| Author | Topic: Celebrity Kop Club: DJ Spoony |
J1mmy
Administrator Posts: 44
Registered: Oct 2006 |  posted 01 March 2007 01:18 PM 
Welcome to Celebrity Kop Club, a unique band of Reds who’ve risen to fame with hope in their hearts and a Liver Bird on their chest. The next inductee is a DJ who inspired one of Anfield's most memorable goal celebrations.
"I do tell them off, but in a polite way," explains Spoony when quizzed on ranting Reds who call his Five Live phone-in.
"The thing is, Liverpool fans haven't got loads to moan about because they've been spoilt over the years. You might feel in the doldrums, but then you get a Newcastle fan phoning up, or a Millwall or Macclesfield supporter, and you realise things aren't that bad."
Spoony - real name Jonathan Joseph - knows more than most how lucky he and his fellow Kopites are having commenced his love affair with the club in the days when European Cups were as regular as Christmas.
"I've supported them since 1977; I was seven. I started when Kenny Dalglish joined," says the DJ, who grew up in East London.
"I was the oldest son and there was no one around encouraging me to support anyone else. Everyone else in my class went for Man United, or maybe Arsenal because they were quite near. People always take the mickey about it but I can support who I want.
"I've always taken it quite seriously. Like everyone, I don't watch Match of the Day if we lose, and I won't read the Sunday papers. I remember crying when we lost to Man Utd in the semi-final of the FA Cup in 1985, and if I hadn't been with all my mates I would have cried when Arsenal won the league at Anfield in 1989."
Despite his obvious allegiance to English football's most successful club, Spoony referees 606 with an even-handed cool.
"I've surprised myself to be honest," he admits. "I thought I'd be a little bit more biased. I'm a lover of football though, so I appreciate good goals or bad decisions. I think it's a common trait of Liverpool fans that they understand the game and are usually quite fair."
As much as he loves doing the show, it does mean he's not able to get to Anfield as much as he'd like.
Not that he has any problems getting tickets when he has a free weekend. Scroll down to J in his mobile phone and you'll find numbers for pals Jamie Redknapp and Jermaine Pennant.
"I can ring them but I don't want to nag," he says.
Spoony is also good mates with Emile Heskey, and it was he who inspired the striker's famous DJ goal celebration.
"We discussed it," chuckles the presenter, who rose to prominence as part of Radio One's Dreem Teem.
"That was the year he scored the most goals for Liverpool, so he should have kept it really. That was awesome – the phone didn't stop ringing with people asking if it was because of me."
The 36-year-old has also had the honour of gracing the Fields of Anfield Road on more than one occasion: "The first time I was playing in a mini-tournament and was in a side with my two all-time heroes - Barnes and Dalglish.
"One time I gave the ball to Kenny and ran on for the one-two, but he had a shot. I turned and shouted, Come on Kenny! Then I thought, Oh no, I've just shouted at Kenny Dalglish!"
It was an experience he ranks in his all-time top five, though hot on its heels is the day he got to take a penalty during the interval of a Merseyside derby.
"When I scored I ran up to the Kop and everyone was shouting, Spoony, Spoony! It doesn't get much better than that."
The DJ insists there's something unique about Liverpool fans, something which means that as a collective force they can inspire their team like no other set of supporters. And he's damned if he's going to let his kids miss out.
"It actually brought a tear to my eye in the Ataturk during the Champions League final. It hit me that I was part of something really, really special being a Liverpool fan. I'm not articulate enough to explain what a special thing that was.
"My 10-year-old daughter started off trying to support Arsenal but when I stopped speaking to her and turned the heating off in her room she soon changed her mind!"
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mickeylove77
Kopite Posts: 6825
Registered: Sep 2003 | posted 01 March 2007 01:24 PM
"One time I gave the ball to Kenny and ran on for the one-two, but he had a shot. I turned and shouted, Come on Kenny! Then I thought, Oh no, I've just shouted at Kenny Dalglish!""My 10-year-old daughter started off trying to support Arsenal but when I stopped speaking to her and turned the heating off in her room she soon changed her mind!" Two quality quotes  Great article  IP: Logged |
Em-inLeam
Kopite Posts: 4611
Registered: May 2004 | posted 01 March 2007 01:26 PM
Another great interview J1mmy! IP: Logged |
CallsignViper
Kopite Posts: 1122
Registered: Jul 2004 | posted 01 March 2007 01:30 PM
I do love the
'Oh no, I've just shouted at Kenny' part. Brilliant IP: Logged |
Dilinja
Kopite Posts: 723
Registered: Dec 2004 | posted 01 March 2007 01:33 PM
so J1mmy,an average of 8 posts a month since you registered and your latest is simply a copy and paste from the homepage... Try copying and pasting all articles on the homepage if you so desperately want to get your post count up  IP: Logged |
J1mmy
Administrator Posts: 44
Registered: Oct 2006 | posted 01 March 2007 01:37 PM
Dilinga, i did the interview, i wanted some feedback. IP: Logged |
Dilinja
Kopite Posts: 723
Registered: Dec 2004 | posted 01 March 2007 01:39 PM
I guessed as much from the name on the article - was only teasing you fella IP: Logged |
rio197
Kopite Posts: 1076
Registered: Sep 2005 |  posted 01 March 2007 01:43 PM
good read, jimmy IP: Logged |
gerryc
Kopite Posts: 905
Registered: Oct 2001 | posted 01 March 2007 02:06 PM
Excellent interview! I just read the Karl Kennedy one too, he says he is going to get an EST....or does he have one already? Is Dr Karl really Kennyshinpad in disguise? IP: Logged |
Mike2510
Kopite Posts: 3438
Registered: Nov 2004 | posted 01 March 2007 02:13 PM
Fantastic read, got a lot of time for Spoony !! Absolute Legend !! IP: Logged |
J1mmy
Administrator Posts: 44
Registered: Oct 2006 | posted 01 March 2007 02:16 PM
i can confirm that dr karl kennedy now has an e-season ticket, but that's not his name. and no, i won't tell you what his name is. IP: Logged |
MarkHurst
Kopite Posts: 956
Registered: Dec 2003 | posted 01 March 2007 02:16 PM
Isnt Spoony an OOT? Lol! IP: Logged |
gerryc
Kopite Posts: 905
Registered: Oct 2001 | posted 01 March 2007 02:19 PM
J1mmy, does he post on here? IP: Logged |
J1mmy
Administrator Posts: 44
Registered: Oct 2006 | posted 01 March 2007 02:30 PM
I've never seen him, though I'm not on here every day. IP: Logged |
domino
Kopite Posts: 3968
Registered: Jun 2005 | posted 01 March 2007 02:36 PM
Well search his name and tell us if he has. And post the links to the threads hes posted in and we'll guess which is him. IP: Logged |
J1mmy
Administrator Posts: 44
Registered: Oct 2006 | posted 01 March 2007 02:42 PM
He hasn't. IP: Logged |
Jaysoul
Fan Posts: 24
Registered: Jun 2006 |  posted 01 March 2007 02:51 PM
Big up Spoony!One of the all-time greats in DJ-ing history - that is undeniable - and an absolute inspiration to me (as a fellow DJ). YNWA IP: Logged |
whitey1234
Kopite Posts: 1909
Registered: Jun 2004 |  posted 01 March 2007 03:36 PM
Glory hunter end of. IP: Logged |
alltherage
Fan Posts: 19
Registered: Sep 2005 | posted 01 March 2007 03:36 PM
Best way to deal with arsenal fans- turn the heat off and ignore. IP: Logged |
Matt-IOW
Kopite Posts: 705
Registered: May 2001 | posted 01 March 2007 04:35 PM
saw Spooney when I was at Butlins, first thing he said when he got on was 'are there any reds in the house' IP: Logged |
pmj
Kopite Posts: 3904
Registered: Apr 2004 |  posted 01 March 2007 04:52 PM
I see he did not say anything about nutmegging a certain someone at Anfield IP: Logged |
purejam
Kopite Posts: 1068
Registered: Mar 2002 |  posted 01 March 2007 05:29 PM
Classic interview.Spoony is a Don Dadda. IP: Logged |
