Sam Allardyce: "Since Margaret Thatcher stopped teachers being paid extra money for coaching sports after school, all sporting activities have diminished on a competitive basis.
"Thatcher killed football, no doubt about it.
"This was a working-class game but it's only at private schools where the children get the sports opportunities I had - and even then a lot of them don't play football, it's mainly rugby.
"Despite putting in place all sorts of advanced academy systems at clubs we are only producing half the players the school system used to.
"Our [West Ham] youth trainer, Tony Carr, is fighting to find the next Ferdinands and Lampards with one hand tied behind his back."
"But until we wake up and realise how important school sport is to our kids we will never repair the damage."
NU-MAD COMPETITION
We are offering FIVE copies of the new book 'Magpies In Europe' in our European competition. Simply answer the three questions and e-mail your answers to us.
1) What European competition did Newcastle Utd win in 1969?
2) Who did Newcastle Utd play in the final of that competition?
3) Tino Asprilla scored a hat-trick against which Spanish club?
SEND YOUR ANSWERS TO: Kevnumad@fsmail.net
The winners will be drawn next Wednesday July 13th and published on this website
