SPORTING TRAILBLAZER

Spencer Vignes unearths the story of George Robledo, the first overseas star of English football

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It was a question that had everyone in the room stumped, almost to the point of silence. “Who holds the record for the most league goals scored by an overseas player in the top flight of English football in a single season?” I felt as if I should know the answer, having written about sport for much of my adult life. But I didn’t. There I was, appearing as a guest at the Brighton branch of Sporting Memories, a UK charity which encourages older people to meet and reminisce through talking about sport, and I'd seemingly been exposed as a total fraud.

A few educated guesses had initially been made by the 20 or so members who'd gathered to hear me talk about my latest book before getting down to the far more serious business of their weekly Monday morning quiz. Thierry Henry? Cristiano Ronaldo? What about Dennis Bergkamp? Or Luis Suárez?

One by one, our quizmaster, the former England rugby union international, cricketer and BBC broadcaster Alastair Hignell, batted away each incorrect answer including my own shot at restoring some professional pride (Mohamed Salah, just in case you were wondering).

Gradually, the suggestions became little more than shots in the dark. Robin van Persie? Not Ricky Villa, surely? Until, in David Ginola’s wake, the well of potential candidates ran dry and an air of befuddlement fell across the group. Maybe it was the presence of the former Wales and Newcastle United goalkeeper Dave Hollins in the room that did it. Out of the blue, someone came up with a name, the correct name at that - George Robledo. George Robledo! Yes. YES! And it all came flooding back.