Premier League legends announced as players for first ever North vs South match
Two of England’s most successful footballers have been named as the first players in the North v South match. Five time Premier League winner and long-time Chelsea captain John Terry will feature for the South against a North side who will contain Liverpool and Real Madrid great Steve McManaman. Terry will be bringing his winning pedigree for the southGetty While McManaman is a winner with MadridGetty The contest, which gets underway on June 1 at The Valley, home of Charlton, will see many more big names settle a divide from their playing careers. But with three Champions League titles between them Terry and McManaman give a mouthwatering taste of what’s to come. The former Red will be led by ex-Liverpool teammate turned coach Robbie Fowler, while Terry’s side will be managed by someone well known on the south coast. 2008 FA Cup winner Harry Redknapp will be in the dugout for the southern side having coached waterside teams Bournemouth, Portsmouth and Southampton before moving up to London with Tottenham and QPR. Terry, who recently joined talkSPORT to discuss his legendary career, said of his participation: “North v South has always been a big rivalry and I am excited to get back out on the pitch and be part of this game. “I am sure it will be an intensely contested game because there are bragging rights at stake and so nobody on either team is going to want to lose this one.” McManaman added: “It will be great to be back sharing a dressing room with Robbie and we are both keen to ensure North England come out on top on June 1. “To get a fixture going between the North and South of England is a great idea and I am really looking forward to being part of it.” The match, which has been organised by Football Origin, is the first of its kind and plans to be an annual occurrence. Legends matches are now becoming a regular occurrence in football, regularly filling up stadiums during international breaks. Redknapp returns to the dugout for the matchGetty In March Tottenham beat AC Milan 6-2 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium with a Robbie Keane hat-trick. Earlier this season Manchester United hosted a similar event, with 33,000 spectators in attendance to watch a legends game that Celtic won on penalties after a 1-1 draw. Regional special matches are nothing new in US sports, and regularly are the basis of all-star weekends which cause plenty of fanfare. Chelsea chairman Todd Boehly previously mooted bringing the idea to England, saying: “Ultimately I hope the Premier League takes a little bit of a lesson from American sports. “Why don’t we do a tournament with the bottom four sports teams, why isn’t there an All-Star game? “People are talking about more money for the pyramid; in the MLB All-Star game this year we made $200m from a Monday and a Tuesday. “So we’re thinking we could do a North versus South All-Star game for the Premier League, for whatever the pyramid needed quite easily.” Tickets can be purchased for the North vs South match HERE
Two of England’s most successful footballers have been named as the first players in the North v South match.
Five time Premier League winner and long-time Chelsea captain John Terry will feature for the South against a North side who will contain Liverpool and Real Madrid great Steve McManaman.
The contest, which gets underway on June 1 at The Valley, home of Charlton, will see many more big names settle a divide from their playing careers.
But with three Champions League titles between them Terry and McManaman give a mouthwatering taste of what’s to come.
The former Red will be led by ex-Liverpool teammate turned coach Robbie Fowler, while Terry’s side will be managed by someone well known on the south coast.
2008 FA Cup winner Harry Redknapp will be in the dugout for the southern side having coached waterside teams Bournemouth, Portsmouth and Southampton before moving up to London with Tottenham and QPR.
Terry, who recently joined talkSPORT to discuss his legendary career, said of his participation: “North v South has always been a big rivalry and I am excited to get back out on the pitch and be part of this game.
“I am sure it will be an intensely contested game because there are bragging rights at stake and so nobody on either team is going to want to lose this one.”
McManaman added: “It will be great to be back sharing a dressing room with Robbie and we are both keen to ensure North England come out on top on June 1.
“To get a fixture going between the North and South of England is a great idea and I am really looking forward to being part of it.”
The match, which has been organised by Football Origin, is the first of its kind and plans to be an annual occurrence.
Legends matches are now becoming a regular occurrence in football, regularly filling up stadiums during international breaks.
In March Tottenham beat AC Milan 6-2 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium with a Robbie Keane hat-trick.
Earlier this season Manchester United hosted a similar event, with 33,000 spectators in attendance to watch a legends game that Celtic won on penalties after a 1-1 draw.
Regional special matches are nothing new in US sports, and regularly are the basis of all-star weekends which cause plenty of fanfare.
Chelsea chairman Todd Boehly previously mooted bringing the idea to England, saying: “Ultimately I hope the Premier League takes a little bit of a lesson from American sports.
“Why don’t we do a tournament with the bottom four sports teams, why isn’t there an All-Star game?
“People are talking about more money for the pyramid; in the MLB All-Star game this year we made $200m from a Monday and a Tuesday.
“So we’re thinking we could do a North versus South All-Star game for the Premier League, for whatever the pyramid needed quite easily.”
Tickets can be purchased for the North vs South match HERE
