"Thank you" notes

Dear Rebecca

Just a little note to say thank you for all of your help and support whilst planning my 30^th birthday party, and also the night.

Many of my guests commented on how nice the Lincoln Suite is and also that the food was very good too.

Please pass on my thanks to all of your staff for helping my party run so smoothly.

With many thanks

Katie

Dear Rebecca,

Just a quick note to say thank you for making Lauren's christening such a great day. Your staff were very helpful and everybody enjoyed themselves so thank you again.

Anita

PAST EVENTS

SPORTSMANS EVENING

matt lE tissier

Friday 28th October 2011

Matthew Le Tissier is a retired English football player who was born on the island of Guernsey in 1968. He was a talented young player who played youth football to a high level. During his professional career he was best known for playing for Southampton and was one of their most popular players ever. In actual fact, he is considered by many to be the best player to have ever worn the famous red and white stripes! Matt also had a brief spell at the non-league side Eastleigh along with representing England at international level.

Club Career

Matt signed for Southampton in 1985 (he played his first game in 1986) and he remained at the club until 2002. During this lengthy stint he proved to be a dedicated and committed player. Fiercely loyal to his club, he was recognised for his technical ability and achievements - particularly that of scoring spectacular goals! During the 1989-1990 season he was voted PFA 'Player of the Year' and was one of the league's top goal scorers. His top scoring season was that of 1993-1994 when he scored an impressive thirty goals.The following season he was awarded with the coveted 'Match of the Day Goal of the Season'. In 2000 Matt scored a penalty taking his tally of Premiership goals to one hundred, thus becoming one of only a small handful of players to do so. What makes this even more special is that he was the first midfielder to reach this target! His goals were often unexpected and earned him the nickname 'Le God' by his loyal fans. He also had a reputation for never missing penalties - scoring an amazing forty-nine out of fifty that he took for Southampton! He scored a total of two hundred and nine goals for his club and there was hardly a dry eye in the house when he played his testimonial match at St Mary's in 2002.

International Career

Interestingly, as Matt had been born on the Channel Islands, he was eligible to play for any of the home nation teams. He chose to play for England and gained eight caps between the years of 1994-1997. 

Post Football

A much loved and popular player for Southampton, Matt has been honoured in a number of ways by the city. He has received the freedom of the city along with having one of the hospitality suites at St Mary's Stadium named after him.

Matt signed for Southampton in 1985 (he played his first game in 1986) and he remained at the club until 2002. During this lengthy stint he proved to be a dedicated and committed player. During the 1989-1990 season he was voted PFA 'Player of the Year' and was one of the league's top goal scorers. His top scoring season was that of 1993-1994 when he scored an impressive thirty goals.

SPORTSMANS EVENING

LEE SHARPE

Friday 24th June 2011

Professional football careerAn Aston Villa supporter, Sharpe began his career at Torquay United. However, in his first season with them, after only 16 games, Manchester United noted his potential and swooped to sign him in June 1988 for £200,000, a record fee at the time for a YTS player. 

Sharpe made his debut for Manchester United on 24 September 1988 as a substitute in a 2–0 win over West Ham United in the Football League First Division. His first team chances increased in November with the departure of the club's first choice left winger Jesper Olsen, and were further enhanced when new signing Ralph Milne failed to live up to expectations. Sharpe ended the 1988–89 season with 22 league appearances to his name, although he failed to score and United finished a disappointing 11th in the league a year after finishing second. He played 30 games in all competitions that season.

The following season, Sharpe found the net for the first time in a United shirt, scoring in the 5–1 home win over Millwall on 16 September 1989. He managed 18 appearances in the league that season (and 20 in all competitions), but failed to make the squad for the FA Cup final which United won 1–0 against Crystal Palace in a replay after drawing 3–3 in the first match. Alex Ferguson had chosen new signing Danny Wallace as his first choice left winger for the 1989–90 season.

He played a key part in United's success in the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1990–91 scoring with a left foot pile-driver into the top corner in the home leg of the semi-final against Legia Warsaw (1–1). He also famously scored a hat-trick against Arsenal at Highbury in the League Cup fourth round on 28 November 1990. United eventually won the game 6–2. Sharpe himself cites this as one of the best memories in his footballing career.[citation needed] He was now United's first choice left winger ahead of Danny Wallace, although a new rival for the left wing position was emerging in the shape of highly promising 17-year-old Ryan Giggs.

Having established himself as a left winger, Sharpe earned a call up to the England squad, although he was unable to replace John Barnes as first choice left winger. Unfortunately, he was then out of the game for long periods of time through injury and illness (he suffered from viral meningitis in the autumn of 1992) and when his fitness recovered, the form of Ryan Giggs meant he had normally to play out of position at left back (by now the preferred position for Denis Irwin) or on the right wing, competing for a place with Andrei Kanchelskis who had arrived in March 1991. Sharpe is well remembered for his memorable goal against Barcelona during the 2–2 draw in the 1994–1995 Champions League season's group stage, when he spectacularly back-heeled a cross from Roy Keane into the corner of the net. He also got an assist in this game, crossing for Mark Hughes' opening header.

1994–95 was a difficult season for United, with many players out for significant periods due to injury. Sharpe was one of them, as he missed a string of mid season games due to a fractured ankle, though he had more opportunities to play on the left wing as Ryan Giggs missed a quarter of the campaign due to injuries, and most of Sharpe's appearances came as a left back as the regular player in that position, Denis Irwin, spent most of the campaign playing on the right side of defence left vacant by a long absence by Paul Parker, though Irwin was back at left back towards the end of the season following the emergence of right-back Gary Neville. United ended the season without a major trophy, finishing second to Blackburn Rovers in the Premier League as they failed to manage anything better than a 1–1 draw at West Ham on the final day of the season, and losing 1–0 to Everton in the FA Cup final.

By the start of the 1995–96, Andrei Kanchelskis had been sold to Everton and it seemed possible that Sharpe could establish himself as United's right winger – particularly when he scored twice for United in their 3–2 win over Everton on 9 September 1995.

With Ryan Giggs returning to fitness on the left wing, and Denis Irwin returning to left back following the emergence of Gary Neville as the club's regular right back, the right hand side of midfield seemed Sharpe's best opportunity of regular first team action. However, 20-year-old David Beckham made the first team breakthrough that season and left Sharpe with nothing like a guaranteed place in the first eleven, though he was selected in the squad for all but eight competitive games that season, during which United became the first English team to win the double twice. He still took to the field in 31 out of 38 Premier League games, scoring four goals. His first goal of the season came at Blackburn Rovers on 28 August, as a relatively strong United side recorded their third successive league win after being beaten by Aston Villa on the opening day. In their next game at Everton on 9 September, Sharpe scored twice as United achieved an impressive 3–2 win. His next (and final) league goal for United came on 10 February 1996 when he scored the only goal of the game against Blackburn Rovers, as United kept up the pressure on leaders Newcastle who had been 10 points ahead at Christmas. Sharpe also managed two FA Cup goals that season, the winner against Manchester City in the fifth round at Old Trafford on 18 February, and the second in the last minute of a 2–0 home win over Southampton in the quarter finals on 11 March. He was selected as a substitute in the 1–0 FA Cup final win over Liverpool on 11 May, but did not come onto the pitch, though he still picked up his second FA Cup winner's medal, which was ultimately the last major trophy of his career just before his 25th birthday. In total he played 265 games for Manchester United over eight years, scoring 36 goals.

Despite his injury history, Leeds United signed him for £4.5 million in the summer of 1996, making him their record signing. Again his time at Leeds was beset by further injuries. He made 26 Premiership appearances in 1996–97, scoring five goals, but a pre-season knee injury ruled him out for the entire 1997–98 season and he was unable to regain his place in the team on recovery.

In the autumn of 1998, he was loaned to Italian Serie A strugglers Sampdoria, but soon fell out of favour and in the New Year he returned to England. He signed on loan for Bradford City in March 1999 and he helped in securing the club's promotion to the Premiership after 77 years outside the top division. He joined Bradford in a £250,000 deal during the summer and helped preserve the club's Premiership status in 1999–2000. In 2000–01, Sharpe lost his place in the Bradford team and just before Christmas went on loan to Division One Portsmouth. He returned to Bradford during the 2001–02 season but when his contract expired at the end of the season he was given a free transfer. Following a brief trial stay with Grimsby Town he signed for Exeter City before he moved to Grindavík in Iceland. In June 2003 he announced his retirement from professional football at the age of 32. Just before this, he was rumoured to be on the verge of taking over as player-manager at Bury in Division Three.

SPORTSMANS EVENING

Friday 18th March 2011

David Johnson was already a well-known striker scoring 46 goals in 187 league matches for Everton and Ipswich before going to Liverpool. He actually scored as a 20 year old against Liverpool in the Goodison 'derby' on 13th November 1971, a feat he would also repeat for Liverpool at Goodison in 1980. Although picked from the start for the first 8 First Division fixtures of 1976-77, many of David's 26 league appearances that year were from the substitute's bench but he still easily qualified for the first of his three league championship medals. David scored in the final league match of the season, away to Bristol City, and that was enough to earn him a place in the FA cup final team to meet Manchester United. But he was substituted by Ian Callaghan during the final and 'Cally' kept his place for the European cup final in Rome four days later. Injured for much of the next season, Johnson again missed out on a European medal in 1978 but finally achieved his dream by being part of the side that lifted the trophy for the third time at the Parc des Princes, Paris in 1981.

Johnson finally managed to establish himself in the 1978-79 season, followed by his best season scoring 27 goals in 1979-80, forming a powerful partnership with Dalglish. That form earned him 8 England caps and he scored twice in a 3-1 win against world champions Argentina at Wembley in 1980. Ian Rush's emergence in 1981 relegated Johnson to the bench and he re-signed for his first club Everton in August 1982.

Ian Snodin is an almost unique figure in modern football insomuch as he declined an invitation which few receive and virtually no one declines when he turned down the chance to join Liverpool in January 1987. Having established himself an an aggressiv e, yet thoughtful, midfielder in a struggling Leeds United side during the mid-eighties, Snodin was pursued by several leading clubs but only two - Everton and Liverpool - were willing to meet an asking price of 840,000 pounds. Having agreed personal term s with Kenny Dalglish, Snodin was expected to move to Anfield but an eleventh-hour intervention by Howard Kendall proved to be decisive and within a matter of hours he had pledged his future to Everton. Although his never-say-die attitude was warmly recei ved by the Goodison public it was not until Snodin was pressed into service as an emergency right-back that he truly began to flourish. His transformation from midfielder to defender was accomplished with such speed and in such style that he was called up into the full England squad for a friendly international in Greece in February 1989. Unfortunately, Snodin was forced to withdraw because of injury and his problems were compounded a matter of only a few weeks later when he was carried off during a game against Sheffield Wednesday with a serious hamstring problem. Despite lengthy periods of rest and several operations, Snodin struggled to regain his fitness and spent the whole of the 1991-92 season convalescing.

John Stiles  was born in Manchester in 1964. John Stiles spent 5 years as a professional footballer with Leeds United. John, however will always be known as a son of Nobby. His father of course is 1966 World Cup Winning hero and former Man Utd legend Nobby Stiles.

Once his football career was over, finishing with Doncaster Rovers John then moved into the football agency industry, including working for the same Management Company that looked after  the SPICE GIRLS.

John then progressed onto the 'After Dinner' Speaker circuit and can also compere and (MC) Master of Ceremonies which then developed into him turning to the world of comedy where he has now established himself as one of the most popular acts on the circuit. John also prides himself on the fact that his act is very original and funny with a great emphasis on voices and impressions which sets him apart.

CHRIS KAMARA sportsmans evening

Friday 26th November 2010

Chris is a former professional footballer who played for 11 teams during his career, including being part of the 1989/90 Championship-winning Leeds squad under Howard Wilkinson.

Once retired from playing with his last team, Bradford City, he became Manager with the Bantams.

It was during his two-year management stint that the team was promoted into the First Division for 1995/96 and it was Chris who assembled most of the team that moved up again, into the Premiership.

Chris began commentating in 1996 while he was still a manager, working for Sky Sports, Yorkshire TV, and for Radio 5.

After finishing in football management Chris initially enjoyed a dual role of commentator/presenter when he linked up with Rob Hawthorne on Friday evenings for live Nationwide football and Rob McCaffrey on Sundays for a show called Soccer Extra.

For the 2001-2002 season, Chris again teamed up with Rob McCaffrey to review the previous day's top-flight action in England and Scotland with informed studio guests in a new look show called Goals on Sunday.

Chris also continues to offer his unique live opinions on Gillette Soccer Saturday where he reports on matches, live from the gantry at Premiership matches.

Chris can also be seen most Saturday mornings on Soccer AM.

Chris' popularity has risen thanks to his appearances on Soccer Saturday where during one show he missed the sending off of Portsmouth's Anthony Vanden Borre. The video has gone on to be a Youtube sensation!

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DEAN SAUNDERS SPORTSMANS EVENING

Friday 4th June 2010

                        Paul Logan, Dean Saunders and Brian Logan

 
Dean Saunders had long been admired by football fans for his exploits with Derby and Liverpool fans saw him as a big signing when he arrived along with Mark Wright from Derby.

Saunders was out of the game for nearly two years when he started his career at Swansea and was on his way on a free transfer to Australia when the Brighton manager spotted him in a reserve game. He scored 23 goals in his first season at Brighton. First division Oxford bought him the following season in March 1987 for 60,000 pounds as Brighton were struggling for money. Former Liverpool favourite, Mark Lawrenson, was manager at the time with Robert Maxwell as his boss. After scoring 33 goals in 73 games Saunders was sold against the wishes of Lawrenson to Derby in October 1988 and Lawro resigned. Saunders scored a decent enough 57 goals in 131 games for Derby, which Robert Maxwell owned as well.

Son of former Liverpool wing-half, Roy, Dean played in a struggling Liverpool side, whose passing game didn't suit him at all. He was used to Derby's counter-attacking style, scoring many of his Derby goals by using his exceptional pace. A cash-flow problem was said to be the reason he was sold off after only one full season at Liverpool. Souness was left to suffer at the hands of Deano only 9 days after his departure from Liverpool, when he scored two goals in a 4-2 Villa victory.

Dean was reunited with Graeme Souness when the pair spent the 1995-96 season together with Galatasaray in Turkey. For Saunders it was a fairly successful season and 15 goals from 27 Turkish League matches must have helped him secure a contract with Nottingham Forest in 1996. But he spent only one season at The City Ground then had a similarly short spell with Sheffield United before he again moved abroad in 1998, this time to Benfica in Portugal where once again his manager was Souness. Dean returned to England after a single season based in Lisbon and joined Bradford City, spending two seasons with them before retiring as a player shortly before his 37th birthday.

Following his retirement as a player, Dean Saunders became a coach at Bradford before again linking up with Graeme Souness not once but twice ... at first Blackburn Rovers then Newcastle United. But when Newcastle sacked Souness early in 2006, Saunders lost his job as well. In the following year he began taking the Certificate in Football Management course run by the University of Warwick; and this led to him being granted his UEFA Pro Licence coaching badge, a qualification that allowed him to be appointed as Assistant Manager to John Toshack with the Welsh national team.

In October 2008 Saunders replaced Brian Little as manager of Wrexham, with the club from north Wales now in the Conference following their relegation from the Football League earlier in the year. The responsibility of being a football club manager did not prevent Saunders from retaining his position with the national team. Although Wrexham's results were very poor towards the end of the 2008-09 season, early in August 2009 the club announced that Dean Saunders had signed "a new one-year rolling contract at the Racecourse".

Barry Fry Sportsmans Evening

Friday 5th March 2010

                        Brian Logan, Barry Fry and Paul Logan

Barry Fry was born on April 7, 1945. He has been an football manager and is currently Chairman of Peterborough United FC. A former Manchester United apprentice as a winger (his playing career involved brief spells with Bolton, Luton and Leyton Orient), who retired prematurely due to injury. He has managed Dunstable Town F.C., Bedford Town F.C., Maidstone United F.C., Southend United F.C., Barnet, Birmingham City and Peterborough United.

In 1973, Dunstable Town received the financial backing of Keith Cheesman. He hired a young Barry Fry as manager, and gave him money to build up a strong team; indeed in his autobiography, Fry claims that he was often given blank, signed cheques. Of note, both Jeff Astle and George Best were brought in to play for the team (Best only actually playing three competitive games). Fry was later dismissed by Cheeseman's successor, Billy Kitt, after a poor performance in the Southern League.

In 1979 Barry became Barnet manager for the first of two management spells covering almost 13 seasons. In his first spell, Barnet maintained a mid-table position in the Alliance League for 6 seasons before Barry left in December 1985 to manage Maidstone. He returned to Barnet in August 1986 for a further 7 seasons. Three times runners-up in the GM Vauxhall Conference, Barry achieved his first managerial success as Champions in 1990/91. Two years later he guided them towards the new Division Two (leaving two months before the end of the season to manage Southend) despite being sacked eight times and reinstated each time by controversial chairman Stan Flashman, as well as being in charge of a club which was in a precarious financial state and under threat of expulsion from the Football League.

At Birmingham City, he won the Division Two championship in 1995. During the 1995-96 season, Fry guided the Blues to the semi-finals of the League Cup but was sacked after their mid-season promotion hopes faded and the club finished 15th in Division One.

Just after leaving Birmingham, Fry became chairman-manager of Peterborough United. They were relegated to Division Three in his first season at the helm but they regained their Division Two status three years later. Fry's nine-year reign as manager came to an end in May 2005 after they were relegated again. He owns the football team (but not the stadium, although he is a director of the Holding Company which owns it) and was the Chairman for the 2005-2006 season. This season witnessed the departure of Mark Wright and Steve Bleasdale as first team manager. He stepped aside as Chairman on 18th September 2006, but continues have a majority shareholding, and is the current Director of Football. He described his successor as chairman, Darragh MacAnthony who now has purchased 200 shares, as "The best signing Peterborough have ever made". MacAnthony has stated his ultimate goal is to become the sole owner of the club.

Fry starred in a documentary called There's Only One Barry Fry.

The programme included some of Fry's dressing room antics, including a row with Mick Bodley and his promise to get the Posh out of the division. He did - they got relegated!

Barry is a character from the game and has some fascinating and extremely funny stories to share.

NEIL "RAZOR" RUDDOCK Sportsmans Evening

Graeme Souness signed hard man Neil ‘Razor’ Ruddock from Tottenham Hotspur in the summer of 1993 for 2.5 million to add steel to the defence. Souness saw him as the ideal partner for Mark Wright but it didn’t quite work out like that. He already had a reputation as a hard=2 0man and his Anfield debut in a Red shirt was controversial to say the least. In Ronnie Whelan’s testimonial a clash with former Red hero Peter Beardsley now playing for Newcastle, left the striker with a fractured cheekbone.

Ruddock made his Liverpool debut against Sheffield Wednesday at Anfield and set up one of the goals in a 2-0 win for Nigel Clough, then followed that up in his third game by scoring his first goal against Swindon Town.
His best moment from the 1993-94 season was scoring an equaliser in the 3-3 draw with Manchester United at Anfield, with a thumping header past Peter Schmeichel. In fact he did not know he had scored. After the game it transpired Ruddock was suffering from concussion and only realised afterwards what that goal had meant.

When Roy Evans took charge at Anfield, he used a different defensive formula with Ruddock playing as one of three centre halves and he looked more comfortable in this role.
He played his part in the club winning the Coca Cola Cup, when he played in the 2-1 win against Bolton Wanderers at Wembley.
However the following season he experienced what he called ‘his worst moment in football,’ when Roy Evans left him out of the FA Cup Final squad to face Manchester United at Wembley. His replacement was Phil Babb and Liverpool lost 1-0. They badly missed Razor’s steel and fighting spirit and Evans later admitted he had made a mistake.
 
Fighting fit and raring to go at the start of the 1996-97 season disaster struck for Ruddock when he injured his groin just before the big kick-off against Middlesbrough and the remainder of his career at Anfield was to be blighted by niggling injuries.
 
Ruddock’s final game for Liverpool was a disappointing affair as Liverpool lost 3-0 to Strasbourg in the UEFA Cup.
He then moved to West Ham United before a spell with Crystal Palace.
 
Ruddock finished his playing career as player-coach assisting Roy Evans at Swindon Town.

 DAVE BASSETT SPORTSMANS EVENING

           Brian Logan, Dave Bassett and Paul Logan

Dave “Harry” Bassett is without doubt one of football's colourful characters. Affectionately known as 'Harry', he plied his trade at several clubs with considerable success including:
Wimbledon, Watford, Sheffield United, Crystal Palace, Nottingham Forest, Barnsley, Leicester City and of course previously with Saints.
 
He is probably best known for guiding Wimbledon FC to the First Division in the 1980s after taking over from Dario Gradi at Plough Lane in 1981. Considering the fact that Wimbledon had only been elected to the Football League in 1977, it was an astounding achievement.
 
Bassett formed the original 'Crazy Gang' and although he left in 1987, many of the players he had signed took The Dons to an unexpected FA Cup victory in 1988 against the great Liverpool side under Bobby Gould. 
His credentials as a hard-working and successful motivator are well-renowned.
'Harry' remains a valued, extremely committed and well-respected member of the League Managers Association.
  
He is also one of a trio on the panel that votes for the Scottish Mutual Performance of the Week, alongside Sir Alex Ferguson and Howard Wilkinson.

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RON ATKINSON SPORTSMANS EVENING

Ronald Frederick 'Big Ron' Atkinson was born on 18 March 1939 in Liverpool and is a former football player and manager. In recent years he has become one of Britain's best-known football pundits. He is perhaps most famous for his idiosyncratic turn of phrase: his utterances have become known as "Big-Ronisms" or "Ronglish", the most famous of which is the term "early doors" (English: early), which has worked its way into the English vernacular - although in recent times, he has also attracted a lot of controversy over a racist comment broadcast on a TV sports show when he believed he was off the air.
 
Atkinson did not achieve great heights in his playing career. He was originally signed by Aston Villa F.C. at the age of 17, but never played a first-team match for them and was transferred to Oxford United F.C. in 1959. He went on to make over 500 appearances as a wing-half for the club, and earned the nickname "The Tank". He was United's captain through their rise from the Southern League to the Second Division, achieved in just seven seasons.

After retiring from playing, Atkinson became manager of non-league Kettering Town F.C. in 1971. Cambridge United F.C., going on to win the then Fourth Division in 1977. At the start of 1978, Atkinson moved to manage First Division West Bromwich Albion F.C. In June 1981 he became manager at Manchester United.

The 1986/87 season opened disastrously and in November 1986 with the club fourth from bottom, Atkinson was sacked. He returned to West Brom in the Autumn of 1987 for a year and then had a high-profile move to Atletico Madrid of Spain. This spell lasted a little over three months (96 days).

He was manager of Sheffield Wednesday from February 1989 to June 1991. Although the club were relegated in 1990 to the Second Division, a year later in 1991 he guided them back to promotion. They also won the League Cup by beating Manchester United 1-0 at Wembley. He offended some Sheffield Wednesday fans by saying on 31 May that he would be staying as manager, but a week later leaving to become Aston Villa manager in 1993. However, he was sacked on 10 November 1994. After this he became, for a spell, director of football at Coventry City 

His last managerial job came with Nottingham Forest F.C., who he briefly managed in 1999, fairly unsuccessfully, once climbing into the wrong dug-out and saying he thought Dennis Bergkamp was in the Forest squad.

Atkinson was already working as a pundit for ITV and after leaving management he continued in this role. For a number of years he covered most of the channel's live matches, sometimes as a studio pundit, but more often as the "ex-football insider" member of a two-man commentary team. This exposure led to "Ronglish" becoming known to a wider audience. With his permanent suntan and taste for chunky, gaudy jewellery, he was often portrayed as a loveable buffoon in the UK media.

JOHN BARNES SPORTSMANS EVENING

Brian Logan,, John Barnes and Paul Logan

Alan Ball was, for many, man of the match, in the World Cup Final against West Germany. He was full of running, and it was his right-wing cross 10 minutes into extra time that led to the most controversial goal in World Cup history.

Ball started his career with Blackpool before moving to Everton in August 1966 for a British record transfer fee of £110,000. The red-haired Ball had a tenacious temperament and was part of the midfield trio, with Howard Kendall and Colin Harvey, that helped Everton to the League championship in 1969-70. Eighteen months later, Ball was sold to Arsenal for £220,000.

His departure came as a major surprise to Everton fans. Only nine months earlier the manager Harry Catterick, who valed Ball at £1m, said that he would not sell him.

Ball, who had a penchant for white boots, combined a fierce determination to win with a fine touch on the ball and an ability to find the net in important games. He spent five years at Arsenal before joining Southampton where he had two spells, interrupted by a brief period in North American soccer, before finishing his playing career at Bristol Rovers in 1983.

Bruce Grobbelaar was born in South Africa in 1957. He made his Liverpool debut in 1981 and completed more than 600 appearances for the Anfield club in 13 years, winning six League titles, a European Cup and the FA Cup and League Cup three times. Since retiring in 1999, he has coached in South Africa and Zimbabwe

.

Gordon Banks was one of the greatest goalkeepers of his or any other generation and he will forever be remembered for his heroic part in England’s triumphant 1966 World Cup campaign that culminated in the famous 4-2 victory over West Germany at Wembley in the final.

Four years later, he was still England’s number one as they headed to Mexico to defend their World Cup crown and produced the competition’s most iconic moment when he spectacularly kept out Pele’s header in the clash with Brazil in Guadalajara, a breathtaking effort which became known as the ‘Save of the Century’.

Sir Henry Cooper was the only man ever to win three Lonsdale belts, each awarded for three successful defences of the British heavyweight title he held for 12 years. His embodiment of the virtues of courage and modesty endeared him to millions of fellow Englishmen as “Our ’Enery”

His most celebrated fight took place before a crowd of 35,000 at Wembley in June 1963. Cassius Clay, not yet world champion, had predicted he would win inside five rounds. Cooper had acquired a reputation for cutting easily, and when blood appeared around his eye in the third round, Clay’s bragging seemed justified.

But the American had seriously underestimated Cooper. At the end of the next round he caught Clay with his celebrated left hook. It was the first time Clay had ever been knocked down and he was only saved by the bell. His canny trainer, Angelo Dundee, made the most of a split in one of Clay’s gloves, giving him time to recover. When he emerged he was able to pepper Cooper’s eye with the torn glove, and as blood poured down Cooper’s face the referee ended the fight.

Dennis Taylor has always been a powerful force in world snooker beating legendary names throughout his career, remaining in the Top 16 World Rankings for over 20 years. He is highly respected by his fellow professionals and peers and is now certainly one of the most recognizable faces within snooker.

Though Dennis Taylor has won many titles in his career, he will be remembered most for his 1985 Embassy World Championship victory. A record 18.5 million people tuned in to watch the conclusion of the match after midnight on BBC television. This famous victory catapulted Dennis Taylor into the public eye, appearing on Wogan 3 times in one year as well as the Kenny Everett Show and numerous other chat shows on primetime television.

It was at Wembley that Nobby Stiles saw a footballer's ultimate dream come true.

Not just for country, but for club too.

When I was young, my father said, 'If you ever play at Wembley, as soon as you hit the light, just look around'

Again Wembley was the venue when, two years later, Stiles and the rest of the Manchester United team took apart Portugese team Benfica 4-1 after extra time in the final of the European Cup.

Stiles put the secret of his success down to some simple advice from his father about coming out of the tunnel.

"When I was young, my father said: 'If you ever play at Wembley, as soon as you hit the light, just look around.'"

Stiles' father may have been an undertaker and not a footballer, but he swears it was good advice.

John Conteh was born in Toxteth, Liverpool, to a Sierra Leone father and an Anglo-Irish mother. Frequently in trouble as a teenager, his father steered him towards boxing.

On March 13th 1973, at the age of just 21, he won the European light heavy-weight title. He went on to win a string of titles including the WBC Light heavyweight title.

Frank Worthington was one of the most skillful footballers to grace English football. He began his career with Huddersfield in 1966 and helped the club secure promotion to the First Division in 1969-70. He moved on to Leicester in 1972, where he spent five successful years, before he was reunited with his former Huddersfield boss Ian Greaves at Bolton.

His spectacular goals propelled Bolton into the top-flight, where he won the Golden Boot in 1979 and the hearts of Trotters fans, who warmed to his maverick spirit. Notorious for his love of the high life, his weakness for late nights and fast women took its toll on an itinerant career, which involved a total of 15 clubs over his 23 years as a professional footballer.

Steve Collins began his professional career in America, and lost two world title fights

on points. It was not until Collins reached his 30's that he fulfilled his potential. Having competed against the best boxers on both sides of the Atlantic, Collins tends to be linked more to the era in the UK when there was a great rivalry between British boxers Chris Eubank and Nigel Benn. He fought and beat both, twice.

Norman Whiteside achieved legendary status when he became Manchester United's youngest player since Duncan Edwards. From that moment on he was a cult hero.