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My Week: Alan McKinlay

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Mirror assistant sports editor Alan McKinlay on ingrowing toenails, players tweeting during games and the most miserable man on earth…

SUNDAY JANUARY 22
Been looking forward to this day for ages, which kicks off with what, for once, really is a Super Sunday double bill. In fact it is so Super that it is no longer a big enough description. Today is Showdown Sunday, no less. No worries about what we will lead on the back with tomorrow morning. And thanks to Balotelli once again, we have a great story to go with with two classic matches. Off to the Savoy for the Football Writers’ Association Tribute to Gary Neville and Paul Scholes in the evening. This is the event where partners are allowed to come along, so tonight, rather than be on the Mirror table, I am going as the arm candy of my wife Julie, who works on the back bench of the People Sports Desk. Great event, and the Savoy staff are plentiful and hard-working. Haven’t seen that level of uniformed efficiency since Kim Jong-Il’s funeral.

The interview with tonight’s guests of honour a little long I thought, but that could just be because I couldn’t wait to get home to watch my beloved San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship game. I did, though, enjoy Gary Neville’s response to Ben Shepherd’s suggestion that he may have followed Paul Scholes’ lead and thought about a comeback, or at least that he had perhaps retired too early. Neville said definetly not and added: “Did you see my last two games?”

MONDAY JANUARY 23
The wee small hours of Monday proved entertaining (last week’s 49ers victory over the New Orleans Saints was the beast NFL game I have seen in 30 years of watching) but ultimately disappointing as the New York Giants beat the Niners thanks to a couple of spectacularly bad plays by the reserve kick returner. I took it badly, but not as badly as my 24-year-old son, who is still in mourning a week later. At least it provided a good topic to write about later in the week, especially as the “guilty man”, Kyle Williams, became the latest sports figure to receive death threats from so-called fans. Today was due to be my gym induction, but that laughable notion was made even more so by my suddenly painful ingrown toenail rendering the putting-on of my dust-laden trainers impossible. The upside? A few more days of not having to go to the gym. The office loved it. My supportive Mirror colleagues are still laughing. Instead of starting a new fitness regime, I attend to failing parts of my body with a visit to the dentist and the chiropodist. Did you know they don’t use anaesthetic when they treat an ingrown toenail?

TUESDAY JANUARY 24
IT’S rare for a story to be greeted in the same way by the warring tribes of football followers, but our back page story “City Fine Tev £9.3m” would surely have provoked the same reaction among all our readers, namely: “Good. I hope it hurts”. Tevez’s list of excuses for his behaviour has changed more often than Manchester United’s 3rd kit. It’s gratifying to know he is not getting away with it.

WEDNESDAY JANUARY 25
Craig Bellamy scores the decisive goal as Liverpool complete a remarkable turnaround from the weekend capitulation against Bolton to a vibrant victory over Manchester City. Kenny Dalglish is extraordinary. He has perfected the look of the most miserable man on earth during interviews and after defeats, and yet he looks the happiest man on earth when his team scores or wins. Final Bell is our headline as Bellamy books a Wembley showdown against his hometown team. A post-midnight on-air chat with the talkSPORT Sports Bar team of Andy Goldstein and Ray Parlour provides an enjoyable end to a busy day.

THURSDAY JANUARY 26
The Mirror is about to launch a re-design of its website, which will include a column on American sport. I should probably call it a blog as its online. Today is the deadline for the first one, before we go “live” next week. Even though I’ve always been a production journalist at the Mirror, and football is the greatest sport of all, my addiction to American sport means I’ve been lucky enough to cover 14 Super Bowls as well as a number of other US sports and interviewing the likes of Michael Jordan, Joe Montana, Shaquille O’Neal and Reggie Jackson. One element of the, er, blog, will be a little section entitled Only In America, which hopefully will feature some of the whackier elements of sport across the pond. I like the first one. It was announced that during the Pro Bowl (the NFL’s All Star game in Hawaii played the week before the Super Bowl) the players will be allowed to Tweet DURING the game. Each team will have a designated tweet zone on the sidelines. Could this ever happen in the Barclays Premier League? You can certainly imagine Joey Barton being sent-off and tweeting his disapproval as he disappears up the tunnel.

FRIDAY JANUARY 27
It’s a toss-up between Mario Balotelli’s agent Mino Raiola and Carlos Tevez’s representative Kia Joorabchian as to which one has produced the most ridiculous defence of their client. But this week on Sky Sports News, Raiola out-nonsensed himself to earn him top billing on the Sport On TV column, which I enjoy doing as it offers a chance to do a bit of writing, even if it is only “ a dozen crispies” as our old sports news editor used to say.

I’m often responsible for our Mirror Football eight-page pull-out on Saturday morning, but as tonight’s live games (Watford v Spurs and Everton v Fulham) will take up pages 1, 2 and 3, the opportunity to try to come up with our customarily off-beat cover is denied me. It’ll be back next week though. My last job of the working week is a quick interview with Radio Five’s Doton Adebayo for the Up All Night programme, which is basically a run-through of what we have in the paper the following morning. Apart from the previews of the two “grudge” games (Liverpool-United and QPR-Chelsea) which all the papers lead with on the back, I particularly like the story that Newcastle boss Alan Pardew is taking the Cup so seriously this year that he is even talking about fielding a stronger team in the Cup than in the league to give his team their best chance of winning a trophy.

Maybe Danny Blanchflower’s statement that the game is really all about glory could still be true. Maybe, I start thinking, the Cup really could be on the way back.

SATURDAY JANUARY 28
The busiest day of the week for most FWA members is always a day off for me. As I can’t get a ticket to see my team QPR (offically the worst Cup team in Britain over the last 12 years) inevitably lose to Chelsea, it’s feet up in front of the TV. I am of the generation that grew up believing that the greatest thing you could ever achieve in life was scoring the winner in and FA Cup final. Not World Cup, not European Cup, the FA Cup – and I still love the competition. First QPR go out and then Newcastle, who had immediately become my “second team” in the Cup because of their self-confessed dedication to it, crash out at Brighton. So much for honesty. I discover, when my wife gets home and delivers the early edition of the People, that most of the Newcastle team, plus the manager, were on the lash in the Canaries as part of their build-up to the game. Turns out Alan Pardew is not quite as big a fan of the FA Cup as I had hoped. And they say journalists are the cynical ones.

My Week: Jim van Wijk

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Jim van Wijk on a gay Dutchman, a bad back and how a PA reporter’s work never seems to stop

MONDAY JANUARY 16
Day off, which I guess is as good a way to start the week as any. However, with a young family, you are never really, off are you? Today is Daddy Day Care, so help with the school run and then at home with my 3-year-old son, who would, you suspect, rather be at his pre-school than stuck at home – still, Bob The Builder to the rescue. Few errands, including the little man’s first haircut, a snip at £11, which at least keep me away from the latest chapter of Arsenal’s meltdown after their 3-2 defeat at Swansea. Heard George Graham on talkSPORT saying the Gooners needed Chris Samba after his transfer request at Blackburn, while Chelsea sign Gary Cahill for around just what Arsenal could have got him for in the last window. Caught some of the Wigan v Manchester City game on the radio in between Brownies drop-off and pick-up. Win when you are not playing well is the sign of champions.

TUESDAY JANUARY 17
Was back at the Docs this morning, more tests following on from a Lumber Puncture in October. Can’t say I can recommend having fluid drained from your spine. Apparently I am an enigma. Sounds painful. Still, sleep or no sleep, it’s off into Press Association HQ in Victoria for a legal refresher along with my London reporter colleagues. Not often we are all seen in the same place at once, well, maybe apart from the manager’s post-match press conference AND down the mixed zone, but that is a special art. All interesting stuff from PA’s long-serving legal eagle Mike Dodd. Qualified privilege from a press conference is indeed a wonderful thing, although don’t get me started on the minefield which is Twitter. Once managed to defame myself with an infamous “Norwich sign big-Gay Dutchman” intro, but we don’t talk about that any more. Cahill does his first interview with Chelsea TV. “It was never about the money”. It never is son, it never is.

WEDNESDAY JANUARY 18
Duty reporter from home today, covering all of the London clubs, oh and the eastern most outpost in the top flight, which is where the first news breaks with confirmation from Leeds that Norwich are in for captain Jonny Howson. Fee “understood” to be around £2million. Next up, hold the back page as Fulham sign 17-year-old midfielder Jack Grimmer from Aberdeen, as well as “highly rated” Danish Under-17 international Lasse Vigen Christensen from FC Midtjylland. Not content with that, there is also a new contract for evergreen Mark Schwarzer, who targets 2014 World Cup with the Socceroos. Hoover up a bit of Spurs as captain Ledley King tells talkSPORT no-one is talking up a title tilt at White Hart Lane after the euphoria of that battling draw with Wolves. Had hoped our intrepid reporter Simon Peach would pull something out of the bag from what had looked a decent job with Scott Parker at a football centre launch. Would have been nice if he could have actually spoken to the serving FWA Footballer of the Year, rather than watch from afar – along with a couple of national newspaper men and even Sky. PR and disaster spring to mind. Not finished there, though, as some JT doing the rounds, with the Chelsea skipper happy to see desire of unhappy players at warming the bench. Such is the talk of champions, right? FA Cup replays in the evening kind of pass me by, as does El Clasico. Guess there is only so much football one man can take. Watch DVD of Norwich’s UEFA Cup run. Hopefully sweet dreams.

THURSDAY JANUARY 19
Sadly the thoughts of Jeremy Goss and company did not do the job as I endure another near sleepless night. Still, maybe the boys down at LOCOG’s anti-doping lab in Harlow can come up with a concoction to help. Olympics closing fast, which means more interest for all things London 2012. Will be covering the judo and Taekwondo in the summer (used to be a bit handy myself at the old Ashi-Guruma back in the day), but weigh in with anything around the edges which may come up – and nice to cover a ‘local’ job for a change. Quick dart down the M11 and make it through the heightened security at the GlaxoSmithKline base for a briefing with Sports Minister Hugh Robertson and Professor David Cowan, or “London 2012 anti-doping chief” as he would become in my nightlead. Quick story filed off the press release, “no place to hide for drug cheats” warns Robertson – writes itself really, and then it is off with the video camera (yes, that’s right, now we are multi-tasking, white balance, focus and the lot) through into the lab. All interesting stuff, if you are into that kind of thing. BBC sports editor David Bond is certainly in his element, white lab coat and safety glasses to boot. Story gets decent coverage on national and regional news in the evening. Let’s hope the only positive to come out of the lab in Games times is 6,000 negative tests as they work around the clock to stay ahead of the those who would cheat the very foundations of the Olympic ideal.

FRIDAY JANUARY 20
Off to London Colney for Arsenal press conference with Arsene Wenger ahead of Manchester United game on the Sunday. Arrive around an hour ahead of kick-off as usual, which is later than my video colleague who rolled up at half eight after being told it was a 0930 start by the office. Plenty on the agenda as always. Wenger questioned about gap on the top four, flat bats usual transfer enquiries, some interesting views on feeder clubs, which he feels would go against the ethos of the English game. Inclined to agree with him. Oh, and of course the regular inquiry from Japanese journalists over Ryo Miyaichi. When we break off for the embargoed newspaper briefing, Wenger goes on the offensive over perceived injustices. Some guy in Sweden has done a study which showed if all decisions were correct Arsenal would have been second last season. Erm, okay….. Key question comes from Daily Star’s David Woods, following up from his excellent interview with chairman Peter Hill-Wood. “Would it be a disaster if Arsenal don’t finish in the top four, Arsene?” .. “For me, it would be, yes.” Thank you very much. It’s not over there, though, as on to the “Sundays” section, which again must be held back until agreed slot, which this time is late on Saturday night. Wojciech Szczesny is on the agenda, how was the confident young Pole after shipping eight against United at Old Trafford in August, and a bit about Theo, who had a “bit of a dip over Christmas”. Still worth a new 80K a week deal, though, heh? Bash out Wenger rally cry and bit on feeder leagues, not forgetting team news, then it is back around the M25 just ahead of the Friday afternoon rush. Mrs vW is having a well deserved night off, out at bingo, never know, she might get lucky, so juggle kids and dinner (not literally) before the laptop comes out again to finish off embargoed copy and dig around for some additional material for “early” Saturday slot to run before main piece on Szczesny. Found some Robin van Persie tucked away on website, which will do just nicely, or so I thought…

SATURDAY JANUARY 21
Awake from yet another night of broken sleep – was never this bad when Logan was still feeding – and it is an early start to my home town for the small matter of Norwich v Chelsea. E-mail from the desk alert me to RvP interview in The Sun, which kind of scuppers my plans as covering much of the same ground. Thankfully Arsenal Player save the day again with some Szczesny on Wojciech, which can be padded out with the manager defending his (non)transfer policy which did not get much airtime with everything else from yesterday’s briefing. Listen in while munching a steak & kidney pie in Carrow Road press room (not quite Delia Smith, but tasty nevertheless), and then also bash out the embargoed piece before kick off, as well as page one of five in running copy. “Chelsea striker Fernando Torres was handed another chance to break his goal drought with a start against Norwich at Carrow Road.” 90 minutes later, it was always going to be “Fernando Torres fired another blank as battling Norwich held Chelsea to a goalless draw at Carrow Road.” Even through yellow-tinted glasses, this has been some season by Paul Lambert’s squad. Another solid display, okay against an out-of-sorts Chelsea, but nevertheless things look on course for survival. Hope that’s not the kiss of death. Post-match is usual scramble for manager and follow-up quotes. The old second tape recorder comes into it’s own, as I “pick up” Lambert’s Sundays briefing, while making sure am there when AVB speaks to the Monday papers. Copy again strictly embargoed until Sunday night. But by now, it is all part of the game. No Chelsea players were made available ahead of their sunshine break in Spain, so grab a few words with Norwich defender Zak Whitbread. 6ft 3ins Texan born – and raised in Liverpool. Says it all really. Then it is on with the “live” quotes, as AVB rues over what could well be a costly missed opportunity, or indeed a good point depending on what happens on Super Sunday. Back up the A140 and, for a change, I am home in time for tea with the family, and a rare bit of Saturday night tele before the old girl is fired up again and it’s on with the “follow-ups”… no fewer than two for each club, one with resourceful “leftovers” to make sure PA customers have something ahead of the embargoed copy, which will run later on Sunday evening. Lambert hailing how far Canaries have climbed since he took over at bottom of League One, and AVB on efficiency deficiencies will keep things ticking over nicely, before Norwich keeper John Ruddy gives his take on a wonder save and possibly changing his wedding plans if he does get an England call-up this summer and some strong words from AVB about how fans should lay off Anton Ferdinand in next weekend’s FA Cup tie with QPR. More on that sure to come you feel. All done just in time for MOTD, if I can stay awake.

SUNDAY JANUARY 22
FWA Gala Tribute Evening to honour Gary Neville and Paul Scholes is upon us again. Lots to organise at home ahead of departure with wife for our annual night away, so once rabbit is cleaned out, laundry done, cupboards stocked up & everything sorted for kids usual hectic Monday morning, we set off for what turns out to be a relaxed slow drive into central London. Arrive in time to catch some of Arsenal v Man Utd with none other than esteemed FWA colleague Chris Davies in hotel bar, which goes kind of how I expected – apart from RvP missing a sitter. At least the final result meant our guests of honour who arrive in a decent mood, if a little late. Help out pre-dinner at Savoy, making sure our video man is in place, who provides footage for the association’s new-look website & also gets some copy out on the PA wires (been there, done that!) Finally get a chance to relax, catching up on much-needed quality time with the wife & some old friends – one of whom had just flew back from China, with no dinner suit & had to ‘borrow’ my shoes, which were a size too small. (he is a Norwich fan, so guess understandable). Food was excellent as usual (wonder if the crab was shipped in from Cromer – and if not, why not?) From an organisational point of view evening goes well, with touching tribute from Sir Alex Ferguson & Ben Shepherd hosting Q&A, which the missus said ‘dragged on a bit with all that talking about football’, but guess you can’t have everything – especially at £13 for a vodka & coke. Cheers.

FWA Q&A: Alex Montgomery

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ALEX MONTGOMERY on ladies panties, what really makes an exclusive, dark days in the Sun and a snake in South Korea

Your first ever newspaper?
The Sunday Post. My work was split between the Post and Weekly News. It was a great training ground made greater by one exceptional journalist, John Dron, then sports editor of the Post. Any career I have had would not have seen the light of day without his mentoring. John died recently and my regret is not being able to attend his funeral.

Have you ever worked in a profession other than journalism?
My schooling was a disaster which ended with me being shown the door as a 15-year-old. I have more in common with Kelvin MacKenzie than he would suspect; the count is one O-level apiece. My first job was in a Glasgow shipping office. From there I moved to a clothing manufacturer in the east end of Glasgow. The speciality was producing ladies panties so I became a panty makers assistant on £5 a week. I had to stand on a platform doing nothing more technical than cutting material in front of a group of local ladies on sewing machines. I lasted six weeks but still carry the scars. From there I made up for lost learning time, then into journalism.

What was your finest achievement playing football?
There was no fine achievement. I was next to useless. My centre of gravity, my backside, was too far from the ground. That’s my excuse.

Most memorable match covered?
It was series of matches involving Brazil, Argentina and Italy in Barcelona during the World Cup Finals of 1982. Other matches which live long in the memory: England’s European Championship 4-1 victory in Belgrade against Yugoslavia (Nov 1987). It was special because it was so comprehensive when we had gathered to record the end of Bobby Robson as national manager; England’s brilliant performance in beating Holland 4-1 at Wembley in the 1996 European Championship, another uplifting result. I have never been able to understand why it was dismissed by many of my colleagues as a victory gifted to Terry Venables’s England simply because the Dutch were rowing amongst themselves. Aren’t they always?

The one moment in football you would put on a DVD?
Marco van Basten’s truly amazing volleyed strike from what looked an impossible angle in Holland’s European Championship Final win against the USSR in Munich 1988.

Best stadium?
For me it was Ibrox in the Fifties and Sixties when they packed them in and the atmosphere for big European nights was breathtaking.

…and the worst?
The one where you never have a phone line that works. Benfica’s Estadio da Luz in the old days before mobile phones and dongles was hit and miss for calls. You would pick up a phone, hear nothing, dial your London number, hear nothing, wait, ask for copy, hear nothing, wait, read or ad lib your match report, slowly, finish, say goodbye and hope someone was on the other end. There were occasions when it worked, miraculously.

Your best ever scoop?
So-called exclusive stories are satisfying. Specialist writer/reporters are expected to produce them but if you come up with three in a year it will be three more than most. And even when you find one it is not unknown for desks to hide them, presumably because they do not believe the info. One such was my Gazza for Lazio tip off. The Sun sports desk managed to turn that into Gazza turning down an offer to play for another Serie A club. I then wrote that Gazza’s people had a meeting at Heathrow with Lazio’s representatives. That was thrown away inside. The story was eventually confirmed officially – after Gazza’s then agents had lawyers write to my desk claiming it was untrue — and it was only then the desk asked me to write it as a back page lead. Exclusives drop out of the sky from time to time so you just enjoy them when your hard work makes you lucky.

Your personal new-tech disaster?
I was sent to the Mexico World Cup finals in 1986 with one of Fleet Street’s first Tandy copy-sending machines. I wasn’t taught how to work it and it came without instructions. I first used it as a word processor for a 60 paragraph pre-World Cup piece from Colorado Springs where Bobby Robson had set up England’s pre-WC camp. I was about to file by the usual method of reading it over to a copy taker in London when the American AT and T operator who was dealing with my call heard me mention the name Tandy. When I informed her that I could not work the machine she suggested I asked their specialist Tandy operator for help. The process of transmitting through muffs attached to the phone piece was explained to me. Lesson over, she was going to contact London and get back with a direct line. I was to be ready. Simple. The call came through, I did what I was told, my screen went blank and the copy was lost for ever. It was a great loss only to me. I had to write it again. A nightmare.

Biggest mistake?
We all make them but I cannot think of one that changed my life. I worked with a couple of nasty individuals near the end of my days on the Sun and I should have dealt with them better than I did. I gave them far too much respect. I should have met up with them in a place without recording devices and CCTV cameras, and convinced them of the consequences should they continue with their negative approach. Something along these lines.

Have you ever been mistaken for anyone else?
No.

Most media friendly manager?
The ones who talk to you. There are lots of good ones out there so it is a question of getting to know them. You have your favourites who can be reached at any time. They become friends, perhaps great friends. There are others you can nod to and who’ll nod back. And a few, the untrustworthy ones, who will say I am the one not to be trusted.

Best ever player?
Alfredo di Stefano. He mesmerised me with his elegance for Real Madrid in the 1960 European Cup Final against Eintracht Frankfurt. I stood with my dad on the huge Hampden terraces and like so many that memorable night I believed we had come to support the Germans who had destroyed Rangers in the semi-final. By the end we stood applauding Real. I am not sure the best-ever tag applies even to Alfredo. One of the best for sure but I have been so fortunate to have watched the greats on their good and bad days: Pele, Maradona, Garrincha, Best, Greaves, Law, Baxter, Henderson, Johnstone, Moore, Charlton, Beckenbauer, Platini. Zidane, Cruyff plus Messi and Ronaldo of the current era. All on their day unbeatable.

Best ever teams (club and international)
Real Madrid 1960. If only it was possible see them face Guardiola’s Barcelona team. My money would be on Real. International: Brazil of 1970.

Best pre-match grub?
Arsenal are highly rated by my colleagues.

Best meal had on your travels?
It was a one off when Ipswich met Saint-Etienne in what was the Uefa Cup in 1981. The press plus Ipswich directors and officials were invited to pre-match lunch at the stadium. This was a tradition of the French club. The menu had six courses produced by a chef from each of six regions. The Ipswich chairman John Cobbold was so impressed he decided something would be done for the return. The hospitality at Portman Road was magnificent even by Cobbold’s extravagant standards. Ipswich won the quarter final with a 7-2 aggregate against the soon to be crowned French champions led by Michel Platini

…and the worst?
A meal in Beijing where no-one in the restaurant spoke English and we did not have a word of Mandarin. We ordered what we thought was a selection of dishes which included a hand motion to represent fish but turned out to be misunderstood as snake.

Best hotel stayed in?
Goodwood Park Hotel, Singapore. Five star plus and where the coffee costs more than the brandy.

…and the worst?
A scary hotel somewhere in South Korea. There was a steel door opening in one of the walls in my room which was padlocked. I imagined it as a fridge in the morgue where they store the bodies.

Favourite football writer?
In my Glasgow youth Malcolm Munro made his copy so interesting. I never worked with him but it was a privilege to be on the same tours laterally as Taylor, Sanderson, Rodger, Herron and others who knew the job inside out. The men still working can look out for themselves.

Favourite radio/TV commentator?
Kenneth Wolstenholme.

If you could introduce one change to improve PR between football clubs and football writers what would it be?
Reduce the money Sky TV pays out to the game. It would mean less money for the players which hopefully would bring their excesses under some control, make them more pleasant to deal with.

One sporting event outside football you would love to experience?
It would be a dream to watch live three Olympic finals – the 800 metres, 1500 metres and 5000 metres. Any of the track finals would do but these three would be my preferred events.

Last book read?
Freddy Mercury by Lesley-Ann Jones; Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood and Andre Agassi’s autobiography.

Favourite current TV programme?
Anything on any sport.

Your most prized football memorabilia?
I have two unused tickets for the last FA Cup Final at the old Wembley and two unused tickets for England’s last international at the old Wembley.

Alex Montgomery has been a member of the FWA for 42 years. He has covered finals of 10 World Cups. Has worked for Hayters Sports Agency, the Daily Mail, the Sun, Today, the News of the World and the Mail on Sunday (freelance).

The FWA Gala Tribute Evening to Gary Neville and Paul Scholes

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THE ULTIMATE ONE CLUB PROFESSIONALS

By SIR BOBBY CHARLTON

MAGICAL. It’s the word Sir Bobby Charlton repeatedly uses as he remembers the days when Paul Scholes and Gary Neville first emerged into a spotlight that was to be trained on them for almost two decades.

Legends don’t come any bigger at Manchester United than Sir Bobby and his praise is a gift that isn’t given easily. Having been a Busby Babe, Charlton has always taken a forensic interest in the young talent being developed at Old Trafford.

But even he wasn’t prepared for Sir Alex Ferguson’s famous Class of 92 that proved to be the foundation for an era of success that’s unlikely to be surpassed.

“At a club like Manchester United you often think ‘I wonder what’s in the future?’ We might be playing okay today but what about the longer term?” says Sir Bobby. “The odd young player used to come through and I was always interested to see what they were like.

“Alex would invite me to see the youngsters train and I would always ask the coaches what our chances were in the FA Youth Cup.

“One day they said ‘we have six certainties to be great figures in the game.’ What they were telling me was serious stuff but initially, I admit, I thought they were getting a bit carried away.

“So I went to the first match they played in the FA Youth Cup against Sunderland at Roker Park . I drove up to watch them and after 20 minutes we were 4-0 up.

“Nicky Butt was rampaging through midfield, David Beckham was passing the ball like he does, Paul Scholes had control of everything and Gary seemed to be the leader at full back- it was just magical to watch.

“I thought to myself ‘It’s right what they were telling me – they weren’t kidding’. I was genuinely excited and you could see then these lads were going to be special.

“Maybe a year passed and we played at Port Vale in the League Cup. Alex hadn’t really been noted for concentrating on young players at that stage, but he decided to play the young lads.
“The papers were saying he’d gone too far- but Scholes was superb, we won 3-1 and some of those lads were only 17.

“From then on, I watched every game they played because it was such a fantastic moment for the club. It was a purple patch, something magical was unfolding.”

Even Sir Bobby couldn’t have imagined the level of success Scholes and Neville helped generate. But when it happened it was no surprise.

“I never doubted for a moment that those two lads would achieve what they have done” he says. “They were winners, they loved winning as a team and they loved what they had to contribute individually too.

“Crucially as well, they never gave Alex or the club a moments trouble. They were the ultimate one club professionals. Gary is forging a career for Sky now and he’s very good too. And Paul returning as a player after retiring is just an incredible story.

“You shouldn’t have favourites I suppose but Paul was special. He had a natural ability that was breathtaking to see in a young boy and his peripheral vision was amazing.

“He would play 30 or 40 yard passes without even looking up and players didn’t have to break stride to collect the ball.

“My special Scholes moment was his goal at Bradford. He volleyed in a corner from the edge of the box. It was all planned and I can still hear the Bradford directors gasping as it flew in. He was magic.

“Gary was a bit different. Even at a young age he was inspirational. He was the captain, a leader, a talisman and you classed them both at the time as being as good as each other.

“Gary has been a real bonus for United because of his depth of feeling for the shirt but I am proud of all of them.

“Paul and Gary are irreplaceable and the highest compliment I can pay them is that their legacy is as good as any who have played for this club.”

SIR BOBBY CHARLTON WAS TALKING TO STEVE BATES

Vauxhall launch Home Nations football photography competition

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VAUXHALL today launched their inaugural Home Nations Football Photography competition.

The major new photographic initiative is designed to stimulate interest and support among all photographers covering international football with any of the Home Nations.

There will be individual national competitions for England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales photographers.

There will be two principal categories – Best Photographer and Best Individual Photo. As well as four national winners, there will be an overall Home Nations champion photographer.

All photographers – newspaper, agency and freelance – are welcome to enter.

The overall winner will receive the use of a Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer, SRI Ecoflex, 1.7 CDTI (125ps) car for one year. Each individual national winner will receive a first prize of £500.

The competition covers all relevant international fixtures, international training sessions and international press conferences in 2011.

Vauxhall Head of Sponsorship, Chris Hornbuckle said: “We are very appreciative of the support and the excellent work which is undertaken by photographers.

“This competition is Vauxhall’s way of saying thank you. We have enjoyed an excellent first year of our Home Nations sponsorship programme and we are keen to promote an evocative and high-quality portfolio of images which capture the essence of international competition and patriotism.

“We hope and believe that the title will be very much sought after by all photographers who cover Home Nations football.”

The competition will be co-ordinated by Macesport who handle a dedicated football media relations centre for Vauxhall.

Entry forms are now available from Aimee Preston at Macesport aimee.preston@macesport.co.uk

Closing date for entries is Friday February 17th 2012.

Gala Tribute Evening to Gary Neville and Paul Scholes

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PAUL HETHERINGTON on a night – and knife – to remember, the missing brochures and Bryan Robson’s motorway dash

By CHRISTOPHER DAVIES

THE FOOTBALL WRITERS’ ASSOCIATION breaks with tradition on Sunday when Gary Neville and Paul Scholes will be honoured at the Gala Tribute evening at the Savoy.

Since the first event in 1983 when the late Ron Greenwood was the recipient one person has been chosen each year by the FWA to recognise his services to English football.

This is the second Savoy dinner Paul Hetherington, executive secretary of the FWA, has organised following the death of the long-serving Ken Montgomery. He was also FWA chairman for three Gala Tribute evenings when Bryan Robson, Ryan Giggs and David Beckham were the recipients, the latter honoured at the Lancaster London.

Hetherington, the Daily Star on Sunday football editor, said: “The FWA chairman traditionally has the choice of who will be honoured but as a courtesy it is discussed at the monthly national committee meeting. I can’t remember too many dissenting voices for the chairman’s choice.”

Or in this year’s case, the double choice by Steve Bates, the current chairman and chief football writer for the People.

Hetherington said: “Steve thought it was appropriate to honour Gary and Paul because they both retired at Manchester United last season. Well, so we thought. Now, of course, we have the situation where Paul is no longer retired, not that a player has to have quit to be recognised.”

AROUND 360 members and guests will be present at the Savoy for the FWA’s first-ever double tribute. For Paul Hetherington the biggest problem is turning people away because the event has become a victim of its own success.

“The biggest headache I have is not being able to accommodate everyone. The dinner was a sell-out in 12 hours,” said Hetherington. “Within a day I was looking at a waiting list situation. The demand for the function is huge.

“With the Footballer of the Year dinner at the Lancaster London we have more scope. The room there could, at a squeeze, accommodate 1,000 people though we normally have between 750 and 800 guests.

“We are restricted at the Savoy because of the size of the function room so we can only have around half the number of the May dinner, so sadly we have to disappoint some people for the Gala Tribute evening.”

The Lancaster London has always laid on an excellent Footballer of the Year dinner plus the years it staged the January function while the Savoy was being refurbished until its re-opening in 2011. But for a black tie event with members’ partners present the Savoy has a special magic that gives the Gala Tribute evening a unique atmosphere.

Hetherington said: “The Savoy is a magnet, people want to go there and say they’ve been there. It’s an iconic hotel and I am sure one of the factors in the demand is the venue. Ladies, particularly, enjoy going to the Savoy, not least because it’s a dinner-dance event. It is far from being a so-called boring football evening packed with football speeches.”

WHEN IT comes to the fine turning of the Gala Tribute evening the Football Writers’ Association is at the mercy of the fixture list. The bonus this year is that Manchester United are in London on Sunday to play Arsenal at the Emirates in a Barclays Premier League game – “though if the score is Arsenal 4, United 0 we may think otherwise,” added Hetherington with a smile.

“At least we know where Gary, Paul and all the United party will be that day.”

Hetherington also knew where Bryan Robson was going to be when the then West Bromwich Albion manager was honoured in 2006. Unfortunately from a logistical viewpoint Albion were playing at Wigan that day.

“When I looked at the fixtures and saw Wigan v West Bromwich I thought, without being disrespectful to those clubs, there’s no way that will be a televised game. I assumed the match would go ahead on the Saturday.”

Wrong.

“Luckily it was a lunch time kick-off rather than the later game which would have given us big problems. We had a driver waiting outside the stadium and 10 minutes after the match had ended Bryan was in the car ready to come down to London. He left the press conference to his assistant, Nigel Pearson and Bryan arrived at the hotel pretty well on time.”

What did not arrive on time – or even arrive – were the brochures for the David Beckham Gala Tribute evening four years ago.

Hetherington said: “The delivery company’s driver, for some reason, decided to try to gain access to the Lancaster by a rear entrance which was locked. When he couldn’t get in he simply drove off with all the programmes in the back. All he had to do was to walk round the front of the hotel and he would have found numerous members of staff present. That didn’t occur to him, though.”

IN A quarter of a century of service to the FWA, Paul Hetherington has also been involved with numerous regional functions in his native north-east and the north-west. One in 1995, the FWA’s Northern Managers’ Awards Dinner at The Portland Hotel in Manchester, stands out.

He said: “I was sitting there during the dinner when someone tapped me on my shoulder. Behind me was Mick Buxton who had not long been sacked as Sunderland manager. He had a knife in his hand. ‘Paul,’ he said. ‘Just take this and stick it in my back.’

“The background to that was that when Sunderland decided to replace Mick, I was involved it setting up the appointment of his replacement, Peter Reid. Word had reached Mick that I was the man behind Reidy getting what was his job. When I initially saw Mick and what he was holding I thought he clearly did not appreciate my role in what had happened.

“He then broke into a smile and a laugh saying: “Don’t worry Paul…you’re all right. I’m only joking.”

Hetherington said: “He knew that if I hadn’t been involved then somebody else would. He knew he wasn’t going to keep his job and accepted that.”

SIR ALEX FERGUSON has kept his job at Manchester United for 25 years with, he said, at least three more to come. Ferguson will be present on Sunday to speak about Gary Neville and Paul Scholes, two of United’s finest products and loyal servants.

Depending on which game he is covering Paul Hetherington will travel to London either on the day of the dinner or on the Saturday. He said: “If I come down on Sunday I’d aim to be at the Savoy early afternoon. Between two and three I’ll have a meeting with Steve Bates and the key hotel personnel involved in the function to run through everything.”

The evening will be enjoyed by FWA members and guests but for Bates and Hetherington relaxation is on hold until the presentations have been made.

“It is easier to let your guard down and have a few drinks when you are not on the top table,” said Hetherington. “If you aren’t involved in the organisation and speeches there are no worries. I’ll make the most of it once the dinner is completed, hopefully successfully.”

Another change is that on Sunday the Gala Tribute evening will follow the lead of the Footballer of the Year dinner over the past two years with a question and answer session rather than Neville and Scholes each making a speech. Sky Sports’ Ben Shephard will be in charge of proceedings.

Hetherington said: “This has worked well at the Lancaster and the Q and A format also provides good copy for FWA members. The recent recipients have preferred this to having to make a speech though I have to say the standard of speeches we have had is excellent.

“David Beckham spoke for around 40 minutes and had obviously put a lot of thought into what he was going to say. He made the point that he’d had a few ups and downs with the media over the years but underlined that he could not really complain because the majority of publicity he’d received during his career was a lot more positive that negative.”

The only part of Sunday’s event which Hetherington was reluctant to talk about was the table gift for the ladies.

He said: “Let’s just say the national committee are very happy with the ladies’ gift. I’m sure they will appreciate it.”

John Moynihan 1932-2012

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Long-standing Football Writers’ Association member John Moynihan died last Saturday after an accident near his home.

Journalism can be a cut-throat business but Moynihan not only survived and thrived, the warmth of his personality ensured he will be remembered with huge fondness by anyone who knew him.

The smile rarely left his face and while Moynihan’s Soccer Syndrome remains one of the finest football books ever written his interests were wide and varied.

Those who knew Moynihan from the Sunday Telegraph, where he was initially deputy literary editor before establishing himself as a respected football writer, may be surprised to learn that he cut his journalistic teeth on the Evening Standard but not the sports desk.

His son Leo, a freelance and an FWA member who has followed in his father’s footsteps, said: “He edited a column called In London Last Night. It was the equivalent of today’s 3am Girls.

“Dad used to go to parties, film premieres and buzz around Soho looking for gossip.”

While in some ways that was the ideal job for the most sociable of people, his deep love of football was guaranteed to see him leave his mark on the beautiful game.

Leo said: “I went over to his flat on Monday and was looking through his shelves and I thought to myself ‘he so loved football.’ He also loved literature and he had a book by F. Scott Fitzgerald between Colin Malam’s book on Gary Lineker and Tommy Lawton’s autobiography. Amazing.”

Soccer Syndrome, published in 1965, was a personal view of post-War football, not just the players but the characters who followed the game. The Independent’s Jim Lawton described it as “one of the best books ever written about football and the emotion it generates.”

In a column Lawton wrote: “It seemed to me that Moynihan most perfectly captured the feelings of the pure football lover. In one passage he wrote heart-rendingly of the end of an affair, in Paris, which was redeemed only by the fact that the woman he loved, who was telling him that she had found a new interest, had her back to a café television set which was providing him with a grainy but utterly unequivocal picture of the unfolding genius of the teenaged Pele.”

Moynihan’s s 1993 book Kevin Keegan: Black And White did not go down too well with its subject which is usually seen as a resounding endorsement. Leo said: “Dad had to write it in a couple of months. I was at university and helped him. Keegan went on local radio and said: ‘Burn the book’ which dad found amusing.”

There were other books including Park Football, Soccer Focus, The Chelsea Story and Not All A Ball in which Moynihan wrote about his childhood. His last book was Restless Lives, the story of his parents who were both artists.

His love for Chelsea and an indication of the sport’s changing times is underlined by a Footballer of the Year dinner Moynihan attended during the Seventies. In those days the dinner at the Cafe Royal was on the day before the FA Cup final.

“Dad took Charlie Cooke as his guest,” said Leo. “Chelsea were playing the next day.”

CHRISTOPHER DAVIES

My Week: Andrew Warshaw

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ANDREW WARSHAW on Arsenal playing second fiddle to University Challenge, a frozen shoulder and Guys and Dolls

SUNDAY JANUARY 8
You know Christmas is well and truly over when the decorations are taken down but at least there is a new dog-training class for our lovable mutt Maisie who, for once, does not disgrace herself. First task of the day is buying the Mail on Sunday to check whether my Arsenal preview has got in. It has, always a warm feeling for a freelancer. Intend spending most of today resting up after driving to Norwich and back 24 hours ago having been sent to interview the parents of Oldham’s on-loan defender Tom Adeyemi following the infamous verbal abuse case at Anfield. Well, interview in theory. Unfortunately there was no-one at the inn but a peep over the fence revealed a makeshift goal and half a dozen balls. The right house then. Three hours’ doorstepping failed to result in anyone returning home so it was time for a spot of lateral thinking. Ended up writing a colour piece after a friendly neighbour painted a warm-hearted picture of the Adeyemi family – and invited me in out of the cold for several cups of coffee! This particular Sunday afternoon means only one thing for this particular FA Cup-worshipping, Spurs-supporting traditionalist: the Fourth Round draw. My stomach churns as the balls are plucked out. Phew, Watford away. Let’s not get carried away but an obviously winnable tie. Before that, watch Man City so nearly snatch a dramatic draw with 10 men against Man Utd thanks to an inspired piece of tactical nous from Mancini. Tonight I’m going to the Old Bull for my music website nlbeat.com (couldn’t resist a plug), only just set up and sadly not revenue-earning but a fun hobby. The pub, which has been turned into a veritable galaxy of memorabilia, has vinyl LPs and singles attached to every wall and concert ticket stubs, featuring all the great acts and donated by music fans, covering every inch of every bar table stretching back to the early 1960s.

MONDAY JANUARY 9
The editor of FC Business, one of my magazine clients, informs me that my piece on Portsmouth’s financial mismanagement has ruffled more than a few feathers. Well let’s face it, I am still a small creditor waiting to be paid. Most of today is taken up working on stories for Insideworldfootball.biz for which I have the grand title of Chief Football Reporter. The editor of FC Business is still speaking to me by the afternoon, thank goodness, and commissions a piece on goal-line technology, with the big decision due to made at the beginning of March. Tried my hardest to avoid Arsenal-Leeds on the box but even I have to marvel at Thierry Henry’s match winner. Only after watching University Challenge and Above Suspicion, however.

TUESDAY JANUARY 10
My role at Insideworldfootball.biz also means doubling up at times for our main site Insidethegames.biz so it’s off to Wembley to cover a press conference about the Olympic torch. While there manage to get two exclusives for the site with BOA chairman Colin Moynihan. This evening I’m joining my son at Underhill to support our second team, Barnet, in the Johnstone’s Paint trophy southern section semi-final first leg. Paolo di Canio’s Swindon are massive favourites after their exploits against Wigan but Barnet score a second-half equaliser to at least keep the tie alive with Wembley the prize. Well worth the 10 quid entrance fee.

WEDNESDAY JANUARY 11
Ring a few clients touting for business and check with the editor of Fifa Magazine to see when my piece on Qatar will be published. Told by the Mail on Sunday that I’ll be second man at Spurs versus Wolves on Saturday alongside Patrick Collins. Always a privilege. Couldn’t ask for a better game to report on. Speaking of Spurs, here it comes, our game in hand. It’s off to White Hart Lane, again with my son, to roar on the boys. It’s only four overground stops but the recorded information on the train hasn’t been amended and wrongly informs us we are going in the other direction and heading back the way we came. Everyone breaks into laughter. Good old Network Rail. After meeting friends for a hasty kebab a 20-minute walk from the ground, I pick up the tickets with moments to spare. Everton are typically disciplined and organised – I have enormous respect for David Moyes given the resources at his disposal – but as so often they lack penetration. The score remains at 1-0 until Benny’s thunderbolt makes sure of the points. What a night.

THURSDAY JANUARY 12
Slept appallingly maybe because of all the excitement at Spurs or maybe because my frozen shoulder starts playing up again. It’s becoming a right pain, literally and metaphorically. No golf for the past two months. Time to start forward-planning for the Euro 2012 finals in Poland and Ukraine but will I go? Haven’t missed a major finals since the early 1980s but this could be the first. The Olympics will be 24/7 and I’m not getting any younger. Nothing for talkSPORT this week. Normally I’m on at least once as their football politics man but no calls so far. Still, today’s highlight is meeting Jordan’s Prince Ali bin Al Hussein, the newest kid on the block among the Fifa hierarchy who has invited me for a one-on-one during a private trip to London. He gives me a couple of decent lines for Insideworldfootball and another which I’m asked not to use for a few weeks. Being a theatre buff, tonight I’m off to see Guys and Dolls at the Gatehouse in Highgate, north London. It’s probably the best production I’ve ever seen of one of THE great musicals. If only I had been discovered during my long amateur dramatics career.

FRIDAY JANUARY 13
What scary moments will Friday 13th throw up? Luckily none to speak though my weekly column for my newspaper client in Doha is 24 hours late so I’d better get a move on. Just manage to get it written after walking Maisie before it’s off to Arsenal for Arsene Wenger’s lunch time press conference ahead of the game against Swansea. I’m there for the Sundays and first hear Wenger tell the dailies he is fed up always being asked about Spurs. I have to bite my lip. Finish the day quite late before I realise another week has flown past without having worked on my book. Next week it HAS to take priority.

SATURDAY JANUARY 14
Spend much of the morning preparing for Spurs-Wolves. Always try to take as much written research as I can to games. You never know. Make sure the dongle is working just in case the internet doesn’t. Given a car park pas by my neighbour who is a season ticket holder. Train is more comfortable and slightly quicker but I take advantage of the offer since by the time I need to leave there are only two trains an hour to get home. Another end to a varied week. How much have I earned? Can’t think about that yet…there’s Match of the Day to watch.

FWA Q&A: Sam Pilger

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SAM PILGER on scoring at Old Trafford, being mistaken for Ryan Giggs and causing Sir Alex Ferguson to give Roy Keane the hair-dryer treatment…

Your first ever newspaper?
Not a newspaper, but the Manchester United magazine, which, when I joined in 1996, was the country’s biggest selling sports magazine. This was a time before Sky Sports News, MUTV or even the club having a proper website, so it was the main source of news. It was a great grounding to regularly interview Sir Alex Ferguson, David Beckham and Roy Keane in a time when there wasn’t any interference from agents or press officers.

Have you ever worked in a profession other than journalism?
Not really, other than a couple of summers spent hiding in the warehouse at Marks and Spencer. Both my parents were Fleet Street journalists, so it’s in the blood.

What was your finest achievement playing football?
Scoring at Old Trafford at the Stretford End in a journalists game. I almost cried. And winning the South London 7-a-side League title in 1996 and 2003.

Most memorable match covered?
I can’t imagine anything will ever surpass the 1999 FA Cup semi-final replay. The match had been dramatic enough with David Beckham’s brilliant goal, Dennis Bergkamp’s equaliser, Roy Keane’s sending-off and Peter Schmeichel’s last minute penalty save before Ryan Giggs beat the whole Arsenal defence to win the match. An incredible night.

The one moment in football you would put on a DVD?
That Giggs winner at Villa Park.

Best stadium?
The Maracana even though it had clearly seen better days.

…and the worst?
The sterile Stade Louis II in Monaco.

Your best ever scoop?
My interview with Roy Keane for FourFourTwo in 2001 when he revealed his frustrations with United. The Daily Mirror lifted it and splashed it across their back page as ‘The Most Explosive Interview of the Year.’ I was told Ferguson hauled him in to his office on the back of it.

Your personal new-tech disaster?
More old-tech really, as that damn ‘Voice Activated’ button on the Dictaphone has butchered interviews with Teddy Sheringham and Bryan Robson.

Have you ever been mistaken for anyone else?
As ridiculous as it sounds, I took part in a penalty shoot-out challenge against Peter Shilton on Hackney Marshes several years ago, and I overheard someone say, ‘Is that Ryan Giggs?’ As I said, ridiculous. More realistically, someone once asked if I was the former Leicester and Spurs American goalkeeper Kasey Keller.

Most media friendly manager?
Steve Bruce

Best ever player?
Zinedine Zidane

Best ever teams (club and international)?
The current Barcelona side and the France side of 2000.

Best pre-match grub?
During their spell in the Premier League Ipswich Town did a memorable spread at Portman Road.

Best meal had on your travels?
A fish restaurant just outside Jerez in southern Spain while covering the 2000 Blind World Cup. (Brazil won, England went out in the quarter-finals.)

…and the worst?
A lard-smothered bap outside Hillsborough.

Best hotel stayed in?
The Rio Othon Palace in Rio de Janiero where the roof-top pool gave sweeping views of Copacabana Beach and Sugar Loaf Mountain as I watched Romario doing his laps.

…and the worst?
The Dolby in Salford. It had a security fence around it.

Favourite football writer?
It is difficult to separate Paul Hayward, Oliver Holt and Patrick Collins.

Favourite radio/TV commentator?
I still get goose bumps when I hear Peter Jones, he had such a wonderfully evocative voice. Keeping it old school for TV as well, I would say Barry Davies and Brian Moore.

If you could introduce one change to improve PR between football clubs and football writers what would it be?
Throw open the dressing rooms after matches. It would require an enormous and unprecedented culture change, but if the NFL and NBA can do it why can’t the Premier League? I won’t be holding my breath.

One sporting event outside football you would love to experience?
I have been lucky enough to go to a Super Bowl, Wimbledon men’s final, a 100m Olympic final, and most Ashes series, so I would go for a deciding Game 7 in the NBA finals.

Last book read?
The End of the Party by Andrew Rawnsley

Favourite current TV programme?
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart

Your most prized football memorabilia?
A number 10 Argentina shirt signed by Diego Maradona to my son Louis. He’d better appreciate it when he’s older.

Manchester United’s Best XI by Sam Pilger is available now on the Amazon Kindle store.