Merton Eagles - OK, Marc a few softeners. How old are you?

Marc Howden - 29, one of the veterans.

Merton Eagles - For a team with an average age of about 24 you're getting on a bit! Who do you support?

Marc Howden Chelsea, ever since my dad took me to the eventful 3-3 draw with Liverpool in 1987, it was Ian Rush's last game before he left for Juventus.

Merton Eagles - Good to see you went to see a real football team! Shame you ended up supporting the other lot! Last season you became a first time (allegedly) Dad, did becoming a father change your attitude to Sunday football?

Marc Howden - No and yes. My attitude on the pitch isn't any different, I still want to play every game, win every match, but the weekends are the only chance to spend time with the kids cos of work during the week, and footie takes up the whole morning and part of the afternoon, so it's difficult to go for the post-match beers. Dom was actually born in Jan 2001, Chloe came along in May 2002!

ME - Jesus! Doesnt time fly by! Only a little while to go and they'll be knocking you for pocket money! You're one of the few remaining Mavericks! How did you get roped in to this shambles?

MH - Same as Steve, Matt, Nick and any other originals out there! Dundonald Park on a Sunday morning, Italians, hangover, rain or shine.

ME - You're current absence from the squad has been well documented in various emails and on the Merton Eagles website. Everyone knows you're currently laid up with a back injury. What exactly is the problem?

MH - It started as a disc bulge back in March, which means that one of the discs swells and rubs the sciatic nerve root slightly in the spine, causing sciatica. The sciatic nerve runs down the back of your leg. When the disc presses on it (mostly while you're standing), you get nasty pains shooting down your leg (sciatica), and numbness in your foot. Normally takes 6-8 weeks for the swelling to go down, which meant I missed the end of last season.  I had loads of physio for months and it was healing, just slower than is normal.  Then the disc tore in August. Medical term is Lumbar Disc Herniation, a form of slipped disc, the inner part of the disc bursts through the outer part and squashes the sciatic nerve root. It's nasty, I had 5 weeks off work and was laid on the floor for 3 of them. Even now after 2 months I can only walk for about 5 minutes and parts of my foot are still numb. 

ME - Sounds nice! How did it happen?

MH - The last match I played in back in March, can't remember the opposition's name, but it was down near Hampton Court, and John Painter (Editor Who??) turned up to watch!!  I can remember making a flying leap to intercept a ball and landing hard on my back.  Knocked the wind out of me at the time but that was all.  I felt a little bruised after the game, and then when I tried to get out the car at home, my back had seized up and I spent the rest of the day laid out on the bed. Still, I made the interception.

ME - What are you're long term prospects?

MH - I think the choices are, let it heal and hope it doesn't happen again, or have surgery to scrape out the offending piece of disc and reduce the chance of a recurrence. I'm seeing a specialist soon to decide what's best. 

ME - It sounds a pretty serious injury! How does it feel not being able to take part at the moment?

MH - Pretty fvcking bad, and I'm not apologising for swearing. It's like you're a sub for every game of the season and you never get on once. (Editor - So it's like being Darryl then!) It's like there's unlimited free beer at the pub and you're barred. A warning to Stevie Painter, let your sciatica heal properly pal.

ME - Thinking back to the days when you were fit and well, you've played in practically every position over the years? Which one is your favourite?

MH - Everyone likes to play up front and I'm no exception, but I'd have to say I prefer to be out on the right wing. You see plenty of the ball, you've got some of the best players and passers around you normally Adam behind, Luke & Olly inside, Steve or Nath or more recently Ben in front - you get to put the majority of the crosses in, and you can cut inside and have a go at goal.  That, for me, is what it's all about.

ME - Having been with the team from the start there's bound to be plenty of bad memories but what stands out as your worst memory playing for the Eagles?

MH - The whole first season. Being trounced each week by rugby scores to nil was soul destroying.

ME - Christ it all comes flooding back! Britannia 14 The Mav's 1, Britannia 12, The Mav's 0, Britannia 12 the Mav's 1. What was it about fvcking Britannia! Anyway, things have gotten a hell of a lot better over the last few seasons, so what's your best memory playing for the Eagles?

MH - Like Steve P said in his interview, Bob's "I'll put my cock in it" moment was unforgettable. I got goal of the season once, so that rates pretty highly. Then there was Matt Neil celebrating furiously with "Whos the man" shouts after scoring a belter against Mauritius having just come on when we were (help me out with the score here Matt) 3-0 down. (Ed - I think it was already 4 or 5, but after Mat's outburst they quickly added another couple with their own shouts of "Whos the man!")

ME - When you look back at the likes of Alec, Marco, Neil, Phil, you can instantly see that the team's been blessed with some 'extraordinary' talent over the years. As someone who's been with us from the start, who's the best player that you've ever played with?

MH - For sheer talent on the ball, Luke is the best player the team has had and is easy to play alongside. For sheer putting-his-weight-about, who remembers Animal Pete Hudson, playing near Kingstonians on the muddiest pitch you ever saw, charging through the oppositions midfield, 4 or 5 players on their arses in his wake, then scoring from the edge of the box? For sheer cleanliness, same muddy game, not a bit of dirt on Marco's kit.

ME - And this leads nicely into the next question? Who would you say goes down as the Eagles worst player?

MH - Alec, no contest. Having said that, at least he didn't scythe down a striker each week for a penalty a la Neil Belton.

ME - OK, here is an interesting scenario for you! The score is 3-3, Nick's just scored an own goal and it's the cup semi final. Penalty shoot out beckons. Four players from each team have all scored and it's 4-4. The opposition miss their 5th. Our next goal could be the winner. Who would you put you're money on scoring?

MH - Shearer. No? Okay, who normally takes the spot kicks in these situations?  Steve P, Ben, myself, Tom, Peanut, Nath, Adam?  If 4 have been taken, then I'd hedge my bets on whoever wants it from the other three.

ME - So, tactfully avoiding answering the question are you?? For a start Tom would never be there, not since he ballooned his only penalty over the bar!! Go on, you've got to pick one name. Who would you bank on scoring in that high pressure situation?? Assume who ever you choose has not taken one yet.....

MH - Alright, assuming Tom's bottled it or been banned, I'd put a few bob on Peanut keeping cool & sticking it in the onion bag.

ME - Ok and as a final question, the Gaffer was feeling brave at the start of the season and had a bet with Luke that he'd score a goal this season!! Do you think the fat fool was being a tad over optimistic or do you think Lukes on a banker??

MH - Dead cert for Luke (wish I'd thought of it!), if the 'fat fool' is not on the sideline injured, then the ball-magnet in the corner flag will attract anything that leaves his boot.

And so there we have it! The words of a player who has played in every position bar keeper for the Mavs/Predators/Eagles and who now has the unenviable title of Best injury of any player ever!!

Since this interview was first held, Marc has undergone further consultation over this back injury and here's what he has to say:

MH - Some positive remedial action on my back at last.  Saw an orthopaedic surgeon last Thursday evening, and he recommended a 'lumbar epidural'.  Yep, you heard me correctly, although it's not the same drug going in as is given to a woman who's about to give birth, it's a steroid epidural.  So I had that on Wednesday morning and it's meant to take 24-48 hours to start working and then peaks after 2-3 weeks before wearing off. By that time I would hope to be pretty much recovered enough to be able to walk again, at least without needing to sit down after every 10 minutes.  It's about 48 hours now since I had the epidural, and I have to say that I can't actually feel much difference, but I don't suppose I should expect a miracle cure immediately.

As Marc mentioned in the interview, months after the injury and he can still only walk around for 5 minutes before needing to sit down and parts of his feet are still going numb, but since the epidural things have improved slightly

MH - Its a bit different now after my epidural.  I can walk around and stand still for much longer than before, long enough to get married at the weekend in fact!!

So Id like to take this opportunity on behalf of the Merton Eagles players, coaches and fans (!) to wish Mark, Ginny, Dom and Chloe all the best and congratulations on getting married and we all hope that we see Marc back in a Merton Eagles shirt as soon as possible!!