Former Sheffield Wednesday winger Regi Blinker has detailed the ‘intimidation’ he faced at the club when he joined them from Feyenoord in 1996, particularly from Wimbledon and the Crazy Gang.
The former winger, who retired in 2004, has been speaking to Algemeen Dagblad about his career and the various issues he faced during it.
The Dutchman had something of a wide-ranging time in the game, starting in his native Netherlands with DHC and then Feyenoord before a move to Sheffield Wednesday in 1996.
He remained with the Owls for a solitary year before a move to Celtic, where he stayed for three years before returning to the Netherlands with RBC Roosendaal.
That lasted a year before he joined Sparta Rotterdam and them Deltasport before bringing his 19-year playing career to an end in July 2004.
He’s now looked back on it with AD and his time at Sheffield Wednesday, where he managed 42 appearances in his sole year at the club.
“We played against Wimbledon,” he said.
“Wimbledon, The Crazy Gang, do you remember those guys? The kick-off still had to be a little wide. As agreed, the ball had to go to me and then I had to find the first players of Wimbledon and throw the ball behind the defence.
“Vinnie Jones was standing there ready. With those big eyes, almost roaring like a horse. Like he wanted to eat me. So, I go as wide as possible around him with the ball, haha. That Premier League was something different from the Eredivisie.
“And at Sheffield I also competed at the highest level in England. Against Manchester United I stood in the tunnel next to Paul Ince.
“He only put on his shirt just before he stepped onto the field. Then you stood next to him and saw that body, one lump of muscle. Pure intimidation of course, but wonderful to experience.
“Playing football against Roy Keane, something like that. You had to be there, you know”.”
