Podcast Host Turned Author Whets The Appetite

Jason Guy’s phone rang at 6.56am and the words he heard on Facetime by way of a not-so-gentle wake-up were: ‘Are you still in *fu@*ing’ bed?’ It was John Burridge.

This brief anecdote will surprise no-one who is familiar with the two men. It’s just the sort of thing the clown prince of goalkeepers would say – and reaching out to distant former Wolves players is one of Jason’s passions and regular activities.

“What a man he is….such an interesting character with his working-class roots and his huge dedication to fitness. Unbelievable! He had just been for his morning run on the beach in Oman and was ready to talk.”

Jason is closing in on completing Tales Of The Tape volume two – another batch of three dozen interviews compiled with favourites from his beloved club through The Wolf Whistle podcast.

We know from Burridge’s autobiography that the section on him can’t fail to be a winner and there are many other seriously interesting tasters around the latest major project undertaken by this master fund-raiser in the Wolverhampton Wanderers family.

We discover, for example, which of Burridge’s early 1980s team-mates went on to work for Rod Stewart and we learn more of the tough struggle another, John Pender, has waged since being diagnosed with motor neurone disease.

“I went to John’s adapted house in Telford to meet him, his wife and his best mate, Karl,” the author says. “It was a powerful interview, very emotional, and he really opened up.”

A player from a different generation altogether became so choked in recalling distant, happy Molineux times that he shed some tears. Don’t let anyone convince you that playing for Wolves is not very special!

And there was also a welcome-mat laid out by Paul Stewart, who had no more than a bit-part in the gold and black story as a player signed on loan from Liverpool, but whose background has become alarmingly more familiar in recent seasons through disclosures that he was one of the players abused by coaches during his teenage trainee years. 

“I asked Paul before we started if anything was off limits but he wanted to tell his story,” Jason added.

This is a top Guy in every sense of the word. He and his helpers have raised an incredible £370,000-plus through his charity endeavours and profits from this hard-back are going to Breast Cancer Now, New Cross neo-natal department and the 1p36 Family Trust.

Part one, published in 2021, raised £20,000 and he says of this follow-up venture: “I have absolutely loved putting it together.

“I heard hundreds of tales from players and coaches for the first time when I was compiling the interviews and have worked hard to make sure they translate well on to the pages of a book.

“The stories date back to the late 1950s as Ted Farmer was one of my interviewees and all the decades since are covered in some way through lads like Geoff Thomas, Iwan Roberts and Matt Jarvis – in other words, ones we don’t see or hear so much of.

“The causes we are supporting are very close to my heart and to those around me and it would mean a lot if Wolves fans can spread the word of the book and even buy a copy.

“Those who pre-order will receive it in November ready for Christmas and I promise it will be a super present.”

Please click on https://www.talesfromthetape.co.uk or copy and paste it into your header for further information on how to purchase.