Jan Molby
Born in Kolding, Denmark in 1963, Jan Molby started his professional football career at the age of 18 playing for his home town team, Kolding IF. Just one season was enough for Molby to establish himself as a promising talent and after just one season at Kolding, the central midfielder moved to Ajax Amsterdam in 1982.
After spending two years at the Dutch Giants, winning the league title and Dutch Cup in the process, Jan was signaled out by then Liverpool manager, Joe Fagan, as a transfer target and the Anfield legend soon got his man as Molby made the move to Merseyside for a fee of £200,000.
Jan’s time at Liverpool can only be described as colorful, with his career at Anfield ranging from an influential midfielder on the pitch and a legend amongst supporters to battles with his weight and even a spell in prison!
It wasn’t until Kenny Dalglish replaced Fagan as Liverpool manager in 1985 that Molby really started to shine as a player and became known for his great vision and became a great source of assists to striker, Ian Rush. Jan was also a regular contributor to goals himself, especially from set pieces where the power and precision of his free kicks gave opponents plenty to worry about.
Jan was instrumental in Liverpool’s League and FA Cup double winning side of 1985/1986 but the following season was disrupted by a broken foot for the Dane. After making a return to the first team, his impact was once again limited, this time after a three month spell behind bars for a driving offence.
Molby was back to his best by the 1989/1990 season when he helped Liverpool to another league title and he remained a regular fixture in the side that won the FA Cup in 1992.
In total, Jan made a total of 218 appearances for Liverpool before he left the club in 1996, scoring 44 during his time at Anfield. Jan also won 33 caps for Denmark and played in the 1986 World Cup.
After leaving Liverpool, Jan played for Swansea City before going in to management, firstly with Swansea City, before moving on to take charge of Kidderminster Harriers and Hull City. A breif spell when in charge of Kidderminster for a second spell in 2003/2004 was his last job as a manager and Jan has since gone on to take up a number of roles and appearances in the media.
A very popular and likeable person, Jan’s stories will have any audience laughing and is a great addition to any event. If you would like to enquire about booking him, please get in touch using the form below.
John Wark
John Wark burst onto the scene at Ipswich Town at the age of 18 in 1975. As a youngster, John was a part of Ipswich’s successful youth team and was a centre-half who, after being fifth choice at the beginning of the season, soon began to star in the first team and make a big impression. He later progressed from defence into a free-scoring midfielder, playing 384 matches and scoring 136 goals in his first spell at the Portman Road club.
John was crowned PFA’s Player of the Year in Ipswich’s successful UEFA cup-winning 1980-81 season, scoring in every round of the competition, 14 goals in total!
John made a high-profile move to Liverpool in 1984 and was the leading goalscorer at Anfield with 27 goals in his first full season. He scored 18 goals in 40 league games and continued his incredible striking rate in Europe, scoring five times in nine games, four in seven FA cup games and bagged three hat-tricks and scored his 100th league goal, ironically in a game against Ipswich. Wark played a total of 62 games that first season (84/85) but it ended in tragedy when John was in the Liverpool starting XI that fateful night at Heysel, when Liverpool had hoped to win the European cup for the second year running.
Midway through the 1987-88 season John found himself on his way back to Ipswich. Wark moved back to his old position as centre-half for two more years at Protman Road before he moved to Middlesbrough after being voted the club’s player of the year in two successive seasons.
John then returned “home” one year later for his third spell and played 6 more years until his retirement at 40 in 1997. He helped Ipswich to the Division 2 Championship in 1991/92 season, which gained them promotion to the newly formed Premier League and helped the club establish itself in the top flight. He was also voted Ipswich Player of the Year for the third time!
John is Ipswich Town’s third-highest all-time scorer, with 179 goals, despite rarely appearing as a striker, playing a total 670 games for the Suffolk club.
John was also a full Scottish International, winning 29 caps and scoring seven goals. He was part of the Scotland Squad for the 1982 FIFA World Cup in Spain, in which he made three appearances and scored twice.
John can also boast appearing in one of the most famous football films of all time, Escape to Victory, featuring alongside fellow players Russell Osman, Kevin Beatie, Mike Summerbee, Ossie Ardiles, Pele as well as Hollywood Stars Michael Caine and Sylvester Stallone!
John is a great character with a lot of stories to tell, he makes for a great guest at any function or event. To book John, please get in touch with us below.
Gary McAllister MBE
Gary is a former Scottish professional footballer and manager. His playing career started at Motherwell where he scored eight goals in 70 appearances between the ages of 18 and 21, during that time, Gary caught the eye of a number of scouts South of the Border and in 1985, Leicester City manager Gordon Milne signed McAllister for the club.
Following five years at Leicester, McAllister went on to play for Leeds United, Coventry City and Liverpool. He was also a Scotland international and is a member of the Scotland Football Hall of Fame, having won over 50 caps.
Though only playing for a short time at Anfield at the end of his career, Gary played an integral role in the team that won three cups during the 2000/2001 season, winning the League Cup, FA Cup and Uefa Cup. McAllister’s ability to play central midfield or on either wing made him a useful asset throughout his career and was seen at his very best at Liverpool under manager, Gerard Houllier. Gary was also known for his ability with set pieces.
McAllister’s first spell in management came with his former club Coventry City between 2002 and 2004 before going on to manage Leeds United in 2008. More recently, his former boss at Liverpool, Gerard Houllier, appointed him as his assistant in September 2010.
In 2001, Gary was awarded an MBE for his services to football.
A great personality with a lot of stories to tell, Gary McAllister is a great guest at any event. To enquire about his availability and booking Gary, please contact us using the form below.
Peter Reid
Peter had a long and distinguished playing career of over 500 games which included spells at Bolton Wanderers, Everton, Man City, Southampton, Notts County, Bury and Queens Park Rangers. He began his career at Bolton in 1974 and in 1978 picked up his first winners medal when Bolton won the League Second Division.
He then moved to Everton which saw arguably the high point of his club career winning the FA Cup in 1984, followed by being crowned Football League Champions in 1985 and 1987. In 1985, Everton also won the European Cup Winners Cup. Peter’s personal peak came in 1985 when his reputation as one of the finest midfield enforcers in Europe won him recognition as he was voted PFA Footballer of Year.
He played 159 games in total for Everton and was awarded the “Everton Giant” accolade in 2006. Reid also won 13 caps for England and became a central figure in the 1986 World Cup campaign in Mexico which ended with Maradona’s infamous “hand of God”.
In 1990 Peter managed Manchester City in the role of player/manager with City finishing 5th in two consecutive years. He then moved to Southampton as a player for a brief spell before retiring from playing in 1993.
In 1995 he took the job of Sunderland manager when they were battling relegation in the old Division One (now Championship) but Reid kept them up and the following year the team won the Division One title. After 8 years at Sunderland he went on to manage Leeds United and Coventry City.
Peter has gone on to become a much loved pundit on Sky Sports and has also worked for the BBC, covering the 2006 World Cup in Germany.
Peter returned to management after a four year break, becoming manager of Thailand in September 2008 before he returned to the UK to be assistant manager of Stoke City in 2009 and then later the manager of Plymouth Argyle in 2010.
A highly sought-after and knowledgeable speaker and personality, Peter can lend his vast experience and character to a range of corporate events.
Steve Claridge
Steve’s appearance for Bournemouth in December 2006 at the age of 40 for gave him the distinction of being one of a very select few players who have amassed 1000 career appearances. His career spanned over a period of 22 years, scoring more than 250 goals and he pulled on the shirt of over 20 clubs!
Steve’s appearance for Bournemouth in December 2006 at the age of 40 for gave him the distinction of being one of a very select few players who have amassed 1000 career appearances. His career spanned over a period of 22 years, scoring more than 250 goals and he pulled on the shirt of over 20 clubs!
Honours
Cambridge Utd – Division 3 Play Off Winners, Division 2 Champions
Birmingham City – Auto Glass Trophy Winners, Division 2 Champions
Leicester City – Coca Cola Cup Winners, First Division Play Off Winners
Wolves – FA Cup Semi Finalists
Millwall – Division 2 Champions, Division 1 Play Off Finalists
Steve has proudly been voted ‘Fans Player Of The Year’ at all the clubs in which he played for the whole season!
Management
Steve has stepped in to the dugout on a number of occasions and was infamously sacked as Manager of Millwall In July 2006 after less than four weeks in to the job! His appointment as Manager of Millwall, a club for whom he is regarded as a legend by their fans at The Den, came after previous successful Player Manager roles at Portsmouth in 2000/2001 and Weymouth in 2003/2004.
Media Pundit
Steve is now the leading face of The Football League Show, which follows Match of The Day every Saturday evening, and is a regular pundit for Football Focus, Live Championship matches on BBC1 &BBC2, Score and Radio 5 Live including the iconic Monday Night Club.
After Dinner Speaking
Steve is a fresh and very welcome high profile addition to the speaker circuit, with humorous stories about his on and off field trials and tribulations of a 20 year football career, his gambling addictions and the roller coaster ride that is his life.
Iwan Roberts
Big Iwan was an imposing striker who played from 1985-2005 for seven clubs, starting at Watford then Huddersfield, Leicester, Wolves, Norwich, Gillingham and Cambridge Utd on loan.
In total he played over 700 games in his 20 year career and scored 239 goals.
Iwan won two promotions with Leicester to the Premier League and finished top scorer in the two and a half seasons he was there.
He won the Championship with Norwich in 2004 and was also voted the clubs player of the year on two consecutive seasons, only the third player to ever do this.
He is third in the all time top scorers list for Norwich City and was voted in their greatest ever team along side Chris Sutton.
Iwan also holds the record at Huddersfield Town for goals scored in a season, a huge 34!
International
Iwan was very proud to play for his country, Wales, gaining 15 full Caps
He has now established a new and successful career in the media, working for BBC Wales and also writing a column in The Evening News in Norwich, which is the best selling local newspaper in the country.
Iwan is also privileged to be an Ambassador for The Community Sports Foundation in Norfolk along side Jake Humphrey and Simon Thomas.
To enquire about Iwan’s availability and the possibility of booking him for your event, please get in touch with us using the form below.
Jeff Winter
Jeff Winter is one of the best known football referees of recent years and is available for a variety of guest appearances following his retirement from the game a few years ago.
Jeff began referring in the local leagues around his home town of Middlesbrough and Teesside in the late 70s and soon found himself progressing to the National List via local leagues,Northern League and various levels of amatuer football beofre reaching what was then known as the G.M.Vauxhall Conference.
Jeff’s first taste of league football came as a linesman, something he did for for six seasons before making the step to becoming a Football League referee for 3 seasons. His performances as an official soon got noticed and within three seasons he was refereeing in the top flight. Prior to his retirement, Jeff completed nine seasons as referee in the Premier League and was was on the first professional referees in the 2001/2002 season.
Throughout his career, Jeff officiated some fo the biggest games in football, including the FA Cup final, since leaving the pitch he has gone on to release his autobiography “Who’s the Bastard in the Black”, worked with local and national tv.radio and newspapers and was awarded Soccer Speaker of the Year in 2006.
Jeff is one of the countries most sought after Speakers, hosts, MC’s and auctioneers and is a great addition to any event, to enquire about Jeff’s availability, please get in touch with us below.
Eddie Gray
Born in Glasgow in 1948, Eddie Gray went on to have an illustrious 20 year career with Leeds United where he made 561 appearances and scored 68 goals from his position as winger and has the distinction of never being booked in his entire playing career.
After making is first team debut for the Yorkshire club at the age of 17 on New Year’s Day 1966, Gray went on to win the League Cup and Fairs Cup in 1968 and the Division One Championship in 1969. As he grew with experience, Eddie was a pivotal part in the Leeds United team of the 1960s and 70s, scoring a number of great goals, many of which Leeds fans would argue rank amongst the greatest ever scored for the club.
He won the FA Cup in 1972 and was on the losing side in 1973 as Leeds lost to Sunderland. Unfortunately for Eddie, when Leeds won the Division One title again in 1974, he missed out on a winners medal due to missing a large proportion of the season due to injury. However, he was back in the side which reached the European Cup final in 1975, only to go down, in somewhat controversial fashion to Bayern Munich.
As his playing days neared an end, Gray assumed the role of player manager in 1982 before retiring from playing to concentrate on management. He stayed at Elland Road as manager until 1985 after failing to get the side promoted from the old Second Division.
After leaving Leeds, he had spells managing both Rochdale and Hull in the football league before joining up with Leeds United again in the 90s as youth team manager and later reserve team boss before becoming David O’Leary’s number two in 1998 where he was a part of the successful Leeds side that finished in the top four of the Premier League and had great runs in the Champions League.
Gray was handed another chance as Leeds manager in 2003 but failed in his bid to get the side promoted back to the Premier League but Eddie still remains a name synonymous with the club and his held in high regard by all Leeds United fans for his long standing association with the club, where he still works as a match commentator on the Club;s Radio Station, Yorkshire Radio.
To enquire about booking Eddie Gray, please get in touch with us below.
Neville Southall
Neville Southall is widely acknowledged as one of the greatest goalkeepers of his time, and was awarded an MBE in 1995 for his services to football in a career spanning over 22 years in the game.
He was born and grew up in Llandudno and originally played centre back for the school team and local side, Llandudno Swifts before later becoming a goalkeeper. However, following unsuccessful trials for both Crewe Alexander and Bolton as a teenager, he started his working life as a builder, playing as an amateur for Conwy United, Bangor City and Winsford before being bought by Bury in 1980. It was whilst at the Gigg Lane club that Sothall was then spotted by then Everton manager Howard Kendall and was transferred to Goodison Park for a fee of £150,000 in 1981.
Neville soon became No.1 for Everton and would remain a firm fixture in the side and fans favourite for the Merseyside team for the next 16 years. During that time he helped the Blues win the League Championship in 1985 and 1987, the FA Cup in 1984 and 1995 and the European Cup Winners Cup in 1985. Also in1985, Southall was also voted Player of the Year by the Football Writers Association.
By the time he played his last game for Everton in November 1997, he had broken the club’s record for appearances, having played in 750 matches. Neville Southall also broke records as one of the most capped Welsh players, making 93 appearances for his country during the 1980s and 1990s.
A colourful character in the game, Neville makes for hugely entertaining company at any event. To enquire about booking him, please get in touch with us below.
Chris Turner
Chris Turner is a former football player and manager whose career in the game has spanned over 30 years. A goalkeeper in his playing days, he amassed almost 500 appearances for five different club over 20 years. He made his debut in 1976 for his hometown team of Sheffield Wednesday where he would make 96 appearances over the next two and half years before a move to Sunderland in 1978.
A total of seven years were spent at Roker Park, where Chris played 195 times for Sunderland before a move to Manchester Untied in 1985. After spending 3 years at Old Trafford and playing 64 times for the Red Devils, Chris returned to Sheffield Wednesday where he spent another three years before finally finishing his career at Leyton Orient where he retired from playing in 1994 and took up the role of first team manager.
After a year in charge at Leyton Orient, Chris returned to management in 1999 when he took over at Hartlepool United, where he would spend the next three years, turning the team in to what is now League Two promotion contenders before leaving to join Sheffield Wedensday in November 2002 where he remained until the start of the 2004/2005 season.
After taking over as Stockport County manager in 2005, Chris guided the club to safety having been threatened by relegation to the Conference.
His most recent position was that of Director of Sport at Hartlepool United between 2006 and 2010 and spent 18 months in charge of the first team.
Please get in touch below if you would like to enquire about the availability of Chris to appear at your event.
