Daz and Steve had the honor of chatting with Andy Grant. Andy is the author of 'You'll Never Walk', which details his life before, during, and after his time in the Royal Marines.
He learned to run and play football, scaled mountains in South America and Italy, and claimed two gold medals at Prince Harry’s Invictus Games. Through public speaking, he brought hope to people right across the country. In 2016, he achieved the 10k below-the-knee-amputee world-record.
Purchase his amazing story at:
https://www.amazon.com/Youll-Never-Walk-Andy-Grant/dp/1909245704
Daz and Steve had the honor of chatting with Andy Grant. Andy is the author of 'You'll Never Walk', which details his life before, during, and after his time in the Royal Marines.
He learned to run and play football, scaled mountains in South America and Italy, and claimed two gold medals at Prince Harry’s Invictus Games. Through public speaking, he brought hope to people right across the country. In 2016, he achieved the 10k below-the-knee-amputee world-record.
Purchase his amazing story at:
https://www.amazon.com/Youll-Never-Walk-Andy-Grant/dp/1909245704
Today's episode is brought to you by cup connect a group of lifelong reds with one vision to connect Liverpool fans everywhere to a spirit of friendship and togetherness. To build the world's most diverse, most inclusive Liverpool fan group. Join our growing community on our cup Connect Facebook group on Twitter and Instagram and our website cough connect.com Cup connecting the ultimate Liverpool fan experience brought to you by Liverpool fans for Liverpool fans connect.com Hello and welcome to the Liverpool can actually podcast I am dows I've got Steve with me and our special guest today is a former Marine and motivational speaker the world record holder for single leg amputee at the 10 K and he wrote a book is co authored in collaboration with Phil Reed for the book you'll never walk it is Andy Grant ions. Andy How you doing? We're Gods early in the morning photos and as you were just talking you just got finished with a motivational talk for primary school How did that can be a really good time so it was a little bit different to what I normally do. I normally do a kind of 45 minute presentation about my whole life really but this one would have been Remembrance Day it was just more focused on what Remembrance Day is why we wear a poppy and the importance of it to me in a way I think it should be important to everyone just to kind of the 1520 minutes a few different classes just explain and again the history of the poppy in my Remembrance Day is so important and the children seem to understand that they were quite young Prime Minister Bo was enjoyable It was good to try in them I think I'm I'm one of the lucky ones that returned home from war so I think it's important for me to you know remind people and make sure that people are understood understand the sacrifice that was made by others Yeah, definitely did you think that the puppy has kind of lost its I don't know appeal with with some people possibly maybe but I was quite surprised actually that their children in this particular school actually knew why we were a puppy obviously the puppy for those who don't know it was the only flower that seems a blue on the battlefields you know weeks and months after the soldiers died the red the red poppy that's why we were and a few of the children actually knew the answer which I was quite surprised with and I don't know whether it's particularly this this time with here in the UK we're currently in lockdown I'm not seeing how many people were in a poppy hopefully it's just down to the lockdown bow and I don't know maybe I look at it a little bit with military tinted glasses on a normally you know we make a big deal of it we go down and have a huge remembrance parade and obviously there's a lot of poppies on show so i don't know i think this year has been a bit hard to gauge really whether the poppy is losing its appeal or whether it's just a case of living in Strange Times. Yeah. And Steve, I'm gonna let you go first this morning Okay, great. And it's Thank you for coming on to the show you know we've been looking forward to having this episode with you for for a little bit now and and before I get started I want to wish everybody great Remembrance Day over there across the pond and also to my fellow veterans and I know Daz is a veteran as well. We wish everybody a good Veterans Day here in the United States and to please remember all those who have come before us and help you know keep our our countries free in the past so you know, we normally start by asking you know, how did your love affair with Liverpool Football Club? Start? I know you're there in Liverpool but everybody comes to the club a different way even you know as a kid. And also if you can tell us about your first Anfield experience that would be great. Yeah, thank you grown up in Liverpool. Football is a bit like a religion you know straight away that's all you know. It's football football football. Then you obviously have to show you a little pillow isn't it my father's a huge fan. And that was it then I just was a local and I was always playing football you know in the park and you know contact walking off to the to my heroes at the time playing for Liverpool used to spend my six weeks holidays and going to the Liverpool training ground Melwood, which is just closed actually. To get the boss you know from from where I'm from in bootle, up to to Melwood and share my six weeks all of these are trying to get answers to players which is always fun. And yeah, from just from what I remember, just always been a huge Liverpool fan. always wanting to just absorb everything about the club, the players, the manager, the fixtures, the result everything about it. My first game was in 1996, I was eight years of age. And it was a team that we played all FCC on, which is an equipment is called at the time. And I think we want six, three on aggregates. Robbie Fowler's got Patrick, if I remember rightly. And I just remember my first experience with my dad and you know, you wore hands downfield itself, I don't really remember much about actually dwarfs the ground or anything like that. I just remember the walk up the stairs. And then you just see the green of the pitch, you see the lights. And you know, as a eight year old, the atmosphere just hitcher and it just takes your breath away, you look around. And now eight years of age, I've never seen that many people before or come together to watch this game of football, the grass seems a different type of quality. I've never seen grass like it before with the lights. And it just gives you this feeling that you think wow, this is this is a pretty special hobby to have on your doorstep that you can maybe even go to once a week. And that was my first experience of Banfield and, and that's when the love affair property started then and I've never looked back really, you know, the unfortunate thing about the travel ban is I was gonna take my 13 year old son to his first Enfield match in October. So now we have to delay that but you know, I hear these stories every, every time we have an episode about people come into the games, when they're little, you know, with their dad or their grandfathers is like, I can't wait to have that experience with my own son, you know, and just show them what it means to me. But when you know how to establish really establish that lifelong, you know, love affair like you have and like dad's a house as well. I think that's you know, you make a great point, I think shows on people's lives. I think we we take it for granted that we have this place on our doorstep and you forget that no, another pearl is such a worldwide brand. You know, why shouldn't you know like to be something you don't get to experience that. And I think we sometimes take it for granted that it's on our doorstep, we can go there. And it's, you know, we can experience it once a week. And it's just a stressful thing to experience. And again, I think sometimes when you get you sick or every week, you just forget how special is that face time to go with your loved one you know, you shouldn't go with Darden. It's It's a special moments and, you know, look forward to buying you to be able to get over here today when you get to experience. Um, great. You said that because you know, we do record these shows, I'm going to replay it back to you when we get over across the pond. And I'll take you up on that offer. And maybe, hopefully my son won't be old enough to drink yet either. So I'll take his son by me. doesn't ask Andy. And everybody, here is the book. Absolutely amazing, as the back shirtless. And so Andy, I definitely want to start off actually telling everybody that the book did really majorly. And the first chapter actually titled mom, and is kind of what I went through as well. I lost my mom at 15 cervical cancer. And so it really resonated with me, you know, and I teared up when I when I read the whole thing as well, because my mom passed away pretty quickly as well. And, and she also, she had a blood clot and her leg. So she got a leg amputated. So it really, like hit a chord with me. And as my wife can attest, you know, that, you know, little little cry. Actually, I read read it last night. And I was like, God, God, this sounds like, you know what I went through? Because my mom was my best friend as well. But tell us a little bit about that as well. Because it must, it must have been like, therapy thought for you, you know, to talk to Phil and get that out there. Yeah, when I when I sat down with Phil to write the book, I was very conscious that I didn't just want it to be a military book. You know? Yeah, I've been blown up in Afghanistan. And it's quite a strange thing to have been blown up in Afghanistan. But to me, it was a case of wrong place wrong time. And I know tons of guys who've been blown up in Afghanistan, when I sat down to write the book. I wanted the book to be about my whole life, you know, growing up in Liverpool and the things that have happened before and after being blown up. And one of the biggest talking points in my life, which is still talked about a lot to this day now is when I lost my mom, because I think that definitely shapes in my whole life. So for me to sit down and really open up about losing my mom. It was like therapy, you know, it was in it. I mean, I still remember now we used to meet up in a pub, we'd ordered a couple of beers and felt were protected. Phone in front of us, it asked me a few questions. And then I talked for an hour show. And then, on this particular chapter, when we were talking about my mom, I think we've all just sat there crying our eyes out, you know, to two guys in a pub with a beer, just crying for an hour non stop, and just talking about it and think it was important for me, because I always joke and say, you know, you can get blown up in Afghanistan, you know, you can go through anything in your life, but I've been through that four by four. So the hardest thing I've ever been through, is losing my mom at 12. So the fact that, you know, that made the fish Shatter Me speaking about what that was like to lose my mom, it was really important to me. And, again, I think in many ways lose, my mom wants you to engage, and build so much resilience and me so much drive to want to achieve something with my life, and hopefully make her proud that I think if I hadn't lost my mom, that's why I don't think I would have been and went on and achieved anything that I have several things that sit down and really open up about what it was like losing out on 12 leukemia. And to have it you know, like you say, the first chapter in the book, I think it was it was a good way to start the book, because I think people maybe would think that it was just always going to be about Afghanistan and getting blown up. But actually, when you say it starts off with me being a 12 year old, you know, losing my mom, I think it was a really close I'm feels betrayed, and yet, it was just such a tough time in my life. You know, don't think why you know, it's losing your mom at any age is tough, but especially as a young young boy, especially when I was so close with mine, it was a real tough time in my life. And it's something again, I talk about all the time. normalization sucks. Yeah, like what I was reading it, and then, you know, after your mom passed away, as well, you know, you're horrible to save, but I was the same as well, at school, you could get away with murder, you know, because everybody looked at you like the poor kid that lost his mom. So yeah, I, I, you know, I was a good lad. Up until, you know, my mom passed away. And then, you know, a few years of just being like, like a knob that, you know, because I couldn't come to terms with it. Well, I mean, you know, I'm 50 now, and I still can't come to terms with it, you know, you just can't but like I said, I really appreciate, you know, you you going into detail about your mom, cuz the reading it was just, you know, again, just made me feel a little bit better that somebody else, you know, kind of go went through the same thing. And now, you know, go ahead, Andy. Sorry. Yeah, that's, I think that's another thing. Well, I'm really pleased about the book is because it's not a lot of people can relate to what it's like to get blown up in Afghanistan, but a lot of people can relate to, you know, losing someone that you love. And I think that's what I want the book to be about to try and make it relatable to as many people as possible. And I think, again, by by seeing my mom and trying to be as open and honest as, as I could be about the struggles. I think that's, you know, the amount of people that you say, I think for men to speak about these things isn't isn't quite as normal as it should be. But the amount of guys, I've had messaged me and email me and speak about similar things, what we're talking about males as well, you know, you're losing your moments. It's been really uplifting to know that the book has helped in some ways and made people realize that they're not alone. And now I actually want to go back to when when you know, you're 10 1112. And when when did you take your child to Liverpool? I must have been around 11 years of age. Yeah. And I was playing in a playing for Sunday league team and we would be winning the league most seasons I played left back at the time. And I was always good footballer. I was always I say one of the best in the team. Force. I was kind of a bit of a probably a bit like a Jamie Carragher kinda not no nonsense. I didn't really go above and beyond not like you see, Andy Robinson now flying down the wing. You know, I was, I was quite defense minded. That's kind of you know, we might talk I was I was quick, but then I'd get to the halfway line and just pass the ball. And that allowed me then I say ports, so it wouldn't, wouldn't have quite worked in the modern game. But back then it was, you know, I was a good footballer, what I thought it was, and then I got trials to go to a Liverpool's Academy. And although I played well, it was just, you know, clear from the onset that it was just a different level. And it's only kind of when you experience playing with players from all around the city and other areas. That's when you realize how good or maybe not so good you actually are. And it was a you know, a case of me being you know, a big fish in a small pond and then being a small fish in a big pond very quickly. So although it was a really proud moment for me, you know, my mom was there, my dad's my granddad, and there's six They're sitting in the in the actually where Liverpool's new training ground is now and they're sitting there watching me on the astral tier from the Footlights allows a really proud moment for me. There was a pretty short lived as it was pretty obvious that I was not to the standard Zoo and to play through the pool was, you know, being from boodle and obviously Jamie character, I believe is from that area as well. Right. So it's funny to hear people say yeah, you know, I played like Jamie Carragher. And and I'm sure that everybody has a sense of you know, pride from that area that you know he he's such a legend for the club now. Yeah, for him for me and he you know, I'm looking I'm actually good friends with Jamie I see him most days and stuff in the gym. You know, we test on a good friend so for me to to hang out with him now is amazing. because growing up you know, he was a hero is not only is he a Liverpool legends, you know, what he's done for the club. But, you know, he literally lives down the road, I used to send my six week holidays like to say obsessed with football, I would go knock at his mom's house and ask for an autograph. You know, and then, you know, years later, and our friends, which is crazy to think but I think from the area, we're from a real working class area. And it's quite rough, it's quite, you know, it's you get a tough upbringing in. And you also have someone like me who's come from the same streets that you grew up on, to make it as a Liverpool legends, it definitely gives you a hope to know that, you know, people like, like us, you know, can achieve something. I would imagine that it's, it's actually, you know, even more of an honor that he was a one man club, right? He never left anywhere. And now he's such a great ambassador for the club. He's always playing in the legends matches, and I had the luxury to play against him a couple of times. And he has such pure enjoyment, you know, to for the club. And in such an advocate for everything, Liverpool, it you know, it's from, from my perspective over here, you know, it's just great to see somebody that's local, stayed with the local team, and then such a huge part of the community after their playing days are over. Yeah, I mean, now, even if, you know, even if you don't know too much about football, everyone knows about the way he does in the community. He's got his 23 Foundation. And he's always, you know, helping him support local businesses, and even so much so that you don't even heard about, you know, it's and it's all to do with the local area. And he's one person who just never forgot where he's confirmed. And again, with him being a one man club, it gives you a bit more of a while this guy actually knows what it is to play for Liverpool to represent Liverpool. And he's, he's not forgotten. Now, he still doesn't live too far away from where he's grown up. And I think just what a great role models are have, you know, you speak to him now, he's I'm absolutely obsessed with football. You know, he, you know, you told him about what you've been up to the day before. And he's just kind of like, Oh, yeah. And then you mentioned football, but then his eyes glaze over. He's, you know, he's right on it. So it's just a really great guy and really humble. And yeah, just a privilege to kind of have him from the same area where I'm from. Yeah, I think I'm still paying off my loans for the auction items that I won back in five years ago. So I think it was one of their golden sponsors. But there's a lesson to everyone out there, don't drink and then be part of a silent auction. Well, it must have been, you know, surreal, for when Jamie came to your house that day, and you know, while you've got the cage on and everything and then come in your living room, yet your head Oh, it must have been like, you know, holy crap. Yeah, it was. So in 2009. I've been I joined the Marines when I was 17. I said the year is really six months in Iraq. And then a couple years later, it was down to the plains of Afghanistan. I've been in Afghanistan five months at the time. At six weeks left to push when I was on I was blown up. So I've not been home for five months. And then I went straight, obviously to hospital. I was in hospital for three months. And then my first weekend's home, you know, I was really smashed up. I look like death. You know, I was in a wheelchair I was bandaged head to toe at that huge cage on my leg, which is holding everything together. And then my dad wheeled me into my local pub to really kind of old school old man's pub embu and you know, you know all kind of all the old guys in there and everyone was just you know, trying to buy me a drink ball. I was so ill. I think I had you know, half a pint of beer and I just, I just felt like I just want a wants to go home. I wasn't really it was nice to get out the house for you know just when you so ill you just you just want to sleep and so my dad will be in support. We sat there for an hour and everyone which gave me well wishes and then I went home. Then the next morning I was due to go back to hospital. It was Monday morning. And again you know when you're so sick or you seem to do asleep, so I've had a full night's sleep went downstairs. I fell asleep again on the couch. And there's a knock on the door. I'm thinking he was knocking at nine o'clock in the morning. It was quite a quite a bang on the door. I'm thinking, there's nothing like this at nine o'clock in the morning. And then my dad opened the door. And I just had a really skousen you may think my voice is childish, but I had a really, I landed on it. And I was thinking, Oh, who is this? And then some my more surprise, my dad said your comment. I'm thinking. I'm sitting here with just a pair of boxer shorts on, you know, using violence, you know, my living room. And then Jamie Carragher walked in, and I was just like, Fuck, no, like, What is going on? and Jamie said, Did you not know Colin? And I said no, with another clue of who to put some codes on your comment. And he just sat there with me for half an hour or so and, and just asked how I was doing and I think that says a lot about the man because done if you remember, in 2009, we we nearly won the league on the wrap up and he says Manchester United beat us by four points in the end. So they were in the middle of this, you know, Champions League run it was when we beat Real Madrid. And we just read the names of the think as well. What about to him before now? I think it was so easily, you know, pretty intense time of the season, and you're on his way to train and he just popped by my house and sat with me for half an hour. And it gave me such a boost. To know that, you know, I've got these horrific injuries going on. But yeah, you know, back home people still cared about me, Jamie Carragher can even just the fact he knew who I was, was such a big lift, and it gave me that boost to go into rehabilitation, to think like, come on, our needs, need to get better. You know, I want to ask you a question. And he, because you joined the military, you know, at 17, that was similar. You know, I joined at 17 as well. But you had an opportunity, I think you're in your data fire firefighter. Right. Right. Yeah. So I read that you had joined the military for some, you know, Band of Brothers, the camaraderie and things like that. So was there not the idea ever to try to follow in your dad's footsteps? Because you know that the firemen are pretty close knit group and have that kind of atmosphere as well. Right. Yeah, totally. I think what I mean, looking back now, I think what I would have liked to have thought of, is, if I didn't go down the Special Forces routes, I would have liked to have maybe done in 10 or 15 years in the Marines and 10 years or so in the fire brigades, thank you pension can switch over from the military to the fire brigade here in the UK. So that's something I definitely thought about. And I think just the fact that my dad, you know, did have a brotherhood and that type of job. I couldn't see myself doing a nine to five, you know, it's all my dad's and, and hear the stories from my dad. And when I saw the challenge with the Marines, and that's what kind of led me down that route, I think. Yeah, they. So when, I guess for, you know, when you get into the, into the military, you know, and then you kind of get around all these guys. And I guess that may have been even more of an impetus for the type of fitness levels that you're attaining, you know, Special Forces and things like that. When after you got injured, how was that decision to then, you know, go push yourself to try these these to get a world record and start running again, obviously, you know, with prosthetics and things like that, can you kind of share your, your thought processes into how you came into those decisions? Yeah, totally. I mean, so here in the UK, I think, Special Forces, it's made over things 70% of Marines, so I kinda knew a lot of people who've been down the Special Forces. And I'm a big believer in you know, you are, you are the company you keep, you know, that old saying, show me, your five friends, I'll show you future. And I'm big believer in, you know, surround yourself by cool people join the Marines, I was surrounded by very highly motivated individuals who kept themselves in good shape. And I can, I could see myself destined on that road, but I would have had what it takes to be in a special force, I don't know, but I would have at least like to try. And then when I got engines, I realized that I'm no one, I'm cutie. And that kind of goal of staying in the Marines and Special Forces have gone. It was off to me more mentally to get my head around to know that I'm not this elite soldier anymore. I'm not this Royal Marine Commando. I'm now just an amputee. And I think you're totally right in what you say my mindset was then kind of shift and as you know, what can I do to get back to being me? You know, what can I do now? So feel like the old Andy who likes to push yourself. And I think there was a large part of me who just wants to not so much prove people wrong because I don't think anyone really doubted me but it was more just for myself to prove that I still can be this, this kind of highly motivated person, be that as an amputee, and one of the best feelings of the two the two greatest things for me personally, of being the fastest single leg amputee in the world. I would say nk was one when I tell people how I started on 10 K, I think normally they think, Well, you know, how fast as Long QT 110 K, maybe an hour sort of thing. And then when I say it's 37 minutes, the response is normally Well, I, you know, I can't even do that too late. So I like the fact that it's not so much a disabled record, but it's more of a while, that's a pretty decent sign for anyone. And the second thing that I love about the 10 k record is back to your question is, I had friends of the Marines and friends who were special forces, who were messaging me saying, Wow, I can't even run that fast. And I think to get that recognition of my peers with my, you know, my brothers in arms, while you know, get that credit, that, for me, was the greatest thing about the world records, it wasn't a factor. And the fastest one, they get mad, I'm a world record holder, it was my old friends or the Marines who I can, you know, I can compare myself to so much, we're kind of reaching out and saying, you know, fairplay on the last sometime, I think their recognition meant more to me than anything else. Yeah, I'm imagine you do just getting the just even staying in contact with your brothers, you know, after these years, because, you know, sometimes time kind of separates people over from your previous experience. So that's a great outlet to be able to, you know, continue to, to share stories and and I'm sure you're you keep up with what they're doing and things like that. I always started the show with you mentioned that you had been to a motivational speaking event. And I remember seeing a video of, you know, you and Brian and Brian were on a radio show. And, and he started talking about doing right in the book with you choose me, and how motivating it was that you guys were having a good cry, right. And, you know, he was surprised that he was crying when he's, you know, talking to you trying to write a book, and but he's the one getting some therapy, it seemed like, and so when when did that process to say, Hey, I can I need to share my story I need to, to go out in the world and, and do these motivational speeches. It's funny, actually, I am, I kept a good relationship with all my old teachers. So when I left school, and joined the Marines, they invited me back in just to do a talk about what it was like to join the Marines. So I kind of went in really informal, just jeans and T shirts and just spoke to the children about know what it was like to be in the Marines. Then I got back from Iraq. Again, I came into the show and spoke a little bit about what Iraq was like, then I got back from Afghanistan on the same, and then I obviously got injured, and on the same, so I've been into a shield three or four times, really informal, just chanted the children about my experiences. And then one day, I got a phone call from the shield attorney. And she asked me to come and do another talk. I said, Yeah, that's completely fine. Let me know when and where. And I'll be there. And she said, This time, can you wear your uniform, and all the metals? And I thought, this is just a really informal talk for 20 minutes, I don't really want to get dressed up in all my metals in uniform just for this little chat. It's, you know, and then she says, Oh, no, this is in in the local town hall in front of 800 people. And then I was like, well, hang on a minute, this is a, this is a big jump from, you know, 20 gets saved on you know, grownups. And I spoke with my old English teacher. And I came to Canada writes a bit of a speech. And it probably was about 10 years ago to this day, because it was a couple of weeks before I had my leg amputated, which was the 25th of November will be 10 years. So probably around this time, 10 years ago. And I went on the street in this town hall. And I just trying to get across the seats that you know, these children are about to leave school, or what in the last year. And you know, who knows what will happen in life just like me, I'm about to have my leg amputated, who knows what this will happen, what is for me and what will happen. But, you know, the importance of staying positive surround yourself by good people having a strong mindsets, and staying hopeful for the future. And I've done this observational talk. And the guy standing ovation of, you know, seven 800 people. And I walked offstage, just beaming with pride, really enjoying myself. And that was when I kind of, you know, the seed was planted. And I thought, you know, what, I wouldn't mind maybe doing a little bit more of this. And then that's, that's what kinda gave me the pause for motivational speaking. And then, as the years went on, I went on to achieve various different things, and the motivational speaking kind of grew and grew and grew, and I added more context to it. And then, before I knew it, it was just that was me then as a motivational speaker. And let let me ask you, Dan, Andy, like this session to actually, you know, have your leg amputated must have been one of that. Was it one of the hardest or just one of the easiest where, you know, because you didn't want to, you know, just walk to the shops as as, as you said, You wanted to actually, you know, do something. And so how did that like, you know, Come about with your, with your mindset. It was, without doubt one of the hardest decisions in my life. And to be honest, it wasn't actually what you described. And it wasn't me wanting to have my leg amputated to break any world records, it was just me wanting to want to not be in pain anymore. I just wanted to be able to walk the shark with my dog. And you know that that'd be you know, I didn't have these grand plans to run marathons and climb mountains or just wants to be able to live a normal life. And I was just in so much. I wasn't in pain every day, but I just felt like my life is it was like Groundhog Day, you know, one day I'd wake up, and my leg Woods would be okay, now I could walk around, okay, I couldn't run, and I couldn't do all the things I wanted to do. But I was thinking, you know what, I'm lucky to be alive. You know, just because I can run, you know, who cares. And then the next day, my life will be so sure. And then it will be bleeding, and it'll get infected. And I was bed bound for the day. And then after two days, I'll be able to walk again. And I think you know what's so bad. And then the next day, I'll be bed bound and my life, my life had no consistency, and I become more and more federal roundabout the same time I was going to the rehabilitation center for injured soldiers. And I was seeing friends of mine who had lost their legs, and they were walking, they were running, they were getting involved in sport, they will enter into steel into safe. And here's me, you know, I still have my leg, but it was so badly damaged, I couldn't do any of these things that I loved. And in the end, legendary called really frustrated that I wasn't living up to my full potential. And I knew I needed to do something to get my life back on track. Now, where the difficulty game was, you know, it's a big decision, you know, we're talking about short on a party or body off. So it's not as if, you know, if you change your mind you can to actually, you know, just set your back on. And I think what made it even more difficult is with my dad, you know, ever since I lost my mom, me and my dad are so close, she's my best friend, even to this day. My dad just didn't understand my reasoning for having a leg amputated. Then you've got to remember for him, he is a you know, he's a middle aged man who he's never seen an amputee before, you know, apart from the Paralympics, maybe that's the only RPT he seen and he just couldn't understand why having your leg amputated could be beneficial anyway. Whereas me I the hind sides of I was with guys everyday who were amputees I could see that they would get on with their life and this could be a good thing. So transfer explains my dad's why I want to have my leg amputated was quite difficult. And it was important for me to have his support. And I guess my dad was just trying to be devil's advocate. He was telling me about the you know, the negatives. So it was a real tough six or nine months of you know, actually deciding amputation was the right option. The monster did not believe amputated. Thankfully, my dad was done fully on board. He was you know, really supportive. And once I made a decision he was, you know, right behind me. The best way I can describe deputation is, like you said before, when you question does that, how hard was it? It was so hard, but when I woke up from the amputation, I felt like the weight of the whales have been lifted from my shoulders, you know, all this six or nine months of Should I shouldn't say, Is this the right thing? Should I be doing this? Or then those questions are gone. And it was kind of like, right, it's done now. You can get on with your life. So it was by far the toughest decision I'll ever have to meet two countries previously the best. Well, your heart What, what, 14 months, the hub? And then 25 operations? Because Because that's the you have operations before but how many did you have like after you had the leg amputated? After had the leg amputated? I had one more that was done. And that was only my fault because I started hopping around a couple of days straight after the operation, which I probably shouldn't have. And am I not the schoenstatt was in the sun. So they needed to get me back in but it was only a quick one. For Yeah, that just shows you you know, before I had the leg on people had over 20 operations trying to fix things. Yeah, once the leg was amputated, that was made in pretty much you know, battle normal. So it was just it was just such a big decision. Because again, there was no guarantee that the operation would work. And yeah, it was just a real tough time of knowing because I guess if the doctor told you and said look, you know you've got cancer in your little toe. If you don't have your foot amputated, it might shred you might die then guess that's a pretty easy decision to make. Whereas for me, one doctor would say If I was you, I would amputate another doctor would say no, I will keep the leg if I was you. So I think sometimes you want someone you know when you've got to make big decisions in life. You want someone to make them for you. I think this was a time when I had to make a decision myself, which was a lot more pressure, a lot more responsibility. And that's what made it a little bit softer. Well, I also read, you know, dark Columbus is a big part of your life. And and then I was reading, he kind of knew, you know, what the end result was going to be where you were going to have your leg amputated, right? Yeah. Yeah, my I was lucky enough to share with a surgeon commander Anthony, in Iraq a couple of years beforehand. And we just got like a house on fire and stayed very good friends. And he's very old school, very old school, military, you know, it's black and white. And that's it. And he probably offends people sometimes, because he is so old school. Well, he just says exactly has it how it is, and it's kind of what I prefer. And when I first was injured, a lot of people were saying, Oh, you know, you should give this cage on your labor chance and try the rehab. And it might, you know, you like can be reconstructed, etc. He was the only person who said, I know you and you will be better and I'm PT. But at the time, I wanted to give you know, other people, you know, chances, Allison's other surgeons, etc. But I think with his, with his experience, and within knowing me how he does, he knew that, you know, I wouldn't be happy just walking around, you know, he knew that I wanted to be able to live my life for full. So after 14 and 15 months, when I rang him up and said, you know, will you want to take my leg, he kind of had one of those I told you so moments, although he didn't say, I kind of knew that. He knew all along that this was this is why he would come down to and thankfully he was the money then appreciated the leg. You know, any, I want to ask you a question, because you kind of integrate the football back into the conversation is that for many people, you know, Liverpool is a way of life. It's, you know, it, you know, keeps your mind off other things that are more serious in life that's going on, you know, any personal problems. I know, for me, I look forward to those 90 minutes every weekend. And just to get my mind off other things. And can you share with us? You know, it's been 10 years since you had your leg amputated, as football been a part of your your therapy? And is that is that something that that has really helped you come through some of the stuff that you had to live through 100% I mean, even before they were engines, you know, just being in Afghanistan, the stressors that Afghanistan brings, I will have to fix your lists on the side next to my bed and you'd be watching out for the fixtures and we'll be bringing my darlin although I'd be in the middle of Afghanistan, you know, the topic of conversation once you have Liverpool got next, and how did they play? So I think football in general is always, you know, played a huge part of my life. And it's been the escapism that like you, like you rightly say, you know, we all need sometimes I think Liverpool as a city, you know, it's a very working class city. And there's people who haven't got a lot what you know, come out Saturday afternoon, they get to cheer on a pretty successful football club, it makes a huge difference. And it was the same for me, you know, I think even more recently, it's probably the best example was when I wrote the book. And with Phil, Phil Reed, I got to know him really well. And then I got to start going the match with him and kind of his friends. So the past now three or four years I've been gone the bachelor Canada completely new group of friends if you like, and it just made me feel normal again, you know, I don't feel like this. Andy Grant, the ex marine and the amputee, I'm just on the middle of May two loves Liverpool, it goes to match once a week. And I think that for me is probably the best thing about it just start Liverpool is a poor Football Club has been the one Constance you know, despite the Iraq, Afghanistan, getting blown up the amputation and motivational speaking, everyday problems that everyone has, you know, one of the bills, the one constants, it's the one thing that you can always talk to your friends about. It's the one thing you've got to look forward to you get to meet up with them once a week and have a few beers and watch them and, and even even better than it's been quite quite successful over the past few years and Diegans being there. So not only is it a constant, it's a pretty fun constant to have in your life as well. So I think the role of the football club has been huge. It always has been, especially for me these past 10 years when you did your own lfctv as well. Well, yeah. Gary Gillespie and Ronnie Whelan. I mean, again, you've got to you got to just walk through that door and then set that set right next to, you know, two to two players that have actually Well, not not sure it must have been like, you know, another surreal moment. Oh, yes, I've had many of them. It's been, I think, just through the motivational speaking it's giving me some fantastic opportunities and I've got to meet you know, all of my heroes now, from from being friends with Jamie Carragher and Then I've got away Robbie father a few times and even then, when I started going to a gym with Steven Gerrard at one point and have Steven Gerrard dropped me off at my house, which was a pretty surreal time on. So I've been really lucky that I've got to meet along the plays. And more recently, I've done a motivational talk to the England football team became in became friends with with Jordan Anderson, it was a great story about how he, we ended up helping me out to get a ticket for the Champions League final few years later. So it's just I feel like the luckiest guy in the world. You know, my my big pet haters, if anyone would look at me, standing there with one leg and I feel, you know, any sorrow for me as if I'm a victim or feel sorry for me, because I feel like the luckiest person in the world I get to go around, you know, doing these motivational talks. I follow, you know, the world famous football team. And I'm lucky enough I began to convention a few of them as well. So there's been so many surreal moments where I have to pinch myself to think this little larger you said, you know, jump on the boss and go and watch the pill change in six weeks holidays is now kind of sitting there having to be able to some of these people now it's it's quite bizarre.