MIKE ENGLAND

CENTRE-HALF CAPS 44 1962-74 GOALS 4

Given the excellence of more modern centre-backs like Ashley Williams and Danny Gabbidon, it’s easy to forget just how good Mike England was. But he was good. Very good.

You don’t play 300 matches for Tottenham Hotspur without having something about you and England was a defensive colossus, helping Spurs win the UEFA Cup, FA Cup and League Cup in the 1960s and 1970s.

Wales’ youngest captain, until Aaron Ramsey took his record under Gary Speed’s management in 2011, England was a natural leader of men and went on to cement his place in Welsh football folklore with an eightyear spell as manager.

Came within a whisker of qualifying for major tournaments, never closer than the 1984 Euros when an injurytime winner for Yugoslavia against Bulgaria in the final match KO’d Wales. Back then, the last group matches were not payed simultaneously, so the Yugoslavs knew exactly what they needed to do.

England was sacked as Wales boss in 1988 and never had another job in football. He owned nursing homes in his native north Wales and ran a timber business.

At 81, he’ll be keeping a close eye on Wales’ fortunes out in Qatar.