ALAN BALL joined us from Arsenal after our FA Cup win in 1976 and his reputation, and the stature he carried as one of Eng- land’s World Cup winning side of 1966, allowed us to bask in his talent and celebrity.

He helped take us to a new level with his drive, energy and a sin- gle-mindedness that divided him from the rest, made him what he was; one of the outstanding play- ers of an outstanding genera- tion.

He was exactly the figure I sought for the team. He would be the senior player who would earn the re- spect of everybody at the club and win us promotion.

I knew his dad from ages past but I can’t recall how I made contact with Alan junior, though I was aware he was free to leave Ar - senal. You tend to know a journalist who’d give the player a call or find a number for you to ring. It is supposed to be against the rules but please tell me a manager or a club who did not work in this w a y.

Alan turned up, on his own, without an agent and no hangers- on. He came up the stairs to my office at The Dell, walked round my desk and put his hand out. I walked past him, locked the door, turned and then shook his hand.

“What did you do that for?” he said.

“Because Alan, you’re not leaving until you sign."

Lawrie McMenemy A Lifetime's Obsession My Autobiography, RRP £18.99, Trinity Mirror Sport Media. On sale now from Amazon http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1910335282/ref=s9_simh_gw_g14_i1_r?pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_s=desktop-2&pf_rd_r=0DT7RNDBE69NKVHSYE14&pf_rd_t=36701&pf_rd_p=867551807&pf_rd_i=desktop

Meet Lawrie McMenemy at St Mary's Megastore on Saturday (9 April) at 11.30am signing his new book.