Trainer collector from Woking turns his passion into a career
He said the trade in collectible shoes has taken off in the last decade."Trainers how we would know them today came about in the 80s" he said, "but even as close as 2012 we've seen huge leaps in popularity, with people not just collecting trainers, but actually selling them and creating whole businesses off the back of it."I was on Antiques Roadshow as one of their experts, so I had to showcase some of my collection, some of the more high value and harder to find pairs."That was great, to share my passion and interest with such a wide audience."
Diagnosed with dyslexia and ADHD, he said he struggled at school, but turned his passion into a profession."We tend to go a bit of a different route with our careers and it really helps if there's something you love and you can focus on," he said."I started out running footwear events for people to buy and sell shoes and that led to a job consulting for brands, talking about upcoming trends and archiving and documenting footwear."I cover everything from old shoes, boat shoes, and the latest performance footwear."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scottish Sun
12-07-2025
- Scottish Sun
‘They shouldn't allow it' – John McEnroe calls for Wimbledon rule change live on BBC ahead of Anisimova vs Swiatek final
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) JOHN MCENROE called for a Wimbledon rule change live on BBC TV. The seven-time Grand Slam champion is never afraid to make his feelings clear in his role as a pundit. 6 John McEnroe called for a rule change at Wimbledon Credit: Getty 6 Iga Swiatek walked out on to Centre Court with her usual ritual Credit: Getty And he did exactly that before the ladies' singles final on Centre Court. Iga Swiatek and Amanda Anisimova prepared to make the famous walk along the corridor and out on to the famous lawn to the packed 15,000 iconic stadium. But the Polish star, 24, did so wearing her over-ear headphones. Swiatek revealed she listens to classic rock bands before matches to psych herself up. READ MORE ON WIMBLEDON UNBE-LOO-VABLE I commentated on Alcaraz epic and somehow held my pee for over five hours She said: "There's some AC/DC, Guns N' Roses, Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones. So yeah, rock but not too hard. "Everybody's asking me if I listen to that all the time. They keep buying me vinyl records and everything, and I'm like, 'Guys, if I listen to that all the time, I wouldn't be able to sleep.' So it's just pre-match, just to pump myself up." However, McEnroe wants players to be forced to take in the moment and the atmosphere by having headphones banned when stepping out for a Wimbledon final. The no-nonsense BBC pundit, 66, said: "They shouldn't allow them to wear AirPods or headphones because you have got to get them to enjoy this instead of playing some music. CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS "Come on now, ladies!" But despite McEnroe's protestations, it clearly did the trick for Swiatek. Princess Kate beams as she hands over Wimbledon trophy to women's final winner & then consoles runner-up after thrashing She raced to a stunning 6-0 6-0 victory in just 57 minutes. It was the first double-bagel Wimbledon ladies' singles final for 114 YEARS. Swiatek picked up a £3million prize cheque for her brutal battering - which worked out as more than £52,000 per minute of the final. Anisimova was allowed to go off court after match point to recompose herself. She then sobbed into the microphone as the understandable emotion of the occasion took over. 6 WIMBLEDON 2025 LIVE - FOLLOW ALL THE LATEST SCORES AND UPDATES FROM A THRILLING FORTNIGHT AT SW19 Unstoppable Swiatek said: 'It seems super surreal. 'I want to congratulate Amanda for an amazing two weeks. No matter what happened, you should be proud of the work you are doing. 'I hope we are going to play many more finals and in other tournaments. You have the game for that. 'For me, this was way too far to dream about. I feel like I'm already an experienced player after winning the Slams before. But I never expected this one. My team believed in me more than I did. 'This tournament is unique. And I was anxious of that. 'Walking around here, being on Centre Court felt like a huge pressure. This year I really enjoyed it and improved my game. 'I will always remember the opening of champagne bottles in-between serves – a sound that will keep me up at night. I will enjoy these moments.' 6 Swiatek made the walk along the corridor wearing headphones Credit: BBC 6 She revealed she likes to listen to classic rock before going on court Credit: BBC
Scottish Sun
10-07-2025
- Scottish Sun
‘It's ridiculous' – Inside ‘special' BBC commentary box on Wimbledon's Centre Court where McEnroe and Henman squeeze in
THE BBC TV Wimbledon commentary box on Centre Court may only be a couple of square metres in size. But Nick Mullins insists sitting in the 'best seat in the house in the world' as he calls the biggest matches in tennis just a few feet away from the players is like 'dying and going to heaven'. 11 The BBC TV commentary box on Centre Court has the perfect view Credit: SunSport 11 The tiny room has just enough space for three commentators Credit: SunSport 11 The booth is in the north-west corner of the stadium Credit: REUTERS 11 Nick Mullins described the seat as the 'best in the world' Credit: SunSport The likes of Mullins, Andrew Cotter and Andrew Castle provide the lead commentary for the BBC during Wimbledon. And they do so in a tiny booth in the north-west corner of one of sport's greatest arenas, measuring barely 5m wide and 2m deep. Talking to SunSport from that very position, Mullins, 59, said: 'We're lucky enough covering sport all around the world to sit in some of the best seats in the house but this is the best seat in the house in the world. 'It's just ridiculous. There is something special about any commentary box but specifically about this commentary box on Centre Court. 'When there are 15,000 people in here like there were for Emma Raducanu on Friday night, the place is in full sail and you're sitting watching it with Tracy Austin you've just died and gone to heaven. 'It's as good as commentating gets. There's nothing like it. 'The challenge of working in a place like this is because it is so magical and magnificent, you want to gabble all the time about how magical and magnificent it is. 'But the trick with television commentary is to know when to shut up and that's always the formula that you've got to get right - never easy when you're sitting somewhere as beautiful as this.' CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS Asked whether the view is almost too good because being so close to the court could make it hard to see the far end, Mullins is having none of it. He replied: 'No! I wouldn't swap this for any other. 'Ruthless US star' Ben Shelton slams 'garbage and terrible' part of Wimbledon which leaves British fans fuming 'In most commentary boxes around the world you're higher up. 'In the sport that I work in most of all, rugby union, you're looking down on the players. 'But here you're eye level so you'll have Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz walking this way to towel down and get balls. 'Very often you'll see them looking into the box so you do feel a connection with the players that you don't really feel with any other sport because you're part of it. 'I find this from a commentary point of view the perfect spot.' But it not just the sight that takes the breath away - but the sounds, also. 11 WIMBLEDON 2025 LIVE - FOLLOW ALL THE LATEST SCORES AND UPDATES FROM A THRILLING FORTNIGHT AT SW19 And Mullins himself has to deal with a host of different channels, including his director, statiticians, the live BBC TV feed and, of course, his co-commentators, including John McEnroe, Tim Henman and Tracy Austin. Mullins - who covered the five-hour-29-minute French Open final classic without going to the toilet - added: 'When Ben Shelton serves one down at 150mph and it thuds against the front of the commentary box you hear it and it's as good as it gets. 'When it sounds like we're not making much sense on the television it might be because we're also hearing seven voices in our head at the same time. 'Effects is actually the most important feed in your ears as a commentator, it is the crowd effects and I have that turned up quite high. 'It makes me talk to you like we would do sitting outside. You don't want it to sound like you're in a library. 'You've got to be able to roll with that sound and to have the noise of the crowd in your head is probably the most important thing.' 11 Emma Raducanu had Centre Court on its feet at times against Aryna Sabalenka Credit: EPA 11 Mullins prepares handwritten notes for all matches including these for Raducanu vs Sabalenka Credit: SunSport Mullins works across various sports and various broadcasters. But while rugby has 40 minutes of action then a long break for analysis, tennis has brief 60-90 second changeovers to take stock. On most channels, there are TV commercial breaks. But not so on the BBC, which means Mullins must adapt for Wimbledon. He added: 'You do approach it differently. When I was doing Roland Garros for ITV and TNT, we do have the ad breaks. 'So I know I have to gently drop the stats and analysis in during the game because I don't have time when we go to the ad while also balancing the fact that I don't want to over-talk. 'Here, I know that I could go up a whole game without saying anything. 'So actually it is a completely different discipline.' But what else goes into preparing for a tennis commentary? Mullins dug out his full A4 page of handwritten notes from the Raducanu match with Aryna Sabalenka. He explained: 'The rota comes out at 11pm the night before but prep is a year-round thing as I'm watching tennis all the time. 'I'll re-watch press conferences, re-watch their previous match, work out what their wife, girlfriend, husband, mum, dad look like. 'I keep all my notes just because they're brilliant things to look back on and there'll be bits that are applicable to the next match. 'The key to prep is not trying to be too clever.' 11 Mullins commentated on Ben Shelton's quarter-final, which was watched by the American's girlfriend Trinity Rodman and sister Emma Credit: AP 11 The BBC do not cut to advert breaks at the changeovers Credit: AP 11 The media press seats for journalists are directly above the BBC commentary box Credit: SunSport
Scottish Sun
08-07-2025
- Scottish Sun
‘Welcome back' – England cricket legends awkwardly shuffle back into Wimbledon Royal Box at bad time
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) JOE ROOT and Jimmy Anderson were caught on BBC TV awkwardly shuffling back into the Wimbledon Royal Box. But it inadvertently came at a very bad time. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 8 Joe Root and Jimmy Anderson almost got caught out on BBC TV Credit: BBC Sport 8 Root was chatting to Leon Smith in the Royal Box Credit: BBC Sport 8 The cricketers shuffled back to their seat in the Wimbledon posh seats Credit: BBC Sport 8 Root and Anderson could not resist a wry smile Credit: BBC Sport The England cricket legends were among the prestigious guests at the All England Club on Monday. Roger Federer, Lenny Henry, Gabby Logan, Michael MacIntyre and Princess Kate's parents also had special invitations for Day Eight of the Championships. They saw Novak Djokovic, Mirra Andreeva and Jannik Sinner book their spots in the quarter-finals. Root and Anderson - alongside their wives Carrie and Daniella - were picked up on camera returning to their seats during Sinner's match with Grigor Dimitrov. READ MORE ON WIMBLEDON GRIGOR AGONY Dimitrov breaks down on court & forced to retire injured while BEATING Sinner The match had been halted controversially at the end of the second set at around 8.30pm to close the roof due to fading light. And that gave those in the VIP area a chance to nip out. But as they returned at the 2-1 changeover, Root and Anderson cut it fine by scrambling back to their seats after the umpire called "time". BBC commentator Andrew Cotter said: "Leon Smith [LTA Head of Men's tennis] having a chat with Joe Root and Jimmy Anderson. CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS "Two great cricketers in here." Cotter then cheekily added: "Welcome back," as they took their seats with a smirk moments before play continued. Grigor Dimitrov breaks down in tears after horror Wimbledon injury and forced to retire vs Sinner 8 WIMBLEDON 2025 LIVE - FOLLOW ALL THE LATEST SCORES AND UPDATES FROM A THRILLING FORTNIGHT AT SW19 However, they saw just one more game of tennis. That is because, as Dimitrov aced Sinner to wrap up the hold for 2-2 in the third set, having won the first two, he collapsed to the court in agony after seemingly tearing a pectoral muscle. The veteran burst into tears and after briefly going off court, returned to shake hands and retire in heartbreaking scenes. It means the Bulgarian has retired from five Grand Slams in a row dating back to Wimbledon 2024. Sinner, who had his own injury scare with an elbow problem after a fall early on, will play Ben Shelton for a place in the semis on Wednesday. 8 Root and his wife Carrie were all smiles together Credit: EPA 8 Root and Anderson had the chance to meet Roger Federer Credit: Getty
