Kevin Lisbie is probably best remembered for being part of Charlton Athletic's Premier League adventures in the early 2000s. The striker's memorable hat-trick against Liverpool is still talked about in South-East London today.
However, two decades on from his exploits in the top flight, Lisbie is now firmly in a mentoring role as he watches his son Kyrell pave his own football career with National League Braintree Town.
Lisbie junior made the step up from Isthmian League Premier League Cray Valley in the summer, a level that his father wasn't even sure he was ready for. Yet, it's proof of Kyrell's appetite to succeed, one that Kevin saw firsthand when his son was released by Leyton Orient's academy.
Speaking on the latest episode of DAZN's National League Vodcast, the elder Lisbie told host Aaron McLean how he had to see if the desire was there from his son at a crucial point in his fledging football career.
YouTube
"They were at Leighton Orient, and it wasn't then," Lisbie said when asked if he could see Kyrell and his brother's talent early on.
"No, no, no. The Hunger, desire, and all of the things you needed to be a footballer, not talent-wise, but there were a lot of things missing, and I sort of questioned whether or not they really wanted it or if they were doing it because of me.
"So then I sort of have to start figuring that out in my head. I'm watching them play and I remember they were playing a game once and some guy came up to me and he was like, 'Oh, that number seven is lazy'. And it was one of my boys. And so I brought him back home after and I said, I don't ever want to hear that from anyone about us because that's not how we are.
"Then, obviously, they both got released. Them getting released was probably the best thing that's ever happened to them. It's a story that I tell and they won't like.
"So they didn't train at a ground. So I then booked the pitch when they got released at the ground. So, they (Orient) finished at 7.30. So I booked the pitch for 7.30. And as they're walking off, we're walking on.
"Obviously, they've seen all their teammates, their ex-teammates, and it's just lighting a fire underneath them.
"As we're walking on, they're walking off , you could see the disappointment. And I'm like if you want it bad enough, this is the place you're going to have to earn it.
"And they proved me wrong, I could see they didn't want to do it.
"But there was something inside of them that said they had to do it to prove to everyone. And I think it was more that proved to everyone that we were good enough."
Catch a new episode of DAZN's National League Vodcast every week on Tuesdays from 6pm GMT.
Watch for free on the DAZN platform here or YouTube here , or subscribe via your regular podcast provider.
How to watch National League football on DAZN
Football fans worldwide can watch the 2024-25 National League season with a National League TV DAZN subscription.
Every game in the National League, and selected matches in National League North and National League South, is available on DAZN. That's over 600 games to watch live or on demand catch-up, all in one place.
NLTV on DAZN is available on any device, including Smart TV’s, mobile devices, tablets, streaming devices, games consoles, and, for viewers in the UK, your Sky box.
For more information and to sign up, head here now.
What else do you get with a DAZN account?
Having a DAZN account also gets you access to action across the UEFA Women's Champions League, NFL, PDC Darts, LIV Golf, Super League Basketball and Saudi Pro League*.
Free TV Channels include Matchroom Boxing, PGA Tour, PDC Darts, PowerSports World, Billiard TV and Padel Time TV*.
*Sports and Channels available dependant on country of residence
How much does it cost to watch the National League?
Watching the National League on DAZN comes with plenty of flexible options.
This includes a weekly pass, if you just want to watch certain key matches. Or monthly and annual subscriptions to get access to all 600 games across the three divisions.
| Plan | What is included | Price |
| Weekly Pass |
| £9.99 |
| Monthly Flex |
| £24.99 per month |
|
Annual (pay upfront) |
| £189.99 one-off annual payment |
| Annual (pay monthly) |
| £18.99 per month |