HARTY: On David Beckham and a memorabilia auction

People laying flowers outside Old Trafford? Her Majesty the Queen addressing the nation during the six o'clock news?

As much as I like David Beckham both as a person and a footballer, in the grand scheme of the World Cup, was he really that much of a sho-in?

Stop 20 blokes in Montague Street, if you can wait that long, and ask them to name their best current England 11, and how many times would Beckham feature?

One of the tag lines was that his injury meant he missed out on appearing in a record four consecutive World Cups for England and will possibly not break Peter Shilton's caps record now.

To be fair, it was only fate that probably got him anywhere near these records.

Shilts probably sits at home thinking that if England had been managed better in the 1970s and qualified in 74 and 78, he would have played in five consecutive tournaments, and if Ray Clemence hadn't been around at the same time and won 60 caps, how many would he have added to his own 125 record?

There's no doubting that it is a setback, as he still had something to offer, but fate has intervened and history proves that it can sometimes turn out for the better.

At the start of the 1966 tournament Geoff Hurst had played for England only four times and was very much a squad player with Jimmy Greaves being first choice up front, Greavsie got injured and as they say, the rest is history.

Forty-four years later, will another 'squad player' step up to the plate and re-write English football history?

It was voted one of the most iconic sporting images of the 20th century, and this Friday at the George and Dragon, Tarring village people will get the chance to bid for a large, framed print of Muhammad Ali standing over a pole-axed Sonny Liston, signed by Ali himself, in aid of Chestnut Tree House, our local children's hospice.

There is quite a story behind the photo itself, it was taken by a junior photographer who was let into the fight only at the last minute and was made to stand at the other side of the ring by the massed ranks of the established "snappers".

The young man in question was clearly in the right place at the right time, as behind Ali you can see the rest of the photographers behind the action.

And as sporting memorabilia goes, its value has grown, and will continue to, on account of the fact that due to his medical condition Ali no longer gives autographs.

In addition to this unique piece of sporting memorabilia, there is a framed Manchester United shirt signed by the legendary Frenchman Eric Cantona, a framed England cricket shirt signed by Freddie Flintoff along with several lots from the world of football, cricket, rugby and boxing.

The auction starts at 8.00pm with the lots on view from Thursday evening.

For more details contact landlord Mike Shiel at the pub on 01903 202497.