During one trip abroad, Pat’s antics went a bit far and I was informed by our Chairman, Sir Philip Carter, that the captain of the aircraft had told him that when we landed the police we going to interview the players. Allegedly, one had exposed himself to a stewardess. Once we landed, no player would admit to being the culprit, and no player would point the guilty person out, so we were given a serious ticking off and warned about our future conduct. I was particularly annoyed about this incident as, when we had joined the connecting flight to our final destination, the in-flight bar had been withdrawn!
I met Pat about two years ago at the ‘Boys of ’85’ reunion and he finally admitted that it was he who had flashed at the air stewardess. Over 20 years on, I was in no position to fine him so we had a beer and good laugh about it. It was great to see him after so many years; he still had his film star looks and seemed to be as fit as when he played for me.
I sincerely hope that this project helps to kick start his ventures in South Africa as he has openly told me that he has struggled over the past few years to forge a decent career out there. I have no doubt that things will improve for him, as you can’t keep a good man down for long and, believe me, Pat Van Den Hauwe is a good man.
When I look back at every signing I have made at all the clubs I managed, one stands out head and shoulders above any other – Neville Southall. After Neville, I would honestly say that Pat was my second-greatest signing; £90,000 of Everton’s money was invested very wisely when Birmingham City cashed that cheque. And given that Pat probably paid the club about half that amount back in fines, it was a very good investment indeed!
Good luck, son, you deserve it.
After a few years in charge of Tottenham, I had assembled a reasonable squad of players that I believed was maybe two or three quality additions short of being capable of challenging for the League title.
One area I needed to strengthen was my defence and I knew that I would require a player who had played at the highest level and Pat came to mind as he had done so at Everton, playing in a Championship-winning team, and was used to competing and succeeding at that level. I also liked the boy’s versatility as he was comfortable playing at left or right back and also in the centre of defence.
I was surprised although happy that my enquiry to Everton came back with a positive response and we soon wrapped up the deal to bring Pat back to London.
Although things did not quite work out as well as both of us would have liked, I am pleased that he was a member of my FA Cup winning side in 1991 as he had suffered heartbreak in three previous FA Cup finals with Everton.
Off the field, I knew Pat was a bit of a lad but thought we would be able to work together, and that is how it was. Although he lost his temper sometimes and would give me that evil snarl that frightened so many opponents, he was quick to calm down and didn’t bear a grudge. There were a couple of periods when he went missing, but it was a measure of him as a player and a man that he had a conscience and learnt from the problems he caused me as a manager – problems I took full advantage of by going on and on about them to make sure Pat never forgot and never stepped out of line again!
I met Pat in a hotel in London recently and we spoke about his time at Spurs with fondness. I noticed that when he left the meeting he had a tear in his eye, which summed him up. He is a very genuine man, loyal and unaffected by fame.
Good luck, always.
Once you have read my brief introduction you’ll probably realise that this book could well be different to the usual ex-footballers’ autobiographies that you may have come across. I have tried extremely hard not to clog up the chapters with basic football facts and trivial information about my career. If you need to know how many games I played for Birmingham, Everton, Tottenham Hotspur or Millwall you should have saved your money and just searched on the Internet as statistics really don’t float my boat.
I have, with the help of my publicist, tried to make the crazy story of my life as interesting as possible – some years ago, I wrote something along the lines of this story with the help of a media friend in South Africa, but when I read the completed manuscript I dropped the idea. The manuscript covered my life story but it was not how I would have told you about the chaotic way I went about my business on and off the football pitch. The stories were all mine but the way they were written made me think that it was not really how I saw it. It was too correct, too nice, if you like.
Believe me, throughout my life I have done plenty of things that were not nice, but I decided that if this book was ever to be published then the ‘not nice’ things that have blighted my career – and, indeed, my life in general – needed to be in it. Despite what people have written and said about me I am just a normal bloke who was fortunate enough to make it as a pro footballer; however, with the so-called fame and fortune came trouble and numerous problematic situations which made my life quite colourful.
Of course, this story will cover my football career as well as off-the-field antics as I think I was an OK sort of player, although I was certainly not the greatest professional ever to grace the game. I don’t think anybody who I worked with or who watched me would disagree that, on the pitch, I always gave 100 per cent and tried my very best for whichever team I turned out for.
Unfortunately, to be a top professional you need to give 100 per cent in other areas, none more so than when you’re training. You need to keep out of the headlines, stay clear of the drink and definitely the drugs. You need to be very careful who you look upon as your close friends and be careful not to mix with the wrong sort of people, people who may get you a bad reputation, lead you astray or who will invariably cause you a few problems. You need to have an open mind and listen to good advice and take your time before making decisions.
Like I said, I gave 100 per cent on the pitch; that, however, was not good enough, as when I look at all the other pointers I have mentioned, I’m honest enough to admit that I failed miserably on all counts. But looking back, apart from one or two huge mistakes I made, I don’t think I would have done anything any differently if I had my time again. I sincerely mean that, I really do.
I will have celebrated my 51st birthday by the time this book is launched, and I am in good health with a loving wife and a beautiful daughter, both of whom I adore. What more could I ask for? Money? Don’t make me laugh, I have squandered more money than most people could earn in a lifetime but it never made me happy. It paid bills and bought me things I could never have afforded had I worked in a factory or as a lorry driver, but it also paid for things which could have killed me.
There is a famous saying – I’m not sure of the exact words – but it’s something like ‘a fool and his money are easily parted’. Well, I’ll tell you another one: ‘Pat Van Den Hauwe and his money can seriously damage your health!’
With that in mind, I am grateful that I am still here to tell you my story. I have been to hell and back thanks to living the ‘professional footballer’ lifestyle. I have had some great times on and off the pitch, won some of the top trophies in British and European football, played at international level and been all over the world getting paid for doing something I loved with a passion.
Off the field, I have lived the life of a rock ’n’ roll star, had houses and cars that you only ever see on the TV and in the glossy magazines and that only so-called ‘celebrities’ could possibly afford. I have even been in those magazines. On the flip side, I have also been in the gutter, been lower than a snake’s belly, been on the brink of suicide and been a split second away from killing a man. So this is no ordinary ex-footballer’s autobiography – it’s the untold story of Pat Van Den Hauwe, and that means a journey a long way from ‘ordinary’!
I am not a criminal or a gangster, just an ex-footballer who