Emlyn Hughes

Emlyn Hughes was justly accorded high praise for his enthusiasm and attitude when he died at the age of 57, writes Peter Corrigan [further to the obituary by Ivan Ponting, 10 November]. The former England captain, who won every available high honour at least once in his 12 years with Liverpool, transferred to the television screen when he finished playing, which brought a wider appreciation of his infectious personality.

Emlyn Hughes was justly accorded high praise for his enthusiasm and attitude when he died at the age of 57, writes Peter Corrigan [further to the obituary by Ivan Ponting, 10 November]. The former England captain, who won every available high honour at least once in his 12 years with Liverpool, transferred to the television screen when he finished playing, which brought a wider appreciation of his infectious personality.

My main memory of him occurred in the days when a football writer could still get an interview with a star without having to purchase it via an agent, but the game was already at the brink of the cashing-in age.

I was working for what was then a quality Sunday and I rang his home - another thing you can't do with top footballers these days - and requested an interview. "How much, Peter?" he asked. With an unusual turn of mental speed, I answered: "It won't cost you a penny, Em."

He roared with laughter at the cheek of it and said: "OK, fair enough, when do you want to do it?"

Much has happened to football and to footballers in the 30 years since that conversation, and it takes the memory of someone like Emlyn to remind you of it.