Kevin’s £35 trench coat gave us all a right good laugh!
It was a sad day for me on Friday when I attended my old Ipswich Town teammate Kevin Beattie’s funeral.
Honestly, what a player he was. And what a guy.
In 1975 he scored for England as they hammered Scotland 5-1 at Wembley.
I could have strangled him that day.
But one year later, I signed for Ipswich and instantly became mates with him.
He was never shy of dishing out a bit to the Scottish guys.
Myself and John Wark used to get called all sorts – Sweaty Socks was as polite as it got!
But Kevin could take it the same way he gave it out. He had a great sense of humour.
He wasn’t the brightest, though.
I remember one day we were away in Birmingham and the game got called off.
Sir Bobby Robson didn’t want to waste the day, so he let us head off into the city for a few hours.
When Kevin came back to the team bus, he was over the moon because he’d found this leather trench coat for £35.
When he put it on we found out why it was so cheap.
The arms only just stretched past his elbows!
Kevin didn’t care. He was delighted – and so were his team-mates!
I’ll always remember him that way, as the life and soul.