With a bit of down time on our hands with the Plymouth fixture called off at the weekend we are pressing on with a few more of these well-liked articles. Today we have housewives favourite “Radar” who is another one of the well-known regular faces and voices at both Le Stad MK and at away games. He’s the one that always starts of “You were always on my mind” at away games, right now you know who we are talking about, let’s get on with the questions.
Name – “Radar”
Age – 59
I suppose the most obvious question is to ask, how did you get your nickname “Radar”?
I have told a few different stories about this, including one where I have told people that my real name is Raymond Dartington and that the nickname was derived from the first syllables of my first and family names; this is b****x, but there are a couple of people that still believe it. The truth is I was given the name by fellow fan Clarkie and it’s from the character with that same nickname in the comedy film and TV show ‘Mash’ (set in the Korean War) … I wore quite a bit of army surplus at the time. It stuck very quickly.
Can you tell us a little bit about how you became a Dons fan and what was your first game?
An exceedingly long time ago I followed Spurs but lost interest when I left London. I would never have come to a game if I had not been pressured by my sons. I did try to get tickets for the very first game, on the day, but they would not sell me one. I was a tad miffed at this and didn’t bother again until the next season. I was sure my first game was in 2005, but whilst it was in the 2005/2006 season, I think it was actually Nottingham Forest at home…which wasn’t until January 2006. I was hooked immediately and had a season ticket in the Cowshed within a short period and was doing away games very shortly after.
What were your expectations for us pre-season, and have you changed your mind on what you have seen so far?
Mid-table and no I have not changed my expectations…yet!
Which Dons player has impressed you most this season?
I am very fickle and find it hard to pick one and in no particular order I would list Jerome, Frazier, Harvie and Kasumu amongst others as having impressed me at times.
What is your favourite Dons moment?
It does depend on what you want to call a Dons moment, if it’s on the pitch then it’s probably got to be the Heel of God moment, but clinching promotion at Stockport away is up there, as would be the last game of the season 2014/2015.
Who is your all-time favourite player and why?
I should really say Grigg, Afobe or Alli (that was a special season) but I’m not. For me, its Adolfo Baines Pilart…he was both a Zen Master and existential (performance) artist…no one could handle the ball out of the area like him. Keith Andrews would come after Adolfo, and I am thinking of those first two seasons with us of course.
Who is a good tip for promotion and relegation, and where do you think the Dons will finish up this season?
The teams who land at the top of the table will get promoted, and those who land at the bottom will be relegated; don’t ask me how I know this…it’s a gift. I see us upper mid-table at best.
You are a well-known face amongst the travelling MK Army, can you tell us an away ground you always look forward to visiting and why?
I don’t actually look forward to “away grounds”, most are just neatly piled stacks of breezeblocks with away fan bars that look like hospital basements…I look forward to away days….and weekenders. It’s hard to pick one and so I won’t. The Blackpool Weekender for our first away match against Accrington stands out, as do some Hartlepool away trips. Hereford, Bristol (both) Cheltenham and Carlisle are all joyous drunken blurs too. I ran a coach for the last away game of the season for a few years, initially a 30 or so seater, but eventually a double decker (70 or so) …they were always very messy…. but fun. If I’m honest most of my memories involve ‘drink’, and I’ll probably recall my real all-time favourite after this is published.
Going on from the last question, can you tell us about a memorable to you Dons win on the road that you attended?
I have already mentioned it…Stockport away, we clenched promotion at that game and couldn’t have done it at a better place…to quote Corporal Jones from Dad’s Army” they don’t like it up em” ….and Stockport, who saw themselves as football’s Taliban representatives in the North West, didn’t like it up em that day!
Any other comments?
I am very happy I rediscovered football through the Dons, I have made some really great friendships and have had some fantastic times…I am impatiently waiting for the latter to resume.
