WHAT’S THE Score?

Terry Butcher

BEST MANAGER YOU PLAYED FOR?

SIR BOBBY ROBSON, without a shadow of a doubt. For club and country I was with him for 14 years and his man-management was second to none.

BEST PLAYER YOU PLAYED WITH?

BRYAN ROBSON. It was Sir Bobby who christened him Captain Marvel and he was just that. I was a club captain when I played with him but there were never any issues about who was England’s leader.

BEST PLAYER YOU PLAYED AGAINST?

NO surprise when I say Diego Maradona! We recently had a reunion of the 1986 England World Cup squad and we all said the same thing.

TURNING POINT IN YOUR CAREER?

I BENEFITED from the misfortunes of others. Ipswich had two international centrebacks in Allan Hunter and Kevin Beattie and both got injured at the same time. It allowed me and Russell Osman to step up.

BEST GOAL YOU SCORED?

THE two most significant were both headers. One was for Rangers when we drew 1-1 at Aberdeen to clinch the first title under Graeme Souness in 1987, the other the winner in the UEFA Cup semi for Ipswich in Cologne in 1981. I’d go for that one because I’d supported Ipswich as a boy.

BIGGEST ACHIEVEMENT?

JUST getting to the top of my profession when so many of my friends didn’t make it.

BIGGEST INFLUENCE ON YOUR CAREER?

SIR BOBBY was a major influence, of course, but I go for Bobby Ferguson, who was my youth coach at Ipswich and later worked with the first team. He made me into the player I was.

MOST MEMORABLE GAME?

THE 1990 World Cup semi-final against West Germany, even though Gary Lineker equalised after I’d been subbed! It was such a bittersweet night. Leading out England, wearing No.6 like Bobby Moore, almost made my chest burst with pride.

BEST STORY ABOUT A TEAM-MATE?

THERE are hundreds of Paul Gascoigne stories, but I’m keeping quiet. Suffice to say I never let him into my hotel room! He never tried any of his exploding golf balls stuff with me because I think he was a bit scared of me.

SECRET ABOUT YOU?

I’M a big heavy metal fan. My ex-teammate at Ipswich, Paul Mariner, got me into it. We still go to gigs together.

TERRY BUTCHER shed blood for England, won the UEFA Cup with provincial Ipswich Town and picked up five trophies during his time at Rangers. Here he shares some of his highlights with JOHN BARRETT.