| To most of us, the idea of throwing on our glad rags | | | | in the world of football than just a simple love of the |
| and going out for a meal at a local restaurant isn't | | | | game. He says that although there are still some |
| usually something we would think twice about. | | | | players who are following their dreams and have a |
| For Graeme Sharp however, it's a whole different ball | | | | genuine passion for the game, money is becoming a |
| game. (if you'll excuse the pun) | | | | bigger issue within the sport: |
| Over the years, Sharp, a man who is no stranger to | | | | "It's getting to be very important to football I think. |
| the Wembley turf and who is the proud owner of a | | | | It's in the Premier League and everyone is trying to |
| cabinet that is overflowing with trophies, has become | | | | strive for that. I'm not saying that players today are |
| used to being recognised by fans and even a relaxing | | | | just after money because the majority do have an |
| dinner out with the family can turn into a sportsman's | | | | immense passion for football and I think it annoys |
| dinner before he's even tucked into his shepherd's | | | | them when it's made out that they are in it for how |
| pie. | | | | rich they can get. |
| Considered one of Everton's greatest legends, it is | | | | He adds: "All I'm saying is that in my day, fame and |
| not surprising Graeme Sharp might get mobbed by | | | | fortune was something you didn't really take on |
| fans wherever he goes. After a career that has | | | | board but players today are subjected to it in such a |
| spanned almost thirty years, the 47 year old who | | | | huge way." |
| now lives in North Wales, says that football as a | | | | Though the media focus on Sharp at the height of |
| media production has most definitely become much | | | | his career was intense, it wasn't exactly on the scale |
| more high profile since his hey day, piling more | | | | of David Beckham. There were no advertising deals |
| pressure on the young footballers of today. | | | | or sunglasses to endorse. His job was to play football. |
| "Nowadays footballers are not much like they used | | | | He kept his private life to himself and the only time |
| to be," says Sharp. "Now they just seem on par with | | | | he was seen was on the pitch every weekend. |
| film stars, the level of celebrity they receive is | | | | Nevertheless, Sharp admits he is glad that fame was |
| extraordinary. Times have certainly changed since my | | | | a different concept in his day and says that it can be |
| day - for instance 20 years ago, there weren't | | | | unfortunate for young players today to even go out |
| camera phones available to take pictures of players | | | | to buy toilet paper for fear of encountering the |
| at every opportunity and there wasn't so much | | | | paparazzi. |
| paparazzi attention focused on us." | | | | "They have to be more careful where they go these |
| He remembers: "The public certainly didn't care about | | | | days," he says. "It can be quite intimidating when |
| our personal lives. Back in our time, it was all about | | | | crowds of people come up to you wanting an |
| what happened on the football pitch on Saturday | | | | autograph when you've just popped out for a paper. |
| afternoon and that was it." | | | | But the majority of football fans are usually civil, it's |
| And Sharp did spend a lot of time on the football | | | | quite rare to meet the antagonistic ones." |
| pitch. Born in Glasgow in 1960, he started his career | | | | Back in his home village of Northop Hall in Flintshire, |
| at Dumbarton before playing 11 years at Goodison | | | | Sharp is renowned for his friendly attitude towards |
| Park. He later moved to Oldham where he spent six | | | | fans who ask for a few minutes of his time, and he |
| years with the perennial overachievers, including a | | | | is happy to chat to them. And though he is no longer |
| stint as the team's manager. | | | | playing on the pitch, he keeps himself busy with his |
| As a young boy growing up, Sharp admits that he | | | | current weekly radio show on Century 105's 'Legends' |
| simply "just wanted to play football." | | | | football phone-in alongside various other sporting |
| "It was all about a desire to play as well as you | | | | greats. His down to earth and amicable nature is not |
| possibly could and it was the fact that you wanted | | | | what you would expect of a typical 'famous |
| to be the best that drove you on further and | | | | celebrity'. Sharp clearly does not court fame, nor |
| further." His inclusion in Everton's best ever eleven | | | | does he shun the attention that his legendary past |
| pays a testament to his hard work and | | | | brings. |
| achievements at Goodison park. | | | | "I was just very fortunate to get paid for something |
| These days however, Sharp believes that money | | | | I absolutely loved doing," he laughs. "If anyone |
| and fame are taking more and more of a precedence | | | | manages to do that then they've done alright! |