The skills of England’s top scorer and star of 1966 inspired this goal poacher when he was just a teenager.

Tony Woodcock is a rare football specimen – he is idolised in both England and Germany after winning the European Cup with Nottingham Forest before embarking on a successful spell with Cologne.

He also scored 16 goals for England, including one against West Germany past his former Cologne team-mate Toni Schumacher.

While Woodcock made his name from opportunist strikes inside the penalty box, it was a player who thrilled football fans with goals from long-distance who inspired him most.

“My hero would have to be Bobby Charlton. I didn’t see him play much when I was a young lad, but when I did, he always stood out.

“When I was a teenager playing for a team called Priory Celtic, I won the Bobby Charlton Trophy, which was given to the player who did well on the field, but also went about it the right way. That was a big moment for me.

“As I began to play more, I realised what a good player Bobby Charlton was. I was in awe of him. He would pick the ball up in midfield and run at players before scoring from 30 yards. He worked hard too.

“I was lucky enough to meet him when he was playing in veterans’ tournaments and he was always generous with his time. He is a real gentleman both on and off the field.”