Juho Rantala

[Simon BTFC]

This made me laugh -taken from the Evening Echo site...<p>Soccer: Fin Juho swaps Bulgarian nightmare for Billericay<p>Brought to you by the Evening Echo<p>A sinister encounter with two pistol-packing Bulgarian heavies has made Juho Rantala appreciate his move to Billericay Town all the more. <p>The Finnish defender has been impressed with the friendliness of fans, staff and players since signing a one-year contract at New Lodge last month. <p>But he could hardly go wrong after his experiences at one of his previous trials in eastern Europe. <p>Juho, 27, remembered: "My agent got me a trial with Bulgarian Premier Division side call Beroe and they paid for my air tickets so I agreed. <p>"I was picked up at the airport by two guys who looked like a couple of crooks and we ended up driving off at about 100mph and were tailed by the police. <p>"Eventually a policeman stopped us and the driver got out. It was only then that I noticed the two men were carrying Smith & Wessons and had a large plastic bag full of money. <p>"I just thought to myself: `What am I doing here?' <p>"I eventually stayed for a week and they offered me a contract but I declined. I just wondered what would happen if I was playing badly!" <p>Billericay Town's management trio of Gary Calder, Chris Snowsill and George Borg may read the riot act at half-time, but it's safe to assume Juho has less reason to worry about his health at New Lodge than in Bulgaria. <p>Juho has been generally impressed with ambitious Town's set-up and had no hesitation in signing and moving to England with his girlfriend Anna, who has secured a job at a bank in London. <p>He said: "I feel really at home here. I have heard how ambitious the club is and they really want to go forward with a £6m new stadium. <p>"Billericay also have really good players, fans and coaches. In Finland you play just for yourself and the team, but in England you don't want to let the fans down. <p>"Billericay fans love their club and six hundred supporters at New Lodge make much more noise than a thousand fans would do in Finland. I really want to do well for them." <p>Juho added: "My goal while I am here is to help Billericay go up to the Nationwide Conference, although that will be difficult with just one team going up from the Ryman Premier each year. <p>"However, I think that's a realistic aim if the club is ambitious as they have told me."

[GazzaBTFC]

Hey, so what was so funny?<p>We're a great little team with great players. A management team that is forward thinking and pro active.<p>This season? We were just unlucky, thats all!!!<p>This player, Juho, well, he couldn't have made a better move. He'll be the supporters club player of the season, next season.

[Simon BTFC]

I was referring to the bit about the bulgarian gangsters <img src="graemlins/icon19.gif" border="0" alt="[icon19]" /> perhaps a motivational technique for Calder to try out? <p>Hopefully there'll be a lot of competition for the POY next year!

[BTFC Norway]

I think this guy is a very strong candidate for getting sponsored by the norwegian supporters club next season!<p>Per-Helge

[Simon BTFC]

According to GC, Juho hasn't been fully fit whilst playing for us and he reckons we've yet to see the best of him!

[Guest]

Is he gone? If yes where did he go?

[Guest]

He has gone - yes. But don't know where. He took the club to the FA when they refused to pay him for missing a training session. Then he left.

[Guest]

Quote:

This made me laugh -taken from the Evening Echo site...

Soccer: Fin Juho swaps Bulgarian nightmare for Billericay

Haha. It should have been

"Fin Juho swaps Bulgarian nightmare for Billericay nightmare"

[Guest]

we should have kept him especially now when moore is gone.