Gary: I Enjoyed The Day

Gary Teeley, the West Ham fan who was taken hostage in Iraq before Italian soldiers freed him just over a week ago, and was famously reported as asking, upon his release, how West Ham had got on against Derby while he had been imprisoned, says he thoroughly enjoyed his day as guest of honour at Upton Park at the weekend.

Gary, whose life was threatened by his captors as he lay bound up in a 'cell' that had several mortice locks to secure the door which barricaded him from freedom, was in good spirits as he enjoyed watching his side beat Coventry City on Saturday.

Even the most ardent Hammers fan may wonder if their side's progress would be uppermost on their minds after emerging from such an ordeal, and Gary explains:

"Many people have asked me what made me ask the question of my mother-in-law, when I was released, how West Ham had got on against Derby.

"It is because it is towards the end of the season, and I know we are very much in the playoffs - and I also knew that my family were good, safe, and aware of my release.

"I'd like to say it wasn't the FIRST thing I thought of because I knew the family was good - but it was the next thing on my agenda!

"And, unfortunately, I wasn't given the result immediately, so I didn't actually learn until about two or three hours later.

"A point against Derby wasn't too bad but I would have preferred three knowing that Palace was the next game."

Gary enjoyed some good-humoured, but respectful, banter with one or two fans on Saturday who claimed he was 'lucky' not to have witnessed the stalemate with Derby - and he took the comments as they were intended.

"I appreciate why it was said and my father and brother-in-law have taped the game for me, so I still have to go through the anguish - and maybe that will help me understand the comments!" he smiles.

Gary was snatched while delivering laundry to a US base in Iraq - and was only there because he was filling in for his best friend who was due to be on duty but had personal problems.

He agreed - and that led to the nightmare that was to follow as he suffered six days, bound up, with just two thin mattresses as protection.

Mind you, he reckons that being freed wasn't quite the last of his problems - he still had performing the half time lottery draw at Upton Park to contend with!

To a standing ovation from all four corners of the ground, Gary drew out the lucky number and he reflects:

"At half time it was a bit of an ordeal and I felt my throat going a little bit, actually."

"I tried to make a light-hearted joke - I think I said 'it is a bit warm in here'!"

Rest assured, though, that Gary did enjoy his half time appearance.

"It is a fantastic stadium and I don't mind saying that every time the boys come out of the tunnel, even though I am 37 years of age, I still get a lump in my throat - I can't explain why, it happens to me every time," he grins.

"So for me to run out of the tunnel and draw a ticket it was like 'double bubble'!

"I must say I do love coming to the stadium - and I do love all my fellow supporters.

"I admire them so much for following the club a lot more than I do - especially the fact that they do it home and away.

"They share the same passion as me and I really hope, for them more than me, that West Ham can really give them something very good in the near future.

"All of them are megastars, in my opinion, and anything that moves in claret and blue is part of my life."

Talking of how his invitation to attend Upton Park at the weekend came about, he reveals:

"I received a telephone call the other day from Alan Pardew - and I was quite breathless, because it is not every day of the week that the West Ham United manager phones you up.

"He said he would really love me to come down - in fact he was practically telling me to be there!

"He said he had seen the picture in the newspaper last Monday and couldn't really believe my comments after being held for that long - especially considering who had held me.

"I met the players and was given some tremendous food and beverage - everyone at the club was very welcoming to me."

The reception he received when introduced to the crowd was fantastic, and Gary says:

"It was excellent; I can't say it was unexpected, though, because you are talking about genuine people who have the same blood running through their bodies as I have.

"Although it didn't come as a surprise, it was very emotional for me; I love the fans to death and thank them very much - and so would my family, they would really have appreciated that."

The origins of his plumping for West Ham as his side are interesting.

"How did I come to support West Ham? I suppose it was through my father, in a sense," he reflects.

"I have to say - in a low voice - that my father was a Charlton Athletic supporter and, by birthright, I should have been as I was born in Woolwich.

"However, my father always used to go to West Ham if Charlton weren't at home, and as a child of three or four I would hear him come home and say 'come on you Irons!' and 'up the Hammers!' - and I would ask him what he meant.

"That was it - I was taken from the age of five, and I have been to the ground whenever I could.

"I have spent most of my life in Northamptonshire, but I have had to work away most of my life, so it has not always been easy to come every week.

"Unfortunately, I have never had a season ticket because my life hasn't allowed me to do that."

But he made sacrifices to see his beloved team, and he adds:

"I am not proud of this, but in previous relationships I used to tell my partners a few little porkie pies to get to a game - what can you do?

"At the end of the day, if that is a compromise for losing a relationship, then I am guilty of it..."

As for Saturday's game - with no white lies to anyone about his whereabouts, given that he is now nationally famous - and the current state of affairs, he says:

"My favourite player at the club, from what I saw on Saturday, is Hayden Mullins; I believe he is one of those players that plays with his heart on his sleeve, the same way I did when I played.

"I thought Bobby Zamora was better in the second half and, in all fairness to Alan Pardew - and I am not an expert pundit here - there are a lot of new players that have come to the club that may need more time to gel.

"The idea of promotion is very nice, but maybe if it doesn't happen this year all may not be lost and another year in the first division may be good.

"But only one more year, because this club is too good to be in division one."

Gary was invited behind the scenes before the win over Coventry and he says:

"I met the players at about one o'clock and that was excellent.

"I had a very long chat with Christian Dailly, Don Hutchison came over, and the lads made time to come and shake my hand - even though they were busy doing their own thing."

As for the match itself, he adds:

"It would have been nice to have seen Michael Carrick and Matthew Etherington out there but the team that was put out did it.

"I thought the first half was a little bit scrappy but in the second half they seemed to put things together more, carved out the 2-0 result, which was very good - and other results went for us as well."

Perhaps he inspired the victory?

"Maybe. Hey, if that was the case then I am thankful for that; if they did take inspiration from that then that should happen game in, game out.

"I didn't give a team talk but if I was asked I would have loved to have done that - and I had actually rehearsed a few things!"

But after the trauma he has suffered, will it take time to adjust to normal life again?

"Yes and no; as far as I am concerned I should be getting back to work as soon as possible - I love my work," he says.

"I don't feel too affected, though certain memories have come back to me when I have talked about it and obviously my emotions have got the better of me.

"But I have got a very strong family and I am very strong in myself as well, so I am looking forward to getting back to the Middle East, Qatar, and getting on with my work.

"At times I didn't think I was going to have a life so to come to Upton Park on Saturday seemed crazy, because a week prior to that I was looking death in the eye.

"But sitting in the Theatre of Dreams is completely the other end of the spectrum."

And does his experience put football into perspective?

Gary pauses, before saying quietly:

"This game releases so many emotions whether you are watching or playing - and there is nothing greater than seeing your team winning - there are obviously better ways of doing it, though!

"I love to see passion and emotion, the typical Julian Dicks or Billy Bonds spirit - the socks rolled down, sleeves rolled up attitude."

For a man who, by his own admission, was contemplating just over a week ago the pros and cons of trying to escape his captors - "You organise your thoughts and say to yourself 'is it an advantage or a disadvantage?" he says - it is fair to say that Gary Teeley has that spirit in abundance.