We asked the Legends to name their own personal football legends

MICKY: When I was a youngster my favourite was a guy who some readers of The Northern Echo will remember, Martin Harvey.

I loved players with style and a bit of panache and while Martin was a big fella, he had a sweet left foot. Plus he was a great tackler and Sunderland supporters have always loved to see a player who isn’t afraid to make a challenge.

For younger readers I would compare him with John Terry at Chelsea – a great organiser and leader on the pitch.

The other legendary name for me is Colin Todd, who came into the Sunderland team just after Harvey.

Toddy had everything: pace, bravery and read the game very well. He was in the Bobby Moore mould.

As a defensive midfielder I have always taken pleasure from watching players who could stop goals rather than score them and Toddy was a master of that.

MALCOLM: Remember that I am not from the North-East so I’d like to come at this from a slightly different angle.

I was born in Finlay Street that led to Craven Cottage, Fulham’s ground.

During the school holidays I would go up to the local bus-stop to collect autographs from the Fulham players because footballers didn’t have cars in those days. I would carry their bags down to Craven Cottage while they signed my book.

One of the players stood head and shoulders above any other and that man was Bobby Robson. When I would carry his bag he would ask me questions like: “Do you want to be a footballer? What position do you play?” and so on.

He quizzed me all the way from the bus-stop to Craven Cottage. That was typical of Bobby – more interested in you than being the star himself.

Ten years later, Bobby was Fulham manager and wanted to sign me. I recall being inside Craven Cottage with Harry Haslam, who’d been my manager at Tunbridge, and we were discussing terms with Bobby. He turned to me and said: “I remember you, you’re the little lad who carried my bag from the bus-stop and you’re still an inquisitive little begger!” He still remembered me after all those years. That summed him up, a unique man and a true legend on and off the pitch.

BERNIE: When I arrived on Teesside my idol was Wilf Mannion.

My dad told me when I first started at Middlesbrough I should look out for Wilf and try to get a picture with him because he was one of the all-time greats. I achieved that early doors and later on I would have a meal with Wilf before home games at Ayresome Park.

He was a great man, a local lad and Middlesbrough through and through.

He told me a story that gives you a perfect illustration of the difference between players nowadays and legends of the past.

Wilf was playing for England against Scotland at Hampden Park and during the game he suffered a broken jaw. Bear in mind, Mannion was an international and one of the best wingers around.

Yet, after the game, the English FA hadn’t even booked him a seat on the train. He travelled back to Darlington in a secondclass carriage and had to stand most of the way.

Nowadays they would hire a private jet!

Everybody I have spoken to over the years – Bobby Charlton, Nobby Stiles, Brian Clough – would say that Wilf Mannion was the top man – they called him ‘the golden boy.’ So if I was to pick one out, Mannion was the big hitter.

THE LEGENDS

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■ The Legends were speaking to Andy Richardson.