Reds legend booked by Blues

Officials at the EVO-STIK NPL First Division South pulled off a coup on the busy after dinner speaking circuit in the run-up to the festive season on Sunday when they announced that Grobbelaar would be the guest of honour at Harrison Park on Thursday 8 December.

The Blues can expect the European Cup winning keeper to lure a sell-out crowd for the Christmas fundraiser in the Blues Bar after his high profile and colourful career on and off the pitch.

Now 59 and living in Canada, Grobbelaar, pictured, was signed by Liverpool in 1981 from Vancouver Whitecaps after a loan spell at Crewe. He went on to make 628 appearances for the Reds over the next trophy laden 13 years, in the process winning the league six times, the FA Cup and League Cup three times apiece and most famously, the European Cup in 1984 after a penalty shoot-out victory over Roma.

Blues manager Ant Danylyk expects to have a strong squad at his disposal when his side hosts EVO-STIK NPL top flight opponents Sutton Coldfield Town in the first qualifying round of the FA Trophy on Saturday.

Keeper Chris Martin and Danylyk himself are both ready to return after missing the Romulus game while Tom France has completed a one-match ban. Jordan Johnson has also recovered from concussion while new signing Rob Stevenson made his first start on Saturday after joining from Stafford Rangers.

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