EFL icon recalls his wildest stories, including spiked team-mate turning into Spider-Man and hothead boss’ topless rant
EFL legend Darren Pratley has revealed his team-mate once turned into Spider-Man after being spiked on a night out.
Pratley helped Swansea up the divisions earlier in his career and played one season in the Premier League for Bolton.
But it is Swansea where he has some of his fondest memories – including his funniest training ground story.
He shared some tall tales from his career with SunSport as part of the “What the EFL?” series.
From topless manager rants to a moment that still haunts him, Pratley shared all on his 21-year career.
WILDEST TRAINING GROUND TALE
Rory Fallon, and we always used to go on a jog. He’d been out the night before, came to training late, he’d been spiked, so he was Spider-Man the night before, apparently jumping around and doing crazy stuff.
BEST EFL PLAYER
Adel Taarabt played against him. I played in that game that they keep showing on the EFL where he nutmegs Joe Allen and cuts inside and scores.
BEST EFL FANS
I’d have to go Swansea, wouldn’t I? Swansea, Swansea, Jacks. Yeah, apart from Leyton Orient, I’d have to go Swansea.
DODGIEST EFL FACILITIES
Again, probably be Swansea. We used to train at the David Lloyd gym, so we would be showering after training with the public.
If you didn’t have a good result, they would be asking you why when you’re naked in the showers.
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EFL FANS WHO LIVE RENT FREE IN YOUR HEAD
I’d say Millwall. I’ve scored a few goals against them. Six-, seven-, eight-year-olds who give you a bit of stick when you warm up. It’s an intimidating place to go, so probably I’d say Millwall.
MOMENT THAT STILL HAUNTS YOU
We played Blackpool in the last game of the season. I think we just had to get a win.
So they turned up, Phillips, Ince and all them, and it was 3-0 down after, I think, 15 minutes, and then we ended up missing out on goal difference, I think, on the play-offs.
MADDEST DRESSING ROOM TALE
In my first loan at Brentford, at half-time, Martin Allen sits in the centre of the room on a chair with his top off, screaming, shouting at everyone. Didn’t know what was going on.
MADDEST TRANSFER STORY
At Charlton, David Cotterill, he was texting me the night before saying that Charlton had offered him a contract, a couple of years and all that, and good money and that, and I was quite shocked, to be fair.
And then he turned up the next day at the gates, thinking that he was coming in to sign a contract. Lee Bowyer had come to the gates and was like, show me the emails you’ve been getting, I have a messenger.
It wasn’t the manager who he’d been speaking to, someone had pretended to be the manager on an email. He had to go home.
WILDEST OWNER ANTICS
At Bolton, Lee Anderson, so he used to come in, we’d be in the changing room, the boys would have discussions whether they were going on a strike, whether they were going to train today.
He wasn’t paying wages for the players. We were in a good time at that time, when he wasn’t paying the players, so I just have to say, Lee Anderson.
WILDEST NIGHT OUT
“I’ve had a few. Got to say Marbella. We got promoted here, at Leyton Orient. We went to Marbella as a team and staff and had a good time.”