Suited as he was to the Italian "game" he was accused of slowing the game down and passing sideways too much, a manner that earned him a nickname of "the crab".
Tommy Docherty announced that "he can't run, he can't tackle and he can't head the ball". The only time he goes forward is for the coin toss.
He became a cult figure when he featured in "Tango" orange drink. "The big fella run in from the left and he gives him a good slappin," "Super taste sensation, smashing drink. Lovely".
Due to his penchant for flamboyant and colourful and sometimes effeminate outfits his father ironically named him "Butch".
He also was often photographed for teeny-bopper magazines along with good looking team mate Gary Stanley-they were known as Starsky and Butch.
In 1974 when made captain at Chelsea at 18 years old the responsibility was too much and led to a dependency on Valium, which he took before games to help him sleep.
As a practical joker and with considerable intelligence, his favourite trick was to nail Bryan Robson's boots to the changing room floor.
When he was at Rangers, his manager, Graham Souness was player manager and a bit of a hot head. When he came on as a sub with ten minutes ago, Wilkins arranged for the team not to pass to Souness. Souness went off on one when he got the team into the changing room at the end of the game.
Wilkins was appointed MBE in 1993.
His spell in Italy allowed him to learn to speak Italian which helped him much later during his pundit career.
As he got older, balder and fatter, he was mercilessly teased about his resemblance to Uncle Fester in The Addams Family tv series.
Actually he was on steroids for 30 years, hoping to treat his colitis.
He developed alcoholism, blamed on the illness. He had a troubled final few years, including time in the Priory. Bless him.
No comments:
Post a Comment