Cantona's Flying Dropkick
vidi vici veni
[sorry if fixtures]
Argus story
Arsenal legend Terry Neill is ready to help Albion make their Falmer dream a reality.
Neill, who has recently moved to Hurstpierpoint, is a part-time consultant for City law firm Hextalls, who specialise in helping clubs with relocation.
And since moving to Sussex, he has taken a big interest in the fortunes of his local team.
advertisementHe also believes that one of his neighbours in the village, Birmingham chairman David Gold, might still invest in Albion.
Neill has managed both north London rivals Arsenal and Tottenham as well as Northern Ireland, for whom he won 59 international caps.
He stays in touch with the Gunners by analysing their games for the club's TV channel. But he now considers himself an Albion fan as well.
Neill, 65, said: "I'm always there if there is anything I might be able to do. I've become a supporter now I'm local.
"I've visited Withdean a few times and have been made to feel so welcome, especially by (chairman) Dick Knight and (chief executive) Martin Perry.
"They have got an exciting future with the new stadium which will benefit them and the community, whom they already work closely with. The Seagulls have fantastic potential."
As well as his media commitments, Neill is a member of FIFA's technical study group and lists president Sepp Blatter among an impeccable list of contacts. "If I don't know everybody, I know someone who does," he said.
Adding Albion to his portfolio could be a logical step as he now lives on the club's doorstep.
Gold is among his neighbours and the pair got together a fortnight ago when Birmingham took a point off the Gunners at the Emirates.
Gold expressed an interest in investing in Albion last September when Birmingham were the subject of a takeover bid by Hong Kong businessman Carson Yeung.
That deal is now dead and Gold has re-affirmed his commitment to Birmingham but Neill would not rule out the possiblity that he might get involved in Albion in the future.
He said: "It has nothing to do with me and I have no inside knowledge. It is entirely up to David and it would be presumptious of me to suggest anything.
"But we are living in a democracy and it would seem from this bystander that if David did want to move on from Birmingham that there could be a connection at sometime with Albion because I believe he is very much a football man.
"I've been a director (at non-league Hendon) and very much liked the way he and David Sullivan have tried to run Birmingham.
"But I don't believe in hostile takeovers. That's why I was so disappointed when Arsenal split with David Dein who was involved in a takeover other members of the board opposed. I've worked with David and he did a massive job for Arsenal."
Hurstpierpoint Colts is a world away from the Premier League but Neill enjoys watching his local youth team as much as Arsenal.
He said: "I've been to see them a few times. They are so enthusiastic and I would love to run a few coaching sessions when time allows. I've also been approached by a team at Albourne primary school to do something similar.
"I'd tell the children to remember they are all in it together, to keep disciplined and, above all, enjoy it - it's the same advice I gave out when I was manager of Arsenal and Tottenham."
Neill has a wealth of stories from a career in the game which began 47 years ago when he made his Arsenal debut as an 18-year-old centre-half. A year later he was captain of the side.
He won the first of his Northern Ireland caps in 1961 and was a regular in Arsenal's side in the Sixties.
A bout of jaundice restricted his appearances towards the end of the decade and he missed the Gunners' infamous League Cup final defeat to Swindon Town.
He made the last of his 275 appearances in 1970 and moved to Hull City where he became player-manager at the age of just 28.
He was back in London in 1974 as successor to the great Bill Nicholson as Tottenham boss and two years later took over at Highbury.
Under Neill, Arsenal reached three FA Cup finals and the Cup Winners Cup final but only won one of them - the famous 1979 Wembley triumph over Manchester United.
Sacked in 1983, after a League Cup defeat to Walsall, Neill ran a bar in Fleet Street which became poplar with journalists anxious to get the inside track on events at Arsenal.
During nearly 50 years in the game Neill has managed and played with George Best, locked horns with Brian Clough, nearly signed Diego Maradona and Michel Platini for Arsenal and helped establish Liam Brady, the former Albion boss, as a world-class player.
Even now, life is as full as ever for this legend of the British game. Perhaps, though, he might find some space in his diary to help Albion.
What do you think of Terry Neill's offer?
Argus story
Arsenal legend Terry Neill is ready to help Albion make their Falmer dream a reality.
Neill, who has recently moved to Hurstpierpoint, is a part-time consultant for City law firm Hextalls, who specialise in helping clubs with relocation.
And since moving to Sussex, he has taken a big interest in the fortunes of his local team.
advertisementHe also believes that one of his neighbours in the village, Birmingham chairman David Gold, might still invest in Albion.
Neill has managed both north London rivals Arsenal and Tottenham as well as Northern Ireland, for whom he won 59 international caps.
He stays in touch with the Gunners by analysing their games for the club's TV channel. But he now considers himself an Albion fan as well.
Neill, 65, said: "I'm always there if there is anything I might be able to do. I've become a supporter now I'm local.
"I've visited Withdean a few times and have been made to feel so welcome, especially by (chairman) Dick Knight and (chief executive) Martin Perry.
"They have got an exciting future with the new stadium which will benefit them and the community, whom they already work closely with. The Seagulls have fantastic potential."
As well as his media commitments, Neill is a member of FIFA's technical study group and lists president Sepp Blatter among an impeccable list of contacts. "If I don't know everybody, I know someone who does," he said.
Adding Albion to his portfolio could be a logical step as he now lives on the club's doorstep.
Gold is among his neighbours and the pair got together a fortnight ago when Birmingham took a point off the Gunners at the Emirates.
Gold expressed an interest in investing in Albion last September when Birmingham were the subject of a takeover bid by Hong Kong businessman Carson Yeung.
That deal is now dead and Gold has re-affirmed his commitment to Birmingham but Neill would not rule out the possiblity that he might get involved in Albion in the future.
He said: "It has nothing to do with me and I have no inside knowledge. It is entirely up to David and it would be presumptious of me to suggest anything.
"But we are living in a democracy and it would seem from this bystander that if David did want to move on from Birmingham that there could be a connection at sometime with Albion because I believe he is very much a football man.
"I've been a director (at non-league Hendon) and very much liked the way he and David Sullivan have tried to run Birmingham.
"But I don't believe in hostile takeovers. That's why I was so disappointed when Arsenal split with David Dein who was involved in a takeover other members of the board opposed. I've worked with David and he did a massive job for Arsenal."
Hurstpierpoint Colts is a world away from the Premier League but Neill enjoys watching his local youth team as much as Arsenal.
He said: "I've been to see them a few times. They are so enthusiastic and I would love to run a few coaching sessions when time allows. I've also been approached by a team at Albourne primary school to do something similar.
"I'd tell the children to remember they are all in it together, to keep disciplined and, above all, enjoy it - it's the same advice I gave out when I was manager of Arsenal and Tottenham."
Neill has a wealth of stories from a career in the game which began 47 years ago when he made his Arsenal debut as an 18-year-old centre-half. A year later he was captain of the side.
He won the first of his Northern Ireland caps in 1961 and was a regular in Arsenal's side in the Sixties.
A bout of jaundice restricted his appearances towards the end of the decade and he missed the Gunners' infamous League Cup final defeat to Swindon Town.
He made the last of his 275 appearances in 1970 and moved to Hull City where he became player-manager at the age of just 28.
He was back in London in 1974 as successor to the great Bill Nicholson as Tottenham boss and two years later took over at Highbury.
Under Neill, Arsenal reached three FA Cup finals and the Cup Winners Cup final but only won one of them - the famous 1979 Wembley triumph over Manchester United.
Sacked in 1983, after a League Cup defeat to Walsall, Neill ran a bar in Fleet Street which became poplar with journalists anxious to get the inside track on events at Arsenal.
During nearly 50 years in the game Neill has managed and played with George Best, locked horns with Brian Clough, nearly signed Diego Maradona and Michel Platini for Arsenal and helped establish Liam Brady, the former Albion boss, as a world-class player.
Even now, life is as full as ever for this legend of the British game. Perhaps, though, he might find some space in his diary to help Albion.
What do you think of Terry Neill's offer?
