Name: Philip Barbour

Squad Number: 8

Height: 5'11''

Weight: 75 kg (nearly 12 stone in old money)

Born: 20th May 1974, Mid-Ulster Hospital, Magherafelt

Occupation: Chartered Quantity Surveyor & Project Manager

1. What do you remember about your debut in a red shirt?

It was September 1989, away to Bangor, playing for the 5th XI. I thought I had made the big time, playing for the mighty Reds at the age of 15. At last, after going to the North Pole on Saturday afternoon's during previous seasons with my red shirt and red socks in the hope of a game. It was made that bit more special too as Dad was playing that day as well. The problem was when I was asking for the ball, I didn't know whether to call "Dad" or "Billy"! For some reason Nigel Cheevers played that day too.


2. Who is the best player you have played with/against?

That's difficult - I've played long enough to see a lot of talent - for and against me. From a Club point of view, there are people like Robert Collins, Geoff Hamilton, Paul Barrett & Pete Cunningham, all had great skill levels and high fitness levels too (once upon a time…). Paul and Pete were shocking tacklers though (and still are)! Marty Sloan is an obvious candidate too - it was an privilege to play with a legend of the game. Although, currently it has to be Andy. The team ticks in a different way when he plays. I'd hate to be playing against him now! If I was playing against that every week, I'd have retired a long time ago! As for best players played against. Davy Smyth of Annadale is a class act and never does anything wrong - he really controls the play. Also, I played for the Irish Under 21 side in the European Qualifiers in Prague in 1995 along with Ivan Steen against the German Under 21's, amongst others. There was a guy called Bjorn Michel, who also played for the Senior German side that Summer in the European's in Dublin. He was built like a barn door but had fitness and skill to burn. Drag flicking was just becoming fashionable - when he stood over a short corner - you were taking your life in your hands - I still haven't seen the ball coming from one of his flicks.


3. What is your funniest memory of CHC?

Where do you start? There are too many incidents to mention, particularly with some of the characters our club has produced over the years.That's why I think our Club is that bit different from all the others. It might be Noel & Maverick as well as Big John & Turk in horse drawn carriages coming back to the hotel from a night out in Dublin after an Irish Senior Cup match. The Tuft-meister getting "driv" at Pembroke. Pete Cunningham - enough said! Paul Barrett throwing up in a bin in a lift as we are going down to breakfast with other people in the lift with us - classy!. Rotterdam - couldn't stop laughing for four solid days. Robert Collins being ill on the bonnet of a car after a Senior Cup match in Cork and then commenting that he didn't remember eating the Ford Fiesta. Trevor Bruce busking in a train station in Cork with two strings on his guitar - and playing perfectly. Keith black - enough said! Geoff's team talks - it's like a box of chocolates - you just don't know what you are going to get, but it's something to look forward to every week.


4. How would a game of back yard hockey turn out between you and Andy?

Andy would have you believe that he won the last game ever of back yard hockey and hence he is the reigning Champion. My re-collection is somewhat different. In this day and age he would probably win, pains me to say it though. Although, probably more by default as I don't think I would last a full match with my back, hamstrings and kness in the state they are in. Andy's right though - Dad would tank the both of us. We always played first to ten. Even if we were 9-0 up, he would always come back and beat us 10-9. Maybe that's were the competitiveness came from. I think Mum was glad to see the end of it - the windows at the back of the house always took a severe hammering, particularly after they were cleaned!


5. Have you started your club captain speech for the dinner?

What speech?


6. How does it feel being the most experienced player on the firsts?

Don't know about the most experienced. Certainly the oldest! It's very scary - I never thought it would be me. Amesy wasn't born when I started playing - there's something to think about!! It only seems a short while ago that I started playing for the firsts, but I think this is season 16. At the same time, it brings a real sense of pride.


7. The past two years has seen an influx of young talent into the firsts with Donaldson, Best, Ames, Smyth, Smyth & Allen all having played there part the future is looking bright have you any advice to the young boys?

These guys all have fantastic talent. It is the result of a brilliant mini-hockey & school set-up and at last the dividends are coming to fruition. To be honest you would think they had been playing for as long as some of the rest of us. Advice? Sometimes it's tough and results don't always go your way no matter how much effort you put in. As well as belief, skill and fitness, sometimes you need a little luck too - the difference between winning and losing can often be very little. Just enjoy it, workhard at it and always help the guys around you to get those few extra "inches" which will probably make all the difference in the game to get a result. If they are looking for minmum standard - use Andy and Ivan as a benchmark.


8. Who is the worst trainer at the club?

It's got to be a toss up between Julian and myself. (I hope it's Julian!) Younger horses are turned into glue or dog-meat.


9. What's in your car's CD at the moment?

A bit of a mixture. Kaiser Chiefs, Snow Patrol, AC/DC, The Police, U2.


10. Is your goal against Davy Buchannon the best you have scored for the club?

I'd have to say yes. It was one of those one's that you hit as it crosses the line into the circle and as soon as you make contact you know it's going in. It went in off the cross bar at mach 3 and in off the back of his helment (on his head) - class! Even Davy Buchanan had to ask after the game if that was me!


11. And finally Favourite Film/Food/Sportsperson?

Film: Thomas Crown Affair (Brosnan's version)
Food: anything non-vegetarian, partial to anything with chicken and pavlova
Sportsperson: Bjorn Borg (legend!)