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Poll To Find Football Stars Hollywood Greats
A poll to find the favourite films and actors/actresses of some of the greatest names in English football has produced some startling results.
The research, which has been produced to raise awareness of the invaluable work undertaken by the Former Players’ Associations of Liverpool, Everton, Manchester City and Bolton Wanderers, was conducted by World Football Exhibitions (WFE) and released prior to a charity screening of the new Hollywood film, GOAL II, at Vue Cinemas in Bolton on Thursday, 8th February.
Mark Bushell, Managing Director of (WFE), said: “It’s always interested me to see if our footballers match the supporter’s stereotype view of them. I was expecting some pretty testosterone fuelled responses to the survey but I have to say, with a few exceptions, I was pleasantly surprised.”
No greater surprise was there than the choice of the former Manchester United and Scotland star Paddy Crerand. Crerand a European Cup winner with Manchester United, in 1968, also acted as George Best’s ‘minder’, on the pitch, ensuring that any player who intimidated Best was given the same physical punishment back.
Crerand explained his favourite film: “The Sound of Music was a classic. The songs are out of this world and I don’t think we see musicals like this nowadays. Julie Andrews was perfect in the lead role; it’s definitely my all time favourite.”
Manchester City’s Mike Summerbee on the other hand chose the film ‘Once Upon a Time in America’, not so much for the film but for the musical score that accompanied the masterpiece. He said: “Above all the film had a fantastic musical score by Ennio Morricone. However, the best film I’ve starred in’ he said jokingly, ‘has to be ‘Escape to Victory’ the best sporting film ever. I know that Freddy Flintoff and the lads watch it on the bus when their on tour!"
Legendary Manchester City goalkeeper Bert Trautmann chose a film with personal resonance to him. Having been a German prisoner of war in England he was acutely aware of the way Hollywood depicted the Second World War.
He said: “My favourite film of all time has got to be ‘The Cruel Sea’. All the other war films made in America, after the war, were glamorising events but this film was brilliant in its honesty and truthfulness. It was more like a documentary with no unnecessary fictional elements. It is a film with much integrity."
All the players who responded to the survey will be appearing in “An Audience with the Soccer Legends” at the Reebok Stadium on Thursday 29th March. The event will raise much needed funds for the Former Players’ Associations of Liverpool, Everton, Manchester City and Bolton Wanderers.
For more information on tickets for the event call: 01772 681845
ENDS – For more information Tel Mark Bushell – 07738 543035