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      Neymar’s amazing Paris lifestyle, living in a £6.5m home formerly owned by Gerard Depardieu and driving a £250k Ferrari

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      IT is a life fit for the world’s most expensive footballer.
      Neymar, 28, is facing another spell on the sidelines after suffering a suspected broken ankle playing for PSG against Lyon.

      Neymar is facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines for PSG after his latest injuryCredit: Icon Sport – Getty

      But that will give the Brazilian plenty of time to enjoy a lavish lifestyle in Paris.
      The forward, who is out of contract in 2021, is believed to have settled in the French capital, after reportedly struggling at first.
      And he’s got his favourite haunts, including an exclusive nightclub, Brazilian restaurant, as well as the Parc des Princes – all close to his £6.5million home.
      Here’s how Neymar lives his life.

      HIS HOME
      In 2017, Neymar moved into a stunning five-storey mansion that’s worth £6.5million.
      Once an architects home, it was built in the 1950s and lies 10 miles from the centre of Paris.
      Built across 10,800 square-feet, it boasts a giant indoor swimming pool in the basement – complete with sun loungers and a view out onto the sprawling 5,000 square-metre garden.
      In addition there is a sauna, Turkish bath and massive games room to have fun with his pals.

      Legendary French actor Gerard Depardieu was was believed to be a former owner.

      Neymar lives in a stunning £6.5m mansion

      The home boasts an indoor pool

      Gerard Depardieu was a former owner of Neymar’s homeCredit: EPA
      But Neymar doesn’t own it himself. Instead, he’s paying a reported £12,800 a month to rent the property.
      With his salary around the £550,000-per-week mark, that doesn’t even make a dent in his monthly take home.
      HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
      To celebrate turning 28, Neymar rented his favourite nightclub for an exclusive bash.
      YOYO, which is barely half a mile from the Eiffel Tower, was the scene for his all-white party in the Parisian hotspot back in February.
      Kylian Mbappe, Edinson Cavani and ex-Manchester United ace Ander Herrera turned out in force despite the heavy rain.
      And it was clearly a night to remember for Neymar, who looked dapper in a white hat.
      Over the years, some of the world’s best DJs have appeared at YOYO, including Dimitri From Paris and Trentemöller.

      Neymar celebrated his 28th birthday at YOYO nightclubCredit: Refer to Caption

      The theme of the party was to dress all-whiteCredit: Refer to Caption

      Neymar is a regular at YOYO, which he rented for his birthdayCredit: The Mega Agency
      EATING OUT
      Like many Brazilians, Neymar loves eating steak.
      Whenever he’s in Dubai, he heads straight to Salt Bae’s Nusr-Et Steakhouse for a fillet mignon.
      And in Paris, he’s got BOTECO – a restaurant that serves Brazilian cuisine, including fresh meat, and is reasonably priced with mains costing around £12.
      “I love Boteco, a fantastic little Brazilian restaurant and cocktail bar,” Neymar told Emirates.com.
      “More importantly, it’s very authentic, too.”
      Diners have scored the restaurant four and a half stars on TripAdvisor, raving about the drinks and delicious tapas.

      BOTECO is Neymar’s favourite restaurant in ParisCredit: Tripadvisor

      The Brazilian restaurant is relaxed and serves authentic cuisineCredit: Tripadvisor

      Neymar has revealed he is a fan of BOTECO’s cocktails

      Tapas is the order of the dad at BOTECO
      FAST CARS
      Thanks to his huge salary, Neymar can afford the best cars in the world.
      And he has a penchant for Ferraris, owning a GTC4 Lusso worth £250,000 as well as a 455 Italia that costs £165,000.
      But it’s not just wheels the ex-Barcelona ace loves. He’s also got a fondness for wings.

      Neymar is reportedly the proud owner of a £6million Cessna 680 jet.
      The private set of wings can transport up to 12 of his mates and has a maximum flying range of 3,190 miles.
      He was also said to have owned another private jet and a luxury yacht, but they were reportedly seized in 2015 after an investigation into his tax affairs.

      Neymar on the bonnet of his £250,000 FerrariCredit: Instagram

      Neymar reportedly owns a jet worth six million poundsCredit: Reuters

      Travelling in style is the ultimate indulgence for NeymarCredit: Instagram @PSG

      Neymar, with son Davi Lucca, is using the Cessna 680 jetCredit: Instagram, @neymarjr

      Neymar sensationally admits he wants to he wants a reunion with Lionel Messi next year More

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      Italy hero Paolo Rossi broke Brazil’s hearts in 1982 and changed the way they played in World Cups going forward

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      The death of Paolo Rossi was, of course, big news in his native Italy.  But it was also a huge story in Brazil.
      He was, as he named his autobiography, the man ‘who made Brazil cry.’

      Paolo Rossi was the man who made Brazil cry at the 1982 World CupCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      He was once thrown out of a taxi in Sao Paulo by a driver with graphic memories of the most extraordinary day in his life – the hat trick he scored in 1982 in one of the all time great World Cup games which knocked Brazil out of the competition.
      Rossi had been out of the game for two years after being caught in a betting scandal.
      He stumbled through three draws in the group phase as Italy flirted with early elimination, and then suddenly got his groove back.
      He followed his goals against Brazil with more against Poland and West Germany as Italy charged to the title. They went on to glory.

      Brazil went home early. They had not even reached the last four – and this was to have serious consequences.
      World Cup winning captain in 1994 and Brazil’s coach in 2010, Dunga described the 1982 side as “specialists in losing.”
      Brazil responded by the defeat against Rossi by looking for another way to win. The physical development of the game, they argued, had made it too much of a risk to try the old style possession football of Zico, Socrates and the class of 82.
      Instead the future lay in holding the fort in midfield and launching quick counter attacks down the flanks.

      Rossi’s famous hat trick knocked Brazil out of the 1982 World Cup Credit: AP:Associated Press
      Brazil have won subsequent World Cups – in 1994 and 2002 – but never won as many friends as they did in their heyday, either in that 1958-70 period, or indeed, in 1982.
      A few years ago I was involved in a TV documentary about that Brazil team, and I had the chance to interview many of the players.
      They were still regularly receiving fan mail from all over the world – proof that football is not about what you do. It is also about the way that you do it.
      It is not hard to pick flaws in that Brazil side. Big centre forward Serginho was a blunt instrument – a real threat at club level where wingers fired in crosses for him to attack, but lost when asked to combine with a wonderfully skilful midfield.
      Valdir Peres was a long way from being Brazil’s best ever keeper. Both full backs were magnificent players. But Leandro on the right and Junior on the left wanted to be midfielders, and left space behind them – which Italy exploited.
      There were two extra problems with Leandro. He was not in great physical shape – he was already suffering with his knees – and he was also poorly protected.
      Eder played wide on the left, but there was no one doing a similar job on the right. The idea was that other players would rotate to fill this space.
      It was not a great success. In the group phase against Scotland Zico even offered to come off at half time to make way for a genuine right winger.
      Brazil, then, had chinks at the back and up front, and even their midfield had a balance which was not ideal.

      Brazil boasted skill players like Zico who loved playing a possession gameCredit: Bongarts – Getty

      Brazil won World Cup tournaments in both 1994 (pictured) and 2002 playing a more pragmatic styleCredit: AFP – Getty

      But they could really make that ball sing. They were not a dribbling team.  Coach Tele Santana frowned on dribbling unless it was in the last third of the field.
      Falcao, Toninho Cerezo, Zico, Socrates, Eder and Junior passed and moved with rare joy and creativity.
      They were a great side – and it is a massive tribute to Paolo Rossi that on that day in Spain he was good enough to beat them.

      Italy legend Paolo Rossi is taken from the morgue in Policlinico to Vicenza in Siena More

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      Inside Cristiano Ronaldo’s £20m lavish Gulfstream G200 jet in which he flies at 560mph with Georgina Rodriguez

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      CRISTIANO Ronaldo lives a jet-set lifestyle, regularly travelling between his Turin base and his homeland, Portugal.
      So it makes sense the Juventus star bought a Gulfstream G200 twin-engine jet in 2015 for £20million.

      Cristiano Ronaldo’s £20m private jet has a bedCredit: Instagram

      Ronaldo owns a Gulfstream G200Credit: Rex Features

      He and girlfriend Georgina Rodriguez have been seen making the most of the luxury transport.
      And it’s worth every penny, as you’ll see here…
      IT’S FAST!
      Originally named the ‘Astra Galaxy’, the G200 is capable of reaching a top speed of 560mph.
      That means it takes Ronaldo roughly six hours and 25 minutes to fly from Funchal Airport on the island of Madeira to Turin in Italy.

      Its range is up to 3,910 miles with four passengers in tow, so it’s ideal for quick flights from Italy to hubs around Europe.
      But the G200 offers a generous seating configuration, and can fit as many as eight to 10 passengers for one flight.

      Ronaldo and partner Georgina Rodriguez often use their private jet to zoom around EuropeCredit: Instagram @georginagio

      Family games are easy for the Ronaldos onboard the spacious aircraftCredit: Instagram

      The Gulfstream G200 is capable of reaching a top speed of 560mphCredit: Alamy

      It takes two crew members to man the G200Credit: Avbuyer
      IT’S A RARITY
      After its first flight in 1997 was followed by certification from the US and Israeli aviation agencies in 1998, the G200 was made available in 1999.
      It was something of a rarity though, with only 250 ever made – making Ronaldo’s purchase that even more exclusive.

      The final production G200 rolled off the production line in 2011, when the G250 started to gain popularity.
      So, it’s vintage!
      WHAT’S IT GOT?
      As you can imagine, and what £20m buys you, the G200 is filled with features that’ll make flying in it a luxury.

      Between eight to 10 passengers can travel at once on the private jetCredit: Instagram

      Ronaldo bought the G200 in 2015Credit: Instagram

      The G200 is vintage with only 250 ever madeCredit: Alamy

      Ronaldo’s luxury G200 is the height of luxuryCredit: Privatefly

      As well as being roomy, Ronaldo has a wardrobe where he store his designer clothes.
      There’s Wi-Fi, a telephone, fax machine, electric oven, microwave, refrigerator, and an entertainment system.
      Perhaps those who fly with CR7 are treated with an elaborate in-flight movie of his greatest goals collection. More

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      Inside Cristiano Ronaldo’s £20m private Gulfstream G200 jet in which he flies with Georgina Rodriguez at 560mph

      by

      CRISTIANO Ronaldo lives a jet-set lifestyle, regularly travelling between his Turin base and his homeland of Portugal.
      So it makes sense the Juventus forward bought a Gulfstream G200 twin-engine jet in 2015 for £20million.

      Cristiano Ronaldo’s £20m private jet has a bedCredit: Instagram

      Ronaldo owns a Gulfstream G200Credit: Rex Features

      He and girlfriend Georgina Rodriguez have been seen making the most of the luxury transport.
      And it’s worth every penny, as you’ll see here…
      IT’S FAST!
      Originally named the ‘Astra Galaxy’, the G200 is capable of reaching a top speed of 560mph.
      That means it takes Ronaldo roughly six hours and 25 minutes to fly from Funchal Airport on the island of Madeira to Turin in Italy.

      Its range is up to 3,910 miles with four passengers in tow, so it’s ideal for quick flights from Italy to hubs around Europe.
      But the G200 offers a generous seating configuration, and can fit as many as eight to 10 passengers for one flight.

      Ronaldo and partner Georgina Rodriguez often use their private jet to zoom around EuropeCredit: Instagram @georginagio

      Family games are easy for the Ronaldos onboard the spacious aircraftCredit: Instagram

      The Gulfstream G200 is capable of reaching a top speed of 560mphCredit: Alamy

      It takes two crew members to man the G200Credit: Avbuyer
      IT’S A RARITY
      After its first flight in 1997 was followed by certification from the US and Israeli aviation agencies in 1998, the G200 was made available in 1999.
      It was something of a rarity though, with only 250 ever made – making Ronaldo’s purchase that even more exclusive.

      The final production G200 rolled off the production line in 2011, when the G250 started to gain popularity.
      So, it’s vintage!
      WHAT’S IT GOT?
      As you can imagine, and what £20m buys you, the G200 is filled with features that’ll make flying in it a luxury.

      Between eight to 10 passengers can travel at once on the private jetCredit: Instagram

      Ronaldo bought the G200 in 2015Credit: Instagram

      The G200 is vintage with only 250 ever madeCredit: Alamy

      Ronaldo’s luxury G200 is the height of luxuryCredit: Privatefly

      As well as being roomy, Ronaldo has a wardrobe where he store his designer clothes.
      There’s Wi-Fi, a telephone, fax machine, electric oven, microwave, refrigerator, and an entertainment system.
      Perhaps those who fly with CR7 are treated with an elaborate in-flight movie of his greatest goals collection. More

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      Chelsea’s secret weapon is coach Anthony Barry, who has tightened up defence and got them scoring goals from set pieces

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      SPECIALIST coaches are becoming the new normal in football.
      In 2018, seeking an edge, Liverpool hired throw in coach Thomas Gronnemark to improve distribution from the sidelines from full backs Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson.

      Chelsea first team coach Anthony Barry has transformed the team defensivelyCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      And that trend has continued in 2020 in the Premier League with Chelsea reaping the rewards of having a set piece specialist among their coaching ranks.
      Anthony Barry, 34, enjoyed somewhat of a journeyman career as a footballer – playing at clubs including Accrington Stanley, Yeovil Town, Chester City and Fleetwood Town.
      But, as an up-and-coming coach, he was brought to Stamford Bridge to address the Blues backline that conceded 54 goals in the league last season, including 15 from dead ball situations.
      At the time of his appointment, manager Frank Lampard couldn’t hide his delight with securing Barry’s services.

      “He’s an exciting young coach and someone I’ve known for a while,” Lampard revealed.
      “I believe he will be a strong addition to the team.” Lampard hasn’t been wrong.
      This season, Chelsea have not just tightened up at the back – they’ve reversed the trend by scoring in the opposition box for fun whenever they’ve had their own set pieces.
      Barry’s hard work on the training pitch at Cobham is clearly working.

      Barry was appointed as first team last summer after a stint at WiganCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      DEFENSIVE IMPROVEMENT
      There’s no doubt the additions of goalkeeper Edouard Mendy and experienced Brazilian defender Thiago Silva have given the Blues more steel at the back.
      But Barry might just be the best signing Chelsea made this summer.
      Lampard and Barry met on a coaching course, when the latter was at Wigan Athletic in 2018.
      The former West Ham star was immediately impressed by the Liverpool-born coach’s attention to detail, and earmarked him for a role on Chelsea’s coaching staff.
      Chelsea would have had further reason to hire him seeing the development of Reece James, who excelled at Wigan while under the tutorage of Barry and waxed lyrical about his time there.
      And they’ve certainly been meaner at the back.
      In 11 games, Chelsea have kept five clean sheets and currently boast the second best defensive record in the Premier League, as Barry has got to work on the training pitch.
      While they only let in two goals during their entire Champions League group campaign, as they finished above Sevilla.

      Chelsea currently have the second best defensive record in the Premier LeagueCredit: AFP

      Barry works with Cesar Azpilicueta on defensive shape
      Barry’s influence was evident when he was seen on the Stamford Bridge touchline barking orders at his defenders when they faced set plays against Rennes.
      AN AERIAL THREAT
      Standing at 6ft 3in, Kurt Zouma is an intimidating presence in the opposition box.
      But he was never as proficient as he has been this season.
      The most goals the French defender ever managed in a Premier League campaign was two. This season, he has four – the most recent a towering header against Leeds last week.
      According to insiders, Zouma is a Barry favourite – and it’s clear to see the centre half taking note of his coach’s tactical masterplan.
      When the delivery is whipped in from either Mason Mount, Ben Chilwell or Hakim Ziyech, Zouma’s positioning has been key to creating mischief in the box.
      Of Chelsea’s 25 goals in the Premier League this season, seven have come from set pieces.

      Offensively, Chelsea have improved from set pieces under Barry too

      Thiago Silva heads home one of two set piece goals Chelsea scored against Sheffield United

      Kurt Zouma, scoring here against Leeds, has four goals this seasonCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      Two were scored against Sheffield United, a team renowned for their defending from corners and free kicks, in a 4-1 win – that showed what a threat the West Londoners now are.
      “I’m very happy with the set-piece goals,” Lampard said after that game.

      “Today shows how important they are because they make the game comfortable when — even though we’ve played well — it could have been (different).”
      With Everton up next for Lampard’s title-chasing side, Toffees boss Carlo Ancelotti will be well aware where the threat from Chelsea lies.
      But will they be able to defend those set pieces?

      Everton vs Chelsea free live stream, TV Channel and kick off time for Premier League match More

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      How Barcelona legend Quini was kidnapped to stop the Spanish giants winning LaLiga and held hostage for 25 days

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      “QUINI is free — and Spain win at Wembley for the first time.”
      March 25, 1981 is a date Spanish football will never ever forget.

      Quini is held up by authorities following release after 25 days as hostageCredit: YouTube

      Four decades ago, Barcelona legend Quini, who passed away in 2018 aged 68, was at the centre of one of the darkest episodes in football history.
      In 1980, the Nou Camp giants signed one of the best strikers in Spain as they looked to win their first title in six years.
      Quini was a three-time top scorer in Spain’s top flight with Sporting Gijon — even netting 21 as they finished bottom in 1975-76.
      In 11 seasons at the club, only once did ‘Quinigol’ fail to hit double figures, and cost Barcelona around £450,000.

      He started off the season superbly but, on March 1, 1981, his life would change forever.
      KIDNAPPED
      Barcelona had just hammered Hercules 6-0, with Quini netting two, and the striker then went home to get changed before heading off to the airport to collect his wife, who was returning from a holiday.
      However, two men turned up to his house — and took him away at gunpoint.

      A tearful Quini waves to crowd following release from kidnappersCredit: YouTube

      Quini was part of Spain squad, which travelled to 1978 World Cup finalsCredit: PA:Press Association

      Quini talks to former Spain manager Luis Aragones back in 2005Credit: Reuters
      His wife’s confusion at not finding her husband at the airport as expected turned to concern when she got home and found the lights still on.

      Enrique Castro ‘Quini’ scores some classic goals for Barcelona
      She called the club and the police before filing a formal missing persons report the following day.
      A CALL FROM THE CAPTORS
      Later that day, she received a phone call from Quini’s captors, who were alleged to have been members of a group known as Batallon-Catalan-Espanyol, and insisted they did not want Barcelona to win the ‘separatists’ league.
      On March 8, one week later, they were due to face leaders Atletico Madrid.
      Barcelona were two points behind — at a time when it was two points for a win — and were the form team ahead of the fixture.

      Quini embraces Bernd Schuster as he rejoins Barcelona team after kidnapping

      Quini was a three-time LaLiga top goal scorer before joining Barcelona in 1980Credit: Getty
      It appeared the timing of the kidnapping was to ensure he would not play in the match, and several Blaugrana players claimed they were not in the right frame of mind to face the Rojiblancos.
      Spain was in the midst of a tense political atmosphere, which didn’t help matters, and police were besieged with prank phone callers claiming to be the captors.
      In the days leading up to the match, Barcelona’s president and several players were looking after Quini’s wife and children, fearing for their safety — which was not ideal preparation for the biggest match of the season.

      Quini in action for Spain at 1982 World Cup, which came after kidnapping ordealCredit: Getty

      “Freedom for Quini” — fans across Spain plead for release of Barcelona strikerCredit: YouTube

      Quini in action for Spain during a friendly against Scotland in 1982Credit: Getty
      GAME ON
      As there was no sign he would be released, the match went ahead and Atletico won 1-0. Then things started to completely unravel for the Catalans.
      They would take just one point from the next five games to completely fall out of the title race.
      Spain was in a state of shock, with fans in stadiums across the country holding banners begging for the striker’s release.
      RANSOM
      Three weeks after his disappearance, and with fears  growing that he would never be seen again, one of the kidnappers contacted team-mate Jose Ramon Alexanko and claimed a sum of around £500,000 deposited into a Swiss bank would see Quini released unharmed.

      Quini sadly passed away at age of 68 after suffering heart attack in 2018Credit: Getty

      Quini refused to press charges against captors following releaseCredit: PA:Empics Sport

      Quini has a shot saved by Dino Zoff in an international just months after releaseCredit: 1980 AP
      As pressure mounted, the police acted and transferred the money into an account which reportedly belonged to one Victor Manuel Diaz Esteban.
      The authorities waited patiently and, on March 25 — the same night Spain won at Wembley for the first time in their history — a man withdrew around £5,000 from that account.
      This allowed the police to trace and seize three unemployed Spanish men in a garage in Zaragoza, where Quini had been kept.

      Juan Mata meets former Barcelona striker Quini back in 2012Credit: Reuters

      Quini was held captive for 25 days before eventually being releasedCredit: PA:Empics Sport

      Just months after release, Quini helped Barcelona win Copa del Rey final
      REFUSED TO PRESS CHARGES
      Aside from his beard being significantly longer, the Barcelona striker was in decent health and amazingly refused to press charges against his captors — even after they had been sent to jail.
      He would never even claim his personal damages award of £25,000.
      Even more incredibly, Quini was back playing just weeks later, where he received rousing ovations at every ground, and would astonishingly go onto finish as top scorer that season, helping the Catalans win the Copa del Rey.
      A year later, he scored the winner in the Cup Winners’ Cup final and would be part of Spain’s 1982 World Cup squad that summer, having finished the campaign as LaLiga’s top scorer once again.
      In 1984, he returned to Sporting Gijon, where he remained for three years before retiring.

      Lionel Messi signs a shirt for Barcelona legend Enrique Castro ‘Quini’ More

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      Brian Kilcline: A colossus on the pitch, ‘Killer’ was a unique personality on and off the pitch

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      THEY don’t make them like Brian Kilcline any more.
      A wonderful and unmistakeable one-off, the towering centre-half may only have one FA Cup winners’ medal on his CV.

      Brian Kilcline was a one-off as a pro

      But in a career that spanned nearly two decades and took him from Notts County to Coventry, from Oldham to Newcastle and Swindon to Mansfield, he established himself as one of the characters of the modern game.
      He’s still got the hair too!
      He’s always ploughed his own furrow…
      And not just in the hair stakes.

      Kilcline didn’t look like your average footballerCredit: Getty – Contributor

      His long locks and moustache stood out in a career that spanned nearly two decadesCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd

      When he was signed for Swindon in 1994, he rejected the club’s offer to stay in a local hotel with his wife Lynn and instead bought himself a narrow boat in Osney Mill Marina in Oxford, as you do.

      “Lynn must have looked at 50 narrow boats because the criteria was I had to be able to stand up in one,” he explained at the time.
      “The lads knew about it. I remember having a game of chess against Andy Mutch on the boat once.”
      His taste in cars was just as left-field…

      His life off the pitch was just as interestingCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd

      He was once reprimanded by Joe Royle for driving to training in a Dacia DusterCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
      While most footballers are known for their taste in luxury vehicles, the same couldn’t be said of Brian Kilcline.
      During his time at Oldham Athletic, ‘Killer’ was reprimanded by then manager Joe Royle for turning up to training in a Dacia Duster that looked more like a ‘war truck’ than something a professional footballer should be seen in.

      FAUST AND FURIOUS Gun-loving Faustino Asprilla snubbed career in porn, lost a £44k stallion and injured himself kicking a bus
      I remember Joe pulling me in the office one day and saying: ‘What the f***’s that outside?’ He said: ‘You can’t be coming in in that.’
      “I said: ‘Joe, I either had central heating or a nice car. And central heating won.’”
      He never really liked the fame that came with football…

      Kilcline was never comfortable with fame outside the gameCredit: Times Newspapers Ltd

      At 6ft 4in Kilcline was always instantly recognisableCredit: PA:Empics Sport
      At 6ft 4in tall and with long, lustrous locks and a huge moustache, ‘Killer’ was always going to be recognised whenever he ventured out in public.
      But he did his best to avoid it.
      Once, when he was in a DIY store in Walsgrave buying some paint, he was approached by his two lads.
      “Oi mate,” said one, “you look just like that footballer, Kilcline.”

      He won the FA Cup with Coventry in 1987Credit: Getty – Contributor

      It was the only trophy he ever won in his careerCredit: Hulton Archive – Getty
      “Yeah, a lot of people say that,” replied Killer before heading off in the direction of the emulsions.
      “I just carried on walking,” he added. “I couldn’t be bothered.”
      But then he never really thought of himself as a footballer anyway…
      Football, he once reflected, was just something he did, not something that defined him and as a player in age before the big salaries came along, it was a fun way to make a living, nothing more, nothing less.

      Kilcline once lived on a boat when he was playing for SwindonCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd

      Not blessed with skill, Kilcline knew his limitationsCredit: PA:Press Association
      “When we were playing it was more about playing the game and having the craic afterwards – and I loved the craic!” he said in 2018.
      And he certainly knew his limitations when it came to playing too.
      “The way I’d describe it is we were shirehorses,” he said.
      “Footballers today are thoroughbreds. But there are still some Brian Kilclines out there.”
      He’s handy about the house…

      Kilcline was a dab hand at DIY in the houseCredit: PA:Empics Sport

      He could weld, build dry stone walls and was a keen carpenterCredit: Getty – Contributor
      How many footballers do you know that can weld? Or build dry stone walls? Or know their way around carpentry?
      Yes, ‘Killer’ is a dab hand when it comes to DIY and has also made a successful business of his rental properties in and around his home on Homlfirth, Yorkshire.
      He really should have been sent off in the 1987 FA Cup Final…
      Towards the end of Coventry’s epic 3-2 FA Cup Final win over Spurs, Kilcline bulldozed into Tottenham’s Gary Mabbutt with such ferocity that he had to be taken off with a minute to go of normal time.

      He was lucky not to get sent off in the FA Cup final in 1987Credit: Hulton Archive – Getty

      Luckily, he was able to limp up Wembley’s 39 steps and lift the trophyCredit: PA:Press Association
      Remarkably, he didn’t even get booked.
      Instead, referee Neil Midgeley just asked him, “What the effing hell was that?”
      A little over half an hour of extra time later and Coventry had won their first and only FA Cup title, leaving Kilcline to limp up Wembley’s 39 steps to lift the famous trophy.
      “I couldn’t move after that,” he recalled. “My leg just locked up. There was an internal bleed inside the muscle. I remember we did the open-top bus and the day after they sliced the leg open and drained it.”
      But he did once get booked for something, well, strange…

      While at Notts County, Kilcline was once booked for calling a linesman an egg

      Kilcline wasn’t afraid to mix it up on the pitchCredit: Hulton Archive – Getty
      During his time at Notts County, Kilcline found himself yellow carded during a game even though he had no idea why.
      A few days later the club received the League’s report detailing why ‘Killer’ had been cautioned.
      “I opened it up and it said – ‘The player Brian Kilcline went over to the linesman and called him an egg’,” he says.
      “It could have been so much worse – it was totally out of character for me to call him an egg!”
      But he was a colossus on the pitch…

      Kilcline had a career resurgence at Newcastle UnitedCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd

      He was Kevin Keegan’s first signing in 1992Credit: PA:Empics Sport
      When Kevin Keegan became Newcastle manager in 1992, he made Kilcline his very first signing, making him club captain.
      And it reaped huge rewards.
      That season, Newcastle won the old First Division championship title, gaining promotion to the Premier League and to this day, Keegan is in no doubt about the contribution Kilcline made.
      “Brian was brilliant,” he said.
      “He doesn’t think the world owes him a living. A great pro. He got in among the players and helped turn the club around.” Or to sum up: “The best signing I ever made for Newcastle United.”

      Kilcline helped Newcastle gain promotion to the Premier LeagueCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      He is loved on Tyneside and in Coventry still to this dayCredit: PA:Empics Sport

      Kilcline was the epitome of maverick, whoever he played forCredit: PA:Empics Sport

      The feeling was mutual…
      Although Kilcline made his name at Coventry, he still has a special place in his heart for the Newcastle fans.
      “They just took to me,” he explains.
      “I have played in front of 100,000 at Wembley, but the Newcastle fans were and are something else.
      “Pardon my French,” he adds, “but there is so f****** many of them.” More