[Other Sport] RIP Brian London, the architect of an historic piece of popular football culture.

Former British Heavyweight boxer has died aged 87

Fought Muhammad Ali for the World Title in the 1960’s and with the money set himself up in his hometown of Blackpool with the 007 nightclub. An establishment which later found a place in popular culture when London entertained Bobby Moore, Jimmy Greaves, Clyde Best and ex Albion loanee Brian Dear the night before an FA Cup tie at Bloomfield Road Bobby and the boys had been assured was going to be postponed the following morning.

Unfortunately it wasn’t, the Hammers lost 5-0, after the 4 players had been pictured in the club, drinking and fraternising with what would have been classed back then as ‘hostesses’. On the Monday Ron Greenwood fined and suspended Moore, Greaves and Best, Dear however took the main rap and was effectively sacked on the spot, although the long standing rumour/urban myth was that the board blocked Greenwood from also sacking Moore and selling him to Spurs.

He later went on to run the Executive Club at Southend and recounted the story to me on one of the Albion’s visits to Roots Hall.

Admitted himself that he didn't have the skills to make it to the top and was a major example of what those across the pond called Britain's horizontal heavyweights. What he did have, though, was heart. He would take on anyone including Muhammad Ali and Floyd Patterson when both were at the top and always did his best. If he hadn't been in the shadow of Henry Cooper, he would probably been British Heavyweight champion for much longer than the short time he was. An example to all of how to apply what talent we have even if it's not a lot. RIP.

One of four excellent British heavyweights around that time - him, Cooper, Dick Richardson and Joe Erskine. All probably not quite good enough to wrest the world heavyweight title away from the Good ole USA (I think only London and Cooper were ever given a shot at it).

All irrelevant really - in those days the world heavyweight title was the USA's very own (see under Ingmar Johansen) - if any of those boys had fought for the title in the staets they'd have had to find a way to knock out Patterson (or Liston or Clay) without being disqualified!

Brian London, a popular figure in his day in the days when heavyweight boxing was not the money driven circus that it is today. In those days the British title really meant something. When asked , after his Ali fight, what advice he would give to Ali’s next opponent did he not say “ Go home mate! Don’t bother...this guy’s too good”....

RIP