He can't sing, whatever he says, but he could definitely play football. Chris Waddle will probably be known more widely for his time as an England international, stints at Tottenham Hotspur and in France with Marseille or that god awful song with Glenn Hoddle, but his football career began at St James' Park, where he spent five years, making 170 appearances and scoring 46 goals. His time in a Newcastle midfield with Peter Beardsley and Kevin Keegan in the 1980's led to promotion from the second division by 1984, with Waddle earning the recognition of many. In 1985, he moved onto Spurs for £590,000 and became a genuinely fantastic and arguably world class footballer, earning 62 caps for England, most of which came under Sir Bobby Robson. He later took Ligue 1 by storm in a three year spell at the Stade Velodrome in Marseille, scoring 22 goals in 107 games before his final big move back in England with Sheffield Wednesday in 1992, where he made 109 appearances and scoring ten goals before moving on four years later. At the age of 53 Waddle, from Felling, still plays the odd game, appearing for the likes of Hallem FC, Stocksbridge Park Steels and Worksop Town since leaving Torquay United in 2002.
Budding football journalist, European football fan and Newcastle United season ticket holder. I have contributed to FourFourTwo.com and The Evening Chronicle.
