grampus

Lineker would end his career with two injury-hit seasons with Japanese side Nagoya Grampus Eight.

There were a few players at Grampus Eight who spoke excellent English too, like our Dutch keeper Dido Havenaar, who was a lovely guy and became a good friend.

I did manage to play a few times more for Grampus, including one final appearance right at the end of my second season but by then I could hardly move, even with the help of more pain-killing injections.

That was the start of discussions which led to me being offered a two-year contract to come and play in the new J-League, which was replacing an amateur league made up of corporate teams - Grampus Eight were formerly known as Toyota Motors, and were still being bankrolled by them.

The day of my J-League debut for Nagoya Grampus Eight began with an earthquake where our whole hotel shook… and then we lost 5-0 and I didn't get a kick.