Rob Page

By Phil Tooley

This article originally appeared in the Matchday Magazine from the Mansfield Town FA Cup game.

Born on 3^rd September 1974 in the village of Llwynypia, skipper Rob Page began his pro career with Watford, not the most obvious destination for someone from South Wales; "I was playing boys club football back in Wales, at the time my Dad was running the team and we were friendly with a chap called Keith Cooper from Pontypridd who was a league referee at the time and he had a contact at Watford, Tom Whalley, who was a Welsh connection as well.

"And that was as easy as it was. I went up after being recommended for a training session and a trial when I was 11 and it went from there. I signed schoolboy forms and then apprenticeship forms when I was 16."

It didn't take too long for the young defender to get a taste of first team action, October 1993 saw him play in a 1-0 loss at Birmingham City. "I played at right back. We were struggling that day, Glenn Roeder was manager then. He told me I'd be playing on the Friday so I was delighted to be selected and to make my debut at such a fantastic place in Birmingham."

He was an occasional starter in his first three years as a pro before becoming an automatic choice. He played in both games against Chesterfield in 1997 around the time we were FA Cup semi-finalists. "It was still early in my trade then but it was great to be playing games."

The Hornets won promotion in 97-98 and followed that up with another, into the Premier League, a year later. "It was great to get promotion and the second division title then the year after we went on a bit of a run again. We nicked sixth spot in the play-offs and then beat Bolton in the play-off finals to give us consecutive promotions and a place in the Premier League."

The play-off final, watched by 70343 spectators, was a memorable day; "It was unbelievable to lead the boys out against the favourites and to come away with a 2-0 victory was truly memorable, what a day!"

Before promotion, Rob had already had a taste of playing top teams. Watford lost 5-2 in the cup against a Spurs side including Ginola, Ferdinand, Campbell and the man who was his nemesis recently, Darren Anderton.

The promotion meant it was like that every week, at least for one season. "It's where every player wants to be, they want to ply their trade in the best and against the best and that's what the Premiership is for me. I was very fortunate to get the promotion with Watford and have a fantastic and enjoyable year, even though we got relegated. It was still a great experience, every game going out and playing in such great stadiums."

On the standard at that level he says; "It was a terrific standard but eight years on it's gone another league again. They're all very fit, all athletes, just look at Arsenal's kids now, just 6% body fat and they can run all day. If they can play football a bit, it's a bonus and at Arsenal 99% of then can, unbelievably well as well.

"You get punished so easily at that level. In the Championship and below, not quite so much, but in the Premier League, if they get half a chance, it's in the back of your net."

Moving up the divisions brought Rob to the attention of the Welsh International set up, he went on to win 42 caps. He's played against Brazil and Cafu, Ze Roberto, Rivaldo, Denilson, Germany with Kahn, Hamann, Bierhoff, Klose, Argentina who included Riquelme, Veron, Saviola, KillyGonzalez. He's rightly proud of that.

"Even listening to you list those names makes me feel proud really, having had the opportunity to play for my Country against World Class teams, there's been Italy as well at the San Siro against the likes of Del Piero, Vieiri, Inzhagi, it's an absolute dream. When you look up when the anthems are being sung at the Millennium Stadium against Argentina or Germany and your family are all there supporting you it can't help but bring a tear to your eye and they are memories that will stay with me forever. And we drew with Argentina and beat Germany, I've had some fantastic experiences playing for my Country."

In 2001, Rob moved on after being associated with Watford for 16 years, initially on loan but a £350,000 fee soon made the move permanent. His new manager was ex Spireite player Neil Warnock; "He's totally different, he's got his own way of doing things. Different to any manager I'd had up to then, going from Graham Taylor to Neil Warnock, totally different but he has success in everything he does and I had a really enjoyable three seasons at Bramall Lane, I enjoyed every minute of my time there.

"I had probably some of the best memories I've had there, all in such a short space of time at the club. We got to two semi-finals, we played Arsenal at Old Trafford in the FA Cup and we lost 1-0 and we played in the Carling Cup semi against Liverpool, we won the first leg 2-1 but lost 2-0 at Anfield, some great occasions but the frustrating thing that season was what we thought was going to be the third time lucky match, the play off final against Wolves in Cardiff.

"But it didn't happen that day, it was one game too many for us. That's one of the biggest regrets of my career so far, the fact that we were disappointing in that game and that Wolves, who won 3-0, didn't have to be at their best to beat us."

In 2004 he moved back to Wales with Cardiff City. "I signed for Cardiff and was playing alongside Danny Gabbidon who was playing for Wales as well with me but then I broke my ribs away at Ipswich and was out for six weeks. In the mean time Jamie Collins stepped in, did well and kept his place, which I can't argue with. In January I moved on to Coventry and at the end of that season, those two lads at Cardiff both got moves to a Premier League club in West Ham. It was frustrating not to be playing but I can understand the manager's decision as well, they were doing really well."

In September 2005 he won another cap, against England, a game Wales lost 1-0; "At the Millennium Stadium and it was on my birthday as well, September 3^rd, another fantastic memory that will stay with me for life."

During his club and International career, he's played for many excellent managers, Roeder, Taylor, Warnock, Micky Adams, Lennie Lawrence, Iain Dowie, Bobby Gould, Mark Hughes, John Toshack amongst them but it's another he remembers the most fondly; "There's one manager who was a massive influence on me, Kenny Jackett, he was my YTS manager and he rightly progressed to the first team role and a lot of my beliefs I have come from that solid upbringing I had with regards to him.

"Management's something I'm looking forward to getting involved in. I'm doing my badges at the moment. I've just done my 'B' badge on the Welsh coast in the summer and having worked with some great managers it's definitely something I want to aspire to."

He moved to Saltergate in the summer after a short spell at Huddersfield Town where he helped steady the ship, constructing a myriad of clean sheets, but rather than stay there he chose to move to Chesterfield, who'd tried to win his signature in January without success. "I went to Huddersfield for games and there was a deal on the table for me there but then I spoke to Lee Richardson and I had several conversations and he made me want to come here, something I've not regretted even after the start we had but it's a club going forward. The stadium being started is great news and I want to be part of that. I don't want to dwindle out may career, I want to be at a club that's going forward and has got ambitions and it's like that here. I want to finish on a high in my career and I feel I can do that here."

PHIL TOOLEY