WHO ARE YOU?
Ricky Butler. I am 42 years old and currently live in Darlington, County Durham although I was born and raised in Rainham, Essex. I am married to my second wife Jane and we have a 7 year old son Emerson. I also have four other children from my first marriage; Danielle who is 22 and now lives with me, Dean 20, Rees 17 and Ryan 15, all of who live in Romford with their mum. I also have a 4 year old grandson called Mitchell who is also currently in Essex. Oh and I recently found out that I have a 9 year old son, Harry, from a previous relationship, although I have never met him! I work as a free lance sports reporter for my local newspaper up here, The Darlington and Stockton Times, and I also do sales and promotion work for another local paper, The Northern Echo. I also write match reports for the official Dagenham and Redbridge website, a blog for Shoot! Magazine and articles for The Gooner Arsenal fanzine.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE DECADE?
I think I would have to say the 1990’s. Not only was it a great decade for films, music and TV but it was a great decade for me personally. During those ten years I ran my own business, moved into a brand new house and life was just great. Second would probably be the 1960’s although I am too young to remember them. Just the whole pop culture thing from that decade has always fascinated me and of course it was the decade that gave us The Beatles, the greatest pop group EVER!
YOUR FAVOURITE CHILDHOOD TOY?
To be honest I didn’t really have toys as a child! No, don’t all feel sorry for me I just tended to be into games instead of toys. I used to love board games like Ludo, Snakes and Ladders etc. and later I really liked Chess and Draughts. However my favourite game was probably Subbuteo which I would play for hours. I had my own leagues and would play out whole seasons on rainy Sunday afternoons. Think I was more of an outside child though and was always on my bike or kicking a ball around.
EVER BEEN ARRESTED?
Well not exactly arrested but I’ve been in trouble with the Law a few times! Once I was taken to court for driving without a licence and insurance and I was also cautioned for being in the 'wrong' pub after an Arsenal v West Ham match. Well when I say the wrong pub it depends on your point of view! It was a pub where it all kicked off but I was totally innocent of any wrong-doing...I was just going about my business!
IF YOU COULD DO ANYTHING OTHER THEN WHAT YOU ARE DOING NOW WHAT WOULD IT BE?
What instead of answering all these questions?? (You offered now shush lol) Well shagging a supermodel would be right up there I think!! Oh you mean in work terms?? To be honest I have got a job I love so not sure I would want to change too much really. But if I had to then I guess I could be persuaded to become an actor or an pop star! Okay then I would jump at the chance to star in Eastenders and take over Max’s role!
MOST EMBARRASSING MOMENT EVER?
I think I’m lucky in the fact that I cannot recall any really embarrassing moments although I’m pretty sure I had many when I was a geeky kid in Primary School…it’s just that I have forgotten them all! Actually I do remember something that was pretty embarrassing…when I was about 14 I somehow managed to get a girlfriend who was 16. Well when I say girlfriend that is only in the very loosest of terms! Anyway I really liked her, she was called Heather and she had burgundy hair! Lovely! Not sure she felt the same about me though as she invited me to a party and proceeded to get off with an older boy all night. It was just too much for me to take and I spend most the evening crying in the toilet! Not a personal highlight...however it did teach me an invaluable lesson about women!
FAVOURITE FILM AND ALBUM OF ALL TIME?
Very difficult to choose just one of each as my tastes seem to change everyday…however if pushed I think I would go with Pulp Fiction and Rubber Soul by The Beatles. Has there actually been a better film then Pulp Fiction? I certainly can’t think of too many. The characters and script are superb and it has the right balance between comedy and violence. Shame Tarentino has not managed to reach those heights again but I think I can forgive him! As for Rubber Soul, well it is far and away the best Beatles album so on that basis it must therefore be the best album of all time! Not a bad track on it and my only complaint is that it is too short. However if you burn Help! onto a CD with it you can’t go too far wrong…
WORST EVER JOB?
I spent one summer working in a warehouse picking and packing orders for a company that supplied goods to opticians shops. Boring was not the word but it served a purpose and paid for my season ticket!
FAVOURITE PLACE IN THE WHOLE WORLD?
I’m not a big one for travelling abroad so all my favourite places would be in England. Somewhere quiet and away from it all with a beach sounds good, although if I‘m honest it would probably be in a football stadium somewhere watching my beloved Arsenal or Dagenham…However the place I like to be the most is next to my son Emerson so wherever he is, is where I want to be! We never seem to spend enough time with our children so I would like to put that right. He always manages to make me smile and not many people have that affect on me believe me!
FINALLY TELL US SOMETHING WE DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOU?
Oh there are lots of things you don’t know about me and you really wouldn’t want to! But okay I will tell you this...I was the 100 metre sprint champion at school and ran for Essex in the 1980's. Oh I won a tennis knock out tournament in 2005 and was runner up in the same competition the following year. Not bad for someone who hadn't even picked up a racket in the ten years prior that!!
Theres a very special one next week which will appear on Sunday!. Ricky thanks agian mate.
No comments:
Post a Comment