Test Match Special - #40from40: Nobby Stiles MBE

Episode Date: June 18, 2020

England World Cup winner Nobby Stiles takes a 'View from the Boundary' at Old Trafford in 1997.

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Hello, this is Jonathan Agnew with another offering from the Test Match Special Archive as we go back to another classic view from the boundary. In 1966, England were crowned football world champions of the likes of Bobby Moore, Jeff Hurst and Gordon Banks, leading them to victory at Wembley Stadium. Well, another linchpin of that team with his famed tenacity and toothless smile in midfield was Nobby Stiles. Mankunian, Born and Bread.

Stiles played for Manchester United over 300. Times. He's a legend in the northwest. As well as that Old Trafford, Nobby was a regular at the cricket ground as well. In 1997, during the Ashes test against Australia, he popped along to the old commentary box to join Graham

Fowler and Neville Oliver to take a view from the boundary. Well, welcome back to Old Trafford and the gentleman who's sitting on my right has had a long association with Old Trafford but a slightly different one, the soccer one. Nobby Stiles. Nobby, welcome. Thanks great. Nice to be here. You haven't exactly travelled a long way

to get here today, have you? One stop down on the metro. Nice and handy. Well, it's probably a good job that you won't stop down on the metro because if you were in the car this morning, you would have listened to Jonathan Agnan wind me up superbly.

He's giving me some information about your knobby and I'll just read out what it says. It says you're a keen cricket supporter and follow Essex. I am, but it's flankers here. Yes, right. That's one out of the way. Played village cricket as a youngster

bowling off spin. Well, the village was a district car collier in Manchester, which was about a mile from Piccadilly, and I wouldn't exactly call it a village. Not really a greenfield side, is it? This is a good one. Played double bass and a jazz band called it In the Swing.

You see, this is where you begin to realise I am being stitched up. The next one now, I don't think you need to answer that one, Nobby. Next one down said, Breed's Irish Wolfhounds and actually won bronze medal for Best of Breed at Cruffs. True or false? Not true, but I did have a Dalmatian and he caused me a lot of problems. Right.

For Irish Woolfound substitute Daff Dalmatian. Yes. And then it goes on to say that you did many daring deeds for charity and I do know you do work for charity but amongst those you performed a free-fold parachute jump from 10,000 feet and also water skied barefoot for 500 metres. Well I never did a parachute jump because with these at my eyes I would be very worried and the, what was the other one?

Water skied barefoot, no. No, the nearest I came to that was we were in Surface Paradise went Manchester Night in 1967. And I didn't see, I didn't even see Surface Paradise because my relatives were there, went over there in 49, so I was looking at all the kangaroos on that, you know. Well, talking about animals, the last one. And I really should have clicked at this stage, shouldn't I?

It said, spent a night locked in the chimpanzee house at Tycross, zoo which raised £7,000. Thank you very much, Jonathan Agnew. Now, we can actually get down to not exactly serious stuff, Nobby, but Old Trafford football ground for those people who don't know is literally 800 yards from Old Trafford Cricket Ground. And I'd a guess, although you'll probably tell me in a minute, have you spent a fair amount of time on the cricket ground?

Oh, yeah, ever since a little boy, I got back as far as when I was six. I used to come down at Old Trafford. Because the season used to start as well over at Old Trafford. They'd play the first sim against the reserve, So I'd come here on a Saturday and then go over to Old Trafford to watch them. Right. And Bank Holiday Mondays, you know, Lancash, Yorkshire and that, that was tremendous.

Yeah, so you've always been the big lover of the game. Oh, yeah. I mean, my heroes were Brian Stadham and Roy Tattersall at that time, yeah. I believe you actually, was it Brian Stadham you saw in what playing his first roles his match stadium? That's what he told me. I was fortunate enough to be here a few years ago. We'd be invited down and had lunch with Brian and Roy Tattasol,

and I must have drove him mad, you know, because I kept saying, I can remember. I can remember this, I can remember that, and I was saying that I was on the boundary over there on the far side, and I said, O'Brien, you were in the last hour facing Freddie Truman, you and Bob Berry, and I said, you know, I said, you yelled out till the end of it, and he said that was my first roses match, so I must have dropped him death. It's funny, but you probably remember more about that than he did. I probably would actually and then I said I'd listen to him the radio about five in the morning before I went to school

it was the test matches out in Australia and he said that was his first test series I think he remember I think Roy Sassettel and himself got flown out and I'm not too sure having had this long passion with cricket did you actually ever play as a boy I know that you're

at very early age you were playing soccer yeah I wanted to school I went to with St Patrick's in college and we played both, you know, played both things. But I went for trials for Manchester boys at cricket, but obviously with my eyesight wasn't very good at it and didn't get through the trials. And then obviously I went from trials for Manchester boys

and was fortunate enough to go on from there, you know? That would probably be about the same age, would it? Yes, that's right, yeah, under 14. Under 14. But you couldn't manage to play to the club cricket after that? No, no way. I mean, the grounds we played on was Red Shale, Red REC. I mean, the ball could go anywhere.

And with my eyesight, the way it was, I wouldn't see it anyway, you know. You'd have been a bit better off today, though, because you had the up-to-date and modern contact lenses. Well, farge enough for me and my football in the 60s, that was when I first started to wear contact lenses. And Manchester United were very good at that time because I was really struggling. I had to go backwards to come forwards.

And without the contact lenses, I'd have been really struggling, you know? I've spoken at dinners with Dennis Law on a few occasions, and he often tells a story about your early contact lens. wearing escapards? Dennis, I, well, we had a few contacts. We had a slight bit of contact in the England, Scotland games those days, you know. Dennis used to say it was my eyesight that was to blame, but I think, no, I think it was the passion of England, Scotland, you know.

You just wanted to get one back at Dennis, did you? Well, if you can get one back at Dennis, you're doing well, you know, but when it was England, Scotland, yeah, that was very important. Right, but talking about going back to cricket, you've obviously loved cricket, Do you still watch when you can? Yes, very much so. I watch all the test matches. I get down when it possibly can.

As I said, I live one stop down, so many a time I'll just come in on the metro and just sit on the far side and just watch on my own, it's great. I mean, one of my highlights as a child, it had to come up in conversation, was the 1966 World Cup final. I mean, that really stood out in my memory.

And I'll tell you this, you might enjoy it or not. But you're actually my mother's favourite. Well, I think the amazing thing was after the World Cup final in 66, I remember going to Sailor Cano, and it was a bingo night, and I was presenting some prizes or whatever, and I got more kisses that night of grandmothers. I must have pulled every grambler in England, you know. I think it reminded him the husbands with no teeth or whatever, so... Well, I mean, that's one of my great childhood memories in the 66 World Cup final. But in your childhood, do you have any massive sporting memories, particularly involving cricket? You remember coming down here, but is there anything that stands out?

Any boyhood heroes? Obviously, Dennis Compton. I mean, it was before my time, but as I said, that was at times when I was 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11. As I say, Brian Statham. Johnny Wardle from Yorkshire. I can remember the listening to, as I say, the test matches in Australia, Johnny Wardle playing.

Jack Eichen of Lancashire, you know, and the slips and that. They're the memories you have. I always remember Alan Warren. in Sixers. It was about Phil Lancashire and I used to love that and I actually said

I spoke to him just before, not long before he died and I said I can remember that and he said well I didn't eat that many to me he was in them all the time yeah it's amazing what your memory does here you can actual reality of some things is not

what your memory tells you it is that's right I mean people say to me these days you know I can remember that and such and such and you mind it seems to tell different things you know what I mean because time goes by you know so

but it's nice people to talk to me about it all the different things you know I bet you can remember winning the World Cup final oh yeah I mean that was the greatest day obviously in my football life and that in the 68 European Cup final I've been a Manchester lad

but no I mean the Elysian or whatever you know being the best It was tremendous, but it wasn't a case about it was the support we got from the people. It just carried your arm and carried your arm. And it was a bit of that last year with Euro 96. In 66 it was the same. And when you get the support like you do here, the adrenaline goes,

it makes you do more better than you can't have anything you can do, you know. And so obviously it's great. How much did Wembley count towards the World Cup victory? If that game had been played, say, in Germany or Germany? Holland, not saying the result would have been any different, but playing in front of a home crowd, was that a substantial ingredient? Oh, of course it is. I mean, it's like anything else.

I'm sure it's the same out in Australia. If you've got the massive crowd and that support that's there, as I say, you can do things that you don't think you can do. The energy, the energy is amazing. I've got to tell you, I'm a great fan of viewers, and I remember the 1966 World Cup vividly, and you're pugnacious little man, and I always used to think, well, it looked like a bulldog the way you attack, but I've got to ask you about full-time, to all, and how did you feel when you had to line up for extra time? And that must be dreadful for a sportsman

to a given your all and then realise when the final whistle goes that there's more to come. I always remember, obviously, I was in the wall and I was lining the wall up from the free kick that went in, and when it's gone in, obviously, they're in the ascendancy because, you know, they've got it back, we're deflating. I always remember going over to Alf Ramsey. We walked over to Alf Ramsey, Wolf McGuinness was there, he was part of the squad, Alan Shepherds and the training, they're coming out towards us, and a lot of the lads were wanting

to go down and get my sides, lie down and get my sides. And if you ever see a photograph, there's only one person on the ground in the England side, and that is Bobby Moore. And Bobby, Bobby's not actually looking for it. Bobby's just sat there as usual, enjoying himself, Bob. And Alf Ramsey came over, and the lads were

wanting to go down, and Alfamsey said, no, he said, look at the Germans. And we looked over at the and every one of them was flat out getting rubbed. Psychologically, he'd got us. They're shattered. They're shattered. He picked us up and he said, no, go out and win the game.

He said, what you've been doing for the last 10 minutes is trying not to lose it. What he meant was we were kicking the ball anyway, get it in the stands, kicking anywhere, keep the ball, keep it, keep it, and go and win it again, which he had been doing. That's what we did, and it was the same with Matt Busby and 68.

There were so different people, completely, and they both had exact the same thing. thing. For the last 10 minutes, you've been playing not to lose the game, be positive about it, go and get the ball, pass it, keep it, make them chase us. You mentioned Al Framsey. Al Framsey was a great supporter of yours. It seemed that whenever Nobby Stiles was being talked about, about being dropped or whatever, Al Framsey was the man who stood up and said, no, Nobby must be in the team. Well, I didn't realize this until this shit and later, I saw him talk on the television

about it, but I didn't realize much later that after the game against Argentina, but the game a game before Argentina, I'd been in a bit of trouble with the French game. A bit of trouble? Well, you know, it was a bit of a dodgy tackle, say, and a Frenchman got injured. The contact lenses had slipped.

No, no, no, no. People say that to me, they say, well, you know, with your eyesight, you must miss a tackle. And I say, well, does Bobby Charlton, if Bobby Charlton said, if somebody's shot at Scholes, did he all go on the target?

And I said, well, tackles is the same. You can't all be on the target, because it's a matter of timing or whatever. But Alf Ramsey, by all accounts, the selector said that we're going to drop me for the quarter-finals against the Argentina. And by all accounts, Alf Ramsey stood up to him and said that he would resign if I didn't play.

And I didn't know this. But for a man to do that for you, obviously, it's unbelievable. And in the dressing room just before the game as we're going out in the tunnel, Harold Shepards, and Les Cocker, the trainers were great people, came to me and they said, look, Alph has been absolutely brilliant for you, don't let him down. And please God, I didn't.

What was it like for the guys to be in the squad but didn't actually play in the final? They must have felt a huge part of it but also not quite part of it. I mean the one I particularly remember was that Jimmy Greene's. Well Jimmy, again, as I say, Jimmy, what happened, Jimmy played in the three opening games

but Jimmy got injured against France. He had a cut on his instap. But I also remember Jimmy obviously, we had five world class players in our team. We had Garden Banks, great Bobby Moore, Bobby Charton, Ray Wilson, and Jimmy Greaves. And Jimmy, obviously, as I say, was one of the five great players. So obviously, it was very disappointing, Jimmy. But actually, again, if you look at, if you go back over the tape and you see,

actually Jimmy Greve came onto me, put his arms around me and said, keep him going. Now Jimmy, I know he was very disappointing. But for the less of the lads and the squad of 22 players, and we have it now when we ever see each other meet up again the bonding that was there was unbelievable if you hit one of us hit all of us you know not just the lads

so it's great when we get together which is every now and again about every five ten years or whatever the squad of if we get the squad of 22 like Ron Spring who gave Kelly to Peter Benetti Jerry Burney and Callig and it's like family and all families he developed this thing between us

I don't know he did it but the spirit was absolutely unbelievable I think that's one thing that runs through all sports, well team sports, that if you've got a successful team, then the actual spirit that's there is something that never goes away. In my own case, Mike Gattin is a very special person to me in cricket.

If it wasn't for Mike Gatton, I wouldn't have scored 200 in a test match at Madras. It was Mike Gatton who got me there, and he actually got a double century as well. And there's a special bond. Now, that's just from one two or one game, but to actually win the biggest trophy in the world, then you must have an incredible bond between all of you.

The spirit was absolutely unbelievable. I always remember Alf Ramsey after the game against Portugal. I got actually, I got a knock in the last 10 minutes they're trying to score, get an equalizer. Ball's got knocked into the box, and I've gone ahead it for 2-1 minutes to go, and Gordon Banks has come. He's hit me in the back, but he's knee,

and he's punched for the ball, and he's punched me in the air as well. I've gone down, I don't know where to. to hold. After the game, I'm looking forward to a celebration because we're in the final, we're in the final. Because we'd had a great celebration after the Argentinian game, you know, within the

semi-files. We stayed in the hand and all, a lot of friends in. No, no ladies, just friends in, had a big sing-song, got well jarred. It's all sports, isn't it? It's all sports. Very prepational, yeah. So, and so and then, and then I'm looking forward to having a few drinks.

And I've gone, I've gone back to the hotel, I've got to get treatment on my knee, I've got treatment on my back, I'm having my ear done. And I'm looking forward to going out and having a few jars with the lads. And the doctor says, by the way,

he says, you can't, he said, I've got to put an injection in your ear. He said, because if you don't, it's going to be a cauliflower. He said, but I said, but I'm going for a drink now. He said, you can't have a drink. Well, don't put the injection in there. I said that, he said, but no,

he says, he said, do you want to have a call? I said, no, I'm ugly enough anyway, so do without it. So anyway, he did it. And I walked back in and I'm, I'm, thinking that the lads are going to be enjoying themselves, I can't even have a drink. And Al Framsey, I never forget, Al Framzie stood there as I came in,

he was waiting for him. And he said, gentlemen, he said, now you may have two drinks. He said, and I mean two drinks. Not like on Saturday. When you hit 200. When you were all a little bit merry. And he said, because on Saturday, he said, we are going to win the World Cup.

He said, and I mean win the World Cup. He said, and then I shall make sure you are permanently drunk. Oh, it's probably a good job that you did have the injection in your ear I mean, you have to look after you, he's not you to get your glasses on? Well, no, I thought not if that what happens happening, like,

I have an Ivan Hollifield, they'll be all right to keep slipping, wouldn't it, you know? No, but if I throw you a name, give me a reaction, Georgie Bist. I mean, genius. Absolutely genius. I mean, terrific.

I mean, such a great player, could do anything, great tackler. I mean, people say, oh, you got to do it. the bounce of the ball when he's going past, you know. It was a great tackle, great balance, you know. Loved life? Oh, yeah.

Ah, yeah. I mean, he was the first superstar. He was the first superstar. How'd you cut with that? I mean, he was the time of the Beatles. He was the fifth beetle, really, wasn't it? Yeah, really. I mean, how do you cope with that at his age?

Well, you'd probably follow him around. No, no, I'm a little bit older. Man United, whether you live in Australia, you live here, or you live on the moon, You'd have to be aware of Manchester United. What makes them a great club? Well, I'm biased. I mean, I've been in support since I was a kid.

I remember listening to the 1948 Cup Final when I was six years old, and as I said, Manchester, Lancash, right through it. And so it is special, and it goes back. And I think, obviously, Matt Busby has a great importance to it. He's the man who developed it. I mean, as I said, I joined Manchester United in 57. I was there eight months when the Munich Air Crash Company.

And they were all my idols, Little Eddie Coleman from Southford, Snakeeps to call him. He was my idol. So to go there and be a part of that with Samanus, but as you say, there's this, there's a magnetism about it because when they play, supporters won't allow, they've got to play football, they've got to knock the ball above, they've got to be attractive.

They can't be negative, you know, they can't play long ball stuff. They've got to be attractive. And it's always been the same, and especially with Matt Busby. Many a time, you know, winning 5'4, he'd always say go out and score more if you'd got to, he would never close a game up, he always wanted to go and win it and as I said I went to Australia in 67

we toured Australia for five and a half weeks all over the points and it was absolutely amazing I mean as far as it goes down I mean everywhere we went there was United supporters there's probably as many Manchester United supporters in Australia as there are in England well there's probably as many Manchester United supporters in Siberia as there is in England

I mean it's just one of those clubs that just seems to capture public imagination because they are fabulously successful are they not? Oh I mean I mean, when I was on Manchester, I did it, as I say, as a youngster, I knew everybody in the club. I knew everybody to love what, the laundry women, everybody, the groundsman. I sort of forget it. But now it's so big, it's grown so huge, because of, as I say,

this is a glamour about them, whatever way it is, but it's a glamour. Nomi, Nomi, you mentioned, sorry, Graham, but I did want to go back to that, well, I mean, it's a sad part of the history, but the Munich Air disaster, what sort of a pool did that throw over the club, And how long did it take to throw it off? It's amazing because I, we were training in the afternoon. Those days as apprentices, we was ground staffed those days to call it. You didn't train in the mornings, you did your work.

You did you cleaned the boots. You did the dressing rooms. You did the gym. You did the, you know, you did the stand sweeping. And then they told us, we trained in the afternoon. Bill Ingalls, the second team, training came and said the plane's crass. Just that simple? He said, planes crossed.

We don't know how bad. I got on the bus and I went into town. went into town the evening Cron at that time you saw the people who were dead I got on I got on I got on I got on I got on a mile out from Piccadilla I went I got off the bus went over right off got off the bus went right into my church in Patricks and I sat there for a note and a half and I just cried for Jimmy Murphy was the man who at that time was absolutely fantastic he kept the club together he was billing and he actually took him to the cup final that year with

a load of youngsters and lads he brought in and he kept the club going. It was him I mean it was so down I mean, as you say Samart is tremendous but at that time Jimmy was absolutely fantastic there was at the time and the reason

I know this is because I now live in Durham but Bishop Auckland actually gave some players to Manchester United. It was Bob Artistie and it was Warren Bradley and Mike Penner the goalkeeper and a couple of years ago Bishop Auckland actually got into

financial difficulties for one, I think it was an insurance case, if I'm not right. And they sort of got in touch with Manchester United... Reciprocated. Yeah, Manchester, the full team up and they put an exhibition game on, you know. So it was such a strong feeling that it just... Well, I played with Bob Hardesty. Bob Ardusty was in England Amateur International. They'd won the, what do you call it, the F.A. Amateur Cup for years and years. And Bob Hardesty came, and I was 15 years of age now, and I was playing in the reserve.

at Manchester United and it was great because I had an experienced player playing alongside me I mean the great thing was the sad thing was as I say Munich happened but what happened was

then he had to bring in players like Noel Cantwell Morris Satters and that but they were older players and you learned often I mean there was a little fellow called Ernie Taylor who was or played in the

1953 cup final for Blackpool he brought him in Jimmy Murphy and these experienced players saw you in a lot of things how quickly was it after that that you ended up playing regular first thing

Well, I made my debut when I was 18 against Bolton Wonders, and so it was quite quick, really, you know, consider. No, I'm going to find it an absolute nuisance when the cricket starts again, because I've got a million things I want to ask you. But I've got to ask you a more general soccer question. When you were playing, there was hardly a European to be seen in the English league situation. And now, whichever team I look at, it's a matter of whether you've got two or three or four. Is that a good thing or a bad thing? I tend to think it's not a good thing. I don't think every player, every foreign player that comes over is the best.

If the best they come in, yeah, you'll learn off them. There's no doubt about it. It's like Zola from at Chelsea, Kanzanaro's at United. I don't, and I think I worry a bit because you learn off good players. It's a bit like cricket. They looked outside their own backyards for years to the West Indies and wherever they could grab players from. I think that's the danger.

Do you think that is a little danger? Yeah, I think that's the danger because, as I say, if they're all good players, fine. You're going to learn off them. But if they're not, you're going to halt the progress of the youngsters coming through. I mean, something Durham University, Newcastle United, train there, and their reserves don't even play in a competition. They're not playing in a league.

And I think that's a great sign of it. Because even if they've got good players in the club, how can the young learn with them? What they tend to do is, it appears that if they need a player in the first team, people seem to go and buy one rather than bring somebody up from the youth. Well, that's what I'm saying. When I came, when I was in Manchester United, I came into reserves when I was 16 years of age and played there for the next two years.

But I was playing with all the players, experienced players, and you learn off that. You gain from that because, as I say, you're raw and you want to go into things, and you've got to think about things. But I definitely agree with Neville. I don't necessarily think that all these foreign players are going to be good for the game. I think in a little bit later, you could see the problem is coming. You'll harvest the despair, perhaps. Well, I can only go off Manchester United.

Beckham, you've got your Beckham. them, but, Scrolese, the Neville brothers. They had Canterner there, and Cantanar was a great influence on him. They learned from him and that, and they've got other good players there with him. But they will come on from there, gaining from it. But I think if you bring it too many in, it's going to be detrimental. I do believe that. Manchester has always had a good youth policy, haven't they?

Well, to be first. They did, but for many years, for many years, it faltered. After Matt Busby and now, it faltered for the spell. under Alex Ferguson, Alex Ferguson done an absolutely tremendous job. I mean, in the time he's been there, he has absolutely transformed it, absolutely brilliant. And that's not just done very easy. It's not just an overnight. He works at it, and he's planning is absolutely tremendous.

And what he has, as I say, what he's done, he's built for the future. I mean, you sell Gillespie for a million pound to Newcastle and all these other players who are there, but you sell a player for a million minutes. That guarantees your youth policy for the next five or six years. It's tremendous. You've been studying this game closely. What do you think?

Give us a reasoned opinion about how it's going. I'm worried. I'm worried. I must be honest, but press get on my nerves because they built the England lads up. They won the first test, which is great. The England lads know what they're in for. The Australians are a great side.

So they know what they're going to roll them over on our list. it's a different game you know I was here yesterday and in England had a good start but they didn't have to have to work for it like anything I don't think there was anything given away and there's this pressure on it there and then when I'm not the ball that got Stewart the one there was one before that I mean turned so wicked off one I thought Christ no he's not again is it you know and they don't start come in so I mean he's took some stick and I thought that was tremendous I mean he kept plugging away down there down there and McGrats coming in from here it was

unbelievable. He didn't give nothing away. No, but do you study Australian soccer at any distance this wonderful new manager we've got

and... Terry, well Terry Vennambus is a great manager. I mean, he did a tremendous job for England in Euro 96

because what he did was very similar to Val Framsey. What he does he makes you strong from the back first. You don't lose games.

You've got to make sure you don't lose games in the first place and then you can come on and get stronger from that. And Terry is very good. I also have a friend

out there a friend in Perth, played in the 19th, with me in the 68. He didn't play in the final, but he played in the games approaching the final, which I like all Franny Burns. And Frannie's been out there for years, and I believe he's, you know, I think he's doing quite well out there, Fanny. So I'll look out for that, you know. But I think, no, Terry, I think they've got a great manager there.

Actually, they've got a terrific record since he's been out there. I've never, I heard your talk with great love of Matt Busby and Alf Ramsey. it must be a terrific pleasure and a wonderful confidence thing for a player to have such a wonderful manager yeah of course it is as I say and you get this belief in it that what you're going out is

what you're doing is right and I as I said before nobody gave England a shout in the Euro 96 before and especially after the Switzerland game when they had all the trouble in China and the Switzerland game oh England they're not going to do we had the same in 66 when the opening game against Churuguay

makes you stronger but as I say, you build from the back first and you don't lose goals, and then your great players will win your games. Like Gascoigne did against Scotland, scores a great goal, lifts you. Then you started going. I think we'd have called you the pocket rocket in Australia. Five foot six, ten stone ten.

No, I was... No? I'm delighted. I'm delighted about that. I'm five for five and a half. Oh, well, hang on, I'll rip this bit of paper up here. It was given to me by Jonathan Agnew. He seems to insist that you were locked in a zoo cage at one stage. And I'm listening on the radio when I'm in the car, and I'm listening to this,

and I'm thinking this fella's serious, you know. I'm no better now. Barefooted water skiing. I can't tell you what a pleasure it's been to talk to you, Nabi. As I said, I admired you from a very great distance for a long time. And when they told me you were coming up, I had to get special dispensation from the boss Peter Baxter to sit and be part of the chat. It's been a great thrill for me, I can tell you.

I've enjoyed you very much. Thanks, Noel. Well, lovely memories there from Nobby. If you're wondering, that test was won by Australia by 268 runs. with Steve Waugh, scoring 100 in each innings, and I went on, of course, to win the series 3-2. Well, I've got a whole stack of interviews available on BBC Sounds as we celebrate 40 years of view from the boundary. Here's one that I really enjoyed

is the Metropolitan Police Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick at the Oval in 2018. To be fair, I'm basically a cricket fan, and I will go and watch anybody, and I love seeing England do well. But, you know, in that way that it's nice to have a team that you really support and look out for. as my team and they sometimes have bewildered us and looked great and then collapsed and

you know been it's been very up and down over the years it really has i was at lords when they were winning this year i was what lords two years ago when they won yeah um and so i've seen them in their highs but i've also seen them when we've had our head in our hands yeah okay so therefore uh how did you feel in 2010 when the spot betting business happened with Muhammad Amir. You've put yourself out there as a Pakistan supporter. How did that feel? Well, as a... I mean, that's where my sort of personal and professional life came together in a sense, because I do like cricket, and I had a job to do. And I was the assistant commissioner that kind of led that investigation. So you actually investigated that? I did. Yeah, I did. I'd been at Lords on

the Thursday, and I'd seen the no balls bolt. And I'd turned to my friend Sue and said, what on earth's going on here? I hadn't thought any more of it about it and that. It was so extraordinary. It was so obvious, though, weren't they? Well, on the Friday night, the Commissioner called me and said, Crestra, I've been contacted by a newspaper and they say they're going to run this enormous corruption story and they won't say what section it's in. And we agreed that I would go to the newspaper the following morning with a hand-picked team of sensible people.

I didn't know what it was about at all. I just knew it was to do with corruption. And I went there and with my team and they started to show us the material that they had gathered. and I realised fairly quickly with my senior investigating officer that we needed to secure the evidence, obviously, before the newspaper published because clearly, you know, to do anything other than that would risk the evidence being lost and massive criticism and failure of an investigation that ought to be taking place.

So we, amongst other things, at about 4 or 5 o'clock, I drove quietly into Lords with my team up into the pavilion and went to meet David Collier, chief executive, I think. He was, VCB, yes. He didn't know what I was going to say, and I just said, you know, this is the situation, and my team will need to go into the dressing room

and do a search of the dressing room, which he facilitated. What were you looking for? Well, evidence that we believed we would find that would show that money had been taken. Right. and for a particular reason, obviously. Anyway, fast forward, as you know, sadly for cricket,

three cricketers were convicted, and it was a, I think, a very proportionate and sensible investigation. Very sad for the game, but needed to be done. But that's remarkable, because we were commentating at the other end, and you had no idea that you and your team are searching the dressing rooms in the Lord's Pavilion. Yeah, that seems incredible. Yeah.

Did you find... We did. We did. We did. Yeah, I mean, if you look at the, at the, how the, um, case developed, we found, we found relevant material here. It's not here. At loads, we found relevant material.

And again, uh, in the hotel rooms and that, and elsewhere. And that was really important. And of course, that could potentially have got lost if we'd waited till the end of play or even to the end of the game. The whole thing would have been lost, probably. So that whole interview is on BBC Sounds. To make sure you catch everything from Test Match Special. Just hit the subscribe button.

The TMS podcast, classic view from the boundary. Alan Shearer and Ian Reiter in my kitchen. What's going on here? The all-new Match of the Day Top Ten podcast, answering a huge football question every week. This has not been easy, hasn't it? Like the Top Ten Premier League strikers. Personally, I think it's really hard to have Shearer anywhere near the top 10.

The Match of the Day Top 10 podcast. Only available on Beamed. BBC Sounds.