NAME: John Calvert DATE OF BIRTH: 16/8/71 HEIGHT: 5'11" WEIGHT: 12st 10lb CLUB: St. Vincents COUNTY: Dublin HONOURS: Minor, Under 21, Senior INTER COUNTY DEBUT: January 1993 v Down, Parnell Park PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT: Student, UCD TOUGHEST OPPONENT: Timmy Cummins, Limerick FAVOURITE GROUNDS: Croke Park FAVOURITE POSITION: Corner back/wing back SPORTING AMBITION: To play championship football with Dublin DO YOU PLAY ANY OTHER SPORTS: Windsurfing, snooker, golf BOYHOOD HEROES: Mick Kennedy, Paidi O'Shea FAVOURITE PLAYERS: Eamonn Heery, Paul Curran BIGGEST INFLUENCE ON CAREER: Kevin Heffernan WAYS OF IMPROVING THE GAME: Between club and county, the season is too long BEST GAME SEEN: Dublin v Cork, All-Ireland semi-final 1983 PLAYERS WITH A PROMISING FUTURE: Ger Regan, Vincents; Mick Carroll, Ballymun HOPES FOR 1993: That Dublin win the All-Ireland YOU MUST BE DELIGHTED WITH YOUR PERSONAL PROGRESSION UP THE FOOTBALL RANKINGS OVER THE LAST THREE SEASONS: I'm happy with the way things have gone over the last couple of years. Under the guidance of people like Mick Moylan, Kevin Heffernan and Dave Billings, my football has improved significantly. I made the Under 21 team in 1992 and after a good performance in the club championship that summer, I was called onto the senior panel around October YOU'VE NEVER REALLY LOOKED BACK SINCE WINNING A JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP MEDAL WITH ST. VINCENTS IN 1991: I played junior football for two years before winning a junior championship medal under Kevin Heffernan and Des Foley. That same year I played my first senior game, coming on as a sub in a championship match versus Parnells. I have played with the team since then but unfortunately haven't had much success SUTTON PROVIDED YOU WITH YOUR UNDERAGE FOOTBALL THOUGH: My early football was played with a small local club called Na Piarsaigh. We had fine juvenile teams but the club had nothing past minor. I also played a lot of football with my school St. Fintan's of Sutton IS THERE A GAA CALVERT FAMILY PEDIGREE: No, there is not much of a GAA tradition in my family. The closest to it is a cousin who played for Mayo about 20 years ago. But that is about as far as it goes WAS GAELIC FOOTBALL ALWAYS YOUR NUMBER ONE SPORT: Yes, I would say it was since about the age of 9, gaelic football has dominated my sporting life. I played soccer and hurling for a time but gaelic always got first preference IT MUST HAVE HELPED YOUR GAME TO HAVE RUBBED SHOULDERS WITH THE LIKES OF MESSRS. HEFFERNAN, KEAVENEY AND DOYLE AT THE FAMED 'VINCENTS CLUB: There is a wealth of footballing experience in St. Vincents. Great players like Kevin Heffernan, Des Foley, Jimmy Keaveney and Bobby Doyle have done it all and their success is a great inspiration. They also know everything there is to know about the games and take a keen interest in helping players improve and mature DO YOU FIND THE RIGOROUS TRAINING REGIME WITH DUBLIN A HINDRANCE OR A HELP TO YOUR QUEST FOR UNIVERSITY ACCOUNTANCY HONOURS: Training with Dublin does command a big commitment. Over the last while I have played a lot of football and it does command a lot of time. As long as you organise yourself practically though, I think you manage both successfully HAVE YOU TASTED ANY SIGERSON CUP ACTION WITH UCD? IF SO, ANY JOY? Yes, I played for the first time this year but we got beaten early on. I was supposed to play last year as well but I broke my wrist a week before the game SAINT VINCENTS HAVEN'T ENJOYED THE BEST OF TIMES IN RECENT YEARS. IS THERE A CHANGE OF FORTUNE IN THE PIPELINE FOR THE CLUB: That is not altogether true. Our junior teams have been very successful in recent years, as have our intermediate teams who actually won the championship and league in 1991 and gained promotion to senior. Our Senior A team hasn't done quite so well but we are working hard and with the great young talent in the club coming through, I can only see us doing well in the future WHO IS YOUR TIP TO WIN THE DUBLIN SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP THIS YEAR: There are a lot of good teams left in the championship and any one of about five teams could win it. The Garda have a good draw and look fit. Erins Isle with the players they have should do well. For me, however, Kilmacud will do it again. They are a well balanced side and are a team that can raise their game at the right moment IF DUBLIN FAIL TO RECAPTURE SAM IN 1993, WHICH TEAM WOULD YOU FANCY TO DO SO INSTEAD: The championship this year is wide open. The standard of football has risen dramatically in a lot of counties, any number of teams could win. Derry however, have impressed me and should at least get to the semi final stages THE PROSPECT OF MEETING UP WITH DONEGAL'S DECLAN BONNER IN THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE FINAL WILL GIVE YOU PLENTY OF FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Both teams have yet to be picked so I wouldn't like to speculate too much. Declan is a skilful player though and anyone would surely look forward to meeting such a player on a big occasion like the league final INJURIES ASIDE, HOW MANY MORE YEARS DO YOU ANTICIPATE BEING PART OF THE DUBLIN SET UP: Seeing as I have only played a handful of games so far, I think it is a bit premature to talk in those terms. Every game is a great honour and I will do my best to stay on the panel for as long as possible Taken from Hogan Stand magazine 30th April 1993 Vol 3 No 17 Tweet

Most Read Stories