Home   Maidstone   Sport   Article

How life might be at Maidstone United if Wimbledon legend Joe Kinnear took charge

Lee Worgan has revealed what it was like to be part of Joe Kinnear's Crazy Gang at Wimbledon.

Kinnear features in the betting to become the new Maidstone United manager.

That would reunite him with Worgan, who was a young keeper coming through the ranks under the Dons legend.

Lee Worgan loved being at Wimbledon with Joe Kinnear Picture: Grant Falvey
Lee Worgan loved being at Wimbledon with Joe Kinnear Picture: Grant Falvey

It won't happen, of course, but the Stones club captain has previously spoken of the Crazy Gang's antics as Wimbledon mixed with the Premier League elite.

And it's definitely worth revisiting.

"I saw John Hartson’s tracksuit get burnt and thrown out the window," said Worgan.

“I watched Dean Holdsworth take the wheels off one of the cars and put it on bricks because the lad didn’t pay his fine.

“I’ve also seen them take a player’s car and drive it to Putney, with clues to be able to find it.

“There was dog mess in shoes, shoes nailed to the floor, all sorts of stuff."

Worgan was a victim of a few pranks himself.

“These young boys get away with it these days because I used to get battered," he added.

“On my 17th birthday, they stripped me down to my pants, taped my eyes up and tied me to the free-kick wall and were just taking free-kicks at the goal and if the ball hit me, it hit me.

Maidstone keeper Lee Worgan Picture: Andy Jones
Maidstone keeper Lee Worgan Picture: Andy Jones

“I was there for about an hour. I was actually quite ill after that.

“It’s what the Crazy Gang was and you just had to deal with it.

"This lot at Maidstone wonder why I’m a bit crazy now!”

Kinnear created the perfect atmosphere at Wimbledon with the first team, reserves and youth teams training together.

He had all the time in the world for the young players, as did Vinnie Jones - much to Worgan’s surprise.

Worgan said: “Joe was very good. It was very much an inclusive club.

“He was very friendly, he’d always stop and chat to you and he would come into our changing room after games sometimes to speak to us.

“But the actual one, who was one of the nicest fellas I’ve ever met, was Vinnie Jones.

Vinnie Jones was 'one of the nicest fellas' and a talented player
Vinnie Jones was 'one of the nicest fellas' and a talented player

“Honestly, he would stay behind after training every day, he would talk to all the younger players.

“He was brilliant because you saw him as this figure that, ‘oh my God, I’m not even going to look at him’ but he was the nicest fella ever.

“Strangely enough, he was actually one of the most talented players with a ball at his feet that you could watch in training.

“He was incredible but he never showed it, he just wanted to go round clumping people.

“It was such a great club to be part of because it just had that atmosphere where you could let yourself loose.

“There was no bitchiness or moaning because everything had to get sorted out in the changing room.

“Our youth-team manager used to say, ‘if you’ve got any problems, go into the changing room and sort them out’.

“So you’d go in, the lights would go off and you’d go at it for a few minutes and then it was done."

Close This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies.Learn More