Football Firsts: Scunthorpe striker Paddy Madden

First game you watched live?

My first English game was Stoke v Sheffield Wednesday in about 2005. I was over with a football team from Dublin I was playing for at the time, WFTA FC, and we were sponsored by Stoke. It was 0-0, so that wasn’t great. But the first game I ever went to was the big Dublin derby, Bohemians v Shamrock Rovers, as a young kid. It’s the biggest game in Ireland and there was a bit of trouble so I remember that!

First football hero?

Andy Cole. I used to be a massive Man United fan and when I started watching them all the time Andy Cole was scoring loads of goals. I still haven’t seen a better strike partnership than his with Dwight Yorke, but of the two of them I always preferred Cole. Later on I really liked Roy Keane – I loved his attitude to the game – and Ruud van Nistelrooy.

First pair of boots?

I got a pair of silver Ronaldo R9s when I was about five or six. I probably had a couple of pairs before that but those were the ones that I really remember. These days I tend to wear Adidas F50s and I’m scoring a few goals in them so I can’t complain!

First kit?

That was a Man United shirt with Cantona on the back when I was about seven – I think it was a blue strip. Most of my kits as a kid were Man United but I had a Stoke one from that time I went there, as well as Bayern Munich and Barcelona. There was a bit of a collection.

First professional game?

Back when I was at Bohemians I came on for the last 15 minutes against Cobh Ramblers. As a youngster at the club I had to wait a while to get used to the way they played but I finally got my chance and we won the game 2-0. My first game on these shores was for Carlisle, against Walsall, in early 2011. I came off the bench in that one too but we lost 3-1.

First professional goal?

About a year after my Carlisle debut I scored my first Football League goal against Yeovil – I just took the ball off someone, went through and scored – but my first ever senior goal was back in Ireland, for Shelbourne. It was against Wexford Youth, when I was there on loan. A cross came into the box and I headed it in. It was a great feeling.

First red card?

I haven’t had a professional red card just yet and fingers crossed I can keep it that way for some time. I got sent off a few times back when I was at school but I’m clearly a bit more level-headed these days!