BRIAN GLANVILLE

Charterhouse School, sorry but I am going to mention the place again, has contributed to Global Football in one way or another. We could argue that the Carthusians helped invent the organised game, the school captain was present at the first FA meeting in 1863, the Old Carthusians were the Real Madrid of their age, leading football development in the 19th Century and even providing international footballers over several decades and taking the game abroad. 

The school has also provided the sport with coaches, medics, marketers, FA officials and most importantly sports' writers. In the Sunday Times today old boy, Brian Glanville is reported to have been given a major award. Described as one of the most celebrated and influential football writers, he is honoured by the Cross Sports Book of the Year award, for his outstanding contribution to sports' writing.

He has covered 14 World Cups, working for the Sunday Times for over 30 years. The presentation takes place at Lords Cricket Ground on Wednesday. Brian began working in journalism at 16 with his first major writing as a 19 year old when he ghost wrote the autobiography on his Arsenal hero Cliff Bastin.

The list of books and various publications is long and his name can be found accompanying articles in the magazines such as World Soccer and the Italian newspaper Corriere dello Sport. He spent a lot of time writing about Italian Calcio.

In the 1960s he wrote for the satirical TV programme "That Was the Week that Was",  wrote the screen play for "Goal!", the account of the 1966 World Cup, scripted some radio and stage plays and helped select winners of the Ballon d' Or. 

"Writers have looked up to Brian with his shining example of excellence..." At 85 years old he still attends matches. The presentation is being filmed by Sky Sports for broadcasting next weekend.

I met Brian Glanville on several occasions as he kept an interest in the school's football. One typical moment was when he arranged a junior football match between a Charterhouse XI and his grandson's school's side; his grandson's school only played rugby!