A SAFE PLACE FOR FORMER MANAGERS AND SCOUTS TO TALK FOOTBALL

IT was some time ago, and I was sitting in my car at wycombe. I was there to see one of the UEFa Youth League games linked to the Champions League between, believe it or not, Celtic and Benfica. Renato sanches played that night and looked as if he was going to be a world-beater.

The proverbial one man and his dog were there for it. another vehicle arrived in the car park and three of my scouting associates climbed out and made their way towards the reception area.

I could see two of them were limping: John Griffin, a top- quality scout who worked at Crystal Palace and sadly passed away this year, and Geoff Taylor, who is in his late 80s and still scouting.

For many of the old scouts, those nights are the life and soul. They earn their satisfaction from watching football, reporting on players and hoping someone inside their clubs will react to their recommendations. It keeps their minds active and they get together and reminisce over tea and biscuits.

I thought it would be wonderful for people like them to have the chance to spend their later years together in a safe place where they could care for each other and always have friends to talk to about football.

The League Managers association committee agreed it would be a good legacy to provide somewhere for managers, coaches and scouts who retire without making a fortune out of football and fall ill and cannot work, or are bereaved and lonely.

we found out the cost would be prohibitive as a venture purely funded by the LMa but our chief executive, Richard Bevan, became aware Mike soper and Paul sheldon, with their backgrounds in cricket, were thinking along similar lines. we have met up to share our thoughts.

There are barriers to overcome but we hope we can set up a property, ideally near the seaside, where we can look after our fellow managers.