Summary: Matt Lawrence is now both a semi professional footballer and media pundit, but in years past went about his business like most footballers and was even fortunate enough to captain that Millwall side that reached the 2004 FA Cup Final against a Manchester United team that featured the likes of Giggs, Keane, Ronaldo and Van Nistelrooy as well as play for Fulham, Crystal Palace, Gillingham and Wycombe. This is the kind of discussion about football that opens the window on a life inside the game and Matt offers us some great insights into how the sport works for the bulk of the athletes who dare dream to play this game, what often awaits at each destination and then finally preparing for life after the game which may even include work os a media pundit or the big decision to give it a try in the managerial ranks, which seems to be an increasingly less likely option today for British managers throughout the sport. We also explore his days at Crystal Palace under Neil Warnock, playing against a once-in-a-generation player like Cristiano Ronaldo, the experience of competing against a giant in an FA Cup Final, what distinguishes a Premier League and Championship player and why so few former players want to go into management. Matt also appears on talkSPORT with their international coverage as well as having appeared on The BBC and Sky TV.
