Football legend Sir Tom Finney comes under the spotlight at Lancaster talk

The event at the Toll House Inn turned out to be about a young boy of six who played in the back fields, waste land, not far from Deepdale Stadium, Preston.

With his sleeves flapping around his wrists, shorts that drooped over his knees, slicked down hair just like his hero, the great Alex James, he would go on to be proclaimed the best player in the world before he finished his journey.

The Counting Room at the Toll House was packed for the talk on Tuesday August 5, with not a vacant seat in the house as the audience listened to the story of Sir Tom Finney, narrated by Terry Ainsworth.

Two very special guests attended the talk - Brian Finney, son of Sir Tom, and Robbie Finney, nephew of the great man, both invited by Dave Carney who knew Robbie from their many fishing trips.

The curtain fell on Sir Tom’s career at 4.45pm on April 30 1960 against Luton Town at Deepdale, although three years later he was persuaded to come out of retirement for one game by George Eastham, manager of Distillery, who faced the mighty Benfica, including the 'Black Panther' Eusebio, in the first round of the European Cup.

Sir Tom would inspire a fighting display by Distillery, who drew the game 3-3 but then travelled to Portugal to lose 5-0 in the 2nd leg without Sir Tom.