ANDREW ‘FREDDIE’ FLINTOFF has recalled the hilarious moment he was offered his first professional cricket deal.
The England legend, 47, made his professional debut for Lancashire in 1995 after progressing through the youth teams.
ReutersFreddie Flintoff has recalled the moment he was offered his first professional cricket deal[/caption]
He was tipped to make it big from a young age, so much so that club icon David Lloyd personally travelled to his family home to discuss a contract.
Speaking on the Stick to Cricket podcast, Flintoff explained: “He came in and he said: ‘Right, we want to sign your Andrew.’
“And my mum and dad were like: ‘Oh, here we go, look at this!’
“He starts talking about money and he says: ‘At Lancashire we pay really well. Ian Austin gets £16k, Michael Atherton gets £22.5k…
“We’re going to start Andrew on £2.5k,’ and I was like, go on, get in!
“And then he sold my mum and dad this dream of me. I’ll never forget I went into Old Trafford a few weeks later it was all going through.
“He said: ‘Never mind what I told your mum and dad, it’s f***ing hard here!’”
Flintoff opens up about his life – including the horrific accident he suffered while filming Top Gear in 2022 – in a new book published this week.
CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS
In one extract, he opens up about the split-second decision that saved his life.
He said: “Suddenly the car was rolling and the world was all slow-motion chaos. I knew, somehow, exactly what was coming.
“I knew the options: If I stuck my arm out, I’d lose it. If I didn’t brace, I’d snap my neck.
“So I made the call. I shut my eyes and flung up my left arm, with the thinking being that as a right-hander, I was prepared to lose my left.
“The car dragged me underneath for 50 metres, face skidding, body flipping. Minus two degrees, busted face, but alive — because in that instant, my mind, honed on cricket’s demands, made the right call. A split-second decision. One that saved my life, and changed it.”
Creator – [#item_custom_dc:creator]
