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Towards the end of 1996, veteran glovesman, declared bankrupt and general sad case Peter Shilton played his way into football’s record books by clocking up one thousand Football League appearances - an achievement which earned the legendary Guardian-of-the Goal almost £26.32 in TV interview fees.
And now, one time Exeter City goal hero Mike Cecere has emulated the former England net minder by missing his 1,000th match.
The historic day came on February 8th when hardened ear wax prevented Cecere from featuring for present club Rochdale in their 0-0 draw at Exeter. The game would have been Cecere’s first at the Park since his move in the summer of 1995 after his "knees had been unable to settle in the South West".
"It’s a marvellous achievement, , I’m thrilled for Mike, can you lend me 10p for a cup of tea", commented fellow record breaker and legendary between-the-sticks-operator Shilton (look, you can’t just say ‘goalkeeper’ - it’s unprofessional). Good Time Coming contacted Cecere at his Rochdale nursing home. However, having foolishly opened the conversation with, "Hello Mike, how are you?", further questioning proved impossible. In a subsequent interview, Cecere commented, "I’m delighted to have achieved this unique record. When I heard that I’d reached a thousand missed games I jumped for joy. Sadly, I landed awkwardly, went over on my ankle, and I’m almost certain to be out for the Scunthorpe game next week". |
"The most accident prone
player to pull on a red and white shirt since
Bobby ‘Bandages’ McAmbulance left
Brechin" City programme editor Mike Blackstone. |
"Mike’s certainly had his fair share of injuries", chuckled Exeter City programme editor Mike Blackstone. "He must be the most accident prone player to pull on a red and white shirt since Bobby ‘Bandages’ McAmbulance left Brechin to join Hamilton Hypochondriac in 1957. I won’t give you all the statistics because I know you’ll take the piss", added straight talking Blackstone, "Suffice to say that any player who, like McAmbulance in 1954/55, gets through 1,236 plasters, 12 slings, 189 aspirins, 21 tubes of haemorrhoid cream and 17 eye patches in the space of one season is right up there with your Ceceres and your Ryan Giggses in international weeks".
City physio Mike Chapman does not recall Cecere’s spell in Devon with relish. "It’s not the amount of treatment he needed, it was interesting to come to work knowing that you could be dealing with anything from jogger’s nipple to severed head", insists Chapman. "The real problem was that he spent so much time in the treatment room that he was legally resident there and ended up paying an arm and a leg in Council Tax".
"Thankfully, since one of Mike’s arms and his remaining leg had both come off in a freak nightclub accident, we were able to pay with HIS arm and leg".
City assistant boss Noel Blake told Good Time Coming, "He’s not a bad player Cecere. One of the best. But if he comes into MY house, twisting his ankle on MY doorstep, bleeding on MY carpet and writhing in agony in front of MY wife and children I should say, ‘Oi, Cecere! No! You are out of order. I admire your goal getting qualities and respect your constant determined battle for fitness, but you do NOT carry on with your injury prone antics in MY home in front of MY wife and children ..."