It’s Your Round Riddle!

Over the last number of years in my capacity as sports editor for The Paper in Tenerife I have met some wonderful and entertaining people.

On February 5th I was a guest of north east legend Paul “Goffy” Gough at a sportsman’s dinner where the main attraction was Ricky “The Hitman” Hatton. The event was in aid of The Vicki Downing Memorial Fund.

Vicki was the sister of England International Stewart Downing and she died after losing her battle against nuro blastoma. Vicki who fought a long but losing battle against the disease with great courage and dignity for a little girl aged just 4 years was cared for by the Special Care Cancer Unit at the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle upon Tyne.

The “Hitman” along with a plethora of stars from the sporting world including Gary Bennett, Jimmy Montgomery, Billy Hughes from Sunderland, Jimmy Shoulder the former Australian national coach and of course Mr. Downing and his pals from Middlesbrough graced the evening.

But the star of the show was undoubtedly Ricky Hatton MBE. Well he certainly is a star on my eyes. The two times Welterweight champion of the world and former super light weight champion has defended his title on five occasions. In June 2007 he had a remarkable fight with Jose Luis Castillo which we know ended in the 4th round. Ricky was recognised by Her Majesty the Queen in the New Year’s Honours list and awarded the MBE.

In his after dinner speech he told of his love of boxing and Manchester City and the crowd responded at regular intervals throughout with spontaneous applause. This guy can entertain both inside and outside the square ring. At the end of what I can only describe as a magnificent performance the assembled dignitaries and guests including yours truly burst into song with a rendition of “Blue Moon” the City anthem.

Ricky was kind enough to give me an interview and the picture with this article clearly indicates what happened when I said “It’s your round”.

He took time to talk to every punter at the dinner which literally raised ten’s of thousands, had his picture taken I estimate 600 times. This guy is a class act. But don’t take my word for it. He is coming to Tenerife in August for two “Evenings with Ricky Hatton”, hosted by Paul “Goffy” Gough. On this occasion the supporting act was the entrepreneurial raconteur Sid “the scrap man” Dennis a stand up comic from Skegness.

Yes there is one funny man in Skeggie.

Lorna and I spent a brilliant evening and on our table was a young man who one day I think may grace the Premier League, Gary Liddle. This 21 year old was released by Middlesbrough and joined my home town club, Hartlepool United. In a day when professional footballers hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons young Mr. Liddle is a model professional both on and off the field. He was at the dinner with his parents and a former school pal and we had a most enjoyable evening.

Gary Liddle was quite possibly the quietest, respectful and genuinely charming young footballer I have ever met. He will teach the more rowdy and vulgar members of the football fraternity a thing or two about how to conduct themselves in a dignified manner. A real pleasure to be with.

But the night belonged to Ricky Hatton and the Vicky Downing Memorial Fund. Hosted by “Goffy” supported by the fattest scrap man I have ever seen and the man we all love to hate former Premiership referee Jeff Winter. What an ego this man has! But he teased thousands from the crowd which included a liberal sprinkling of WAGS including £900 for a Ricky Hatton glove and more than a grand for Stuart Downing shirt and an equal amount for a Jonathon Woodgate Real Madrid shirt.

Yes it was a great night and The Paper as usual was there.

Moving on as we must it was back to work the next morning at 7am.

You will have often heard the expression “Life begins at…” and then you insert which ever date takes your fancy. I think I have had such a moment at 40, 50 and now it has arrived again.

 I have had two of my books accepted for publication by Apex Publishing (www.apex.publishing.co.uk). They are of course about sport – football. “The King of Cappielow” a tribute to the 1979 Scottish Footballer of the Year, Andy Ritchie of Morton and Celtic will be launched in October. The second will be in WH Smith’s on 16th August in time for the new season.

It is called “The Life of Brian” about a little known but nevertheless interesting lad, from a former mining village, Brian Honour. Brian now runs a soccer school in the Durham area. Brian is passing on s his skills from a 15 year professional career which saw him win promotion with Hartlepool United in 1990/1 and win four Player of the Year Awards along the rocky road in the lower reaches of the Football League pyramid.

Yes two books. You wait twenty years and then like London buses you get two published.

Chris Cowlin of Apex Publishing has shown me the finer points of producing books and described me in one communication as “one of the

Best public relations people he has ever met. Well I think readers of Vital Hartlepool already knew that.

Until we meet again don’t utter those three words “It’s your round” and offend people or you could end up as I did.

Chin, chin!