Football Firsts: Newport County midfielder Joss Labadie

First game you watched live?

My first ever match was at Highbury. it was against and I was only six or seven, so it would have been about 1996. I went with my uncle and it was quite a boring game – it ended 0-0!

It wasn't a great spectacle, but it was a great experience to go to Highbury as a young lad.

It was shortly after Arsene Wenger took over – I remember that Ian Wright was playing up front and he two-footed the Coventry keeper Steve Ogrizovic! It says something that was my only memory of the game.

First football hero?

I remember seeing Ian Wright on the TV banging them in and I have been an Arsenal fan ever since. He was my number one and Patrick Vieira after that.

First football boots?

My first boots were a pair of Adidas Predators – the old ones with the big lumps on the toes.

It wasn't anything like the David Beckham ones with the long tongue, mine were all black and had a lump on top that was supposed to help you curl shots. I tried them out, but it didn't help me much…

First kit?

My first shirt was an Arsenal kit and I remember getting a keeper's shirt with all the bright colours like David Seaman used to wear.

I think I had a little go in goal but I was quickly told that I wasn't any good and had to try another position. It worked out ok in the end!

First professional game?

My first game was against for in in early 2009, when I was on loan from .

I was 18 and it was a 0-0 draw. It was a great experience playing in front of 12,000 fans which was something I wasn't used to from playing youth .

I started the game, played 90 minutes and I blew up after about 60 minutes but I hung in there for the rest of the game.

I remember ( manager) Paul Simpson and (assistant) John McMahon throwing me energising gels to liven me up!

First professional goal?

My first goal as a professional was again for Shrewsbury. It was a free-kick on the first day of the 2009-10 season against – a few months after I made my debut – and we won 3-1.

It was about 25 yards out and it deflected in, so I was pretty lucky. But you have to take them all!

First red card?

I've been sent off a few times and my first red card was for Shrewsbury as well, the same season I scored my first goal, for two yellow cards.

I was a young lad and I was silly with a couple of nothing challenges against – I'd scored earlier in the game as well.

The manager Paul Simpson wasn't too happy and, about a month after that, I was sent back to West Brom. It wasn't a great experience but you learn from it.

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