BACKCHAT had a few laughs Down Under at the ABTA convention and no-one created such hilarity as Neil Armorgie who made one of the most ludicrous claims we’ve heard in years.
Armorgie captained the travel agents’ team in the traditional JMC-hosted agents versus operators football match in Cairns. Played in conditions more akin to a January night in Grimsby, the operators twice came from behind to run out deserved 3-2 victors with Cosmos’ Paul Riches grabbing a brace and earning himself the man of the match award.
As ever, free food and drink was used to lure 150 spectators to the match with Stuart Hall providing the commentary.
Now Backchat has already reported this year how Armorgie, who plays for a Sunday league side, broke his middle finger as he hacked down a striker.
And the Advantage commercial director lived up to affectionate ‘growler’ tag during the Convention grudge-match with a bad-tempered, ill-disciplined performance at the heart of the agent defence.
His constant bickering at the German referee and mistimed lunges eventually earned him a yellow card – the latest in what were considered a list of cautions.
Not a bit of it, said Armorgie, who went on to make the outrageous claim that it was the first time he has found his way into the referee’s notebook.
Now without wishing to cast doubt on the claim, it should be pointed out that everyone in earshot fell about.
“It’s like George Best saying he’s never had a drink,” one player said.