Two sides of the same coin

I was going to play for Tottenham. I was going to open the batting for England. I was going to win Wimbledon. I was going to win the Open. I was going to be a professional footballer. Until I realised that they were nothing but dreams. So I went into sports broadcasting. For a while I considered that to be my second-best option, until I realised that was, of course, my only option. It was a natural fit, and one that allowed me to be a part of so many wonderful sports that I wasn’t blessed with the talent to play.

Earlier this year, having retired from international cricket, Jimmy announced he was to play a full season for Lancashire, and that meant a match against Middlesex at Lord’s on the first day of the season. It was just too perfect. On the podcast we hatched a plan for Tailenders of the world to unite and take over Lord’s to witness England’s most successful bowler in full flight.

When Real Madrid came calling for me, it was January 1999 and they had just won the Intercontinental Cup. That white shirt, the Puskases, the Di Stefanos… I had the chance to join the best team in the world, and I felt I had to give it a go.