Im just glad i was never a football fooligan

Quote: Too cool wrote in post #26

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Im just glad i was never a football fooligan

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Quote: OFFHand wrote in post #27

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Quote: Too cool wrote in post #26

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Im just glad i was never a football fooligan

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What you mean you had a choice in the matter, how lucky of you.
So what's in you're blood out of interest with a name like to cool

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I was a 'Fooligan'. Never expected to be, just happened... Went to football with my oldest brother, got introduced to people (He was one)... Before you know it you are doing the same.

Basically, i am very happy in life.
School was shit but i stuck at it and did ok, College was mostly a drunken blur but did ok, University has been amazing and i am currently coming out of my time so a good wage should be next!

Oh and i love my work.

I'm pretty happy at the moment as a 21 year old. I've finished university with a 2:1 and I have a job that's local to me that gives me something to put on my cv. And that's what its all about at the moment, experience. When am 25 I'd like to think I'll be doing something creative, but we don't always get what we want do we?

It's interesting to read through people's stories. Also, due to the fact that a lot of people aren't where they'd hope to be, which can be the sad reality of life at times. However, it's never to late to be, what you might have been.

Personally, I'm not where I envisaged either. Then again, I've never really had a definitive goal in terms of a career. I've had the odd fads of things I'd like to do, but nothing concrete, which is probably why I am in this position now.

I graduated last year and have since got a decent job doing something related to my degree. However, it wasn't something that I yearned to do. I had other ideas at university and largely down to my laziness I didn't reach my potential, which had been a bit of a recurring theme. But, I've learnt a lot over the past 3/4 years from the mistakes I've made. I'm very focused and hardworking in my job and things are looking good there. So whilst I'm not where I expected to be, the future looks promising, if I make sure I keep on the right track.

I don't feel as though I'll ever be fully content in normal work though. Which I'm sure will eventually be a good thing, as I'll find something to do for myself that I'll really enjoy.

I hated school and my school hated me, I was always getting sent home or suspended but strangely never expelled. I had a real problem with the way teachers spoke to me resulting in one teacher trying to strangle me and me jabbing a chair leg in his face.
The only 2 subjects I excelled in were Art and English, I hated my Maths teacher and spent my final GCSE exam drawing on the desk, I also hated my History teacher which is strange now as I love History. I left school at 16 with 4 GCSE's and got a job as a Studio Junior for Graphic Design company.
I spent 2/3 years at the Graphic Studio which I really enjoyed but my head was slightly swayed as this was 1988/89/90 and I had just bought 2 Technics 1200's and thought I was going to be the next Colin Faver. I left that job as I had clashed with one of my Managers and she was starting to make my life hell.
The next few years was a haze of cramp temp jobs, cannabis, MDMA capsules and being in love for the first time.

I then started to work for the family business which was the Fruit and Veg/Flower market trade and had a brilliant time! the summers were great the winters not so! My maths skills were top notch as you dealt with money all day and if the bill was questioned by a customer you could count it back to the penny....so Fuck you Mr Bell!
Never met so many women in my life! had offers from right stunners to bored housewives!
I then got bored of that and went to work for a Vending Company which was ok as you had freedom to work your own hours but the money was shit. I left the Vending company to work for a Courier company....lasted about 3 months .
I then got a job as Temp Driver for a Broadcast Equipment Hire company in December 1999.......I am now Transport and Despatch Manager for the same company on a decent wage.

So things have turned out ok for me and had a bit of luck along the way...I was never very academic at all, more creative. I learnt more when I left school from life experiences and dealing with people on the markets than sitting in a classroom.

The only one regret I possibly do have is maybe making a go of the graphic design job but I was 17 and thought I knew it all.

I'd like to think I'm doing okay for myself, work for a foundry / industrial engineering firm as a Quality Technician and in comparison to my pals I do earn a good wage for my age (21).

Left school aged 16 straight onto Sixth Form for completely the wrong reasons - I didn't know what I wanted so I took the easy option and stayed with my lot from school. Lasted just under a year and realised if I didn't pull it together I'd be doing absolutely fuck all with the qualifications I was earning.

Got a job as Mould assembler firstly thanks to my old man and in just over four years I've worked my way up from there, attending every college course they send me on regardless of how much of a ball ache it is, now doing my HnD in Advanced Casting via day release which is a further two year long course which offers me a bit of security for the future.
When I was in school I could never see the point in what I was doing, I was a typical fool and although I regret it things have turned out well, I can see a direction to where I'm going now which gives me determination to actually concentration in the class room - earning + learning works the best way for me.

Recently split up with my long term girlfriend being young and naive I was expecting my plans to come together nicely on that side of things but for now I'm just getting used to be being back on the scene and being in the company of some top friends!

left school and went in to the Y.T.S. to become a bricklayer,after 2 years got my city and guilds and started my first job,worked one day in the winter and thought fuck this i want to work indoors. got a job with ladbrokes worked my way up to a dsp left them but stayed in the betting industry,in my time at ladbrokes got married had four children,got divorced meet my new wife at work who is 13 years younger than me.now have a 4 year old who runs rings round me,but i'm happier than ever and thats what life is about...

but still hope to end my days on a beach in spain (so that part of my dream is still unfinished)



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Quote: To be someone wrote in post #33

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I'd like to think I'm doing okay for myself, work for a foundry / industrial engineering firm as a Quality Technician and in comparison to my pals I do earn a good wage for my age (21).

Left school aged 16 straight onto Sixth Form for completely the wrong reasons - I didn't know what I wanted so I took the easy option and stayed with my lot from school. Lasted just under a year and realised if I didn't pull it together I'd be doing absolutely fuck all with the qualifications I was earning.

Got a job as Mould assembler firstly thanks to my old man and in just over four years I've worked my way up from there, attending every college course they send me on regardless of how much of a ball ache it is, now doing my HnD in Advanced Casting via day release which is a further two year long course which offers me a bit of security for the future.
When I was in school I could never see the point in what I was doing, I was a typical fool and although I regret it things have turned out well, I can see a direction to where I'm going now which gives me determination to actually concentration in the class room - earning + learning works the best way for me.

Recently split up with my long term girlfriend being young and naive I was expecting my plans to come together nicely on that side of things but for now I'm just getting used to be being back on the scene and being in the company of some top friends!

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probably not where I thought I'd be...well, definitely not. But I'm happy with my lot. At School I wasn't bad but football was my life. Had trials with Man U and Norwich, played for NI under 16 (alongside one Brendan Rogers) and always thought my career would be a football one. But then, almost from playing for NI, my interest and motivation just died. Couldn't be arsed with football and just wanted to go out and party. Remember, this was around 86-90 period so it was good to be my age around then. dabbled with local football but there was no decent money in it then - not even to supplement a fulltime job (times changed about 7-8 years later but I'd missed the gravy train by then) so a bit like Herd, started brick laying, thought 'fuck this' , my time spent in bookies since I was 12 meant I was decent with numbers so got a job in an Accounts office for a year and then moved into Short Brothers (Bombardier as they are now)Aircraft factory in 91. Big employer over here and worked in their payroll office. Met my Mrs 3 months after starting in there. After a few years, I moved into system work for HR & payroll systems, business Analyst to Project Management which took me travelling and a year spent in Montreal at Bombardier. Picked up a Masters in HR Mgt and a Post grad in payroll and pension Mgt along the way. Moved to Queen's University in 2004, same line of work which I enjoy. Never had any kids - wasn't the plan necessarily but that's how its worked out. But have a brilliant family circle and great friends. and My Mrs is tops.
2 things looking back is 1. - a slight regret I never pursued the football angle better but who knew that money would arrive, even in local NI football. But mainly 2. relief - growing up in Ulster back then meant you grew up quick. Tough times in a quasi warzone. Looking back it's hard to describe but bombing, shooting, murders, were as much part of life as breathing. And on your doorstep. and often think of a few moments I nearly joined certain orgs which would have led me a totally different path in life Why I didn't? It would have destroyed my parents and I'd never have put them through that. A great example of my parents influence in bringing me up helping to shape my own life.....But it comes down to fine margins in the end.

Thank you everybody for your response on this thread it's good to know we are in good honest company.
Tips hat, nice one Mark for the thread.

I would like to have a word with my 18 year old self and tell him not to be stupid with money so I wouldn't be dealing with the situations I am currently, but on the other side of the coin I've had some great times of the last few years, traveled the country watching my football team and going to gigs, partied it up everywhere from yachts in ibiza to workings mens club in barnsley, as a consequence of that im on the wrong side of 20 and have no possessions of any worth outside of a wardrobe full of clothes, no house, car etc but I suppose that will all come one day when I grow up.

Quote: Horse & Hound wrote in post #38

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I would like to have a word with my 18 year old self and tell him not to be stupid with money so I wouldn't be dealing with the situations I am currently, but on the other side of the coin I've had some great times of the last few years, traveled the country watching my football team and going to gigs, partied it up everywhere from yachts in ibiza to workings mens club in barnsley, as a consequence of that im on the wrong side of 20 and have no possessions of any worth outside of a wardrobe full of clothes, no house, car etc but I suppose that will all come one day when I grow up.

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It's all bullshit HH unless you have kids, keep living the dream my man

Wasn't much interested in school and didn't do too well in the exams. Got a bit of a shock when I left in 1984 and ended up either on the dole or doing crappy jobs but did try to improve things by going to nightclasses. Joined the army at 19 as a vehicle mechanic because I needed a trade, some cash and to get out of my home town. After four and a half years I decided to get out and my girlfriend of the time convinced me to go university in Edinburgh on an engineering course (she was studying in Edinburgh too). Loved Edinburgh and was determined to stay there after graduation. That was a mistake no. 1. Should've headed off to Aberdeen and got a job in the oil industry. Anyhow, got a job for an engineering firm just outside edinburgh but the graduate salary was just over £11k - this was in 1994 so not a lot of cash. Then went back to uni to do a masters in IT. On the face of it it was a good move 'cos I got a job before I'd even finished the course. Mistake no. 2 - I was a shit programmer. Mind you, earned some decent cash before I was made redundant and went travelling with it. Spent a year on the dole before doing a post grad in teaching. Now a teacher in Dundee in a school which is on the up (new head teacher and deputy head run the school whereas before it was the kids). Used to think a lot about quitting teaching and going back into industry 'cos school was a f'king horrid place to work but now glad I stuck it out. As long as I don't run off with a 4th year girl or try to ram a text book down the throat of some gobby lad while screaming, "I fking told you to shut up!", I will always be in work. It's been 28 years since I left school (that's a scary thought in itself) but out of that time I've spent eight of them unwaged, either on the dole, at uni or travelling. No wonder I am skint. I own two flats with a combined value of about £160k and rent one of them out. However, mates from home who got a trade straight from school and have never been out of work are now living in big houses mortgage free. Guidance staff in schools should be strung up for this myth that you have to go to uni. Even now they tell kids that getting a degree is the gateway to a land paved with gold. These teachers are the ones that went from school-university-school and have never worked in the "real" world. On the whole, I am happy enough where I am knowing that I am in stable employment that I enjoy earning a half-decent salary. I will never be rich but that was never what drove me. It might have taken a while but I am happy where I am.

Great post that mate, thanks.

Great thread this is ! Thumps up.

I'm 16 and still at school and fucking hating it. Want to leave but got no clue what to do. Oh, and I'm not the brightest either.

Ever since i was a kid my dream was to draw pretty pictures all day and get paid.
I got the drawing bit of it but weather they are pretty or not is another matter.

i asked my 6 year old what he wants to be when he grows up and he said join the police force. I blame Lego city for that one

I will start where I am now, I'm currently at University in Sheffield having started about 3/4 weeks ago. Loving it at the moment and long may it continue. I was always going to go to uni as both my folks did and nothing else was ever discussed. I'm lucky as I lived in Luton till I was 13 and despite being in a decent school I wouldn't be at Sheffield now if I had stayed there. My parents have been ridiculously supportive of me and while on the one hand they've been firm I've always had them there if I need them. I got a decent amount of GCSEs and then went to 6th form where I worked hard but not too hard and was slightly fortunate if I'm honest. I'm aiming to work a lot harder now so I end up in a decent position when I finish. I spent a couple of years working in a restaurant and to be honest it made me grow up and it taught me about the world. It also meant i could buy a lot of clothes.

I often get asked what I want to do when I finish uni but I have no real idea. I would presume it will be some form of management involving people and interactions. That person earlier in the thread was right though, uni is the only thing shoved down out throats and if I wasn't where I am now fuck knows what I'd be doing.

This is a great thread, one of the best I have ever seen on these boards, which is why it deserves a decent reply.

I am still a young lad myself, only 18.

Went through school doing pretty well up until I was about 13/14, then I started to grow up a bit, didn't like how some teachers still treated you like a kid (maybe I was more grown up than the average kids, or maybe I was just immature and thought I was). I managed to leave school with every single GCSE I had to sit except RE, was never really into that and was always getting kicked out. I also get suspended from school a few times due to getting into fights with idiots or bullies, could never stand lads that picked on smaller or weaker lads, so always stepped in.

In my last few months of secondary school I met my ex, was a really nice girl but had a kind of messed up family, especially her father. We lasted about a year, foolishly I thought we would last for years, was devastated when she ended it with me in college. I was planning on joining the Royal Signals as soon as I left secondary school but she convinced me not to join, sometimes I wish I had gone as I know I would have loved it, but I also wouldn't be earning the sort of money I could potentially get in the future within a different career. Saw a lad a couple of years above me join, he was posted to Afghan and lost both his legs about a year ago, was gutted for him.

I did my two years in college and left with a Distinction Merit in Business Studies and a Merit in Game Development. All the teachers ever spoke about in college was going to university and getting a degree. I originally wanted to go to Birmingham City University, but the accommodation costs were around £100 a week and I can't justify spending 5k a year when I could stay at home and live a comfortable life. Decided in the end to go to DeMontfort University and do a degree in Business Management. I am going to study hard and hopefully will be able to achieve a degree, passing with a high percentage figure in my essays.

Not too keen on the student life like the rest of the university people, more into football myself. I've worked everyday single weekday since I was 16 in the evenings in order to pay my way in my household and hope to gain some experience within business or accounts/numbers/cash in order to improve my CV and hopefully make myself stand out above the other graduates. Once I graduate I want to go into some sort of management, but obviously that will come with experience. I also wouldn't mind starting my own business, a clothing store would be nice, stocking all of the brands that this forum are into. I also plan on starting to save for a house as soon as I am working after university earning some decent money.

All in all, I'm happy with what I have achieved so far, gradually improving myself and preparing for the future. Bring it on.

I think my background is a bit more straight forward than most of the people on here. Did well at school, 4 A levels, onto university in Mcr to study Maths & Computer Science.

Left there and got a job in a firm where my mate was already working, writing code for airport software. Pretty soon after starting at the firm I was sent to various airports , with the trips getting longer and longer: 6 months in Zurich, 3 years in Seoul, 3 years in Shanghai, making sure the IT systems were running smoothly, talking to the customer to keep them happy.

Met the wife in China (she's from Reading, long way to go to meet an english woman but there you go) and we came back to the UK 2 years ago, when I moved from technical into sales for the same firm. Changing to a new job in January, probably start trying for kids after that. I enjoy the travel and people I meet through work, love where I live, and am pretty happy.
Bald as a coot though, so you can't have it all.

Quote: Leicester_Loyal wrote in post #47

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I did my two years in college and left with a Distinction Merit in Business Studies and a Merit in Game Development. All the teachers ever spoke about in college was going to university and getting a degree. I originally wanted to go to Birmingham City University, but the accommodation costs were around £100 a week and I can't justify spending 5k a year when I could stay at home and live a comfortable life. Decided in the end to go to DeMontfort University and do a degree in Business Management. I am going to study hard and hopefully will be able to achieve a degree, passing with a high percentage figure in my essays.

Not too keen on the student life like the rest of the university people, more into football myself. I've worked everyday single weekday since I was 16 in the evenings in order to pay my way in my household and hope to gain some experience within business or accounts/numbers/cash in order to improve my CV and hopefully make myself stand out above the other graduates. Once I graduate I want to go into some sort of management, but obviously that will come with experience. I also wouldn't mind starting my own business, a clothing store would be nice, stocking all of the brands that this forum are into. I also plan on starting to save for a house as soon as I am working after university earning some decent money.

All in all, I'm happy with what I have achieved so far, gradually improving myself and preparing for the future. Bring it on.

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