Insider Sport’s Matchday Programme offers a personal look at what sporting moments and figures have inspired industry stakeholders. Through candid reflections, the programme delves into the stories behind the inspirations that have shaped their perspectives and fuelled their passion for sports.
In this edition, Neil Rowe, Head of Commercial at Cambridge United Football Club, reflects on the excitement of the FA Cup, calling the Third Round his favourite weekend of the year. He recalls the 2013 match where Hastings faced Middlesbrough, emphasising the thrill of chanting “Hastings” in a Premier League stadium, capturing the unique magic of the tournament.
Which athlete do you think demonstrated the best winning mentality throughout their career?
Usain Bolt. His performance at London 2012 was incredible. I’ve never seen an athlete live up to the hype more. The pressure that summer to deliver was so high. The closest a human has got to being a genuine superhero.
Who was your childhood sports hero and why? Which of their sporting achievements had the biggest impact on you?
Ronaldo. R9. Unlike today, it was rare to see the best players in the World on TV. This made his legend more mysterious to me. I was desperate for his Nike R9 boots! I fully expected to see him lift in the World Cup in Paris, he was unstoppable. To see him come back in 2002, win in Japan and score a brace was immense. I was on a school trip at the time, and we watched the genius play out on a makeshift big screen. Great scenes.
What sports team do you follow the closest? Is this a family team or local side etc, and what has been the biggest moment in your history of supporting this club?
Cambridge United Football Club. I never followed a team religiously through my youth. I would often visit Highbury, The Valley and St Marys. I find it very difficult to concentrate on another club’s progress when you are so invested in the team you work for.
Is there a team manager from any sport, whether that be football, rugby, NFL, NBA etc, who you think demonstrated the best leadership qualities?
Sir Alex Ferguson is the obvious choice, and no one else comes close. He had an undeniable headmaster-like authority that commanded respect. That kind of presence isn’t something you can fake – you either have it, or you don’t. For the record, I don’t!
What sports tournament do you think consistently provides the biggest thrills? Which moment from this league stood out to you the most in recent memory?
The FA Cup. The Third Round is my favourite weekend of the year. I love nothing more than seeing a European Superstar run out at a local park on a cold January day. I love the draw. The BBC cameras broadcasting from some clubhouse. It’s real and nothing compares to it.
My hometown of Hastings played Middlesborough in the Third Round of the FA Cup in 2013. Bradley Goldberg scored a goal from outside the box. We lost 4-1 but it was incredible to be chanting “Hastings” in a Premier League stadium. I was there with 1067 other fans. If only it was 1066. That still bothers me!
If you could travel back in time to any historic sporting moment to watch it then and now, which would it be and why?
1966 comes to mind, or witnessing the first Olympics in Ancient Greece just for the mind blow of time travel, but the honest answer is probably Saturday 12 December 1992. Tottenham beat Arsenal 1-0 at White Hart Lane. It was my first ever game. I was a few weeks off my seventh birthday.
My long-term memory is usually shocking but I remember key parts about this day so clearly. The smell of the programme, the size of the police horses, how loud the man selling peanuts was (what happened to them?). My dad took me and my older brother Doug (9) and Ollie, an older teenager who lived a few doors down who we both idolised.
The electricity of the atmosphere just completely hooked me, and I’ve been obsessed with the game ever since. A random Spurs fan threw me in the air when the full time whistle was blown. I would love to relive that day.
If you could go out for dinner with any sporting figure, current or historical, who would it be and what would you want to learn from them?
Maradona. What a night that could be! I will read any book published about Diego. His life was pure chaos. Completely unique. I think people will be reading about him and watching his clips in 200 plus years. I visited Buenos Aires and the La Boca district five years ago and you could feel his presence there, with murals on every corner and tacky Maradona merchandise.
I would want to know if he understood why he was worshipped but would be just as happy just eating churrasco, drinking malbec and failing to keep up with his energy.
To read the last edition of the Matchday Programme, featuring Jake Ashton, Senior News Editor at OLBG, who explored Pep Guardiola’s transformative impact on English football and beyond, click HERE.
