FORMER full-back Dennis Rofe had the company of two “Best” men for his wedding weekend in 1972.On Saturday November 4, 1972, Rofe was given the tough task of marking George Best as Leicester City drew 2-2 with Manchester United at Filbert Street and the Northern Ireland wizard scored one of the goals.
Dennis Rofe marked Manchester United legend George Best a day before getting marriedCredit: PA:Press Association
Denis Rofe used to be a British record signing back in the dayCredit: Getty
Dennis Rofe married Sue just a day after one of the biggest moments of his careerCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
Less than 24 hours later, the Foxes defender married Sue with a more conventional best man.
Last November Dennis and Sue celebrated their golden wedding anniversary.
Now 72 and retired, Rofe said: “That was quite a 48 hours. All the memories came flooding back when we had our 50th at the end of last year.”
As a schoolboy, Rofe started playing as a striker before switching to midfield and then full-back, where he spent his entire professional career.
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Grammar school-educated, he was spotted by Leyton Orient scouts playing in tournaments in East London — with O’s then manager Jimmy Bloomfield a big influence early on.
Rofe became a key member in the club’s Third Division triumph in 1969-1970 and the 1971-1972 FA Cup run to the quarter-finals.
He added: “Jimmy became Leicester manager in 1971.
“It was a no- brainer for me to rejoin my old boss.
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“I moved to Leicester for a then British record for a defender of £112,000. That lasted just 24 hours because David Nish left Foxes the next day to join Derby for £250,000!”
“I joined Leicester on the same day Frank Worthington moved to the club from Huddersfield. What an incredible character Frank was — and so dearly missed.
“We stayed at the Holiday Inn together for the first few months.
“I always joke that I moved into the Holiday Inn at the age of 22 and by the time I had spent time with Frank, I was 58 when I left the hotel a few months later!
“I remember Sue and I buying our first house for £12,000 with a mortgage of £8,000. My dad was panicking, asking me how on earth I was going to pay it back.
“I absolutely loved my time at Leicester. We would go out once a week — if we didn’t have a midweek game — to a working man’s club and play darts and snooker and would put prizes into the raffle to help the proceeds to underpin these places.
“I was honoured to get my chance to play for the England Under-23s.
“I played against Czechoslovakia. I still have the England shirt and cap. They are treasured possessions.”
ON THE MOVE
He switched from Leicester to Chelsea in 1980 after Bloomfield left.
His three seasons with the Blues were spent in the second tier and by 1982 he was keen to move again.
He said: “I was living in Aldershot and a neighbour suggested I speak to Lawrie McMenemy at Southampton.
“I managed to get to talk directly to Lawrie in the oddest way. At the time there was a football agent called Dennis Roach, so when I rang to get through to Lawrie, I was put straight through to him — with them thinking I was the agent.
“McMenemy was very honest with me. He said he was happy to give me three months to see if it worked out. I spent most of the next 23 years at the club as a player and on the coaching staff.”
After McMenemy left Saints, Rofe was soon promoted by new manager Chris Nicholl to first-team coaching duties, until the club got rid of them both in 1991.
Rofe added: “I became manager at Bristol Rovers but the board had no money and it was impossible.”
He returned to Southampton as youth team coach until 1997 — and had a third stint from 1998 to 2005.
That left Rofe admitting: “I must be the only person to have been sacked three times there. But I still have a huge soft spot for the place.”
Incredibly he was appointed by three Saints bosses and survived under SEVEN more.
Rofe recalled: “I then went on to work for the Football League as a regional manager for its youth development programme. I would oversee the area between Oxford down to Yeovil. I thoroughly enjoyed the role.
“Then an old mate, Paul Groves, took over at Bournemouth and wanted me to work with him.
“However, not long after, Paul was replaced by Eddie Howe — a move which proved great for the club.
“I moved into scouting for clubs like Wolves, Nottingham Forest and Charlton. Then everything changed after the Covid pandemic hit.
“It completely stopped scouts travelling around the country.”
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He added: “I maintain a huge passion for the game in a lifetime of playing, coaching and managing. I love watching and being part of matches as much now as when I was playing.
“Yes I’m 72 and was forced into retirement almost because of the restrictions of Covid but I would still love to be involved in the game. That will never leave me.”
Denis Rofe played for Leyton Orient, Leicester, Chelsea and SouthamptonCredit: Supplied More
