1968: Aged 12, signed schoolboy forms
January 1972: Aged 15, appeared in the Midland Intermediate League

“My career started with Attenborough Colts, just down the road.
“I played for them and got signed on schoolboy forms by Aston Villa when I was about 12.
“Like every kid in the country, you want to play football, that’s all I wanted to do.
“My mum and dad let me go for a month’s trial at Aston Villa, I missed my GCEs, and didn’t get taken on.
“I had to come back to Chilwell and go to the Beeston job centre, and there I found a job to be a carpet fitter."