at the top of the Wessex Premier League and have gained access to the final 32 of the FA Vase.

Time then to throw a few informal questions in the direction of one of their players.

Take a bow Simon Brice, and answer the following questions please.

1) Full name? Simon David Brice

2) Nickname? Bricey

3) Previous clubs? Vospers

4) Best club you’ve played at? AFC Totton

5) Most successful club you’ve been at? AFC Totton

6) Best player you’ve played with? Mark Osman

7) Worst player you’ve played with? Jamie Austen is the worst header of the ball I’ve ever seen (sat with Jamie Austen at the time of the interview!). Apart from that I’d say our third team goalkeeper at Uni, Darren Cocker. He was awful.

8) Best manager you’ve played under? I have to say Stuart Ritchie (current Totton manager).

9) Worst manager you’ve played under? I’ve not got a lot to choose from but Dave Diaper at Vospers.

10) Manager you’d love to play under? I’d have to say Rafael Benitez because I’m a Liverpool fan. I think he’s an absolute legend.

11) Best goal you’ve scored? The best goal I ever scored was when I was at school. It was a right foot volley from 30 yards and it was a blinding shot. I can’t remember who it was against.

12) Favourite pro team and why? The first game I ever watched was the 1992 FA Cup Final between Liverpool and Sunderland, so it’s Liverpool. I’ve supported them ever since.

13) Favourite pro player and why? I’d say Steven Gerrard for obvious reasons but I have got a soft spot for Ryan Giggs at United (is that Colchester United?!). If he’d have been English, England would have had a much better team than they have had over the last ten years.

14) Who do you most admire as a player in the Wessex League at the moment and why? I’m torn between Floyd Hamodu and Mark Osman. They’re both outstanding players and neither of them dive, which I think is fairly rare. They get battered from pillar to post because they’re quite aggressive players but they still don’t dive.

15) Is the Wessex League weaker, stronger or no different to last season? I would say it’s much more exciting than last season. Everyone knew that Winchester City were going to win the league last year. Ok, you’ve lost that quality from the league but this season there’s a real competitive edge, which makes it much more exciting.

16) Name your top three for the end of this season, in order? Top: AFC Totton 2nd: Gosport 3rd: Vospers

17) Who will occupy the bottom two places come the end of the season? Downton and Hamble. I think Alton will drag themselves out of there like they did last year.

18) Name the best pitch you’ve played on in the Wessex League? Bemerton Heath by a mile. It’s a lovely pitch.

19) Name the worst pitch you’ve played on in the Wessex League? AFC Totton!

20) Do you have one specific regret in football? I wish I’d played a lot more football when I was younger and then I would have been a much better player.

21) What make football boots do you wear? Addidas Predator.

22) What size? 10 and a half

23) When was the last time you bought a pair? Two and a half years ago. I always nick Osy’s (Mark Osman).

24) What’s the best ground you’ve ever played on? Andover.

25) Where were you born? Peterborough.

26) Do you have any brothers and sisters? I’ve got one sister Fiona, aged 21.

27) If you had to choose four people to go on holiday with, who would they be, why and where would be the destination? I’d take Freddy Flintoff and Paul Gascoigne because they’d be awesome drinking buddies. Then I’d take Louise Redknapp and Alicia Cuthbert and they could just cover me in sun tan oil all over the beach. The destination would be Sydney, Australia.

28) Name four people you’d love to stick in the boxing ring with Mike Tyson? I’d say Jose Morinho because his arrogance is just horrendous, Eiern Robin and Didier Drogba because of their diving antics. There’s nothing more I despise in football than diving. And Glenn McGrath, the Australian cricketer, because of his arrogance towards England. He’s an exceptional player but I just don’t like his arrogance.

29) What is your occupation? University President. I studied sports physiotherapy but I’m now the Uni President at Chichester University.

30) What was the first thing you ever bought with your first ever wages? A deposit on a house.

31) Can you remember your first true love and how old were you? I think I’ve only properly loved one girl and that was Kerry Gifford. We were together for two years.

32) What was the first car you bought? Blue Ford Fiesta, R reg, 1.8 diesel. It could do naught to 60 in a week!

33) If you were able to swap places with a film star for a day, who would it be and why? Keiffer Sutherland because he’s a legend in 24 and you get to spend the day with Alicia Cuthbert.

34) Name your all time favourite film? James Bond, Goldfinger. It’s an absolute classic. I’m a massive Bond fan and that was the best one.

35) Name your all time favourite song? John Lennon, Imagine.

36) What was the last sport you played other than football? Cricket, which is my main sport anyway.

37) What are your hobbies outside of football? Work hard and play hard. I’m a big fan of all sports and I love socialising.

38) When you pack up playing what would you love to be able to say you achieved in the game? Built up a great rapport with the club and had the confidence of the players in my ability.