On Saturday the Cheltenham Town Former Players' Association welcomed back two popular and prolific forwards in Dave Lewis and Neil Grayson.
You can watch our club interview with them on iFollow above or read the full interview below.
Q: It’s a rare day that we get two players who played for the club with such illustrious goal scoring records. What was the best goal that you remember scoring?
Dave Lewis: I remember it was a wet Wednesday night and it was absolutely pouring down so it flooded down at the bottom goal. Ken Skeen, the ex-Oxford United player, bombed down the right hand side and I went to the edge of the box, the ball came across, I threw myself at it with a flying header and the ball went like a rocket into the goal. I slid and ended up with half of Cheltenham’s sewage on me, all over my face and everything! That was a memorable one really.
Neil Grayson: I think mine would be the goal against Plymouth, Booky (Steve Book) kicked the ball out and Hugh McAuley flicked it on – people always say did you see the keeper off his line? – I say no I just hit it! It flew over the keepers head so for me that was the best goal.
Q: Dave, when you look back on your time here you are still the leading goal scorer here and obviously it will take some beating along with that hat-trick record?
It will take some beating! I was here the best part of 11 years altogether. People don’t stay that long now, maybe one or two years, so they’re never going to catch it really. I played with some great players and some really nice people, there were no bad eggs. It was a really great time.
Q: Neil, you played under one of the club’s most succesful managers in Steve Cotterill, what was it like as your were part of two promotion teams and the one that got out of non-League for the first time?
Neil Grayson: It was great. He was so well organised and every game we knew what we had to do. Like Dave said, when we were here, we had a great bunch of lads here. It’s a team game, there’s no way you can do it all on your own but having Cotts in charge was probably the main thing.
Q: The feel around the club today, is it the same as when you both played?
Dave Lewis: No, this is so professional nowadays! We were rank amateurs in those days really compared to what it is now, just look at the pitch for example. If it was coming to this stage of the season now when I played it would be bobbly, bumpy and brown through the middle. It’s only by the goal-mouths now, so it shows all the action is in the middle of the park!
Q: What about the relationship with the fans, was it strong as you remember?
Neil Grayson: The fans were always brilliant for me, well for everybody but for me it was always really good. I remember feeling at home straight away. I couldn’t have asked any more from the fans.
Q: You played with current Cheltenham manager Michael Duff when you were here, how do you think he has faired in his first role in senior management?
Neil Grayson: I think he has done brilliantly since he’s come in. He’s lifted the club out of the relegation zone and they’re playing good football. I don’t get to see it that often but I do look out and watch the goals on the TV and hopefully they continue to do well this season and push on again next season.