FORMER BOHEMIANS GOALKEEPER Wayne Russell says winning the double with the club in 2001 was the greatest moment of his career. 13 years later, and part of that glory is about to dim for the Welshman as he plans on selling those medals, as well as all the others he won during a 13 year senior career.
“I have twin daughters who are going to go to university and they can’t get grants. The price of that and the accommodation is why I have to do it. It is absolutely gutting to be honest,” Russell said.
Russell also won a league and cup in Northern Ireland with Glentoran, albeit not in the same year. His collection is very important to him and despite making the decision to sell, it hasn’t been a universally popular one in his house.
“My wife is totally against me selling them and it is very tough. I am heartbroken because I don’t really want to part with any of them,” Russell said.
While the medals are the tangible rewards Russell has from a successful career, he still has great memories from the work it took to win them. And while he might be parting with them soon, he will sustain himself on that knowledge, as well as some other pieces of memorabilia.
“I have the shirts from those games so I’ll still have those. But my medals are just in the cupboard at the moment. People don’t come into my house and see a big display and say ‘Wow, there are all your medals’. I will still have the memories from those games,” Russell said.
Russell’s medals are currently at auction so he will have a few more days with them at least. While he fully expects to sell them, there are still fleeting moments when he contemplates keeping them.
“It is just an auction at the moment but if someone comes in with a bid and says they want them, then it will be a question of ‘Will I have the balls to go through with it?’” Russell said.
