It is a real shame that Bisham Abbey is no longer host to the England Football Team. It was always a treat to see the England bus on the M40 on its way to Wembley.
Waving like lunatics at the England players who quite rightly ignored us.

I was lucky enough to visit the England Team whilst training at Bisham Abbey before the 1996 European Tournament. My son was on the books of Reading FC and I had written to the Football Association asking if my son could attend an England training session to help further his understanding of what is required to be a top professional.

Imagine my delight when they agreed and sent us two passes to watch a session. Terry Venables was the manager then and some of the England players on show were Teddy Sherringham, Paul Ince, Peter Beardsley, Alan Shearer, Jamie Redknapp and Les Ferdinand.

While the team went through their paces I totted up the rough value of the players on show. It was around £35M. My son, who was fifteen, could not get his head around this figure. Especially as I only gave him a couple of quid pocket money each week.

The technical skill level on show was high as was the pace of the training match. Each player seemed to be having a good time and there were plenty of laughs and jokes in lulls of play.

My son had come armed with his autograph book. He already had two footballers’ autographs that he cherished. Gary Blissett and Neil Smiley of Brentford (the team I supported).

As the players trooped off at the end of the session my son politely asked for autographs. He captured most of the player’s autographs he wanted and Jamie Redknapp took time to talk my son.

The one exception (and disappointment) was Alan Shearer. He grudgingly signed my son’s autograph book and stomped off. To this day I find it hard to equate the smiling Alan Shearer on Match of the Day with the miserable man we met that day. The other surprising thing is that I towered over him (I am only 6ft) but he had the most powerful looking calves I have ever seen.

My son continued playing for Reading FC’s academy and he scored some spectacular goals for them against Premier academies. He quit the game in 1997 as a life in football was not for him.

He still has that autograph book and I wonder how much it would be worth on Ebay today?